Kovalam in Kerala

There is a world famous beach called Kovalam at a distance of just 16kms away from Thiruvananthapuram. The Arabian Sea on the west coast of Kerala settles down here. The beach is part rocky and part sandy. The rocky edges have divided the seaside into three beaches. Kovalam has a shallow bottom with crystal clear water and is quite popular for swimming. During the early seventies, many tourists under the influence of the flower power who were in search of seclusion, turned up here. The beach became popular bringing upon itself an influx of commercialization. Seeing the rising popularity, many set up hotels and restaurants here. This was the beginning of the tourism trade in Kerala.

Kovalam has the distinction to be the first beach of Kerala to be featured on the international tourism map with tourists from all over the world coming down to Kerala to visit Kovalam.

The beach is divided into three parts by rocky formations jutting out to the sea at two places. These three beaches are named as Light House Beach, Hawwah Beach (Eves Beach) and Samudra Beach. The Lighthouse beach and the Hawwah beach are very popular and are crowded with tourists. They are curvy in shape with shallow water extending up to hundred metres. This gives swimmers a natural protection from strong waves and deceptive undercurrents. The water here is blue and clear.

Both these beaches have many hotels and resorts and restaurants. There are all kinds of Handicrafts, Textiles and Curio shops here selling all kinds of Jewelry, paintings, clothes, Carpets and other knick knacks sourced from different parts of India. These establishments aim primarily at foreign tourists for business. But the Samudra beach is totally in contrast to these two beaches. It is still undeveloped and not many venture out here. This is a part of a fishing village and is primarily used by the fishermen to venture out to the sea. They make use of the catamarans even now. This happens to be just a few light wood logs tied together. One can spend time here leisurely away from the hustle and bustle of the maddening crowds watching the fishermen haul up their daily catch on the shores.

Kovalam has made its presence felt in the international tourism markets and its popularity has forced charter agencies to invent special packages for Kovalam and Kerala. During the tourist seasons, many international charter flights arrive weekly with large number of tourists.

Amenities

Kovalam has rapidly grown in the last few years as tourism has grown by leaps and bounds providing tourists with all kinds of amenities. There are many five star hotels, Inns, lodges and homesteads here to suit all kinds of budgets. Kovalam has gained popularity as a major destination for health tourism with many of the hotels providing authentic Ayurveda treatments. Lazing in the sun or swimming in the shallow waters are just two of the many options available on the beach for tourists. One can avail of Surfing boards, beach umbrellas, beach benches etc for a nominal rent. There are lifeguards on the beach and it is safe to swim here. You can even join the local fishermen for a ride on their catamaran for a small fee.

Other Attractions

There is a Lighthouse on a rocky formation on the south of the beach which is open to visitors. Vizhinjam, an ancient port which was used by the Dutch and the British is adjacent to the beach at a distance of about 1.5kms. It is a natural port and is now in the process of being developed as the Transshipment Container Terminal. There is an ancient temple here which is cut out from rocks with beautiful rock cut sculptures.

Related posts:

1. Geography and Climate of Kovalam
2. Quick Information on Kovalam
3. Things to do and know in Kovalam