Kollam

Kollam, sandwiched between the Ashtamudi Lake and the Arabian Sea, is an ideal base to explore the southern backwaters. The second largest lake in Kerala, Ashtamudi is named after its eight channels. The backwaters here are considerably less crowded than Alappuzha, but equally picturesque. The District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) organises houseboat and canal tours through the lake and Munroe Island. The canal cruise, conducted on a country canoe, is an excellent way to observe village activities such as coir making, toddy tapping, prawn and fish farming, and ‘kettuvallam’ (rice-boat) construction, from close quarters.