Kovalam is a world-famous beach town set close to the geographical tip of mainland India. It is small village turned into a popular holiday destination falling within the province of Thiruvananthapuram city of Kerala. The place is about 16 k.m. from the centre of Thiruvananthapuram, with taxis charging between Rs 400- Rs 500 for the journey. It is most noted for the three pristine beaches that are separated by rocky cliffs in-between. The beaches here are known to receive low tidal waves where the water is shallow, making the perfect situation for swimming and several water-sports. It is counted amongst the oldest tourist enclaves in India and was once the most famous hippies joint in the country.
Since the town is a neighbourhood of Thiruvananthapuram, so accessing Kovalam is very easy. Thiruvananthapuram houses both the nearest airport as well as the nearest railway station. One could easily get taxis, shared cabs, buses, and autorickshaws from the city’s commerce centre. It is around half an hour driving distance from Thiruvananthapuram.
As the place receives a large and continuous flow of visitors year long, so there is a need of good accommodation options. The good thing is that the place is filled with sufficient number of hotels to beach houses to resorts. The luxury hotels in Kovalam are the most in-demand hotels. Offering a wide range of facilities and amenities the luxury hotels in the town are best known for providing satisfactory stay to all the guests.
The beaches are unquestionably the most dominant attractions of the place. There are three prime beaches, namely Lighthouse Beach, Samudra Beach, and Hawah Beach. Amongst the three, the Lighthouse beach is the most popular one and as apparent it is, the beach derives its name based on the lighthouse located at a vantage point. It is the southernmost beach housing the most number of hotels, restaurants, lodges, and shacks. The Samudra beach is often crowded on weekends and popular amongst the locals and tourists passing-by. The Hawah Beach also generates lots of tourist interest. It is one of the handful of beaches in the country where it is allowed to sun-bathe topless. It is also scenic, especially at sunrise and sunset. Surfing is one of the most popular activities as the beaches are often visited by some fine waves (0.5 to 2 meters high). There are number of water-sports clubs available from where one can hire surfboards, body boards, and jetskis.
There also exists a grandiose castle called as Halcyon Castle located quite close to the beach. It was built by Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bai, Queen of Travancore in early 1900s. The castle was built as a private residence of the queen and later became a retreat for the European guests of Prince G.V Raja. Today the fort is a major landmark of the town and receives multiple tourists footsteps.
The town is not too big in area, but there are some significant sightseeing spots to visit. Some are: Thiruvallam Parasurama Temple, Aruvikkara, Vellayani Lake, Vizhinjam Marine Aquarium, Akkulam Lake, Halcyon Castle, Karamana River, Vizhinjam Village, Valiathura Pier, Analothbhava Matha Church, and Government Agricultural College. The good thing is that there are a number of hotels in Kovalam with tariff suiting the budget of many travellers that are located close to the prime tourist spots. If one seeks for a stay that is satisfactory and have the advantages of close proximity to tourist attractions, picking one from the aforementioned hotels is an ideal thing to do.
Dimpy Roy
Dimpy Roy is a travel writer working with an Online Travel Guide. She guides travelers to various resources where they can find best hotels in Kovalam with tariff and choose the best one.