Kovalam

Kovalam is a region in the city of Trivandrum, around 13 km southwest of the city center, whose beaches are a tourist destination.[1]

Kovalam
Suburb
Kovalam beach, Trivandrum
Kovalam beach, Trivandrum
Kovalam is located in Kerala
Kovalam
Kovalam
Kovalam is located in India
Kovalam
Kovalam
Coordinates: 8.4004°N 76.9787°E / 8.4004; 76.9787
CountryIndia
StateKerala
DistrictThiruvananthapuram district
Government
 • TypeMunicipal Corporation
 • BodyCorporation of Trivandrum
Languages
 • OfficialMalayalam, English
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
View of Kovalum from Light House
Hawa Beach, Kovalam
Palm grove in Kovalam
Boat Houses of Kovalam

Etymology

Kovalam means "coconut grove," after the coconut trees which are common there.

History

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. Thereafter the place was brought to the public eye by her nephew the Maharaja of Travancore.[2] The European guests of the then Travancore kingdom discovered the potentiality of Kovalam beach as a tourist destination in the 1930s. In the early 1970s many hippies came on their way to Ceylon in the Hippie Trail, beginning the transformation of a casual fishing village of Kerala into a significant tourist destination.[3]

Geography

Beaches

Kovalam has three beaches separated by rocky outcroppings in its 17 km coastline, the three together form the crescent of the Kovalam beach.[4][5]

  • 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.[6] [7]
  • 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
Evening time view of the beach

Places to visit
  • 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 lighthouse evening view

Tourist facilities

There are a large number of beach resorts in and around Kovalam. The sea port of Vizhinjam is about 3 km away and famous for its special varieties of fish, old Hindu temples, churches and a mosque. The Proposed International Trans shipment Terminal at Vizhinjam is also close to Kovalam.

Kovalam was among the most prominent tourist spots in India during the hippy era. It still has a high status among tourists, who arrive mostly from Europe and Israel. 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.[8]

Kovalam Beach Resort, by Charles Correa

One of the first hotels to open there was the Kovalam Beach Resort, which was designed by Charles Correa from 1969–74.[9][10]

Transport

The nearest train station is Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station, about 16 km (9.94 mi) away. The nearest airport is Trivandrum International Airport, about 10 km (6.21 mi) away.

Politics

Kovalam assembly constituency is part of Trivandrum (Lok Sabha constituency).[11] In 2016 Kerala Assembly elections, M Vincent of the Indian National Congress defeated incumbent Jameela Prakasham by over 2,500 votes.[12]

  • Kovalam Light House
    Kovalam Light House
  • Kovalam Light House beach
    Kovalam Light House beach
  • Lighthouse beach
    Lighthouse beach
  • Hawwah beach (Eves beach)
    Hawwah beach (Eves beach)
  • Samudra beach
    Samudra beach
  • Kovalam beach - view from lighthouse
    Kovalam beach - view from lighthouse
  • Kovalam Beach - View from lighthouse (other side)
    Kovalam Beach - View from lighthouse (other side)
  • Kovalam beach with Leela Kovalam in the background
    Kovalam beach with Leela Kovalam in the background
  • Fishermen and bystanders bringing a fishing boat ashore on Kovalam (Lighthouse) beach (May 2002)
    Fishermen and bystanders bringing a fishing boat ashore on Kovalam (Lighthouse) beach (May 2002)

See also

A few other beaches in Kerala

References
  1. "Kovalam". KTDC. Archived from the original on 21 September 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  2. "Paradise of South India - Kovalam". kovalam.com. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 7 January 2008.
  3. "Kovalam". kovalam.hotels.com. Retrieved 7 January 2008.
  4. "Kovalam video". travel trends360.wordpress.com. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  5. Ayub, Akber (ed), Kerala: Maps & More, 2006 edition 2007 reprint, p. 97, Stark World Publishing, Bangalore, ISBN 81-902505-2-3
  6. Kovalam Travel Guide Archived 2015-02-22 at the Wayback Machine
  7. "kovalam.org". kovalam.org. Archived from the original on 4 January 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  8. Ayurveda Archived 15 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine Ayurveda in Kovalam
  9. "Kovalam Beach Resort by Charles Correa: Open to sky space Approach". 16 January 2021.
  10. "Kovalam Beach Resort". 13 March 2022.
  11. 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.
  12. "Election trends". Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  • Kovalam travel guide from Wikivoyage
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