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Get ready to embark on on exotic voyage
... to Backwater country.
Among the towns
in Kerala, Kollam is one town that's famous for its antiquity. During
ancient times, Kollam was a renowned international trade centre ...
for the port of Kollam was frequented by Phoenicians, Persians,
Romans, Arabs and Chinese. Also,
famous travellers like Marco Polo and Ibam Batuta have acclaimed the
historical importance of Kollam as a commercial town.
It was in Kollam where 'Ramanattam' -
the dance form of Kathakali originated! Today, Kollam is one of the
major industrial and commercial centres of Kerala ... and also the hub
of Kerala's cashewnut industry.
Tourist attractions in Kollam
Pleasure boating at Thenmala
Thenmala, 68 kilometres East of Kollam, is a traveller's delight
surrounded by dense forests in the Eastern ranges. Kollam DTPC has
made available the Pleasure Boating facility for the tourists at this
enchanting place. Coursing down the waters, the tourists can get an
immaculate view of the Thenmala Dam and the Senthurini Wild Life
Sanctuary. The tourists also get to see the passing scenery of the
hills and valleys and capture the beauty of the flora and fauna.
The Sayanthanam sunset
tour
A calm, unhurried backwater cruise on country crafts through the
mesmerizing backwaters of Ashtamudi … accompanied by the silver
moonlight. A journey one can only dream of! This costs around Rs.100
for adults and Rs. 50 for children.
Kairali Darsan is a 10 hour long tour
programme exclusively organised by Kollam DTPC. On this full day tour,
tourists are taken to a local village. They are graciously welcomed by
the village folk and are introduced to the native's diverse culture,
varied art forms and rich tradition. An awe-inspiring 100 year old
home takes care of the hospitality … and to everyone's delight,
sumptuous delicacies from the Keralite cuisine are served in the
traditional style. The full day ethnic tour programme costs almost
Rs.1050) per head.
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Kayal
Pradakshan
This canal tour takes the tourists through the serene waterways of
Munroe Island. The Munroe Island, which is the best of its kind in
Kerala, is naturally formed out of very narrow water bodies from the
backwaters of
'Ashtamudi' and the 'Kallada' river! Water Lilly flowers
adorn the canals. Stems from these water-borne plants can be used as
straw to sip tender coconuts.
The Kayal Pradakshin canal tour lets one experience true village life
in Kerala and one can see things like the village folk engaged in the
making of coir and fisherman working on their Chinese nets etc.
The Kayal Pradakshin village canal tour costs almost Rs.300 per head
while children below 12 years can travel free.
Kollam - Alappuzha cruise
If you are using the services of the
Kollam DTPC, then you can make use of the 'dawn to dusk' cruise
between Kollam and Alappuzha through the backwaters of Ashtamudi. The
tourists can sit back and relax in the luxury cruises, which also have
an upper deck facility, from where they can view the passing scenery.
On board, there is ample supply of soft drinks and beer.
En route, the backwater cruise has a
main stopover at Amrithapuri - the residence and headquarters of Mata
Amrithananda Mayi Devi. The tourists are free to halt here and
continue the rest of their journey on any other day with the same
ticket.
The next stopover is the Kumarakody
Memorial - built in the memory of a noted Malayalam poet, Kumaranasan.
The tourists can have a clear view of
houseboats in distinct designs and varying dimensions at Alumkadavu,
the next stopover. The place is reputed to be the building yard of
attractive houseboats in traditional 'Kettuvalams'.
Kayamkulam Pozhi - the estuary at
Kayamkulam offers the tourists a panoramic view of the fishermen
working with the Chinese fishing nets in the evening hours.
In close proximity to Alappuzha is
Karumadi where the tourists can see the awesome 11th century
Karumadikuttan Buddha image alongside the boundary of the canal.
to be
continued
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Kerala
- God's own country. As you think of Kerala, images of lush greenery
and blue backwaters rush into one's mind. Kerala is one land
where Nature's bounty can be found a'plenty. One such place is Kollam
(formerly known as Quilon). Unwind from your hectic lifestyle or take
your sweetheart for a dream honeymoon - Kollam will fill the bill
perfectly.