God’s own country Kerala is man’s own paradise. Kerala’s scenic splendor renders a tourist dumbstruck. India is a Land of Temples and Beaches and Kerala has got the best one – The Kovalam Beach.

This small suburb in the state of Kerala with the Arabian Sea beside it is beyond comparison. Meaning the grove of coconut trees this beach got its history dated to 1920 when the Queen of Travancore Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi got a building called the Halcyon Castle constructed here. The Europeans found this to be a potentially viable beach resort and thus the beach took birth. Kovalam beach became very popular in the seventies durig the era of the hippies.

With three kinds of crescent shaped beaches the rocky terrain with the low waters extending to the wide horizon makes it an ideal tourist spot. The pristine palm trees and the lovely atmosphere completely mesmerize a tourist.

The Light House Beach is the larger beach amongst the three and is named after the 35m light house that rises over the Kurumkal hill. The Hawah Beach is the second in number in terms of size and is famous for the European females here who used to roam around topless. In fact Kovalam Beach got famous as the first beach where one could see topless females. Today with advanced tourism interests topless swimming is banned and is only allowed in private resorts. The Samudra Beach here is another tourist attraction but is not as popular as the other two. The Ashoka beach is also visited by tourists.

Famous for its lovely blackish sand, the color being black because of the content of Ilmenite and Monazite the beach resorts around the Kovalam Beach are comfortable and cozy. From Kovalam we can watch the fishermen at Vizhingam catching fish and fish of various varieties is popular in Kovalam cuisine.

Kovalam Beach has gained significance due to its popular Ayurvedic centers, the pristine ambience and the wide treatments given to tired tourists.

With Thiruvananthapuram as the nearby airport and railway station, Kovalam is around 16 km from this city. If you are a road lover then a bike is the best way to reach this place. The pleasure trip down the highway is something that is etched in the memory.

At the beach you could surf and go on a wooden boat ride. The boats with a paddle made of bamboo are a unique and special experience and the early morning hues are erased with this ride. One could also go by the catamaran which has started here recently.

To complete the visit, do shop for the Tibetan art souvenirs here. IN Kerala never miss to drink fresh coconut water and just sip in the luxury here. A tourist in Kovalam beach would never miss to visit the places in and around the beach. Also make sure that you see the sunset at Vizhingam port.

With this kind of electric atmosphere a trip to Kovalam gives you a feel of landing in heaven.