Kerala is an amazing vibrant green state located on the south-western coast of India. It has an amazing shoreline of almost 600km facing the Arabian Sea. Moving inland, it is bordered by the Western Ghats are known for their amazing diversity of flora and fauna and a delight to nature enthusiasts.
There is something here for every kind of person as the state is steeped in history and culture and home to India’s first church as well as its first mosque. The traders of yore brought these two religions to India through the trading points along the coast of Kollam as well as nearby Thrissur.
Along with large expanses of scenic golden beaches fringed with swaying coconut groves, there are also cool hill stations where you can enjoy amazing views of large expanses of verdant green hill slopes covered in tea plantations and fragrant spice gardens. In-between are the forest reserves and sanctuaries where you can catch glimpses of the natural wildlife. Wild elephants, tigers, monkeys, gaur (Indian bison) and deer are some of the animals commonly seen here.
And when you are done with enjoying all these sights, take a break and rejuvenate in the famous backwaters of Kerala. They are well-known for their calm and placid views that heal your body and soul from inside out as you fall under its spell. The backwaters linked to the Ashtamudi Lake in Kollam are especially enchanting with their channels of backwaters covered with a lush canopy of greenery. The hush and silence experienced as you glide through the silent waters weave a magical spell all its own that’s only broken by birdsong or the occasional excited chatter of village children as they happily wave to you from the banks.
The lake itself is home to numerous islands, the most famous of which is the Munroe Island, named after one of the British lords from the colonial era. You could even get your boatman to stop over at any of these mysterious-looking islands, most of which are uninhabited and bring back memories of adventure books read during childhood!
There are water sports to be enjoyed here too and when you are done with that, you could go down to the Kollam beach located a few kilometres away and enjoy the glorious Arabian Sea sunsets.
A good place to stay over in Kollam is at the Raviz Resort and Spa located on the scenic banks of the majestic Ashtamudi Lake. It’s just about a breezy 71km drive away from the Trivandrum international airport.