Ashtamudi Lake

Ashtamudi Lake, Kerala's second-largest backwater lake after Vembanad, takes its name from its eight (ashta) distinctive branching arms, creating a palm-fringed labyrinth of waterways near Kollam. Houseboat cruises here offer a somewhat less crowded alternative to the more heavily trafficked Alleppey backwaters, while the lake's connection to the wider Kerala backwater canal network makes it possible to combine Ashtamudi with a longer multi-day backwater journey.

Munroe Island, within the lake, offers canoe tours through narrower canals showcasing traditional coir-making and local village life, giving visitors a more intimate, small-scale complement to the broader houseboat cruise experience typically associated with Kerala's backwaters.

Ashtamudi's backwater tourism developed alongside the wider growth of Kerala's houseboat industry, though it has retained a somewhat quieter profile than Alleppey given the latter's earlier and more extensive tourism marketing.

Kollam, on the lake's edge, is about 70km from Thiruvananthapuram, roughly 1.5 hours by road.