Kovalam Beach

Kovalam Beach is a group of three crescent-shaped beaches on the Kerala coast, about 16 km south of Thiruvananthapuram, separated by rocky headlands. Lighthouse Beach, named for the red and white striped lighthouse on the southern headland, is the busiest; Hawa Beach and the quieter Samudra Beach lie to the north.

Kovalam was a fishing village when it began to attract foreign travellers in the 1970s, and it became one of the first beach destinations in India. The strip behind the sand is now lined with guesthouses, ayurvedic treatment centres and seafood restaurants, and many visitors come for multi-day ayurveda programmes as much as for the sea. Fishing boats still work from the beach in the early morning. Kovalam is also close to Vizhinjam, where a large new deep-water international port opened in 2024.

What to see

• Lighthouse Beach and the promenade of cafes and shops behind it
• The view from the lighthouse gallery over the three bays
• Hawa Beach and the fishing boats landing their catch at dawn
• Ayurvedic massage and treatment centres along the beach road
• Sunset over the Arabian Sea from the rocks between the bays

What to wear

Kovalam is hot and humid, so light cotton clothes, a hat and strong sunscreen are essential. Swimwear is fine on the beach itself, but cover up with a shirt or sarong when walking into town, restaurants or the nearby temples. Sandals are easiest on the sand. Kerala's traditional dress is the off-white kasavu saree with a gold border for women and the mundu for men; handloom kasavu from Balaramapuram, a weaving village close to Kovalam, makes a fine souvenir.

Local food to try

Seafood is the reason to eat at Kovalam: restaurants along Lighthouse Beach display the day's catch of kingfish, tiger prawns, squid and lobster, grilled or cooked Kerala style in coconut and kudampuli. Fish moilee, a mild coconut curry, and appam are the classic pairing. Thiruvananthapuram is known for its vegetarian sadya, a banana-leaf feast of more than twenty dishes, best eaten at lunch. Banana chips fried in coconut oil are sold everywhere.

Good to know

• Best time: October to March for calm sea and dry weather; the monsoon brings rough surf
• The beach is open at all times; lifeguards patrol marked areas in daytime
• Free beach; small fee to climb the lighthouse
• Allow a relaxed day, or several days if you are taking an ayurveda programme
• Kovalam is about 16 km from Thiruvananthapuram city and 15 km from its international airport
• Strong undertow: swim only between the lifeguard flags and never after dark

Nearby places

From Kovalam, travellers heading north reach the Alleppey Backwaters in around four hours and the historic port of Fort Kochi with its Chinese Fishing Nets beyond. Heading east across the ghats, the Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai is around six hours away by road.