Thangassery Lighthouse

Thangassery Lighthouse raises Kollam’s sea view above a historic coastal neighbourhood. The red-and-white tower is a working navigation landmark with a separate visitor session.

Thangassery Lighthouse, Kollam town
Practical guide

Plan Thangassery Lighthouse

Who's going?Tailor Thangassery Lighthouse to your trip
Typeheritage
AreaKollam town
DistrictKollam
Best timeAn open visitor session on a clear day
Time neededAbout 45–60 minutes for the lighthouse,…
Places to visit9Listed businesses56

A working maritime light at Thangassery Point, with the present tower commissioned in 1902.

Visitor climbing depends on the lighthouse authority’s current rules.

The story

Thangassery Point Lighthouse is a working aid to navigation with a documented 1902 commission and a much older coastal history around it.

The story of Thangassery Lighthouse

The Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships says an oil lamp on a column served this point in the nineteenth century. The present brick tower was established in 1902, and its light was commissioned on 1 March that year with optics supplied by Chance Brothers of Birmingham. That sequence explains why the tower can be called colonial-era without confusing an earlier lamp with the current structure.

Thangassery’s shore has Portuguese, Dutch and Travancore chapters beyond the lighthouse. The directorate’s history mentions Dutch trading rights and a fort, followed by Travancore’s consolidation. A tower view, when public climbing is allowed, can orient those layers; it does not prove a single precise footprint for every vanished fort wall.

This remains a functional lighthouse. Check current visiting hours, ticketing, climb rules and weather closures with the lighthouse staff. Do not plan a climb from a travel page that only establishes the engineering history.

Read the full history of Thangassery Lighthouse 50 more words

History

The lighthouse directorate dates the present tower to 1902 and its light commission to 1 March 1902. An earlier oil-lamp column served the point in the nineteenth century.

Why visit

See a 1902 working maritime structure.

Use an open viewpoint to read Thangassery’s layered shore.

Connect the tower to Kollam’s navigation history.

Sources for this place

What to expect

Highlights

  • The 1902 brick tower.
  • Navigation history from oil-lamp column to modern light.
  • The layered Thangassery coast.
Getting there

How to visit

  • Check current DGLL visitor hours, ticket and climb status.
  • Follow lighthouse staff and weather restrictions.
  • Use public shore routes to view the tower when climbing is closed.

Distance by road

Road km to Kollam; ghat roads and traffic vary — allow extra.

Timing

Best time

An open visitor session on a clear day; severe wind or rain can affect access.

Weather in Thangassery LighthouseSeasonal guide

Live forecast loads in your browser.

Today at Thangassery Lighthouse
Sunrise6:11 am
Sunset6:10 pm
Golden hour best light5:10 pm–6:10 pm
Blue hour after sunset6:10 pm–6:35 pm
Sun sets toward compass bearingW · 263°
Moon tonight🌑 New moon · 0%

Sun and moon are calculated for this location and shown in IST. Photography windows are the hour around sunrise and sunset; the sunset bearing is degrees clockwise from true north. Moon phase is accurate to about half a day.

Visitor notes

  • The light was commissioned on 1 March 1902.
  • The directorate distinguishes the earlier oil-lamp column from the present tower.
Safety

Good to know

  • Follow stair and height restrictions.
  • Stay clear of restricted working equipment.
Stay · eat · do · rent · see · shop

Stays, food & things to do near Thangassery Lighthouse

Browse listed stays, food, activities, sights, shops and rentals around Thangassery Lighthouse. Check each listing’s locality and contact the business directly for current arrangements.

Hotel · Kollam town
Munroe Inn Homestay
13.2 km · straight-line distance

A family homestay reached by a short boat ride on Munroe Island in the Ashtamudi backwaters. Offers two AC rooms with home-cooked breakfasts.

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Restaurant · Kollam town
Fisherman's Bay
3.0 km · straight-line distanceSeafood

Seafood restaurant at the five-star Quilon Beach Hotel. It plates the day's catch beside panoramic Arabian Sea views.

