An ancient sea port dating back to the 9th Century ad, Kollam lends it's name to the malayalam era Kollavarsham in 825 AD. That was the year the town was founded by Persian immigrants, having received a charter of privileges by the Raja of Venad. The towns commercial importance led the Portugese to set up a factory in 1502. Later, it passed on the Dutch and the British. Today, the red tiled roofs that dot Kollam's skyline and the the Chinese fishing nets stand testimony to the linksof the land to Holland and China.
Commerce
Today this town, about 71 km away from Thiruvananthapuram, is fairly important for the state's trade and commerce and is the centre of he country's cashew trading and processing industry. It is also an important hub for the state's marine products industry.

Landmarks
70 km from Kollam, on the way to Shenkottah, lies Ariankavu, a shrine devoted to Lord sastha. The main festival is held in December. 5km away is the waterfall at Palaruvi at a height of 300 feet. 64km on the same route is Kulathupuzha, a forest range with a similar shrine. Mayyanad, a small town about 10km away, is known for it's 9 temples. Thirumallavaram, just 6km north is a beautiful and quiet little beach ideal for swimming and sunbathing.

Details
District Area - 2491 sqkm
Climate - Tropical
Annual Rainfall - 278 cm

Tourist stuff
The nearest airport is the Trivandrum International Airport, 71km away. Kollam is an important railway junction and links to almost all major indian cities. Buses are also easily available. The boat jetty is adjacent to the KSRTC central bus stand, about 3km away from the Railway Station.

Hotels
Hotel Shah International, Chinnakada.
Hotel Sea Bee, Jetty road.
Hotel Prashanthi, Near Beach.

Distances
Bangalore - 657km
Coimbatore - 364km
Kodaikanal - 106km
Kottayam - 106km
Kochi - 150km
Kozhikode - 372km
Madras - 663km
Sabarimala - 177km