Enshrouded by copious coconut and palm trees and outlined by the foamy waves of the Arabian Sea, Kovalam is a versatile beachside town for globe trotters!
Those looking for a seaside haven to relax in the heart of God's own country will find all their answers in Kovalam. Today, the trinity of crescent-shaped beaches in the town, the overarching Lighthouse, and the shallow backwaters have turned it into a hub of tourist activity. You can do a bit of soul-searching in quiet sandy alcoves, spend quality time with loved ones on board a houseboat, and experience the world-famous Ayurvedic spa, all the while keeping a thumb on the frenetic pulse of global tourism!
Must VisitVisit Lighthouse Beach and sunbathe here, go parasailing or snorkelling in shallow water! The Ayurvedic spas indigenous to Kerala are a must-try. Sample quality seafood focusing on crabs and lobsters. Take back textiles and home decor items. Stay in houseboats that will also take you for a tour of wide paddy fields and green vistas by the bank.
Best time to visitThe months from September to March are considered ideal as the temperatures are between 20-25°Celsius. The refreshing coolness of the sea during the day and the light breeze in the evening allow you to travel without being exhausted by the heat. Some beach fairs and carnivals are also in vogue at this time and will add another fun dimension to your stay!
TriviaWhen Tranvancore's regent, Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi built the beach resort of Halcyon Castle here in the late 1920s, Kovalam drew the attention of the locals.
InterestKovalam is an idyllic honeymoon destination with its crescent-shaped beaches, calm waters, and stunning sunsets. Couples can enjoy romantic walks along the Lighthouse Beach, cozy stays in luxury resorts, and rejuvenating Ayurvedic massages, making it a perfect romantic escape.
Kovalam is renowned for its wellness offerings, particularly its Ayurvedic therapies. Luxury wellness resorts like Somatheeram and Niraamaya Retreats offer holistic treatments, yoga sessions, and rejuvenating Ayurvedic massages in a serene beachside setting, making it a wellness haven.
Kovalam's pristine beaches and stunning ocean views make it an enchanting wedding destination. Luxury resorts like The Leela Kovalam and Taj Green Cove offer breathtaking backdrops for beachside ceremonies, providing a perfect blend of nature and elegance for unforgettable weddings.
A luxurious floating retreat
A vibrant beach with golden sands
An iconic beach, a historic lighthouse and stunning ocean views
A peaceful seaside escape
Experience splendid sunsets and water sports
An elegant seaside castle with a charming view
Savour baked goods and refreshing beverages
A refuge with lush gardens & water activities
A relic of the ancient past
Digha, Purba Medinipur, Kolkata, West Bengal 721428
Digha is a small coastal hamlet, covered by the sands of the shore almost completely. The New Digha beach is one of its attractions, found after a quick stroll through the town. Enjoy the large waves rushing past each other on the water on their way to meet the powdery sands.
Chandpur Sea Beach, Chandapur, West Bengal 721423
While the traditional beach invokes the image of blue waves on ochre sands, Chandpur Beach creates an illustration of the passage of time. It invites all those looking to spend quiet moments amidst the myriad shades of nature.
Digha, Purba Medinipur, Kolkata, West Bengal 721428
Digha is a small coastal hamlet, covered by the sands of the shore almost completely. The New Digha beach is one of its attractions, found after a quick stroll through the town. Enjoy the large waves rushing past each other on the water on their way to meet the powdery sands.
Chandpur Sea Beach, Chandapur, West Bengal 721423
While the traditional beach invokes the image of blue waves on ochre sands, Chandpur Beach creates an illustration of the passage of time. It invites all those looking to spend quiet moments amidst the myriad shades of nature.
Digha, Purba Medinipur, Kolkata, West Bengal 721428
Digha is a small coastal hamlet, covered by the sands of the shore almost completely. The New Digha beach is one of its attractions, found after a quick stroll through the town. Enjoy the large waves rushing past each other on the water on their way to meet the powdery sands.
Chandpur Sea Beach, Chandapur, West Bengal 721423
While the traditional beach invokes the image of blue waves on ochre sands, Chandpur Beach creates an illustration of the passage of time. It invites all those looking to spend quiet moments amidst the myriad shades of nature.
Digha, Purba Medinipur, Kolkata, West Bengal 721428
Digha is a small coastal hamlet, covered by the sands of the shore almost completely. The New Digha beach is one of its attractions, found after a quick stroll through the town. Enjoy the large waves rushing past each other on the water on their way to meet the powdery sands.
Chandpur Sea Beach, Chandapur, West Bengal 721423
While the traditional beach invokes the image of blue waves on ochre sands, Chandpur Beach creates an illustration of the passage of time. It invites all those looking to spend quiet moments amidst the myriad shades of nature.
