Kovalam - The Coconut Orchard

Kovalam is located on the Malabar Coast of southern India. Kovalam is also the most preferred beach destination of South India and is crowded by Indian and foreign tourists throughout the year. Kovalam is nearly at a distance of 15 km from the capital city of Tiruvananthapuram. Kovalam in Malayalam language means ‘Orchard of Coconut Trees'. The history of Kovalam is preferably unknown, excluding the fact that it was a bunch of fishing villages during the pre-independence period. Kovalam was a part of the luxurious state of Travancore. It was only during the 1930s that the Kovalam came to exclusive attention to public. Kovalam came to the spotlight in 1920s for the first time when the Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bai of Travancore Empire constructed her beach resort there. In the year 1930s, the European visitors of the Travancore Monarchs were the first to find the tourism potential of Kovalam. But in fact, it was the mass inflow of hippies in the 1970s that push Kovalam as a major tourist destination of the country. Very shortly, the sleepy fishing village of Kovalam transfigured itself as the most favored beach destinations of the nation. Kovalam is a bunch of curve shaped beaches. The 3 main beaches of Kovalam are the Samudra Beach, Lighthouse Beach and the Hawa Beach. These 3 beaches are detached from each other by some rocky stones. Of the three, the Lighthouse Beach is the biggest, Hawa Beach is most commercialized and Samudra Beach is known for its private environment making it famous among sunbathers. All the beaches in Kovalam has ankle-deep water beaches widening about a kilometer or so, which makes it an ideal place for swimming. The peculiar feature of Kovalam beaches are the scenery dotted with tall coconut trees and shiny, dark colored sands. It is because of high content of minerals like Monazite and Ilmenite that exists in the sands. You can also visit this place by opting honeymoon packages through travel companies. Kovalam is best place for swimming, sunbathing and other nautical activities holiday packages . Expeditions can be undertaken to nearby destinations like Kanyakumari, Ponmudi and Vizhinjam from Kovalam. Kovalam is the perfect place to enjoy seafood items like lobster, fresh fish, mussels, crab and tiger prawns among others. Vellayani Lake is the biggest fresh water Lake of Tiruvananthapuram. Akkulam Lake is famous for swimming and boating. Thiruvallam Parasurama Temple is the only temple dedicated to Lord Parasurama. Poovar and Chowara are some of the attractions nearby Kovalam tour package . Vizhinjam is a fishing seaport and beach near Kovalam and it is home to Vizhinjam Marine Aquarium, home to extraordinary species of invertebrates and decorative fish in the world. The good time to visit Kovalam is from September to March holidays . Kovalam is well connected with other major cities of the state by means of air, rail and road. Closest airport is Trivandrum International airport which is nearly 15 km away from Kovalam. The nearest rail head to Kovalam is Trivandrum Central railway station. It is hardly 15 km away from Kovalam. Kovalam is well connected by the city bus services from Trivandrum and other main junctions in the district.