Directions Commission-freeView details
Restaurant · Kollam town
Black Gold Cafe
2.9 km · straight-line distanceMulti-cuisine

Poolside multi-cuisine restaurant at The Quilon Beach Hotel. Open-air dining right on Kollam beach. Beach Road, Kollam - 691006, Kerala.

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Restaurant · Kollam town
Cafe de Vasco
2.9 km · straight-line distanceCafe

The 24-hour coffee shop at The Quilon Beach Hotel. All-day light meals and beverages beside the sea.

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Restaurant · Kollam town
Chef King Multicuisine
2.6 km · straight-line distanceMulti-cuisine

Multi-cuisine restaurant in the Bishop Jerome complex, Chinnakada. Blends Kerala spice with Chinese woks and North Indian tandoor.

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Hotel · Kollam town
Hotel Nani & Resort
2.8 km · straight-line distance

Boutique hotel with 28 rooms and original artwork in the heart of Kollam, overlooking the city's Clock Tower.

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Hotel · Kollam town
All Season Backwater Resort
3.3 km · straight-line distance

A lakefront resort where all 20 rooms and suites face Ashtamudi Lake. Runs its own houseboat cruises and shoreside Ayurveda treatments.

Directions Commission-freeView details
Hotel · Kollam town
Munroe Island Lake Resort
13.2 km · straight-line distance

A backwater resort where Ashtamudi Lake meets the Kallada River. Named after Colonel John Munroe, it offers canoe tours and houseboat cruises.

Directions Commission-freeView details
Chinnakada Clock Tower — Memorial in Kollam townPhoto: Arunvrparavur
Historic
Memorial · Kollam town
Chinnakada Clock Tower
Est. 3.6 km · 6 min drive~₹60–80 by auto

The clock tower at Chinnakada junction — the point the town measures everything else from, and the natural start of any walk through Kollam.

DirectionsView guide
Beach · Kollam town
Kollam Beach
Est. 3.1 km · 5 min drive~₹50–70 by auto

The town’s own beach — an open Arabian Sea shore with no verified lifeguard cover, best used as an early-evening walk when the fishing fleet works. Not a resort beach, and not Varkala.

DirectionsView guide
Museum · Kollam town
Sardar Vallabhai Patel Police Museum
Est. 3.9 km · 7 min drive~₹60–80 by auto

The police museum 600 m from the centre — one of the town’s few ticketed indoor sights, and paired naturally with the Asramam green. Timings unverified; check before a special trip.

DirectionsView guide
Thevally Palace — Palace in Kollam townPhoto: Akhilan
Historic
Palace · Kollam town
Thevally Palace
Est. 3.4 km · 5 min drive~₹50–70 by auto

The palace across the water from Asramam, part of Kollam’s small colonial-era quarter on the lake side. Viewed from outside unless current access says otherwise.

DirectionsView guide
Waterfront · Kollam town
Ashtamudi Lake
Est. 10.6 km · 13 min drive~₹160–200 by auto

The eight-armed lake that is the reason Kollam exists — a Ramsar wetland, quieter and cheaper than Alappuzha’s water, with the canoe country at Munroe Island up the same system.

DirectionsView guide
Hotel · Kollam town
The Quilon Beach Hotel
2.9 km · straight-line distance

Hotel in Kollam town. Luxury beach hotel and convention centre · Kollam Beach, Hotel, Convention centre.

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Hotel · Kollam town
Sea Palace Kollam
3.3 km · straight-line distance

Hotel in Kollam town. Kollam town, Hotel, Kochupilamoodu.

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Lake resort and heritage hotel · Kollam town
The Leela Ashtamudi A Raviz Hotel
3.2 km · straight-line distance

The Leela Ashtamudi is a lakefront heritage resort at Thevally Bridge, with several room types, houseboat categories and on-site dining. Its correct hotel entrance is at Thevally/Mathilil, separate from the Raviz corporate-office address previously displayed. Compare the named room or houseboat, lake view, meals, transfer, activity inclusions, total price and cancellation terms. The operator's aerial photograph shows the whole property, not a promise that every room has the same view.

