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Kovalam
Brief
Sparkling blue waters, silvery white sands, swaying coconut palms... Kovalam
is a dream. Once a serene and secluded beach, it is now a busy tourist site,
haunted by foreign habitués who spend hours on the beach, sipping
coconut water, watching the fishermen go out to sea, gorging on fantastic
seafood or splattering on an anti-tan and dozing off under a beach umbrella.
A sheltered natural bay, there are a number of Ayurvedic centres, providing
herbal treatments, to rejuvenate your tired muscles with ayurvedic massages
and oil treatments. Kovalam is also the venue, to indulge in many water
sports, including kayaking and water skiing. From the beach, you can also
make inland backwater tours in the country or hire pedal boats.
HistoryCulture
The Department of Tourism, arranges many cultural programmes, for the tourists visiting Kovalam. The spring festival Gramam, is organized at the Kovalam beach, from the 14 - 23 January of every year. In this programme, a model of a typical olden-day Kerala village is recreated, by presenting the fascinating traits of timeless tradition. The fair ground sprawls with art enthusiasts, both native and foreign, to watch the traditional dance, art and martial performances. Kathakali (the spectacular dance drama depicting stories from Indias great epics), Mohiniyattam (the dance of the enchantress), Oppana (a traditional Muslim dance), Kalaripayattu, (traditional martial arts of Kerala) and ritualistic folk dances such as Theyyam and Pulikali are performed during the evenings. KTDC also organizes seaside cultural events, like Jalatharangam from mid December to mid March.
Climate & Geogaphical Location
There is minimum temperature variation across the year. The months from April to October are the hottest and December and January are the coolest. Kovalam is around 16 km from Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala.
How to Reach
Kovalam is well connected by rail, road and air. By air, Thiruvananthapuram airport is the nearest airport at 16 Km and is well connected to Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi. Also there are a number of connections to the Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Muscat, Saudi Arabia, Singapore Male and Sri Lanka. Chartered flights arrive from the European countries in this airport during the tourist season. By rail, Thiruvananthapuram is the nearest railhead and is well connected to Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi as well as connects all the main towns in Kerala and the major cities in India. By road, a journey from the capital city, Thiruvananthapuram, would take 20 minutes. From Thiruvananthapuram, Buses operate regularly to destinations including Kollam, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Thiruvalluvar, Kanniyakumari, Thrissur, Chennai, Madurai, Bangalore, Pondicherry, Coimbatore, as well as Nagercoil and Erode.
Tourist Places
Thiruvananthapuram
The gateway to one of the most beautiful states in India - Kerala, the
city gets its name from the word, Thiruvananthapuram, meaning the city
of Anantha or the abode of the sacred Serpent Anantha, on which Lord Vishnu,
the preserver of the Hindu trinity, reclines. Presiding over one of the
most scenic states of the country, it is a beautiful seaside city, built
on seven hills. The famous Sri Padmanabha Swami Temple is dedicated to
Vishnu and is a landmark in the city. Most visitors to Kerala, use it
only as an arrival point, speeding on immediately to the silvery sand
beach of Kovalam. Slow paced and laid back, it is the political hub of
Kerala and very active and volatile, Thiruvananthapuram is the capital
of Kerala.The Beaches
The unforgettably marvellous image of Kovalam is that of the coconut-palms-lined high rock promontory, that cuddles the calm and wide expanse of the blue waters. Consisting of three adjacent crescent beaches, the Light House Beach, is marked by a prominent red-and-white striped lighthouse and is the most popular. A natural bay, ideal for kayaking, swimming, surfing and skiing, one can swim in the shallow blue water and have a sunbath in the exotic tropical sun, that can adorn you with a good suntan. At many coastal places, there are beautiful patches of coral reefs. The underwater views, which are visible during snorkeling, are really marvellous. From Kovalam, you can go for a backwater cruise to the beautiful countryside of Kerala on catamarans, surfboards and boogie boards or paddling country boats, enjoying its lush greenery.
Kanniyakumari.
Famous for its peaceful and stunning natural environment, Kanniyakumari is the Lands End of India. Surrounded by oceans on three sides, it is located on the confluence of the Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. Famous for its peaceful and stunning natural environment, this place has been attracting tourists, due to its geographical positioning. It is perhaps the only place in India, where it is possible to enjoy the unique experience of seeing the sunset and the moonrise over the ocean simultaneously. The sight of Sunrise and Sunset at Cape Comorin, is something, which cannot be forgotten easily. Kanniyakumari is also famous as a pilgrimage center for the Hindus.
Others
ARUVIKKARA - Aruvikkara is just 16 km away from Kovalam, a picturesque
spot, situated on the banks of the Karamana River. You can roam over the
beautiful dam site and feed the fish that fearlessly come close to the
AYURVEDIC TREATMENTS - A perfect way to relax your body, you dont even realize, how taut your muscles have been until after the masseurs have done their trick. Many tourists come to Kovalam, to take Ayurvedic treatments.
NEDUMANGAD - just 18 km away from Kovalam is Nedumangad, where the Koyikkal palace is situated. You can see the nalukettu, the traditional Kerala
PADMANABHAPURAM PALACE - Although actually in Tamilnadu, it can be easily visited from Thiruvananthapuram. Once the seat of the rulers of Travancore, the palace is superbly constructed of local teak and granite and stands
PEPPARA WILDLIFE SANCTUARY - Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary is around 8 Km from Ponmudi and is accessible from Vidurai, which is on the way to Ponmudi. The sanctuary is host to a rich variety of flora and fauna. Nearby is
PONMUDI - A small, thinly populated hill station, Ponmudi is 61km from Thiruvananthapuram. It makes for a good day trip - you could probably
VIZHINZAM - This is a quaint fishing village, barely a kilometer from Kovalam. The striking pink and green mosque and a church are its highlights. Unfortunately, the Christians and Muslims of the village, are not on the
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