Punalur is a prominent industrial town situated 45 km north-east of
Kollam, in
Kerala. The green draped hills, verdant forests and the row of plain trees that borders the road, as one approaches the town, presents a picture of nature’s splendor at work. Punalur is located 114 km north of
Thiruvananthapuram.
It is believed that Punalur derived its name from ‘Punel’ - the Malayalam word for ‘funnel’. Another version attributes its name to be the combination of two words; Punnal's (water) and 'Uru' (place), alluding to a number of rivers that traverse the town.
Places of tourist interest include the
suspension bridge across Kallada River, Punalur Paper Mill, the ancient temples of Punalur Bharanikavu and Pattazhi Devi Temple at Pattazhi and Matherumannu. A trip to Palaruvi (35 km) will be an interesting experience.
Nearest airport is at Thiruvananthapuram. Punalur Railway Station is located on the Kollam-Shencotta railway line. Regular buses are available to Kollam, Kottarakkara, Kochi and Alappuzha.
