Kovalam Travel Guide

With ample of opportunities for leisure activity this little town by Arabian Sea attracts plenty of tourists looking to take a break from their monotonous lives and seek rest. There are avenues for sunbathing, swimming, Ayurvedic treatment; boat rides and of course to enjoy “Toddy” (coconut beer) and the sumptuous food.

‘Kovalam’ which means a grove of coconut trees consists of three main beaches formed in a crescent. The ‘Lighthouse beach’ at the Southern end is the most popular. The Northern end has the Samudra beach and the middle one is the Hawah Beach.

Kovalam forms an idylic spot for tourists to stay and commute to explore other areas around, including the city of Thiruvananthapuram and beyond.

Only 10km south from the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram lies the coastal village of Kovalam. It has emerged as Kerala's most developed beach resort. Each year the number of foreign visitors who travel to this beach resort is increasing due to the presence of only small-scale industry and the low prices. The Kovalam beach is just a few minutes walk from the village. Kovalam has three small crescent beaches. Lighthouse beach is the southern most. The visitors travel to this beach to spend time. Bounded by restaurants and lodging houses, it is a perfect place for a pleasant stay. The lighthouse on southern end of the beach, offers a fantastic view across to the Vizhinjam mosque. You cannot take photograph here. Hawah and Samudra are the second and third beaches.

It is not always safe to swim on the beaches. Undertow is sometimes very strong. Therefore it is essential to follow the warnings of the safety flags.

You can travel to the numerous craft and carpet shop and massage parlors along the beach.

When to visit
November to February is the best time to visit Kovalam

How to reach there
Direct and regular daily bus service from Thiruvananthapuram is available. There are also direct bus links to Ernakulam and Kanyakumari (Cape Comorin), which is two hours away. There is also a bus to Periyar Wildlife sanctuary in Thekaddy.

Thiruvananthapuram, is linked by air from Colombo, Male and the Indian cities of Mumbai, Kochi, Delhi and Chennai. There are bus links from all the major cities of Kerala, and also from Chennai, Bangalore, Kochi, Madurai, Pondicherry, Nagercoil and Erode to Thiruvananthapuram. It is also well connected to all the major cities of the country by train.

Where to stay
There is no dearth of accommodation in this area. The prices of hotels vary, depending on their proximity to the beach and the season.