KOLLAM

It is a quiet city snugly sandwiched between the Arabian Sea in the west and the serene Ashtamudi Lake in the East. A mixture of urban echoes and village calmness plays a melodious tune here. Both urban life and rustic charm weave a texture of interesting everyday pattern In Kollam. While the city exudes the spirit of modern life, the villages of the district ooze the beauty of calmness. 

 

Formerly known as Desinganadu, Kollam is a well-known old seaport on the western sea coast of Kerala. It had trade relations with several countries from ancient times. If it were spices that were exported in those days it is cashew nuts that occupy the first place in export chart today. Kollam is known as the Cashew Capital of the World. 

 

Though small in size, the city of Kollam is also known for its first aerodrome in Kerala. Now the airport is serving as a twin-helipad. The first amphibian aircraft also landed in Kollam. Kollam is in many ways special for its festivities, culture and typical geographical contours. Large backwaters and long seashores hug the city and water is an eternal presence here. 

 

Kollam is one of the best known seafood export hubs in India. The place has several companies involved in seafood export. The Ashtamudi Lake is known to have 90 species of fish and ten species of clams in it. Clam fishery is a major livelihood for thousands of people here. 80% of India’s export quality clams come from Kollam only. Other than fishery, the place is also known for its pencil slat manufacturing in India. More than 150 slat production units function in the city and they employ roughly five thousand people in those units. Kollam is also the home of mineral sands. The rich deposits of the very rare mineral sands, fondly renamed ‘black gold’ are used by Indian Rare Earths (IRE) and Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd (KMML). Various value added products like Titanium Dioxide and Titanium Sponge are produced by KM ML utilizing the mineral sands. 

 

Kollam is also the land of lakes and rivers. Magnificent backwaters and rivers flow through the district of Kollam. Kallada and Ithikkara are two famous rivers in Kollam. The only freshwater lake in the state – Sasthamkotta Lake – is also in Kollam. Paravoor Lake, Edava and Nadayara Lake also run through Kollam. Kollam is always fresh and clean. Its rivers and lakes keep its face so beautiful everyday!

  • Area : 2491 Sq.km
  • Nearest Airport: Thiruvananthapuram (71 Kms)
  • Railway Station: Kollam Town (2 Km from The Raviz)
  • Nearest National Highway: 200 mtr from The Raviz
  • Population: 26,84,271
  • Climate: Tropical
  • Annual Rainfall: 270 cms
  • Max. Temperature: 36.0°C
  • Min. Temperature: 22.4°C
KOLLAM - Places to Visit in Kerala