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Budget hotel · Kollam town
Madathil Regency Hotel Kollam
12.2 km · straight-line distance

Modern budget hotel at Aadichanalloor on the Kollam–Thiruvananthapuram highway side of Kollam district, south of the town. It offers clean, value air-conditioned rooms with a restaurant and parking, a low-cost highway base for travellers passing through greater Kollam.

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Budget hotel (2-star class) · Kollam town
Hotel Sudarsan Kollam
2.4 km · straight-line distance

Long-running budget hotel at Parameswar Nagar in central Kollam, rated two-star class by travel directories. It offers value air-conditioned rooms with the Kedar multi-cuisine restaurant and Golden Tavern bar, a practical low-cost town-centre base for transit and business travellers.

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Budget hotel (KTDC Easy) · Kollam town
Tamarind KTDC Easy Hotel Kollam
2.7 km · straight-line distance

Government-run KTDC Easy budget hotel in the Guest House compound at Ashramom, beside Ashtamudi Lake on the quiet edge of Kollam town. It offers simple, low-cost air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned rooms with a restaurant, run under the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation budget brand.

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3-Star-class hotel · Kollam town
Hotel Sea Bee Kollam
2.3 km · straight-line distance

Long-running three-star-class hotel near the KSRTC bus station on Jetty Road in central Kollam, a short walk from the Ashtamudi backwater boat jetty. It offers 44 air-conditioned rooms, a multi-cuisine restaurant, bar, travel desk and boating assistance, a practical mid-range base for backwater and transit travellers.

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3-Star hotel · Kollam town
Hotel Soorya Kollam
11.6 km · straight-line distance

Kerala Tourism-classified three-star hotel at Kottiyam on the Kollam–Thiruvananthapuram highway, in the southern part of Kollam district. It offers air-conditioned rooms, a multi-cuisine restaurant, bar, banquet hall and travel desk, a comfortable mid-range highway base a short drive south of Kollam town.

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3-Star hotel · Kollam town
Hotel Railview Kollam
3.2 km · straight-line distance

Kerala Tourism-classified three-star hotel on NH-47 directly opposite Kollam Railway Station, in the heart of Kollam town. It offers air-conditioned rooms, a multi-cuisine restaurant, bar, banquet and conference halls and 24-hour room service, a convenient mid-range base for rail and business travellers.

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Ayurveda centre (Kerala Tourism classified) · Kollam town
Sarovaram Ayurvedic Backwater Health Center Kollam
9.3 km · straight-line distance

Kerala Tourism-classified Ayurveda centre on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake at Ashtamudi, on the backwater edge of Kollam. It runs residential Ayurveda and Panchakarma programmes in rustic laterite cottages beside the water, focused on treatment stays rather than casual spa visits.

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Ayurveda and spa (Kerala Tourism Green Leaf) · Kollam town
Favourite Kerala Ayurveda and Spa Kollam
3.2 km · straight-line distance

Kerala Tourism Green Leaf-classified Ayurveda and spa centre at The Leela Ashtamudi (Raviz), Thevally, overlooking Ashtamudi Lake in Kollam. Its therapy rooms offer classical Kerala Ayurveda treatments and rejuvenation packages with backwater views, run to the Green Leaf standard rather than as a generic hotel spa.

Directions Commission-freeView details

Book with the place itself. India’s cyber-crime coordination centre warned in April 2025 that convincing copies of hotel and pilgrimage booking sites are being pushed through sponsored search and social ads, taking payment for rooms the property never hears about. Use the contact and source details on each profile to confirm the exact business and booking channel. A directory entry or map pin alone does not establish an operator’s identity or current availability. Roampedia takes no commission and does not collect booking payments. If a booking page reached you through an ad, check the address bar against the property’s own site before you pay. Fraud can be reported on cybercrime.gov.in or on 1930.

Options

More ways to explore Kollam town

Find food, accommodation and activities across Kollam town. Browse the guides for places to eat, stay and explore along your route.

