Coastal Kollam, around which an abundance of pepper, cashews, and coir are produced has been a thriving trading port for centuries, even being mentioned in Greek literature as far back as the 1st Century.  Today it is best known for the beautiful Ashtamudi Lake but delve deeper and you will discover a melange of people, history and architecture. Its local communities include Christian, Muslim and Hindu populations but also, historically, a Chinese population is known to have existed here, and the town’s market is still named after them. As with all parts of coastal Kerala, it is also a fishing area and small boats ply the lake daily.  The beach is just 5kms away and it is worth making the effort to visit in order to  explore some rather lesser known European colonial-era relics, including the ruins of a fort and a few churches. A stay here provides to the curious as well as to clients looking to relax by the lakeside.