Kovalam in Thiruvananthapuram

Kovalam is an internationally renowned beach with three adjacent crescent beaches. It has been a favorite haunt of tourists, especially Europeans, since the 1930s. A massive rocky promontory on the beach has created a beautiful bay of calm waters ideal for sea bathing.

Accommodation facility for tourists at Kovalam ranges from five star hotels to budget hotels and the choice of food is available at restaurants and cafeteria ranges from Continental varieties to South Indian tastes. Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, is just 16 km away from Kovalam and getting there is no hassle. But if you are on holiday it is better to stay in Kovalam and visit the city. The City of Thiruvananthapuram has interesting places to see like the Napier Museum, the Sri Chitra Art Gallery, the Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Ponmudi hill station etc. SMSM Institute, a State owned handicrafts emporium, is the ideal place to pick up ethnic curios and other articles.

Best time to visit Kovalam

September to March

Places to visit in Kovalam

The Lighthouse:
The lighthouse is located on a hillock named Kurumkal which is very close to the sea. The southern end of the Kovalm beach is named after this hill house. The lighthouse is thirty five meter tall structure that is painted with red and white color that is easily visible from a long distance. It is open to visitors and offers spectacular views of the lighthouse beach, Eve's beach and its surroundings. The lighthouse road is a convenient venue for cycling and walks.
Karamana River and Boating:
Tourists can enjoy boating on the lake, which is dotted with expansive green patches of tropical plants on its banks. Located on the riverbank is the Thiruvallam Boat Club that offers kayaking, houseboat cruises and canoe rides. Do not forget to carry your camera before commencing the boat ride. The bewitching views of the backwaters and greenery throughout the ride are worth capturing in your camera.
Vellayani Lake:
It is around 9 km away from the Thiruvananthapuram Central Bus Station at Thampanoor. Buses ply to Vellayani Lake from City Depot at East Fort also. It is at a distance of 7 km from Kovalam via Poonkulam junction. A road passes through this lake; a bund has been constructed for this purpose. This lake attracts a lot of tourists. Once in Kovalam, a visitor should not allow to miss the opportunity of seeing this wonder lake of freshwater. Its crystal-clear calm water, especially during moonlit nights, is a craze for the minds.
Valiyathura Pier:
A 214 meter long pier situated in the Valiathura port offers a mesmerising view of the sea and the coast. This pier that was one upon a time a bustling port used to bring in goods to Trivandrum is now a quaint lonely spot often enjoyed by tourists.
Kovalam Art Gallery:
The Kovalam art gallery in Kovalam displays artifacts, paintings and art works. The paintings in this art gallery consist of ancient Indian paintings related to the Sanskrit culture. Europe and Western artists and art lovers are the major visitors in this gallery even though there are other visitors also.
Edakallu:
Edakallu is the popular sunset viewing point that lies between the Lighthouse Beach and Eve's Beach. It offers enchanting view of the red and orange sun setting in the horizon with amazing new patterns in the sky. It is one of the best places to view the sunset in Kovalam and the best place to capture the photos of different patterns of the beautiful sky.
Vizhinjam Rock Cut Cave Temple:
Vizhinjam Rock Cut Cave Temple contains the rock cut sculptures of 18-th century. The temple is dedicated to Vinandhara Dakshinamurthi. The unfinished sculptures of Lord Shiva and Parvathy are also major attractions in this place.
Aruvikkara Dam:
Aruvikkara dam is located ten kilometers from Kovalam. It is a beautiful picnic spot on the shores of Karamana River. The Durga temple and fish tank are the main attractions. Aruvikkara dam provides water to the capital city. The place is easily accessible by road.
Kanyakumari / Cape Comorin:
It is situated 90 Kms east of Kovalam. Kanyakumari is located at the southern most tip of India where the three water bodies, Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean meet. Kanyakumari is famous for its spectacular sunrise and sunset. It is a famous tourist destination consists of Kanyakumari Temple, Gandhi Smarak Mandir and Vivekananda Rock There is a boat ride service from the beach to the Vivekananda Rock. Kanyakumari is located in Tamil Nadu.
Thiruvallam Parashurama Temple:
Thriuvallam Parashurama temple is located twelve kilometers from Kovalam. It is one of the major Hindu shrine, in India. It is believed that this temple is about 2000 years old and is situating on the banks of the Karamana River. It is the exclusive temple that is dedicated to Parashurama.