Digha, Purba Medinipur, Kolkata, West Bengal 721428
Digha is a small coastal hamlet, covered by the sands of the shore almost completely. The New Digha beach is one of its attractions, found after a quick stroll through the town. Enjoy the large waves rushing past each other on the water on their way to meet the powdery sands.
Chandpur Sea Beach, Chandapur, West Bengal 721423
While the traditional beach invokes the image of blue waves on ochre sands, Chandpur Beach creates an illustration of the passage of time. It invites all those looking to spend quiet moments amidst the myriad shades of nature.
Digha, Purba Medinipur, Kolkata, West Bengal 721428
Digha is a small coastal hamlet, covered by the sands of the shore almost completely. The New Digha beach is one of its attractions, found after a quick stroll through the town. Enjoy the large waves rushing past each other on the water on their way to meet the powdery sands.
Chandpur Sea Beach, Chandapur, West Bengal 721423
While the traditional beach invokes the image of blue waves on ochre sands, Chandpur Beach creates an illustration of the passage of time. It invites all those looking to spend quiet moments amidst the myriad shades of nature.
Digha, Purba Medinipur, Kolkata, West Bengal 721428
Digha is a small coastal hamlet, covered by the sands of the shore almost completely. The New Digha beach is one of its attractions, found after a quick stroll through the town. Enjoy the large waves rushing past each other on the water on their way to meet the powdery sands.
Chandpur Sea Beach, Chandapur, West Bengal 721423
While the traditional beach invokes the image of blue waves on ochre sands, Chandpur Beach creates an illustration of the passage of time. It invites all those looking to spend quiet moments amidst the myriad shades of nature.
Thevally, Kollam - 691009
Houseboats crowd the shores in attractive retinues in Kovalam. An exotic experience, entirely exclusive to the backwaters is staying overnight in them. Imagine falling asleep to the murmur of waves, lulled by a gentle rocking! Moreover, the houseboats pride themselves on serving home-made food of the authentic Malabar cuisine. Make sure you enjoy the sights of the rolling emerald greens and indigo blues around you while sipping on fresh coconut water!
Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695527
Just before the break of dawn, tourists flock to this isolated hilltop to enjoy the gorgeous sunrise from Panorama Point for is also a vantage point, the VIP seat for the movie that is the sunrise. It is renowned for the dreamy view of the hills spanning thousands of miles on the left, as well as the Ulhas River on the right as it splashes by.
Light house Junction, Vizhinjam, near Kovalam, Kovalam, Kerala 695521
Built out of red and white stone, Vizhinjam Lighthouse is perched atop the Kurumkal hillock and looks pensively out into the horizon. The beach surrounding it is always throbbing with energy with visitors busy enjoying themselves on the golden sands. The series of shady palm trees form the perfect walkway for cycling and casual strolls.
VP 1, GV Raja Rd, Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695527
With a rustic appeal, Samudra Beach is perched on the northern extreme, separated from the Southern side by a promontory, and backed by a margin of stony outcropping. The most interesting view on this beach is that of shoreline fishing, as you have the best seats in the house to observe local fishermen practising their daily trade from close quarters!
9XPG+QQM, Light House Rd, Kovalam, Kerala 695527
Hawah Beach is interestingly named to remind you of the spiritual and mental freedom you can enjoy on its windy shores. A relatively isolated curve of sandy expanse, the Hawa Beach was the first topless beach of India. Although topless bathing has been banned, this beach is still colloquially known as Eve’s beach and is relatively quieter, having more privacy than the other famous beaches.
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695527
Now converted into a luxury hotel, this exquisite castle and its lush green grounds are a dynamic combination that made Kovalam so wildly popular among the British in the past century. Stay within the walls to bask in the heritage of Kerala, enshrouded by palm trees with the constant gust of seawater breeze. Most of the surrounding area is carefully preserved so that visitors can enjoy the natural beauty of the sandy beaches.
Light House Beach Rd, Kovalam, Kerala 695527
The Germany Bakery and Waves restaurant share roof space near Lighthouse Beach and this particular eatery has become all too popular among international tourists. The restaurant is set up with a Western ambience and the menu is full of European delicacies like puffs, pastries, breads and croissants! You can enjoy ludicrously beautiful international cuisine while looking out at the uninterrupted view of the beach next door! Their coffee is well worth the wait and Indian dishes like idlis, dosas, seafood and much more is available on demand.
