Kovalam

Kovalam is a popular beach destination in Kerala. Travelling further from Alleppey to Kovalam has views with ocean on one side and the backwaters on the other with abundance of coconut trees near the town of Alleppey. Moreover, some notable tourist spots like the Varkala beach and Jatayu Earth Centre fall on the way. Kovalam lies 13-14 km south of Tiruvananthapuram. Tiruvananthapuram is a historical city which was once the capital of the princely state of Travancore. It has a historical and cultural significance which is evident in its attractions. Due to proximity of the cities, we are listing them together in the places to visit in Kerala. Here are some of the places you could cover in and around Kovalam:

Jatayu Earth’s Centre

It is an eco-friendly tourist destination about 50 km from north of Kovalam. Jatayu Earth Centre unique hub of culture, arts, adventure and entertainment. The main attraction is the world’s largest bird sculpture- a humungous statue of Jatayu, the bird from the epic Ramayana perched on top of a 350m high rock. You may take a cable ride to reach the top. Although there are steps also but it is not recommended. You may enjoy the activities inside or in the amphiteatre outside given that they are operational. There is a small cafetaria in the campus as well. This is a must visit place of interest in Kerala.

Varkala

Varkala is a very popular beach destination in Kerala. It falls enroute Kovalam from Alleppey on the opposite direction of the Jatayu Earth Centre. The most outstanding part of Varakala beach is its cliffside from where one gets a full view of the shoreline and the horizon. There are many shacks and restaurants by the beach side where you can spend time enjoying your evenings. The beach is beautiful and hence a favourite among many tourists. Not only does it have a vast coast but also has many water activities for the adventurous souls. It is occasionally a point of debate as to which of the two is better: Varkala or Kovalam. Therefore, we have provided our viewpoint through a comparative analysis in this post.

Sree Padmanabhswamy Temple

Considered world’s richest Hindu temple, Sree Padmanabhswamy temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The temple is known for its beauty and grandeur as is evident from its stone carvings and beautiful architecture both interior and exterior. The king of Travancore, Martanda Verma got it renovated in its current form. The temple is huge. It is very important to note that if you want the deity darshan visit the temple in early hours of morning i.e. 4-6 AM. It becomes so crowded by the day that it takes more than 2-3 hours if you want a darshan. We could not have the opportunity of the darshan as we arrived at 11:30 AM and there was a very long queue which went almost up to the main campus entrance.

It is important to realize that the temple administration follows a dress code for visitors. It is mandatory to cover your arms and legs before entering the temple. Men should abandon their clothes and wear a mundu (dhoti) and have a bare upper body, while women must wear a sari, skirt- blouse or cover their legs using a dhoti cloth. You will not be allowed to enter if you do not adhere to the dress code. The dhoti is sold outside the temple as well as the locker counter inside the temple. No electronic device or bag of any kind is allowed inside.

Kovalam beach

Kovalam beach is one of the hotspots for tourists in Kerala. The iconic images of the crescent shoreline taken from above or the lighthouse at the end of the beach of the same name, all are centric to the Kovalam beach. Approximately 13 km from Tiruvananthapuram, this beach is a combination of 3 adjacent beaches with crescent shoreline namely, Lighthouse beach, Hawa beach and Samudra beach, separated by rock outcroppings. The rock promontory provides the beauty to the beach. Evidently, you have tourists flocking this beach all the day.

The iconic lighthouse allows tourists to the top (via an elevator) for a few minutes on a ticket charge of Rs. 10. The views from the top are breath taking, particularly, the coastline. The lighthouse offers both a very calm and picturesque view. The sunsets at the lighthouse beach are equally marvellous. In order to enjoy the beach views, please do not skip going to the lighthouse.

There are plenty of restaurants, café and lodges on the beach side. There are few restaurants and hotels themed on Beatles- the popular music band. Santana is one of oldest restaurant having an excellent reputation. The food in any of these restaurants is alright but quite pricey. The lighthouse beach may get very crowded during mornings and evenings as it is ideal for swimming. But it is worth it to visit this beach. The local fishermen use the Hawa beach for fishing. As a result, you will find boats and nets lying on the beach the entire day.

Azhimala Shiva temple

This temple houses a 58 feet tall magnificent statue of Lord Shiva. The statue with Lord Shiva in Gangadhar avatar in which the hair are afloat has a magnetic effect on the onlooker. The statue is very intricately made out if concrete. Lord Shiva’s features elude a unique charm. There is an idol of Goddess Ganga atop Lord’s head. It blends beautifully into his hair lokking magical. A 29 years old local craftsman has built the structure. Although the temple itself is very beautiful, the statue adds to the grandeur. The back of the statue overlooks a cliff just by the sea. A must visit in Kerala. You can also get a view of the Somatheeram beach from the parking lot of the temple.

Poovar backwaters/ Golden Sand Beach

Like the Alleppey Backwaters, Poovar also has backwaters with many boat services offering you a ride around the beauty of these backwaters. Along with the backwaters, you can visit the Golden Sand Beach and enjoy a horse ride, play in the water or do some water activities. You must take a boat ride to reach the beach as it is not accessible by road. The backwaters have beautiful coconut groves and mangroves. You may relax on the boat ride and take Instagram worthy pictures or videos.