Kerala is one of the most amazing and breathtaking places that depict the natural beauty. It really goes by the term “God's own country”. Kerala includes several places that are worthy to visit. But Kovalam is really mesmerizing. There are lots of places to visit in Kovalam, that will make you realize the natural beauty of the south. Global tourists along with Indians get there every time to enjoy natural beauty. Kerala is a combination of backwaters tourism, hill-stations, coffee plantations, sea, historical places and monuments, heritage locations, commercial cities and lot more. It’s just paradise on earth. The place is apt for weekend gateways, long holidays, family trip, honeymoon, expeditions, adventure tourism and others.
Among all the places of Kerala, Kovalam is considered as “ Paradise of South”. Kovalam is a Malayalam word that stands for “grove of coconut trees”. The place is located by the Arabian Sea and is well known for its beaches. If you want to know and see more of the hippy trail, Kovalam can be the best option for you. Since 1970, Kovalam has been a part of hippy culture explosion. And because of this too, the town is a major tourist spot for foreigners. During the time of queen of Travancore, Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi in 1930, the European discovered the unique beauty of the town and made the famous Halcyon castle. Since then Kovalam has been one of the major tourist spots. Here are the 17 best places to visit in Kovalam.
The Most Popular Tourist Places in Kovalam :
- Light House
- Veli
- Vellayani Lake
- Artificial Off-Shore Coral Reef
- Vizhinjam Rock Cut Cave Temple
- Karamana River
- Hawa Beach or Eve’s Beach
- Vizhinjam Marine Aquarium
- Neyyar dam
- Padmanabhapuram Palace
- Shri Padmanabhaswamy Temple
- Napier Art Museum & Gallery & Shri Chitra Art Gallery
- Shanghumukham Beach
- Chowara Beach
- Kanyakumari
- Valiyathura Pier
- Thiruvallam Parasurama Temple
- Halcyon Castle
Light house is one of the major locations among Kovalam sightseeing program. Light house beach is one of the major beaches of Kovalam. It is the shining star of Kovalam. The blue waters, the rocking caves, the gleaming sand, the palm fringes make the place a dreamy location. The old Vizhinjam light house is the strong rocky headland makes the place unique. You can enjoy the ayurvedic massage, sunbathing, beachside spa, swimming, surfing, volleyball, basketball, long walks and amazing seafood. The place has no entry fee.
Veli is a popular tourist village which is famous as a picnic spot. The charm and the playful spirit of the place draw the attention of tourists. For children the place is amazing. The place is located near the airport. You can have access to row boats, water sports activities, paddle boats, ferry rides, motor boats and lot more. The place is open from 8 am to 6 pm. There are the entry fees and separate fee as per the amusement and rides you choose.
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Vellayani is a well known freshwater lake in Kerala. It is 7 kilometers away from Kovalam. The picturesque beauty of the place and the peaceful boat ride with breathtaking flora and fauna around makes the place one of the major Kovalam tourist attraction. During Onam, this lake is location famous for the annual boat race. The place has no entry fee.
This off-shore coral reef is India’s first artificial coral-reef. The project was launched by the government of Kerala in association with department of harbor engineering. The project enhances the ecology of lighthouse beach.
Vizhinjam rock-cut cave temple is one of the top places to visit in Kovalam . The statue of lord Shiva and Devi Parvathi of the back 18th century is a major attraction here. The unfinished cave temple holds the beauty and heritage of the place.
The Bewitching backwater views and lovely boating experience makes you feel great. The river has originated from the Western Ghats and flows through Thiruvananthapuram. The greenery around, the tropical plants makes the place more close to nature. The houseboats, the canoe rides are simply wonderful.
Hawa beach is one of the top tourist places to visit in Kovalam. This beach is also known as Eve's beach. Hawa beach forms the crescent of Kovalam. The peace, the tranquility makes the beach a heavenly like place. The beach has several coconut trees, it is a great beach for swimming, sunbath and a lot more. Read also: best places in Kerala to travel in summer
Kovalam sightseeing will be incomplete if you miss Vizhinjam marine aquarium. The place is the busiest fishing harbor. The aquatic life over there comprises of corals, fish, and aquatic animals. The place is famous for pearl production. You can observe the developing of pearl.
