The main ferry station is about 3 km from the railway station and offers ferry services that pass through the scenic backwaters to the following places: Alleppey, Mannar, Champakulam, Kavalam, Mankombu , Ambalapuzha, Kuttanad villages.Bordered by the lofty and mighty Western Ghats on the east and the Vembanad Lake and Paddy fields of Kuttanad on the west, Kottayam is a land of unique characteristics.Panoramic backwater stretches, lush paddy fields, highlands, hills and hillocks, extensive rubber plantations, places associated with many legends and a totally literate people have given Kottayam District the enviable title: The land of letters, legends, latex and lakes. Kottayam Town is the first town in India to have achieved 100% literacy (a remarkable feat achieved as early as in 1989)

English education in South India did actually start at the Old Seminary here at Kottayam in 1813. The first printing press in Kerala was established (CMS Press) here in 1821 by Rev. Benjamin Baily. The first college in the State (CMS College) was also started here at Kottayam in 1840. Maiden printed Malayalam-English and English-Malayalam Dictionaries were published from Kottayam in 1846 and 1847 respectively. The first and only Co-operative Society of writers, authors and publishers (SPCS), for publishing books and periodicals was set up here in 1945. Kottayam is the hometown of a vast number of books and periodicals and is the center of publishing business in the State. Kottayam is the first town in India selected by the Ministry of Environment and Forests; Government of India to be transformed as an Eco City. The Sri K R Narayanan, the former President of India hails from Kottayam District.

An enchanting picnic spot not too far away from Trivandrum, Kumarakom is a backwater tourism destination, where one can boat, fish and just watch the Kerala countryside. Kumarakom on the Vembanad Lake is fascinating. Interspersed with lush green mangrove forests, paddy fields that stretch out far into the horizon and rows and rows of coconut palms that criss-cross the backwater canals, the little village of Kumarakom is in reality a group of small islands.