Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(see 3)
Sights
The best thing to do from Kollam is explore the backwaters around
Munroe Island
. There's a
rowdy
fish market
at Kollam Beach where customers and fisherfolk alike pontificate on the
value of the day's catch; there's also an evening fish market from 5pm to 9pm. The aver-
age
beach
is 2km south of town, a ?35 rickshaw ride away.
Activities
Santhigiri Ayurveda Centre
( 2763014;
http://santhigiriashram.com
; Asramam Rd, Kadappakada)
An ayurvedic centre with more of
an institutional than a spa vibe, popular for its seven- to 21-day treatment packages - ac-
commodation is available for ?500 a night. You can also just visit for a rejuvenation mas-
sage (?1000).
AYURVEDA
Tours
Canal Cruise
(
www.dtpckollam.com
; per person ?400; 9am-1.30pm & 2-6.30pm)
Excellent tours through the canals
of Munroe Island and across Ashtamudi Lake are organised by the DTPC (District Tour-
ism Promotion Council) and a few private operators. After a 25km drive to the starting
point, you take a three-hour trip via punted canoe. On these guided excursions you can ob-
serve daily village life, see
kettuvallam
(rice barge) construction, toddy (palm beer) tap-
ping, coir-making (coconut fibre), prawn and fish farming, and do some birdwatching on
spice-garden visits.
BOATING
Houseboat Cruises
(
www.dtpckollam.com
; 2/4/6 people overnight from ?3000/4000/5500, Kollam to Alappuzha cruise ?10,000/12,000/
14,000)
Kollam has far fewer houseboats than Alleppey, which can mean a less-touristy ex-
BOATING
