KOVALAM-A Quaint Town With Pristine Beaches

        
                                              image credit: wikitravel.org

Today the #XploreBharat Blog Train has come to a halt down south at Kovalam-a quaint little town in Kerala from the North-East. It was Aalo in Arunachal Pradesh aboard Ajit’s blog musings where it chugged to yesterday. Tomorrow the #XploreBharat Blog Train will move to Amritsar with Ritika through her blog pearls. 

We visited God's own country Kerala in December 2017; Trivendrum, Kovalam and Kanyakumari to be specific. The trip was an instantaneous one. A request for one-week leave by my ever busy husband (he's a senior central govt officer posted in Chandigarh currently) was finally approved after much dilly-dallying. So we rushed through the destination planning, hotel and flight bookings and lo! within four days we were frolicking on the beach in Kovalam.

History

Kovalam is famous for its beaches, among the most pristine in India and is extremely popular among westerners due to shallow waters and low tidal waves. Kovalam which was a casual fishing village has been on the tourist circuit since the 1930s but shot into fame around the 1970s when the hippies descended on it.
Kovalam was first brought to the public eye by Her Highness The Queen of Travancore Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bai when she got a palace built for herself at a rock top near the beach, as her private residence better known as Halcyon Castle but it was Prince G.V Raja who realized immense tourist potentiality of the region and decided to promote the region among state guests, by inviting Thomas Cook & Sons- UK to develop the region. Halcyon Palace-popularly known as Kovalam Palace is now run as a luxury resort by a private company. 
More information about Kovalam can be accessed here.

               Halcyon Palace image credit: Kovalam.com a Kerala.com web portal

Travel and Stay

We took an early morning flight from Delhi to Thiruananthpuram as Trivendrum is now known. From the airport Kovalam is barely 16 kms and it takes only around half an hour to reach the beaches. Cabs and taxies are available from the airport and would cost around 500 rupees. One can also hop into an autorickshaw but you must bargain for the right price which according to the locals is around 150-170. If you prefer public transport, you can catch a bus from Trivandrum-East Fort to Kovalam Beach for a nominal 8-10 rupees.
We checked into Uday Samudra-an exclusive 4-star leisure beach hotel and spa which is located at the famed Samudra beach, just 15 meters from the sea. The landscaping here has its own serenity, a harmony of a defined architecture, spacious lawns, three blue water pools and soaring coconut groves all set in four tranquil acres by the sea. 
If you plan to stay here then ask for a sea facing room which may be at a premium but you won't regret paying a little more when you fall asleep to the soothing sound of gently undulating sea waves and wake up to the stunning sight of fishermen's colorful boats speeding into the deep sea.

                             sea view from the Samudra beach wall near Uday Samudra Resort
                                                      image rights: Seema Taneja

Tourist Attractions

Kovalam has three crescent shaped beaches separated by rocky outcroppings. The most popular is the Lighthouse Beach known for its 35 metre high lighthouse which towers over it atop Kurumkal hillock. It takes less than five minutes to walk from Lighthouse Beach to the second largest beach, Hawwa Beach or Eve's Beach which was the first topless beach in India. However topless bathing is banned now. 
The northern part of the beach is known as Samudra Beach. A large promontory separates this part from the southern side. Samudra Beach has high waves and can be a bit rough at times. It doesn't have tourists thronging there or hectic business. The local fishermen ply their trade on this part. But there are eateries around the beach and even the hotel and resorts arrange tables-chairs for their guests on the wall around the sea in the evening and would accept requests for food to be served there. 
It's a visual treat to view the sunset from all the beaches hence evenings are the busiest and most crowded time of the day.

                                                        image rights: Seema Taneja

                                                          image rights: Seema Taneja

The lighthouse beach has many restaurants and shacks serving all types of snacks, meals and beverages. Vendors selling local cuisine are not very pushy but if you don't buy from them they would remember you if you come back to them later. Loungers and parasols are available for hire if you wish to spend the day at the beach. Even though the sea is not too deep but there are many lifeguards and they keep whistling to alert swimmers from being too adventurous. 
For adventure lovers, there are surf boards, jet skies and speed boats but the beach is shut down at 06-00 PM for adventure sports and swimming. You can also hire wooden boats or hop into a catamaran for a quick cruise.

The old lighthouse, located at the southern beach is one of the oldest lighthouses of Kerala, guiding ships to the nearby Vizhnjam port. The lighthouse can be visited from 03-00 PM to 05-00 PM daily.

                                                  image credit: wikipedia

Marine Aquarium

Another must visit place is Sagarika Marine Research Aquarium, it is situated about 2 km from Kovalam on the Vizhinjam port that is among the busiest in the district.
Our cab driver rushed us there just 10 minutes before the ticket window closed down for the day and we were truly grateful to him for being not only a safe driver but such an excellent guide too.
One can see a variety of species here. Angelfish, clown fish, seahorses, box fish, cow fish, eels and wrasses are among the exotic beings seen here. A reef tank with an assortment of corals is yet another attraction here. One also gets a close look at some of the mysteries of marine life at this unique destination. 

                                                    image rights: Seema Taneja

                                                      image rights: Seema Taneja

                                                     image rights: Seema Taneja

You can visit it every day from 09:00 AM to 05-00 PM. The ticket costs 20 rupees for adults and 10 for children between 4 and 14 years. 

There's also a mosque near the marine aquarium and a beautiful spot on the hillock to click pictures of the fishing village below. If you have time, you can go down towards the harbor and watch the fishermen with their catch, from close quarters.

Vizhinjam Rock Cut Cave Temple which house rock cut sculptures dating back to the 18th century are another tourist attraction, just 1 km from Kovalam. Although unfinished (perhaps that is the real charm), the statues of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi are the major attractions here. You can visit from 9 AM to 5 PM, Tuesday to Sunday and entry is free here.

