Kollam, located 71 km to the north of Thiruvananthapuram, is the center of the country's cashew trading and processing industry. One of the oldest ports on the Malabar Coast, Kollam was once the port of international spice trade. It is interesting to note that about thirty per cent of this historic town is covered by the renowned Ashtamudi Lake, making it the gateway to the magnificent backwaters of Kerala. The boat trip between Kollam and Alappuzha is the longest and most captivating 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

The Kollam district is fairly important for Kerala's trade and commerce and is the center of the country's cashew trading and processing industry. It is also an important nucleus for the State's marine products industry, with the port of Neendakara being the center for trawlers and ice plants. Paced with industrial activity, Kollam (Quilon) is a place where nature can be seen at its best. People from places as far as Persia, Arab, Rome and China traded here in earlier times. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to set up a trading center followed by the Dutch and British.