Kovalam (original) (raw)
Not to be confused with Covelong, a fishing village in Chennai.
Beach and seaside resort in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
Locality in Kerala, India
| Kovalam | |
|---|---|
| Locality | |
   From top to bottom: 1. View of Kovalam Harbour 2.The Kovalam lighthouse 3.Development along the Karamana River |
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  KovalamShow map of Kerala KovalamShow map of India |
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| Coordinates: 8°24′01″N 76°58′43″E / 8.4004°N 76.9787°E / 8.4004; 76.9787 | |
| Country | India |
| State | Kerala |
| District | Thiruvananthapuram district |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal Corporation |
| • Body | Corporation of Thiruvananthapuram |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Malayalam, English |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
Kovalam is a beach and seaside resort in the city of Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, India. Kovalam is located 12.6 km (7.8 mi) southeast of the city center. The beaches around Kovalam are popular vacation destinations for both domestic and international travellers.[1]
Kovalam means "coconut grove", after the coconut trees which are common there.[2]
Kovalam first received attention when the Regent Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi of Travancore constructed her beach resort, Halcyon Castle, here towards the end of the 1920s.[3] Thereafter the place was brought to the public eye by her nephew the Maharaja of Travancore.[4] The European guests of the then Travancore kingdom discovered the potential of Kovalam beach as a tourist destination in the 1930s. In the early 1970s many hippies came on their way to Ceylon via the hippie trail, beginning the transformation of a casual fishing village of Kerala into a significant tourist destination.[5]
Kovalam has three beaches separated by rocky outcroppings in its 17 km coastline, the three together form the crescent of the Kovalam beach.[6][7]
Lighthouse Beach – the southernmost beach, the Lighthouse Beach, is named after the 118 feet (36 m) Vizhinjam Lighthouse located on top of the Kurumkal hillock.[8][9]
Hawah Beach – also known as Eve's Beach, consists of a high rock promontory and a bay, and is used by local fishermen.
Samudra Beach – separated from the Lighthouse Beach by a large promontory, it is also used by local fishermen.
Ashoka Beach – sea-wall to see the sea above the rocks and swimmable shallow waters
Karamana River – Karamana River originates from the southern part of Sahyadri Range. The river predominantly flows through an outskirt region of Kovalam called Karmana, hence the nomenclature.
Vellayani Lake
Halcyon Castle
Kovalam Art Gallery
Valiyathura Pier
Neyyar Dam
Aruvikkara Dam
Thiruvallam Parasurama Temple
Vizhinjam Rock Cut Cave Temple
Kovalam was among the most prominent tourist spots in India during the hippie era.[10][_citation needed_] It still has a high status among tourists, who arrive mostly from Europe and Israel.[_citation needed_] Kovalam is finding a new significance in the light of several Ayurvedic salons, and recuperation and regeneration resorts which provide a wide variety of Ayurvedic treatments for tourists.[11]One of the first hotels to open there was the Kovalam Beach Resort, which was designed by Charles Correa from 1969 to 1974.[12][13]
The nearest train station is Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station, about 16 km (9.94 mi) away. The nearest airport is Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, about 10 km (6.21 mi) away.
Kovalam assembly constituency is part of Thiruvananthapuram (Lok Sabha constituency).[14] In 2016 Kerala Assembly elections, M Vincent of the Indian National Congress defeated incumbent Jameela Prakasham by over 2,500 votes.[15]
Thiruvananthapuram International Cruise Terminal
[edit]
Vizhinjam's location, with its proximity to beaches, historical sites, and cultural attractions, is a base for exploring Kerala's heritage. Visitors can take tours to nearby destinations such as Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram, and the Padmanabhaswamy Temple.
The Vizhinjam Cruise Terminal is currently under construction by Adani Ports.[_when?_]
Kovalam Light House
Kovalam Light House beach
Lighthouse beach
Hawwah beach (Eves beach)
Samudra beach
Kovalam beach – view from lighthouse
Fishermen and bystanders bringing a fishing boat ashore on Kovalam (Lighthouse) beach (May 2002)
A few other beaches in Kerala
- ^ "Kovalam". KTDC. Archived from the original on 21 September 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- ^ "Places to visit in Kerala, Destinations in Kerala - Kerala Tourism". keralatourism.travel. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
- ^ "ITS Tours and Events : Kerala Tour Packages | Kerala Houseboats | Cab Booking | Honeymoon Packages | Group Tour". www.itsgroups.in. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
- ^ "Paradise of South India - Kovalam". kovalam.com. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 7 January 2008.
- ^ "Kovalam". kovalam.hotels.com. Retrieved 7 January 2008.
- ^ "Kovalam video". travel trends360.wordpress.com. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
- ^ Ayub, Akber (ed), Kerala: Maps & More, 2006 edition 2007 reprint, p. 97, Stark World Publishing, Bangalore, ISBN 81-902505-2-3
- ^ Kovalam Travel Guide Archived 2015-02-22 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "kovalam.org". kovalam.org. Archived from the original on 4 January 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
- ^ admin. "Everything You Need to Know About Kovalam Beach in Kerala | Thomas Cook Blog". www.thomascook.in. Archived from the original on 8 October 2024. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
- ^ Ayurveda Archived 15 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine Ayurveda in Kovalam
- ^ "Kovalam Beach Resort by Charles Correa: Open to sky space Approach". 16 January 2021.
- ^ "Kovalam Beach Resort". 13 March 2022.
- ^ Assembly Constituencies - Corresponding Districts and Parliamentary Constituencies (PDF) (Report). Election Commission of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2009. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
- ^ "Election trends". Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
Kovalam travel guide from Wikivoyage
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kovalam.