Kollam the southern gateway to the backwaters of Kerala, located on the edge of the Ashtamudi Lake and surrounded by coconut palms and cashew plantations. Kollam is the centre of the country's cashew trading and processing industry. One of the oldest ports on the Malabar Coast, kollam was one the port of international spice trade Kollam, earlier known as Quilon, is a typical commercial Kerala town. The eight hour boat trip between kollam and allappuzha is the longest and most enchanting experience on the backwaters of kerala. The district also has some interesting historic remnants and a number of temples built in the traditional ornate architectural style.

Over the centuries, merchants from all over the world gathered and contributed to the City's reputation as a centre of a flourishing mercantile community. This is borne out by the testimonies of Arab, Chinese, Jewish, and European travellers (Marco Polo, among others). It was also in Kollam that in 1330 AD Friar Jordams was consecrated Bishop of the first Roman Catholic See in India. Kollam's history is interwoven with the trade rivalries between the Portuguese, the Dutch and the English. Further, the Chinese fishing nets along the Ashtamudi Lake are testimony to the trade links with China.