Varkala Mangroves to Adventure Park Kollam: A Perfect Backwater & Adventure Day Trip

Adventure Park Kollam Entry
Adventure Park Kollam Entry

Overview

  • Location: In the heart of Kollam city, Kerala, beside the backwaters of Ashtamudi Lake.
  • Size & establishment: Spread over about 48 acres and opened around 1980.
  • Ownership/Operation: It is a city-owned park (within Kollam Municipal Corporation), with recreational & tourist-facilities managed by the local tourism body.

Key Attractions & Features

  1. Backwater & boating activities
    • The park has a boat-club/jetty from which backwater cruises, luxury boats, speedboats on Ashtamudi Lake operate.
    • Water-sports: kayaks, speedboats, banana boats etc.
  2. Nature, mangroves & greenery
    • The mangrove belt alongside the lake near the park is significant: species of trees, mangrove ecosystem.
    • Offers green lawns, picnic spots and scenic lakeside walks.
  3. Children’s park, playgrounds & leisure zones
    • Within or adjacent to the park there are children’s rides and casual recreation facilities.
    • Sculpture installations: In 2012 a series of state-level sculpture camp works were placed here, giving the park an art dimension.
  4. Fitness / walking tracks
    • The park serves as a morning/fitness destination for locals, with walking/jogging tracks.

Timings, Fees & Practical Info

  • Opening hours: Around 10:00 AM to ~6:00 PM.
  • Entry fee: One source states entry around ₹ 95
  • Activity costs: For various rides/water-sports the charges vary. For example: kayaking (single) ~ ₹ 236 for 30 min; jet ski ~ ₹ 590 etc.
  • Nearest transport:
    • Railway: ~2 km from Kollam Junction station.
    • Airport: Nearest major airport is Trivandrum International Airport (~70-80 km) away.

Why it’s worth a visit

  • You get the combination of nature + water + adventure in the city: lakeside, mangroves, boat rides, kids’ rides.
  • Accessible (within the city), so fits well for a half-day outing or family picnic.
  • Good for families with children, or for visitors wanting to experience Kerala’s backwater setting without travelling far.
  • Offers cool photo-ops: lake + mangroves + park greenery.

Things to be aware of / Tips

  • On weekends/holidays it can get crowded, if you prefer quiet visit go early morning.
  • If planning water-sports, check availability (season/weather) and safety.
  • Bring sun-protection if visiting midday (open areas) and perhaps snacks/refreshments though there are stalls.

Ideal for

  • Families with children looking for a relatively easy outing.
  • Visitors to Kollam who want some adventure + nature without going too far.
  • Photography and lakeside relaxation.
  • Morning walks or slower afternoon relaxation by the water.

Why it makes sense to visit Adventure Park Kollam after/with Nedungolam Mangroves

  1. Complementary nature & water experiences
    • At Nedungolam you get the mangrove-forest kayaking, quiet canals, lush roots overhead and a nature-immersive feel.
    • At Adventure Park, you get a mixture of adventure, backwater cruises, mangrove-fringed lake surroundings, and more built-up recreation.
    • The mangroves near the park (Asramam Mangrove Forest) are noted for their ecological significance.
      Thus for someone already in the area for mangroves, adding the park gives variety (kayak + adventure rides + lakeside recreation).
  2. Good use of travel time / circuit
    • If you are based around Varkala/Nedungolam mangroves, moving on to Kollam city (or including it in a day trip) allows you to spread out your activities: mangroves early morning or midday, then Adventure Park later.
    • It broadens your itinerary and gives you more options (children’s rides, boat rides, scenic walks) besides pure kayaking.
  3. Accessibility & ease
    • The distances involved are manageable (see next section). For travellers staying in Varkala or the back-water/mangrove zone around Nedungolam, adding a stop at Kollam doesn’t add a whole extra day.
    • Plus, if you stay overnight or move southwards anyway, the park’s setting gives you a different environment (more city + backwater mix) than the mangroves.
  4. Varied audience benefit
    • If you travel with family/friends with mixed interests (some want nature & quiet, others want more “fun”), the mangrove tunnel ride + then Adventure Park’s light-adventure/boating make a good dual-stop.
    • For example: “We did the mangroves in the morning, relaxed in that quiet canal-route; then later visited the park for a boat ride + lakeside walk.”

Time & Distance from Nedungolam Mangroves (Varkala area) to Adventure Park Kollam

  • The mangrove forests at Nedungolam (near Varkala/Paravur) are around 14-18 km from Varkala town by road.
  • From Varkala to Nedungolam it takes roughly 20-30 minutes by car/auto, depending on traffic.
  • From Nedungolam/Varkala region to Kollam city (where Adventure Park is located) would be longer, though exact travel time depends on route & traffic.
  • For example: from Kollam Junction to Nedungolam is cited as ~18 km / ~26 minutes.
  • Therefore if you’re running a combined trip: Start from Varkala → Nedungolam mangroves (30 mins) → then drive to Kollam city for Adventure Park (likely around 45-60 mins depending on route and traffic).
  • For the park itself, visiting hours noted as 10:00 AM to ~6:00 PM.

Suggested Combined Itinerary

  • Morning: Start at Nedungolam mangroves early (kayaking or boat ride) — aim for about 2-3 hours.
  • Midday: Travel to Kollam. Have lunch en-route or in Kollam.
  • Afternoon: Spend time at Adventure Park – boating/kayaking, walk around the mangrove belt inside the park, relax lakeside.
  • Late afternoon / early evening: Finish at the park before closing (~6PM). Then you can head back to Varkala or stay in Kollam.

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