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Beach Area: 4 km Best time to visit: September to March Kovalam beach is located at sixteen kilometers south of Trivandrum city. It is only a hours drive from Trivandrum city. Kovalam is the most famous south Indian Beach due to its natural beauty and fine sand washed beach which makes sunbath on these silver sands possible. Kovalam beach is the most famous South Indian beach. Mainly there are two beaches in Kovalam along with many private beaches. Eve's beach is a semi-circular one, well known for its secluded location and its relatively good beach area. Another famous beach is that of Lighthouse beach where a lighthouse situates, which belong to the British period. Apart from the beach holidays Kovalam offers Ayurvedic massage, Ayurvedic rejuvenation, Yoga (Indian way of meditation) etc. Season The tourist arrival starts at the end of September which lasts till the end of March. The peak season is between mid-December till mid- January. In winter the average temperature is 30 - 32 degree Celsius whereas the summer temperature is 30- 35 degree Celsius. The monsoon starts at the beginning of June, which lasts till the beginning of August. The second turn of monsoon starts at the end of October for the next two weeks. Depth and Length The main beaches at Kovalam ie. Eve's beach and Light House beach are altogether span over 4 kilometers. It takes just 20 minute walk from Light House beach to Eve' beach. History of Popularity The European guests of the then Travancore kingdom discovered the potentiality of Kovalam as a tourist destination in the 1930s. But the real fame as an ideal beach resort was won later in the early Seventies with arrivals of the masses of 'Hippys'. It was a debut of the transformation of just a casual fishing village of Kerala into one of the most important tourist destinations in the world. Now some foreign companies are bringing chartered tourists in a large number to Kovalam apart from the usual travelers, most of them are repeating travelers. Activities Apart from the usual sunbath and surfing, many marine activities are possible at Kovalam. The local fishermen provides sunrise and sun set cruises in fishing boats. The Catamaran cruises, on the country raft is very popular here. Very recently an innovative tour operating company of Trivandrum has introduced a new package for marine Angling for deep-sea fishing. This new project is concentrated near Vizhinjam fishing harbor, just 4 km away east of Kovalam beach. Surfboards and boogie boards can also be hired on the beach. At Kovalam many hotels and resorts offers the Ayurvedic massage and treatment. Yoga (Indian way of meditation) centers are also plenty in Kovalam. Some theatres perform the traditional Kerala art form, Kathakali and ethnic martial art, Kalarippayattu. Private Beaches in Kovalam Among innumerable beach holiday resorts Kovalam Ashok Beach Resort, Surya Samudra Beach Garden, Somatheeram, Niki's Nest, Cocunut Bay Beach Resort, Uday Samudra Beach Resort, Hotel Samudra etc own private beaches famous for their cleanliness and secluded location. Most of these private beaches are located near Vizhinjam at least 8 km far from Kovalam. Local Traditions and Dress Code Nudity is strictly prohibited in Kovalam as any other parts of India. Topless parade of ladies is also banned here. To suit to the local dress code Lunghi is available in all shops. Shopping In Kovalam The shops of Kovalam offer an array of handicraft items made of wood, seashell and so on. The statues made of teak wood and Rose wood is popular here. For an elaborate shopping Trivandrum city is ideal. Accomodation in Kovalam Kovalam offers excellent accommodation ranging from budget to top class hotels. How to Reach Kovalam Air: The nearest airport is Trivandrum International Airport, 14 km away to Kovalam. Many International Airlines are operating flights to and from here. Indian Airlines and Jetairways are operating domestic flights. There are direct flights to New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Banglore. Rail: Trivandrum Central Railway Station is the nearest railway station. From here trains are available to all major parts of India. Other Facilities Foreign money exchanging facilities are available in all the major hotels and in some authorized centers in Kovalam. A post office is operating at Kovalam from 9.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. STD, ISD, Fax, Internet are also available at Kovlam. Many travel agencies are also there in Kovalam.
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Kovalam Beach
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