There is a very good reason why the southern state of Kerala in India is known as ‘Gods own Country’. It is blessed with an amazing bounty of natural beauty with numerous unforgettable beaches, backwaters, waterfalls, hill stations and verdant greenery. Lakhs of international and domestic tourists visit Kerala each year and leave with beautiful memories.
The Kollam beach, located just a couple of kilometres out of Kollam city offers the visitors miles of undisturbed vistas of azure blue oceans and sundrenched sands. This enchanting beach is a popular beach wedding destination in Kerala with people from far-flung places coming to this idyllic palm-fringed beach to exchange their vows. The panoramic views of the Arabian ocean and the drumming of the ever-rolling waves crashing onto the sands of timelessness make the perfect background for that special moment of exchanging ‘I do’.
There is also a large park known as Mahatma Gandhi Park which was inaugurated in 1961 and is perfect for family outings, picnics and offers a space for the kids to run around and have fun. Numerous small eateries offering popular snacks line the boundaries for those who are feeling peckish. The large open vistas make Kollam beach a great place to while away the evening hours and soak in the magnificent sunsets for which it is famous. With the sea so calm here, you can enjoy surfing, sailing, boat rides or just swimming and frolicking in the surf.
There are many interesting features close by including the over 144 feet high Thangasseri lighthouse which was commissioned in 1902. For the adventure-minded, there are also some ruins of Dutch and Portuguese forts and churches to capture the imagination. The best feature here is the backwaters which originate from the huge Ashtamudi Lake. Kollam city is nestled on the banks of this lake which is linked with numerous water channels leading all the way to Alappuzha. So when you are done with enjoying the beach life, you could go for a romantic houseboat (country boats made entirely of wood) cruise. There are numerous mysterious-looking islands dotting this palm-shaped lake and you could even get your boat’s helmsman to take you exploring through them.
A great place to stay in Kollam is at the Raviz Resort & Spa Ashtamudi. It nestles on the banks of this serene lake and you can enjoy panoramic views of lakeside activities such as fishing with the ghostly Chinese fishing nets and Chinese water pots. Kollam is well-connected by excellent highways and railways with the nearest airport being in neighboring Trivandrum – a breezy 68km ride away.