Kollam district, Kerala, India

Places to visit near Punalur

Punalur is a town in Kollam district, Kerala, India, home to about 47,263 people. Within 50 km by road there are 124 places to visit — 25 temples, 20 waterfalls, 18 hill stations & viewpoints and 5 churches. The must-see places are Punalur Suspension Bridge (1 km), Pinnacle View Point Chettukuzhy (7 km) and Ottakkal Lookout (17 km).

Updated · Distances are road estimates · Open Punalur on the map

Punalur, Kerala
Punalur, Kollam district, Kerala, India. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Punalur at a glance

Location
Kollam district, Kerala, India
Population
about 47,263
Coordinates
9.0196° N, 76.9226° E
Places within 50 km
124 (46 must-see)
Best time to visit
July to January, best August to November right after rains for waterfalls; October to February for cool, clear air for hill stations & viewpoints; year-round for temples and churches
Nearest city
Kollam, 46 km
Railway station
Punalur (PUU), 1 km
Airport
Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (TRV), 75 km

Top places to visit near Punalur

Ranked by how worth the drive they are from Punalur: must-see places and the closest well-loved spots first. Open a place for photos, today’s visitor status, timings and directions.

More places near Punalur

Things to see near Punalur, by type

Temples near Punalur

71 temples within 100 km of Punalur. The closest is Bharanikkavu Devi Temple (1 km); the best-known is Sree Maha Ganapathi Temple (21 km). Best time: year-round.

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Waterfalls near Punalur

27 waterfalls within 100 km of Punalur. The closest is Erappu Waterfalls (Oliyariku Waterfalls) (10 km). Best time: july to january, best august to november right after rains.

All waterfalls in Kerala →

Hill stations & viewpoints near Punalur

25 hill stations & viewpoints within 100 km of Punalur. The closest is Kuriyottumala View Point (3 km); the best-known is Pinnacle View Point Chettukuzhy (7 km). Best time: october to february for cool, clear air.

All hill stations & viewpoints in Kerala →

Churches near Punalur

23 churches within 100 km of Punalur. The closest is St George Orthodox Church (33 km); the best-known is Mor Ignatius Dayara Manjinikkara (40 km). Best time: year-round.

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Lakes, dams & reservoirs near Punalur

19 lakes, dams & reservoirs within 100 km of Punalur. The closest is Kallada Dam (21 km); the best-known is Thenmala Dam (22 km). Best time: august to december when reservoirs are full and gates may open.

All lakes, dams & reservoirs in Kerala →

Forts & heritage near Punalur

15 forts & heritage within 100 km of Punalur. The closest is Chaliyakkara Aqueduct (6 km). Best time: october to february.

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A one-day trip from Punalur

5 of the best places within 60 km, in driving order so you don’t double back: about 99 km on the road.

  1. Start in Punalur
  2. 21 km Sree Maha Ganapathi Temple · temple, Kollam
  3. 6 km Muttara Hills · hill, Kollam
  4. 20 km Pinnacle View Point Chettukuzhy · viewpoint, Kollam
  5. 24 km Sri Kulathupuzha Bala Sastha Temple · temple, Kollam
  6. 11 km Ottakkal Lookout · viewpoint, Kollam
  7. 17 km Back to Punalur

Plan a longer trip from Punalur — the planner adds a place to stay each night and keeps the route to one loop.

From travellers near Punalur

No traveller has reported from around Punalur yet. Been to one of these places recently? Open it and post what you found — is the waterfall flowing, how crowded was the temple, is the beach safe — so the next visitor knows before they drive.

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How to reach Punalur

  • By train: Punalur (PUU) — about 1 km from the centre
  • By train: Perinad (PRND) — about 43 km from the centre
  • By air: Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (TRV), Thiruvananthapuram — about 75 km by road
  • By air: Cochin International Airport (COK), Kochi — about 173 km by road
  • By road from Kollam: about 46 km · directions
  • By road from Thiruvananthapuram: about 69 km · directions
  • By road from Alappuzha: about 104 km · directions

All places near Punalur by distance

Within 15 km of Punalur

15–50 km — half-day trips

50–100 km — one-day trips

Count by type (within 100 km)

Places near Punalur by type
TypeWithin 50 kmWithin 100 kmNearest
Temples2571Bharanikkavu Devi Temple (1 km)
Waterfalls2027Erappu Waterfalls (Oliyariku Waterfalls) (10 km)
Hill stations & viewpoints1825Kuriyottumala View Point (3 km)
Churches523St George Orthodox Church (33 km)
Lakes, dams & reservoirs1519Kallada Dam (21 km)
Forts & heritage815Chaliyakkara Aqueduct (6 km)
Other attractions612Punalur Suspension Bridge (1 km)
Wildlife, forests & gardens812Leisure Zone and Sculpture Garden (21 km)
Beaches & coast910Thanni Mukkam Beach (47 km)
Museums57Kulathupuzha Forest Museum (24 km)
Mosques & dargahs26Kaduvayil Juma Masjid (42 km)
Parks34Asramam Children's Park (49 km)
Caves01Rock-Cut Cave Shiva Temple, Vizhinjam (89 km)

Punalur: questions travellers ask

What are the best places to visit near Punalur?

Pinnacle View Point Chettukuzhy (viewpoint, about 7 km), Punalur Suspension Bridge (attraction, about 1 km), Ottakkal Lookout (viewpoint, about 17 km), Sree Maha Ganapathi Temple (temple, about 21 km), Kudukkathu Para (attraction, about 20 km), Sri Kulathupuzha Bala Sastha Temple (temple, about 25 km).

How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Punalur?

124 places on Spotwander: 25 temples, 20 waterfalls, 18 hill stations & viewpoints, 5 churches, 15 lakes, dams & reservoirs.

Which is the nearest temple to Punalur?

Bharanikkavu Devi Temple, about 1 km by road; Sreekrishna Swami Temple (1 km) is next.

Which is the nearest waterfall to Punalur?

Erappu Waterfalls (Oliyariku Waterfalls), about 10 km by road; Chempanaruvi Water Falls (19 km) is next.

Which is the nearest viewpoint to Punalur?

Kuriyottumala View Point, about 3 km by road; Pinnacle View Point Chettukuzhy (7 km) is next.

What is a good one-day trip from Punalur?

Start in Punalur, visit Sree Maha Ganapathi Temple, then Muttara Hills, then Pinnacle View Point Chettukuzhy, then Sri Kulathupuzha Bala Sastha Temple, then Ottakkal Lookout, and drive back — about 99 km by road in all.

What is the best time to visit places near Punalur?

July to January, best August to November right after rains for waterfalls; October to February for cool, clear air for hill stations & viewpoints; year-round for temples and churches.

How do I reach Punalur?

By train: Punalur (PUU), about 1 km away. By air: Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (TRV), about 75 km by road. By road: 46 km from Kollam.

Towns near Punalur

Nearest cities

Sources: places from OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata and GeoNames; Punalur’s location and population from GeoNames; see also Punalur on Wikipedia. Data sources & credits.