Print Guide
Kovalam weather

Sun

30°C | 24°C

view more Courtesy: WeatherBug
Search for Flights
Rs.
View all Flight deals
Hotels starting from
Rs.
View all Hotel deals
 

Fixed Holiday Packages

 
 
3d
4d
5d
6d
7d
8d
9d
 

Holiday Packages

Contents

 

  1. History
  2. Getting Around
  3. Tourist Traps
  4. Local Customs
  5. Shopping
  6. Communications

An erstwhile fishing village known for its fresh fish, fruits and toddy (coconut beer), Kovalam in Kerala is often referred to as the ‘Paradise of the South’. Idyllic and flamboyant, the crescent-shaped beaches of Kovalam have a character of their own. Kovalam opens up a vista of soft sands, crystal-clear turquoise waters and a rocky promontory crowded by coconut groves with a lighthouse in the centre. The beach gets gentle waves making swimming refreshing and exhilarating. You can even wade into the sea for about 100 meters without losing ground! Look-out for some brilliant patches of coral reefs. Kayaking, surfing and skiing are other popular water activities in Kovalam. An erstwhile fishing village known for its fresh fish, fruits and toddy (coconut beer), Kovalam in Kerala is often referred to as the ‘Paradise of the South’. Idyllic and flamboyant, the crescent-shaped beaches of Kovalam have a character of their own. Kovalam opens up a vista of soft sands, crystal-clear turquoise waters and a rocky promontory crowded by coconut groves with a lighthouse in the centre. The beach gets gentle waves making swimming refreshing and exhilarating. You can even wade into the sea for about 100 meters without losing ground! Look-out for some brilliant patches of coral reefs. Kayaking, surfing and skiing are other popular water activities in Kovalam. An erstwhile fishing village known for its fresh fish, fruits and toddy (coconut beer), Kovalam in Kerala is often referred to as the ‘Paradise of the South’. Idyllic and flamboyant, the crescent-shaped beaches of Kovalam have a character of their own. Kovalam opens up a vista of soft sands, crystal-clear turquoise waters and a rocky promontory crowded by coconut groves with a lighthouse in the centre. The beach gets gentle waves making swimming refreshing and exhilarating. You can even wade into the sea for about 100 meters without losing ground! Look-out for some brilliant patches of coral reefs. Kayaking, surfing and skiing are other popular water activities in Kovalam.

History

This beach town on the Arabian Sea is about 13 kilometers (8.12 miles) from downtown Trivandrum. In the 1930s the European guests of the Maharaja of Travancore saw in a different light the beauty of the beach and the dramatic scenery it affords. But its true potential as a beach destination was realized only in the early seventies with the arrival of hoards of hippies.

In the early times when Kovalam was a mere picturesque fishing village, the Maharaja of Travancore took a fancy to its pristine stretch of sand curving into the turquoise sea. And he started spending a lot of his leisure time here, and even recommended it to his European guests. The European’s quite fell in love with this place and began thronging in groups by the third decade of the 20th century. Not to mention, Kovalam - particularly its string of three crescent-shaped beaches - received the greatest philip with the arrival of the flower children in the 1970s. Enamored by its serenity the Hippy community started pouring in in droves and stayed on for a longish period. And in the process made Kovalam a highly sought after beach getaway on the tourism map.

Today, numerous national and international travel houses arrange regular packaged tours of Kovalam from different parts of the world.

Getting Around

The most convenient way of traveling around attractions is by a tourist taxi, especially if you are traveling in a group. You can get them at most airports and railway stations. An adventurous way of exploring around Kovalam is to get a bike on hire. The highway is broad and lined on one side with swaying palm trees, making biking about a pleasurable experience. Once you have hit the highway, drive north for the plains and south for the hills. You can also try out the old highway, locally known as MC road. It takes you deep into the hills. It is better to avoid driving through Trivandrum city, as it is mostly congested. Here two-wheelers are not required to pay the highway toll; they can keep riding through the side lane.

Tourist Traps in the City

When souvenir shopping in Kovalam, do strike a hard bargain for the prices more often than not are steep. In addition to this, the vendors on the beach hawking everything from sarongs, peanuts to fruits tend to get a tad too pushy. If you are not keen on buying anything from him, say a firm no right in the beginning before he begins persuading you. Ayurvedic massages are popular in Kerala, and Kovalam too has its share of rejuvenation centres lining the beach and close to hotels and restaurants. Not all of them are genuine - some simply fleece tourists by giving them a warm scrub. So if an Ayurvedic rejuvenation therapy is on your mind go to a shop that has a license from the tourism department. You could also come across hawkers on the beach selling coconut oil; they try hard to convince you that on applying it you will catch a nice tan. Steer clear of them!

Local Custom

In some places, particularly the Lighthouse beach area, liquor is served in teapots to be poured into cups. This is so because drinking alcohol in public is not considered proper; hence not consumed in public places. This could go to the extent of imposing dry days during festivals. At restaurants serving liquor, a bottle of beer is commonly wrapped in newspaper as it is served to you. Only hand counted hotels in Kovalam offer liquor.

Shopping

Kovalam is an unlikely shopping destination. Handcrafted souvenirs galore here. You can find an array of local deity statues in teak and rosewood, carpets, batik sarongs, ethnic ensemble and exotic spices. In addition to this there are shops selling Rajasthani, Kashmiri and Tibetan handicraft; this includes junk jewelry from Bhutan to the puppets of Rajasthan. The brightly colored silk sarongs and glittered sandals deserve to find a place in your shopping list. They come in a wide array and are popularly bought by tourists to Kovalam. Attractive jewelry made of seashells and beachwear can be bought from the shops lining the Kovalam stretch. Some shops sell wonderful handcrafted boxes made of wood – most of which are puzzle boxes.

At SM Handloom Centre you can design your own outfit and get it stitched in a couple of days. You have the option of selecting the material and getting it designed. Or have your outfit replicated in silk. They do a good job of loose fitting skirt top, shirts, trousers and silk dresses. This shop is at the centre of the Lighthouse Beach close to the pathway to Sandy Beach Hotel. If you are keen on picking up some exotic spices, try out Joseph & Sons on Lighthouse beach near Sandy Beach Hotel. Here you can select from an impressive assortment of spices such as cardamom, saffron, coriander, fenugreek, star anise, vanilla pods, mustard, dry ginger, nutmeg, tamarind, turmeric, aniseed, palm jaggery and masala tea among other authentic condiments.

Ancy’s Bookstore, again on Lighthouse beach behind the Velvet Dawn restaurant, supplies you good books during your beach sojourn in Kovalam. A treasure trove of books, the store is run by an amicable Joy, and houses an impressive collection in English, German, Swedish, French and Dutch. Books here can be for sale, rent or exchange. Starting from INR 150, the books are priced depending on their condition, newness, popularity and language.

Communications

Phones :Cell phone rates are one of the cheapest in the world.
There are four GSM service providers:
* BSNL [20] GSM Triband
* Airtel [21] GSM Triband
* Vodafone [22] GSM Triband
* Idea [23]GSM Triband
CDMA service providers are
* Reliance Communications[24]
* Tata Indicom[25]
Internet: There are several internet cafes / Cyber Cafes from where you can access the Internet for sending email or uploading your digital photos.
* Reliance world offers you broadband connectivity at many locations across the city.
* Sify iway also offers broadband connectivity at different locations spread all over the city.

Top

Corporate Information

Yatra Services

Customer Care

Why buy with Yatra

Partner With Us