Kovalam is a beach town located 16 km from the capital of Kerala, Trivandrum. This breathtakingly beautiful coastal town features three spectacular crescent beaches and is a famous tourist destination for both Indian as well as foreign tourist.
The word ‘Kovalam’ in Malayalam stands for ‘a groove of coconut trees’. Kovalam was little known to the world till 1930 when Maharaja of Travancore impressed by the beauty and tranquillity of this place began to spend his leisure time here and also invited European royalty to this serene beach retreat. Kovalam became a favourite among the foreign tourists after 1970s with arrivals of the masses of hippies.
Best time to visit Kovalam(Kerala)
The best time to visit Kovalam is September to March. In winter the average temperature of Kovalam is 30 - 32 degree Celsius whereas the summer temperature of Kovalam is 30- 35 degree Celsius.
Kovalam is a tropical paradise in every sense with its white sandy beaches, crystal clear turquoise water of the Arabian Sea and lush green palm greens. Here tourist have ample opportunities for sun bathing, swimming, Ayurveda and yoga. Another popular activity here is the Catamaran cruise scheduled on the country raft. Often referred to as the “Paradise of South India”, Kovalam is the most visited beach resort of India. This place is heavily frequented by tourists from abroad, particularly from Israel and countries from the European continent. Kovalam’s beaches are swimmer’s haven because of their crystal clear water with shallow bottom up to a just hundred metre.
Top Tourist Places to Visit in Kovalam (Kerala)
Kovalam has 3 major beaches-Lighthouse Beach, Samudra Beach, and Hawa Beach (Eve's beach separated by outcrops protruding out to the sea in its 17 km coastline.
Lighthouse Beach
The southernmost beach known as the Lighthouse Beach is the most popular of the three. This beach is famous for its 30-meter high lighthouse. This beach with its azure blue water coupled with a magnificent view of Vizhinjam mosque has been a favourite among the Europeans ever since 1930s.
Hawah Beach
Hawa Beach also popularly known as Eve's Beach lies opposite to Lighthouse Beach and is full of palm groves. This beach is comprised of relatively secluded stretches of sandy shores. Boating and swimming is not recommended at this beach as the currents are quite powerful.
Samudra Beach
Samudra Beach is the northern most beach and is known for its natural beauty. This beach is the least crowded. The beach is separated by a high headland from the busy areas. This scenic beach is still undeveloped and one can watch local fishermen venture into the sea on catamaran here.
Even though beaches are the main attraction of Kovalam there are many other places of tourist’s interest in and around Kovalam.
Vizhinjam
It is a quiet fishing village that is home to a variety of exotic fishes. The most intriguing feature is the Vizhinjam Rock Cut Cave. The rock cut cave temple at Vizhinjam is a protected historical monumen. Here there is a granite temple inside the cave blessed by Dakshinamurthi while the outer walls of the cave walls are lined with beautiful paintings of Lord Shiva. Vizhinjam Marine Aquarium is also worth a visit which showcases the rarest of fish species and other sea inhabitants like crabs, squirrelfish, moon wrasse, clownfish lionfish, giant turtles, surgeonfish, triggerfish, piranhas, sharks and butterfly fish.
Padmanabhaswamy Temple
Padmanabhaswamy temple is an ancient temple and is the most dominating feature of Thiruvananthapuram. This temple is located about 14 kilometres away and the exquisite stone carvings and pavilions are the highlight of this temple.
Vellayani Lake
This is the only freshwater lake in Kerala. Boat races held during Onam in this lake and it also houses a Devi Temple close to the lake.
Padmanabhapuram Palace
Situated at the foot of Veli hills across the border in Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari district this palace is known for its elaborate wood work. This palace was the ancient seat of the Travancore rulers Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma. The majestic palace is especially noted for its bright murals, mahogany ceiling, coloured windows and Belgian mirrors. A four poster bed made of 67 different pieces of wood is also another highlight of this place.
Ponmudi
Ponmudi is a hill station situated 61 Kms from Kovalam. This place is known for its scenic splendour, mountains, landscapes and tea plantations.
Anchutengu Fort
It is at a distance of around 36 Kms Trivandrum. This colossal monument is a perfect place to admire the British style of construction.
Apart from these places there are few other amazing places worth visiting like the Science and technology museum, Veli Tourist Village, Sankhumugham Beach, Chowara Beach, Ashoka beach etc.
One can also simply enjoy the activities like kayaking, surfing, skiing, swimming and getting Ayurvedic massages.
Because of its proximity to the state capital Kovalam can be easily reached. The nearest airport is Trivandrum International Airport, 14 km away to Kovalam. One can hire a taxi to reach Kovalam from here. The nearest railway station is the Trivandrum Central Railway Station located at a distance of 13km. Kovalam is well-linked with all the major cities in Kerala as well as neighbouring states by a network of well-built roads. Kerala State Road Transport Corporation links Kovalam with Thrissur, Ernakulam, Trivandrum, Alleppey and Kollam. From luxurious to air cooled buses and cabs are easily available to tourists to reach Kovalam. There are many hotels here to suit different budgets ranging from star hotels to budget hotels. Kovalam is also a major destination of health tourism and has many Ayurveda Health Resorts.