Kovalam, an international beach destination

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Kovalam was first discovered as a potential tourist destination by the European travelers in the early 1930’s. But the fame that Kovalam now has is the result of the ‘hippies’ arriving in Kovalam in the early seventies. Kovalam – meaning a grove of coconut trees, aptly named ‘The Paradise of the South’ is situated in Kerala along the Arabian Sea. What started out as a small fishing village in Kerala is now one of the most renowned beach destinations in the world. It is located 16kms away from Trivandrum, the capital city of Kerala. It is a treat for tourists as it is home to three crescent shaped beaches, blue waters, greenery in the form of palm groves, museums, temples, churches, etc. with a whole variety of activities to do such as catamaran riding, sunbathing, yoga and meditation, swimming and ayurvedic rejuvenation.

In Kovalam Hotels and resorts are plenty and easy to find according to one’s taste and budget. Some resorts also have private beaches where only in house guests of the resort would be entertained. Kovalam is also well known to be one of the best places to get an Ayurvedic massage from. The hotels and resorts generally would take care of such needs if asked, but still, you can find a lot of massage salons all around the place. Kovalam also has Yoga and Meditation centers which would provide a very soothing experience along with an Ayurvedic massage. Places to visit in Kovalam would include the Light House Beach, Vizhinjam rock temple, the Palace Museum, Neyyar Dam and the Kowdiar palace. Hawa beach is a well known beach destination for international tourists as this is one of the few beaches where topless sunbathing is tolerated by the locals, who are well known for their hospitality and warmth. The local cuisine is also quite famous among tourists with seafood being the specialty in most eateries. The hotels would arrange for entertainment for the tourists in the form of traditional martial arts and the traditional drama-dance known as ‘Kathakali’ which is based mostly on the Hindu mythology. All in all, Kovalam is a wonderful place to visit, for those who seek a break from the hustle and bustle of life and wish to experience a soothing and relaxing experience, for both domestic and international tourists alike.