Neyyar Dam is situated around 32 km east of Thiruvananthapuram. It is a popular picnic spot with a lake and a picturesque dam site. This area has some of the rarest medicinal herbs in Kerala. The Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1958. Covering a total area of 128 sq km, it is located at the foot of the Western Ghats. The sanctuary, of which the dam is a part, is the habitat of over a hundred rare species of fauna including elephants, wild buffaloes, wild boars, porcupines, tigers and a variety of snakes. It is the drainage basin for the Neyyar River and its tributaries - Mullayar and Kallar. The sanctuary has a wide variety of vegetation and landscape, ranging from tropical wet evergreen forest to grasslands. The best way to explore the sanctuary is by boat.

A crocodile farm-cum-breeding centre, started in 1977, and a lion safari park are located at the dam site. The gardens near the dam have large statues. The fascinating Agastyakoodam mountains in this area provide an opportunity for the visitors to engage in hiking, trekking and mountaineering. On the upper reaches of the Neyyar reservoir there are two magnificent waterfalls; the Meenmutty and Kombaikani waterfalls.