Islands of Kollam

City of Kollam or Quilon is known as Prince of Arabian Sea, situated on the banks of Arabian Sea and Ashtamudi Lake.^[1] A major portion of Kollam Municipal Corporation area is occupied by Ashtamudi Lake. It is the most visited backwater and lake of Kerala, with a unique wetland ecosystem, a palm-shaped (also called octopus-shaped) large water body, next only to the Vembanad estuary ecosystem of the state. Ashtamudi means 'eight coned'(Ashta = 'eight'; mudi = 'coned') in the local language of Malayalam. This name is indicative of the lake's topography: a lake with multiple branches. The lake is also called the gateway to the backwaters of Kerala. This lake is extremely famous for House Boat and Backwater Resorts.^[2][3][4]

Uninhabited island in Munroe

Five star hotel 'The Raviz' in Kollam is situated in one of the island like structures near Thevally

All the Islands in Kollam are situated in Ashtamudi Lake. There are so many Islands in Ashtamudi Lake. Munroe Island and Chavara Thekkumbhagom are the most important among these islands. Islands are the eye-catching factors as well as the beauty of Lake Ashtamudi. Most of these islands are potential tourism spots in the state. Even Indian Railways also planning to develop one of the islands in Kollam for a tourism project.^[5] There are big as well as small islands which are inhabited and uninhabited by human beings. The important islands in Kollam are:^[6]

Aerial view of Ashtamudi backwaters

• Munroe Island
• Chavara Thekkumbhagom
• Pallanthurthi
• St. Sebastian Island
• San Thome Island (Thomasthuruth)
• Vincent Island^[7]
• Our Lady of Fatima Island (Fatimathuruth)
• Pezhumthuruth
• Kakkathuruth
• Pattamthuruth
• Paliyanthuruthu (Palliyamthuruthu)
• Neettum thuruth
• Puthenthuruth
• Poothuruth
• Pannaykkathuruth
• Veluthuruth
• Neeleswaram thuruth
• Cheekenthuruth
• Kerolithuruth
• Kanakkanthurth
• Pushpamangalamthuruth
• Josephthuruth^[8]

References

1. "KOLLAM - THE PRINCE OF ARABIAN SEA - The Hindu". Retrieved 11 March 2015.
2. http://www.hotelskerala.com/ashtamudi/facilities.htm Back water Retreat Ashtamudi
3. http://www.wwfindia.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/freshwater_wetlands/our_work/ramsar_sites/ashtamudi_lake.cfm Ashtamudi Lake
4. http://www.kerenvis.nic.in/water/Ramsar%20cites.pdf
5. "Bhushi dam area may get a holiday resort - Times of India". Retrieved 11 March 2015.
6. "KOLLAM - THE PRINCE OF ARABIAN SEA - The Hindu". Retrieved 11 March 2015.
7. "Select mangrove swathes to become EFL". The Hindu. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
8. "Eating into Ashtamudi, with impunity". The Hindu. Retrieved 31 December 2015.