Neyyar dam is one of the top tourist places in Kerala. It is 32 kilometers away from Thiruvananthapuram. The place is a famous picnic spot. The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwanthari Ashram is an ideal place for all. The scenic environment makes the place highly pleasurable.
Padmanabhapuram Palace is one of the main tourist attractions within Kerala tour packages. The place is situated in the foot of Veli hills, it is a majestic old fort situated in the route of Kanyakumari. The marvelous architecture, the good facets, the huge dining hall with 1000 people accommodation capacity, secret courtyards makes the palace unique. The mystic black floors and the massive 180 rooms and beautiful architecture draw tourists while their visit in Kovalam. The Padmanabhapuram palace has entry fees.
Shri Padmanabhaswamy Temple is one of the holy Kerala tour packages. The temple is considered as one of the 108 holy abodes of Lord Vishnu. The deity of Lord Vishnu is enshrined there. Men need to wear dhoti and woman must wear sari while visiting the temple.
The museum is named after Lord Napier, the former governor of Madras. The museum is all about art and natural history. The museum has beautiful ivory carvings and various traditional ornaments. The museum has a zoological garden.
Shanghumukham Beach lies in the west of Thiruvananthapuram and is one of the favorite tourist places in Kovalam. The sunset of the beach is simply amazing!
Read also: 20 best tourist places to visit in trivandrum
Chowra Beach is about ten kilometers away from Kovalam. The village along with the beach is a major tourist attraction. The sandy shores, the ayurvedic resorts draw tourists to this beach.
Kanyakumari is also known as Cape Comorin. The place is situated ninety kilometers away from Kovalam. The place is located in the southernmost tip of India. The place is covered by three water bodies Indian ocean, Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. The place has a spectacular sunrise and sunset. Vivekananda rock, Gandhi Smarak Mandir, and the Kanyakumari temple are the places to visit.
Valiyathura Pier is 214-meter long jetty. This is one of the most serene places in Kovalam. The place is a huge port and has great scenic views of the Arabian Sea. The place is ideal for taking a relaxing walk. The sun setting of the place is just wonderful.
Thiruvallam Parasurama Temple is a 2000-year-old shrine. The temple is situated on the bank of Karamana river. The temple is dedicated to Lord Parasurama. The famous festival Bali Tharpanam is widely celebrated to pay tribute to ancestors.
Halcyon castle is one of the top tourist spots of Kovalam. The castle was built for the royal family retreat of Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bai. The traditional look of the castle will give you the picture of the traditional architecture. Now it has been converted to 5-star hotels. It is located in the outskirts of Kovalam beach.
There are lot more places to visit in Kovalam. Kovalam is the southern paradise of Kerela. Visiting Kovalam will take near about eight to ten days. You can even get various Kovalam tour packages . Most of the tourist spots of Kovalam do not have an entry fee. Kovalam is a great place to enjoy the nature, the sea, the tranquility, the greenery, the cruise and lot more. The food of the place is really amazing. Enjoy the authentic south Indian food of the place. Do not miss the water sports once you visit Kovalam. Kovalam is just 15 kilometers away from Trivandrum airport. You can easily heir a cab to reach Kovalam from the airport. If you are staying in Bangalore or Chennai you can travel through a bus. Luxury buses are available. If you are traveling via train, Trivandrum railway station is the nearest one. Don’t miss the famous street foods of the place, Puttu, Apam, Kappa, Karimeen, etc. If you love shopping you can have a shopping from Kovalam beach, Varkala beach etc. The seashell jewelry, the handicrafts made out of rosewood and teak wood is worth buying. Kovalam is a small coastal village of Kerala. Best time to visit Kovalam is June- July, and October- November. The beaches, the botanical garden, the temples, the heritage buildings, aquarium, and manmade coral reef are worth seeing. The palm beaches, the coconut tree engulfed beaches are really worth viewing. Kovalam is a peaceful town and free from the hustle bustle of the busy city. Kovalam can be the best place to relax from your busy and hectic schedule. If you are planning for next vacation check for the best Kovalam tour packages that will cover all the prime locations of the place. Happy journey!
