On the shores of the enchanting Vembanad Lake , 14 kms from Kottayam, lies Kumarakom a small-town. A boat ride into the countryside offers a close look into an engaging rustic life. Women, neck-deep in water, with their waist-length hair heaped in a crown, searching for fish with their feet.

Bharananganam is an important Christian Pilgrimage centre, located 5 kms east of Palai on the Kottayam - Erattupett Road . Associated with Sister Alphonsa, the blessed saint of the Catholics, the mortal remains of the saint are preserved in a chapel next to the St. Mary's Church. She lived from 1916 AD to 1946 AD. The day of 28th July, the death anniversary of the saint is observed with much solemnity.

Located 12 kms north of Kottayam town, at Ettumanoor is an ancient Shiva temple, which was built in the 16th century. Ettumanoor temple is a marvelous example of the Kerala style of architecture, attracts many Hindu devotees from all over the state. The copper plated conical roof of the central shrine is in itself a majestic structure.

Asia 's largest fresh water lake is the Vembanad Lake , is 12km west from Kottayam. Kottayam is a vast network of rivers and canals, which empty into the great expanse of water called Vembanad Lake . The lake, a mystical tourist spot and a fast developing Backwater Tourism destination, provides boating, fishing and sightseeing experiences that are truly exhilarating.