Kollam

	The town Kollam on the Ashtamudi Lake is renowned for being the gateway to the beautiful backwaters of Kerala.The tourists have the option of going for a backwater tour or cruise that commences from Kollam in Kerala. The backwater tour from Kollam to Alappuzha happens to be the longest cruise in Kerala.This town Kollam is famous for its cashew crop. Kollam (earlier known as Quilon) was one of the leading trade centres of the ancient world, eulogised by travellers such as Ibn Battuta and Marco Polo. Thangasseri Fort Kollam is also the starting point of the backwater waterways in Kerala. The famous Ashtamudi Kayal in Kollam, known as the gateway to the backwaters of Kerala, covers about 30 per cent of Kollam.The 8 hour house boat ride from Kollam to Alappuzha is the longest cruise in Kerala backwaters and is a delightful ride with a view of the scenery landscaped by lotuses and water lilies all around.The historic Thangasseri Fort near Kollam, which is situated 71 km north of Thiruvananathapuram, is a major tourist attraction around the backwaters of Kollam