Nearest to Thangassery Lighthouse, on foot

Walking routes start at Thangassery Lighthouse. Check the route and access before setting out, especially where a road, gate or waterway separates the stops.

Across the whole of Kollam town

Nearby guides

Top experiences around Kollam town

13 more places around Kollam town. Open a guide to plan the visit and onward journey.

backwaterAshtamudi Lake

15.7 km · 20 min drive

Large palm-fringed backwater system and houseboat base around Kollam.

backwaterSasthamcotta Lake

Kerala’s largest freshwater lake, a Ramsar wetland ringed by hills and a Sastha temple, north of Kollam.

beachKollam Beach

2.9 km · 4 min drive

The city’s Mahatma Gandhi beach and park on the Arabian Sea, a popular evening spot near Kollam town.

beachThirumullavaram Beach

3.3 km · 5 min drive

A quiet, curved bay beach west of Kollam town, calmer than the city beach and good for a relaxed evening.

heritageThevally Palace

3.4 km · 5 min drive

A Travancore royal residence on the Ashtamudi shore in Kollam, built to be arrived at by boat and now a working NCC establishment — viewed from outside or from the water.

templeAnandavalleeswaram Temple

1.6 km · straight line

Anandavalleeswaram is an active Shiva temple in Kollam, with an Anandavally shrine and a ten-day annual festival in March or April. Ritual processions and cultural performances bring another dimension to the temple visit. Follow its worship session, admission and photography rules.

caveKottukal Cave Temple

A monolithic rock-cut cave temple near Anchal/Kadakkal in south Kollam, carved with a Shiva shrine.

backwaterNeendakara

8.4 km · 12 min drive

By most accounts Kerala’s largest fishing harbour, at the mouth of Ashtamudi Lake about 9 km from Kollam town, and where Indian fishing was mechanised; two bridges cross the confluence and the early-morning auction is the sight to catch.

beachParavur Pozhikkara

The estuary and beach at Paravur south-east of Kollam, where the Paravur backwaters meet the sea across a sandbar — a quiet spot known for its regulator bridge, the TS Canal and calm backwater-and-sea scenery.

activityAsramam Adventure Park

2.8 km · straight line

Forty-eight acres of municipal park on the Ashtamudi shore in the middle of Kollam, run by the DTPC — boating and kayaking off a painted jetty, ziplines and rope courses, a heritage walkway of terracotta reliefs, contemporary sculpture left behind by a 2012 festival, and a mangrove wetland with a state biodiversity heritage tag.

heritageBritish Residency, Asramam

3.0 km · straight line

The former British Residency at Asramam survives as a government guest house beside Kollam’s backwater landscape. Its architecture is the attraction, with access governed by its working use.

museumSardar Vallabhbhai Patel Police Museum

3.1 km · straight line

Kollam’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Police Museum introduces the history of policing through arms, equipment and investigation displays. It offers an indoor history stop during a city outing. Check the museum’s session before choosing your day, and leave time to read the displays.

heritagePort of Kollam

1.9 km · straight line

The working wharf and breakwater at Thangassery, conventionally founded in AD 825 — the event the Malayalam calendar counts from. A short cargo quay and a long public breakwater walk, above a seabed that has produced Tang and Song coins and Lower Palaeolithic tools.

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Before you go

Thangassery Lighthouse — at a glance

TimingsConfirm current public visiting and climb hours directly with the lighthouse authority.

Entry: Confirm current DGLL entry or climb ticket at the site.

Getting here

How to reach Thangassery Lighthouse

At Thangassery Point in Kollam; use the public lighthouse entrance when open.

Getting back

If you are travelling by bus or ferry, check the return service with the operator before setting out. Leave time to reach the stop or jetty after your visit.

Ask at the bus stand for the time of the last service back, not the next one. If you miss it, an auto or app cab is the fallback — agree the fare before you get in.

Do

Things to do

  • Read the tower’s 1902 navigation history.
  • Use permitted viewpoints over the Thangassery coast.
  • Compare the present lighthouse with the older oil-lamp-column account.
Getting around Thangassery Lighthouse

If you need step-free access, contact the site before travelling. Ask about a level entrance, steps along the route, the nearest drop-off point, seating and accessible toilets.

