Thenmala

Thenmala in Kollam (celebrated worldwide as India's very first planned eco tourism destination and premier Western Ghats sustainable adventure reserve, named as 'Honey Hill' / Then Mala owing to its world famous medicinal wild honey harvested from the dense tropical forests of the Shenduruny Wildlife Sanctuary, world famous for its innovative tripartite zoning into Culture Zone, Adventure Zone, and Leisure Zone, Asia's first outdoor butterfly safari park, elevated canopy skywalks, Kallada River / Parappar Dam boating, musical dancing fountains, and 1904 AD colonial 13 Arch railway viaduct), located along the foothills of the southern Western Ghats in Kollam in Kerala, stands as the cashew capital's premier eco tourism wonderland.

Developed by the Thenmala Eco Tourism Promotion Society (TEPS) in the early 2000s, this sustainable tourism benchmark protects the fragile catchment ecosystems of the Kallada Irrigation Project while empowering indigenous tribal forest communities through nature guided eco ventures.

It's the home of the three thematic tourism zones, the Culture Zone showcasing traditional Kerala arts, open air amphitheatres, and a computerized musical dancing fountain, the Adventure Zone featuring elevated wooden canopy walkways, mountain rope bridges, rock climbing walls, and river crossing Burma loops, the Leisure Zone with quiet boardwalks winding around the base of Thenmala Dam and sculpture gardens, the Asia renowned open air Butterfly Safari harboring over 125 species of colorful butterflies in a micro habitat planted with nectar flora, and an intensely invigorating, forest fresh mountain atmosphere where cool mist rolls down the forested hillsides.

It represents a rich Western Ghats eco conservation model, tribal medicinal honey heritage, and pioneering sustainable tourism where canopy walkways, butterfly reserves, Thenmala Dam reservoir safaris, and Kollam hill beauty unite in Thenmala.

Located along the Kollam Shenkottai National Highway (NH 744), it sits 66 km east of Kollam city center, 70 km from Kollam Junction Railway Station (QLN), 75 km from Trivandrum International Airport (TRV), and 35 km from Tenkasi and Courtallam in Tamil Nadu, easily accessible by KSRTC bus, tourist taxi, or car via Punalur.

The Three Thematic Zones & Canopy Adventure Skywalk

Culture Zone: Features a shopping hub for pure wild Thenmala honey, tribal handicrafts, and an open air amphitheater with illuminated evening musical water fountains.

Adventure Zone: Offers nature lovers elevated canopy walkways 30 feet above the ground, river crossing, valley crossing zip lines, and mountain biking tracks.

Truth is, walking along the elevated wooden boardwalk high among the forest canopy while hornbills glide through the branches is truly exhilarating.

Butterfly Safari & 1904 AD 13 Arch Railway Bridge

Butterfly Safari Park: An artificial outdoor enclosure with host plants attracting rare species like the Malabar Banded Peacock, Southern Birdwing, and Autumn Leaf.

13 Arch British Bridge: Sits just 5 km away at Kazhuthurutty, an architectural wonder built in 1904 using granite blocks, lime, and jaggery without steel reinforcement.

Kollam Heritage & Forest Circuit

Thenmala Wilderness Loop: Sits just 4 km from Shenduruny Wildlife Sanctuary, 15 km from Palaruvi Waterfalls, and 12 km from Aryankavu Temple.

District Day Tour: Connects smoothly with Jatayu Earth's Center (45 km), Munroe Island Backwaters (60 km), and Ashtamudi Lake (66 km).

After experiencing the eco adventure activities at Thenmala, explore Shenduruny Sanctuary, visit Palaruvi Falls, or tour Kollam.