Karimeen

The fish, known locally as Karimeen, is considered a delicacy.
Some of the prominent dishes are the Karemeen Fry, Karemeen Molly and Karemeen Pollichathu. This fish is fairly expensive and is available throughout the year. It is caught mainly using gillnets. It commonly reaches 20 centimetres (7.9 in) in length, and the maximum length is twice that. Kerala declared Karimeen as the official fish of Kerala state. Year 2010-'11 was observed as 'The Year of the Karimeen". Karemeen Polichathu is commonly wrapped in banana leaves.

It is found throughout Kerala, especially in Kerala Backwaters around Alleppey, and in western flowing rivers in Karnataka, and backwaters of Andhra Pradesh. It feeds on algae, plant material and insects.
It is my favorite Fresh water fish, with a sweet delicate flavor that melts in your mouth.As tasty as it is, you have to be very careful of the bones which tend to be pretty sharp and strong.Kids should be allowed to have this fish only under adult supervision.

CHINESE FISHING NETS

You can see Chinese fishing nets in Ashtamudi Lake and Kayamkulam Lake Between Kollam and Thrikkunnappuzha. Constructed out of Teak wood and Bamboo poles, they work on the principle of balance.

The system is sufficiently balanced that the weight of a man walking along the main beam is sufficient to cause the net to descend into the sea. The net is left for a short time, possibly just a few minutes, before it is raised by pulling on ropes. The catch is usually modest: a few fish and crustaceans.

The system of counterweights is most ingenious. Rocks, each 30 cm or so in diameter are suspended from ropes of different lengths. As the net is raised, some of the rocks one-by-one come to rest on a platform thereby keeping everything in balance. .

Ashtamudi Lake

Ashtamudi Lake (Ashtamudi Kayal) in the Kollam District of Kerala, India, is the second largest and deepest wetland ecosystem, a palm-shaped (also called octopus-shaped) large water body, next only to the Vembanad estuary ecosystem of the state. Ashtamudi means 'eight coned'(Ashta = 'eight'; mudi = 'coned') in the local language of Malayalam. This name is indicative of the lake's topography: a lake with multiple branches. The lake is also called the gateway to the backwaters of Kerala.Ashtamudi Along both banks of the lake and its backwater canals, coconut groves and palm trees interspersed with towns and villages are seen.

Quilon is an important historic port city located on the right bank of the lake and boat cruises are operated by the Kollam Boat Club from Quilon to Alappuzha providing transport access to many other towns and villages along this route, apart from the luxury “house boats” which also operate in the lake.

The boat journey is an 8 hour trip, winds through lakes, canals and water bound villages, and gives a complete exposure to the beauty of the backwaters of Ashtamudi Lake.

Chinese fishing nets, called cheena vala in the Malayalam language, are used by local fisherman and are a common sight along the waterway

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Home stay

One of the many fascinating experiences for visitors to Kerala is without doubt the Home Stays. These are literally home away from home, allowing you to get close with the host family and the community that lives in an area.There are a variety of accommodation options in and around the city-resorts, hotels, homestays, eco lodges and others. Homestays are a great choice as you get to stay with a family and enjoy all aspects of Kerala life there.

This site offers good quality Homestay and Bed-and-Breakfast accommodation in Kerala. You can expect in-depth detail about cities in Kerala, tourist spots, accommodation options for travellers and students, tour packages and anything else you would want to know about the state.

Kollam Tourism

Homestay
To the north of Thiruvananthapuram comes the district of Kollam. Considered as the gateway to the backwaters of Kerala, the district takes the credit for being the hub of the country’s cashew trading and processing industry. It was formerly a renowned trading point for spice. The district is a leading center for fishing in Kerala and is home to the largest fresh water lake in Kerala – Sasthamcotta. A boat cruise starting from the Ashtamudi backwaters in Kollam to backwater networks in the adjoining district of Alappuzha and further is a delightful experience.

Back water
The centre of the country's cashew trading and processing industry, Kollam also has one of the oldest ports on the Malabar Coast, once the centre of international spice trade. 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.
For an enchanting experience on the backwaters of Kerala, the eight hour boat trip between Kollam and Alappuzha is the longest and amusing one. Kollam has a variety of interesting historic remnants and a number of temples built in the traditional architectural style.
Other interests here are: Thirumullavaram beach, Palaruvi, Picnic Village, Shenduruny Wildlife Sanctuary Green adventure, Thangasseri, The Cave Temple, Rameshwara Temple, Mayyanad, Ochira Temple, Sasthamkotta fresh water lake, Thenmala, Jatayupara, Kulathupuzha etc.