Practical things near Thangassery Lighthouse
Bus stopsBus station 711 m · 9 min walkMapped Dec 2015DirectionsTaxi & auto standsVaddy Taxi Stand 1.1 km · 13 min walkMapped May 2021DirectionsPharmacyPharmacy 706 m · 8 min walkMapped Dec 2020DirectionsHospitalSamad IVF Hospital 772 m · 9 min walkMapped Jul 2020DirectionsClinicVarghese Koshy Clinic 1.6 km · 19 min walkMapped May 2021DirectionsBankState Bank of India 602 m · 7 min walkMapped Sept 2024DirectionsWater & snacksRajus supermarket 1.2 km · 15 min walkMapped May 2021DirectionsGroceries & bakeryBakery 553 m · 7 min walkMapped Aug 2026DirectionsPost officeCiivil Lines Post Office 1.7 km · 20 min walkMapped May 2021DirectionsSomewhere to prayInfantjesuschurch Place of worship1.3 km · 15 min walkMapped May 2022DirectionsPark or gardenThangassery Groyne Park1.7 km · 21 min walkMapped Jun 2026DirectionsPublic art & memorialsPiyatha Public artwork1.1 km · 13 min walkMapped May 2020Directions
What the cash actually costs
  • For savings accounts covered by the RBI allowance, other-bank ATM transactions are free up to a monthly limit; after that, a transaction may cost up to ₹23 plus applicable taxes. This is not one of the RBI’s six metro centres, so the allowance here is the higher one: at least five free other-bank transactions (cash and noncash combined) a month.
  • Own-bank ATMs provide at least five free cash transactions a month and free noncash transactions. Basic Savings Bank Deposit Accounts follow separate rules. On a card issued abroad your own bank’s international withdrawal and exchange charges apply instead. If the machine offers to bill you in your home currency, choose rupees — the conversion rate on that offer is set by the machine, not by your bank.
  • Choose a well-lit ATM, preferably at a bank branch. Shield your PIN, avoid help from strangers and use your bank’s support number if a withdrawal fails or the machine retains your card.

Charge cap and free-transaction limits: Reserve Bank of India, ATM FAQ updated 4 July 2025; checked 4 October 2026.

These services are listed within about 1.2 km of Thangassery Lighthouse. Walking distances follow mapped routes; access and opening hours can change. Other services may be closer but are not included here.

Nearby

What’s near Thangassery Lighthouse

templeAnandavalleeswaram Temple

Anandavalleeswaram is an active Shiva temple in Kollam, with an Anandavally shrine and a ten-day annual festival in March or April. Ritual processions and cultural performances bring another dimension to the temple visit. Follow its worship session, admission and photography rules.

1.6 km · straight line
heritagePort of Kollam

The working wharf and breakwater at Thangassery, conventionally founded in AD 825 — the event the Malayalam calendar counts from. A short cargo quay and a long public breakwater walk, above a seabed that has produced Tang and Song coins and Lower Palaeolithic tools.

1.9 km · straight line
activityAsramam Adventure Park

Forty-eight acres of municipal park on the Ashtamudi shore in the middle of Kollam, run by the DTPC — boating and kayaking off a painted jetty, ziplines and rope courses, a heritage walkway of terracotta reliefs, contemporary sculpture left behind by a 2012 festival, and a mangrove wetland with a state biodiversity heritage tag.

2.8 km · straight line
beachKollam Beach

The city’s Mahatma Gandhi beach and park on the Arabian Sea, a popular evening spot near Kollam town.

2.9 km · 4 min drive
heritageBritish Residency, Asramam

The former British Residency at Asramam survives as a government guest house beside Kollam’s backwater landscape. Its architecture is the attraction, with access governed by its working use.

3.0 km · straight line
museumSardar Vallabhbhai Patel Police Museum

Kollam’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Police Museum introduces the history of policing through arms, equipment and investigation displays. It offers an indoor history stop during a city outing. Check the museum’s session before choosing your day, and leave time to read the displays.

