Kovalam
In Kerala, Kovalam is a beach town located 16 km South of Trivandrum. Kovalam means 'grove of coconut trees' and true to its name, the village offers an endless view of coconut trees. It is also known as the paradise of the south. Home to many popular beaches, namely Lighthouse beach, Hawah beach and Samudra beach, Kovalam also offers numerous temples to visit and Ayurvedic treatments to enjoy.
Sightseeing
Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple
Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple is one of the most popular temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Vishnu has 108 incarnations and for each of his incarnations one temple (Divya Desam) has been erected in the world. "Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple" located in Trivandrum is one of them and is considered to be the one of the richest temples in the world. The entry to this temple is restricted to only those who profess the Hindu faith. Devotees have to strictly follow the dress code and men have to remove their shirts and they have to be wearing dhoties.
Thiruvananthapuram Zoo
The Thiruvananthapuram Zoo is not far away and is 4 km from Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple. Here we could see animals like Tigers, Lions, Crocodiles, Bears and Monkeys
The Lighthouse Beach
Lighthouse beach got its name due to the old Vizhinjam Lighthouse located on a nearby rocky promontory. Its intermittent beams at night render the beach with an unearthly charm. Lighthouse beach has numerous shops and gets very busy during the month of December. Sunbathing and swimming are ideal activities and one can rent both a beach chair and an umbrella for 300 INR per day.
Hawah Beach
Hawah beach is a walkable distance from the Lighthouse beach towards the southern end of Kerala. It's also known as Eve's beach and used to be a center of fishing activities. Its calm blue waters and rocky promontory make it a beach traveler's paradise. A variety of boating options are available here.
Samudra Beach
A large promontory separates this part of Kovalam from the southern side. Samudra beach doesn't have thronging tourists or a hectic atmosphere. The local fishermen ply their trade on this stretch of beach. Detour past Kovalam junction to land on Samudra beach, which is north of Asoka beach, or walk along the sea wall to get there. The sight of the waves lashing against the rocks below is awesome. Once on the beach, the shallow, calm waters stretching for hundreds of meters are ideal for swimming and sunbathing. The steep palm-covered headlands are lined with shops that offer all kinds of goods and services.
Important Festivals
| Festival of Onam | Starting between end of August and mid-September |
| Swati Thirunal Music Festival | January |
| Elephant Festival | begins January 9th |
| Food Festival | for 3 day in January |
| Nishagandhi Dance Festival | March & October |
| Vishu | April 14th, 15th or 16th |
| Sree Padmanabha's arattu | November to December & March to April |
Travel Information
| Airport | Trivandrum International Airport (12 km from Kovalam) |
| Train station | Trivandrum Central Station (14 km from Kovalam) |
Weather
Mostly sunny +/- 33 degrees Celsius / Monsoon season June to August