GV6Q+2W9, Veli Sanghumugham Rd, Madhavapuram Colony, Veli, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695021
The Veli Tourist Village is an effort on the government’s behalf to amplify and commercialise the natural appeal of the lagoon formed in the mouth of the River Veli. From speed-boats to horse rides, swimming pools to cafeterias and shopping complexes, this village is a one-stop tourist destination. The panoramic beauty of the scenery which is a perfect duo of green trees and blue waters makes for an ideal picnic spot.
Police Station, Vizhinjam, Kovalam, Kerala 695521
Oldest of their kind in Kerala, Vizhinjam rock-cut caves are a natural and historical marvel. The image of Shiva Parvati as well as the icon of the Malayali God Tripurantaka; both draw attention to the artistic elegance of the caves. You will discover that the caves are separated into north and south zones to represent the Chera and Ay communities respectively. The skilful design and brilliance are things you will not find elsewhere.
Spring is a blend of the cool and the warm and therefore presents a pleasant weather to enjoy the beaches and all its shenanigans. There’s greenery all around to complement the blue waters and the flowers are in bloom.
The typical hot summer months extend from April to June. During this time, the beaches are always glowing in the sun's glare and the sky is clear except for some cottony wisps. This is a great time to experience this tropical beach paradise.
The rainy season is from July to September. Very heavy rainfall is the norm along with strong winds and overcast skies.
Autumn feels the impact of the heavy monsoons and the oncoming chilly winds of winter positing the perfect weather to revel in the beachfront and relish the water sports while also going around discovering all the nearby attractions.
The so-called winter is more like an early Summer since the weather remains mild and soothing. It is never actually cold but a cool relief from the usual heat and humidity.
Kovalam is only 15 kilometres away from the state capital of Trivandrum. The Trivandrum International Airport is a metropolitan transport hub that has access to both national and international flight services. Whether you are a global traveller or a domestic one, you will have no dearth of flights to reach here, and the vehicle for the next leg of your journey will be easily available from the airport itself.
Just like the airport, the closest Railway Station to Kovalam is the Thiruvananthapuram or Trivandrum Central Railway Station, which is a very busy station. It is best connected to all the famous and important cities in the South and not just within the state of Kerala. Railway journeys can be fun and if you're travelling from a faraway state, you do end up seeing a lot more of the land on your way, provided you have the luxury of time!
Kovalam is about 15 kilometres away from Trivandrum and 200 kilometres from Kochi. It has several roads leading to most major cities of the south, on its way. Bus services are popular since they are quite efficient and economical, offered by the KSRTC as well as private companies. The tariffs for the buses range from regular city buses to luxury AC Volvos. You can also choose to rent a car or travel in your personal vehicle, especially for those choosing the place as a weekend getaway!
Auto-rickshaws and cabs are the usual local transport. They are the lesser-priced modes of travel to get to the airport or railway station in Trivandrum. Within the village itself, you can choose to simply walk around since the beaches are all connected and easy to cover on foot, while the walk itself can be invigorating for you.
The top tourist attractions in Kovalam are Lighthouse Beach, Hawa Beach (Eve's Beach), Samudra Beach, Vizhinjam Lighthouse, Kovalam Art Gallery, Vellayani Lake, Halcyon Castle (Kovalam Palace) and Thiruvallam Parasurama Temple.
The nearest airport is Trivandrum International Airport, approximately 15 km away. The nearest railway station is Thiruvananthapuram Central (Trivandrum), about 11 km from Kovalam. Buses and taxis are available for road travel to Kovalam from Thiruvananthapuram and other nearby cities.
The best time to visit Kovalam is from November to February when the weather is cool and pleasant. The monsoon season (June to September) brings heavy rainfall but offers a unique experience with lush greenery. The summer months (March to May) can be hot and humid.
Kovalam offers a wide range of accommodation options including luxury resorts, mid-range hotels, budget guesthouses, and homestays. Popular choices include The Leela Kovalam, Taj Green Cove Resort & Spa, Uday Samudra Leisure Beach Hotel, and budget-friendly options like Little Elephant Beach Resort and Beach Hotel Neelakanta.
Pack light and comfortable clothing suitable for the tropical climate. During the monsoon season, bring rain gear like umbrellas and raincoats. Don’t forget essentials like sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, swimwear, and comfortable footwear.
Kovalam is known for its Kerala cuisine, including dishes like appam and stew, fish curry, prawns roast, Kerala sadya (a traditional vegetarian feast), and various coconut-based dishes. Seafood is particularly popular, and local delicacies like Karimeen pollichathu (pearl spot fish) are a must-try.
Yes, guided tours and local guides are available in Kovalam. Many tourists prefer hiring a guide to gain deeper insights into the local culture, history, and natural beauty of the region. Tour operators offer various packages, including backwater tours, city tours, and adventure activities.
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