                                   Makemytrip website with Photo credit: Wikimedia/prasad0224

Poovar Backwaters Cruise

Poovar village is 14 km from Kovalam and is most famous for its backwaters rides. Thick mangroves abound the backwaters here and one can see rich flora and fauna like Kingfishers, Falcons, Cranes and Ducks perching on the trees or waddling through the waters. 
The golden sands are home to some of best picnic spots in the area. Floating restaurants and resorts are also a tourist attraction. However, the most interesting part of the cruise is where the Neyyar River joins the Arabian Sea and you can see the colors of both quite distinctly.
Although boatmen are seen selling packaged water/soft drinks, wafers, biscuits and even fresh coconut all along but it's advisable to carry one's own water and snacks as it can get hot and humid during the afternoons.
There are many boat stations from where boats can be hired but it would be wise to book online from Poovar Backwaters Cruise which may cost you around 2000 for 1.5 hours boat ride whereas an on-spot booking would set you back by a hefty 3500. Many hotel/resort also organize backwater cruises so check with your hotel too.

                                            image rights: Seema Taneja

                                                image rights: Seema Taneja 

                                               image rights: Seema Taneja

                                          Neyyar river joins Arabian sea here                                      
                                           image credits: Kerala tourism.org    

                                                            image rights: Seema Taneja

Best Time To Visit

The ideal season to visit Kovalam is between October and March, like all other sea-side towns. But I would recommend going there in December and January as it gets real hot during the afternoons and you wouldn't be able to lounge on the hot sands at that time, especially if you are from the cooler climes. Also keep in mind that Dussehara-Diwali and Christmas-New Year season is treated as peak season and hotels and resorts may impose  premium charges during this time.

Where To Stay

Kovalam has no dearth of hotels, resorts and home-stays for all budget ranges but it is better to check the location for transport connectivity and safety issues before booking. 
Uday Samudra where we stayed is flanked by KTDC's Samudra hotel on the left and Taj Green Cove Resort and Spa on the right. The Taj property is one of the finest (and perhaps one of the most expensive) resorts in Kovalam and is popular for its amazing backwater retreat as well as hill resort layout. Both these places gladly let the guests from nearby hotels walk through their premises and savor the beauty of the surroundings. We had lunch at the KTDC hotel and clicked pictures of the verdant gardens and beach below and the next day we went to the Taj property for a refreshing morning walk, without any hindrances.

Backwaters along Taj Green Cove Resort

                                                       image right: Seema Taneja

The Leela Raviz and Turtle On The Beach are other popular luxury resorts.

Kovalam also abounds in wellness spas and resorts offering Ayurvedic treatment and massage but please do due diligence before checking into any of them. Many of them have untrained staff and could also be involved in sleazy activities. Also beware of taxi drivers who may try to fleece you by taking you to these illegally run ayurvedic massage centers.
Check out Somatheeram Ayurvedic Health Resort and Abad Harmonia Ayurveda Beach Resort for a traditional Kerala spa experience.

Commuting Within The Town

Cabs, auto rickshaws and public transport buses are available throughout the town. You can also rent bike and scooty for easy and independent commute.

Food

Kovalam being a popular holiday destination, it offers all international and Indian cuisines but you must try rice puttu with kadala (Bengal gram) curry (get recipe here), appam with stew and karimeen from Kerala cuisine especially if you are not a south Indian. Even the restaurants and shacks on the beach offer delicious snacks and food at reasonable prices. 
Check out German Bakery, Swiss Cafe, Suprabhatham and Fusion restaurant apart from the restaurants in resorts.

What to Buy

I am not too keen on shopping generally so I didn't explore the markets much but if you wish to pick up souvenirs you can buy wooden and Tibetan handicraft items, local handloom garments, spices, seashell jewelry from the markets near the beach. Please do not forget to bargain if you are buying souvenirs from the shacks and vendors on the beach. 

Last Notes

I am a person who likes to explore places at a leisurely pace; to visit not just the well known must-do places but also to know the locals and their lifestyle by walking along the less trodden paths, by strolling through the villages and farms, stopping by streams, sitting under the cool shady trees and just reveling in the beauty of the place. But unfortunately it was a very short trip and we could stay at Kovalam only for one day since we had to cover Kanyakumari and Trivendrum in the remaining four days of our trip. But in hindsight I feel we should have planned a longer stay at Kovalam. 
I have left a tiny part of me with you, Kovalam and I will be back soon...koi shaq!

Hope you enjoyed riding the #XploreBharat blog train with me. 
Here I wish you adios with a sweet little poem by David Taylor that beautifully sums up everything that a beach holiday is.

Memories Of The Beach

We went to the beach to get wind in our hair
to stand on the sand and simply to stare.
To let the surf tickle toes and dampen our clothes
as we played 'run away'
from the wavelets at play.

We went to the beach to climb on the rocks
find cool shallow pools where we'd take of our socks,
and peer in the waters to see what we might find
that the waves of the sea,
had last left behind.

We went to the beach to find coloured shells
the kind that when placed to our ears
make the sound of the ocean appear,
and gathered rocks that we never would find
in the places we walked,
for most of the time.

We went to the beach and all that, we did find
and the smell of the salt refreshed our tired minds.
I'll never forget the laughter and sounds
and the freedom to run,
on that wet sandy ground.

We went to the beach my family and I
and there we were one,
with the ocean, the beach, and the sky.

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About #XploreBharat Blog train

This is a Blog train hosted by,  Aditi, Esha, Maheshwaran, Preeti, Saba, Pragun, Sanjota, Sonia, Sudip,  Suhasini, and Supriya. 

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