Kottayam sits between the backwaters and the hills, surrounded by rubber plantations, rice paddies and lakes. Known as the "land of lakes, latex and letters," it has one of the highest literacy rates in India and is home to several prominent newspapers and publishing houses.
The town is a useful transit point rather than a destination in itself. From here you can easily reach Kumarakom on Vembanad Lake for backwater trips, or head east into the hills towards Periyar and the Cardamom Hills. The old Syrian Christian churches in and around Kottayam, some dating back centuries, are worth a visit if you are passing through.