3.1 km · straight line
beachThirumullavaram Beach

A quiet, curved bay beach west of Kollam town, calmer than the city beach and good for a relaxed evening.

3.3 km · 5 min drive
heritageThevally Palace

A Travancore royal residence on the Ashtamudi shore in Kollam, built to be arrived at by boat and now a working NCC establishment — viewed from outside or from the water.

3.4 km · 5 min drive
backwaterNeendakara

By most accounts Kerala’s largest fishing harbour, at the mouth of Ashtamudi Lake about 9 km from Kollam town, and where Indian fishing was mechanised; two bridges cross the confluence and the early-morning auction is the sight to catch.

8.4 km · 12 min drive
viewpointAshtamudi backwater viewpoints

The open-water outlooks on the Munroe Island and Perumon side of Ashtamudi, where the lake widens out — the wide views the canal trips themselves do not give you.

9.9 km · straight line
templeKottankulangara Devi Temple

A Devi temple at Chavara north of Kollam, known across Kerala for Chamayavilakku — the two nights in Meenam when men and boys dress in saris and carry lamps in procession to the goddess, re-enacting the cowherd boys of its founding legend.

11.5 km · straight line
backwaterAshtamudi Lake

Large palm-fringed backwater system and houseboat base around Kollam.

15.7 km · 20 min drive

9 detailed place guides in Kollam town →

Road and walking figures are route estimates, with travel times dependent on access, traffic and conditions. Figures marked “straight line” show direct separation and do not describe a road or walking route. Fare estimates use Kerala’s 26 April 2022 auto/taxi notification and exclude waiting, night and applicable one-way surcharges. Confirm the current meter or operator quote before travelling. Routing: © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT | Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Nearby toilets, pharmacies, ATMs, seating and vets are community-mapped and may be incomplete or out of date. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors | Walking times © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT

On the map

Where Thangassery Lighthouse is

Good to know

Thangassery Lighthouse — frequently asked

When did the present lighthouse open?

The Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships records commissioning of the present light on 1 March 1902.

Can visitors climb it?

Confirm the current public climb, ticket and weather rules with lighthouse staff.

When is the best time to visit Thangassery Lighthouse?

An open visitor session on a clear day; severe wind or rain can affect access.

What are the entry fee and timings at Thangassery Lighthouse?

Entry: Confirm current DGLL entry or climb ticket at the site. Timings: Confirm current public visiting and climb hours directly with the lighthouse authority.

How should I plan a visit to Thangassery Lighthouse?

Check current DGLL visitor hours, ticket and climb status. Follow lighthouse staff and weather restrictions. Use public shore routes to view the tower when climbing is closed.

How much time do I need for Thangassery Lighthouse?

About 45–60 minutes for the lighthouse, longer with a neighbourhood walk.

What else is near Thangassery Lighthouse?

Nearby you can pair Anandavalleeswaram Temple (1.6 km, approximate straight-line separation), Port of Kollam (1.9 km, approximate straight-line separation), Asramam Adventure Park (2.8 km, approximate straight-line separation), Kollam Beach (2.9 km, route estimate).

What should I know before visiting Thangassery Lighthouse?

Follow stair and height restrictions. Stay clear of restricted working equipment.

Read before you go

Thangassery Lighthouse guides, stories & itineraries

Stories & history of Thangassery Lighthouse

Written about Thangassery Lighthouse itself — its history, its legends and the arguments about them.

Around Kollam town

These guides explore Kollam town and the surrounding area. Choose a visit that fits your interests, allowing separately for travel between stops.

Kerala-wide guides & itineraries

Route-level itineraries and practical guides for the rest of Kerala.

See all 129 Kollam guides & stories →

Image credits

Photographs: ANOOP R (CC BY-SA 4.0), Akhilan (CC BY-SA 4.0), Akhilan (CC BY-SA 4.0), Kondephy (CC BY-SA 4.0), Jensonantony (CC BY-SA 4.0), Arunvrparavur (CC BY-SA 3.0), Athulvis (CC BY-SA 4.0).