With its vast stretches of paddy fields, swaying merrily in the mountain winds of the Sahyadris, its wide arenas of rubber plantations and its bustling spice markets, Kottayam is definitely one of the reasons why Kerala is known as ‘God’s Own Land’. Adding depth to its stunning natural beauty is the city’s penchant for words. Home to the first ever Malayalam printing press, Kottayam, is even today the leading publishing centre for Malayalam literature. Owing to its plentiful production of rubber and fine quality spices, it has also emerged as an important commercial centre. Cultured, warm, and rustic all at once, one cannot help but be charmed by this enchanting city.
Nature has truly been generous with Kottayam. From the verdant Western Ghats to the deep backwaters, nature lovers, and adventure seekers have much to be ecstatic about when in the city. Its dense forest cover is home to a number of different species of flora and fauna. The Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary and the Vembanad Lake are some of the important sites of natural beauty and biodiversity. The Flower Show and Food Festival that are held each year, in the month of January, along with numerous cultural activities, should not to be missed.
Kottayam promises an exciting shopping experience to any traveler. Explore the local markets to buy some of the finest quality spices, such as cardamom, pepper, clove, and many others. Popular as a major producer of rubber in India, the numerous rubber plantations spread across the city are certainly worth visiting. You can get a glimpse of the city's literary tradition by visiting the various publishing houses that have earned it the sobriquet of the 'city of letters'. You can also enjoy a pleasant boat ride along the panoramic backwaters.
The local city buses offer affordable services across all major routes in the city. Auto-rickshaws offer a more convenient option and are also quite affordable. For those who prefer a more comfortable way of traveling, taxis can be booked over the phone. Kottayam can also be explored on foot, as most tourist sites are within short distances of each other.
On a daily basis there are approximately 165 flights that operate at Cochin International Airport.Air India, SpiceJet and IndiGo are the most popular airline brands that fly frequently to this airport.
Besides flying you can also reach Kottayam through train.Kottayamis one of the most popular train stations in Kottayam.On an average about 100+ trains pass through Kottayam on a daily basis.Kochi to Kottayam, Thrissur to Kottayam, Kollam to Kottayamare some of the most popular routes to Kottayam with 163, 155, 140 trains weekly respectively.
By road Kottayam is surrounded by Cherthala, Thiruvalla, Alappuzha which are 12.9 km, 13.96 km, 14.2 km away respectively. These places are ideal spots for people to plan their short weekend break.
Kottayam has a total of 45 hotels.There are 45 hotels in Kottayam with the popular ones being The Windsor Castle, Kalathil Lake Resort, Soma Kerala Palace, Hotel Arcadia, Hotel Aida, Orchid Residency etc.