Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram, Kovalam, the jewel among the beaches of Kerala. Grey-green and forbidding in the monsoons, pale pink in the dawn, crimson in the late evenings, serene and silver in the moonlight – at Kovalam, you can just lie back and watch the sea and the sky change color. Kovalam was once a tiny, sleepy, fishing village, whose existence was unknown to those outside Thiruvananthapuram.
Today, tourism is a multi-million dollar industry here, the area of the beach is like a town by itself-you can find eateries, entertainment, shopping, Kathakali, Yoga and Ayurveda all under the same umbrella. Kovalam has three crescent shaped beaches lying adjacent to each other- the Hawa, the Lighthouse and the Samudra. The sands here are partly grayish black in color, due to the presence of the minerals ilmenite and thorazite.
Places of Interest
The Light house beach: The tall red and white striped light house is more or less the landmark of the beach. The light house, which is more than 30 meters high, is open from 2 pm to 4 pm. The view of the beach from the top of the light house is quite worth the long climb. Handicraft shops, eateries and other booths dot the shore; the evenings here exude a carnival ambience with the restaurants playing music. The waters are shallow for quite a distance and are thus safe for swimming. If you feel like getting away from the crowds, you can take a walk along the fishing villages which lie further across the beach side
The Hawwa and Samudra beaches: The Hawwa beach is used more by the local fishermen than tourists. The Samudra beach is the northern-most beach and the least crowded of the three. A 15-minute walk separates the beach from the lighthouse beach. The Samudra is the quietest of the three; there are also few tourist activities here.
Vizhinjam Rock Cut Cave: The granite cave here encloses a one celled shrine with a loose sculpture of Vinadhara Dakshinamurthi. The outer wall of the cave depicts half completed reliefs of the Hindu God Shiva with his wife and dancepartner Goddess Parvathi.
Thiruvallam: Thiruvallam is just 6 kms from Kovalam. This place, en route to Thiruvananthapuram, is famous for backwater rides.
Pozhikkara Beach, Pachalloor: A serene and spectacular beach, where the backwater meets the sea, Pozhikkara is ideal for birdwatchers.
Thiruvananthapuram: Thiruvananthapuram or Trivandrum abounds with temples, age old palaces, museums and much more. The most famous among them would be the Padmanabha Swamy temple and the Padmanabhapuram palace. The Napier museum and the Sree Chitra Art Gallery attached to it are also well worth a visit. The city also has a zoo which houses a wide variety of rare species of animals and birds. There are quite a few spots of great scenic beauty around Thiruvananthapuram – Ponmudy, Meenmutty etc. The district also has a network of backwaters along which houseboat cruises can be arranged.
Quick Informations
Location: Kovalam is just 16 km to the south of Thiruvananthapuram city.
Climate: Kovalam is characterized by hot, nearly equatorial climate. Monsoon, which starts in the beginning of June, lasts till August beginning, followed by the second turn of monsoon which begins by the end of October.
Best Time to Visit: The best time to visit Kovalam would be between the months of October and February. However, the monsoons, the months between June and August are the best time for an Ayurvedic treatment. The Kerala Village Fair takes place during the month of January. The great elephant march also takes place during mid-January. Onam and all its related festivities take place during August-September. The flavor food festival is held during the month of April.
