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Thiruvananthapuram or Trivandrum, is a popular destination in Kerala. The bustling city is home to a vast population and the residents, as well as the tourists who come here, sometimes look for places around the city to enjoy as well. There are a number of beaches which lie within easy distance of the city. Kerala is famous for its backwaters, but going out to the beach is another pleasure altogether. They provide a splendid weekend getaway for families and a somewhere to relax away from the hustle of the city. Here are some of the beaches to visit around Trivandrum.
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Possibly the most popular beach around Trivandrum, the Kovalam Beach is almost always filled with tourists. The beach derives its name from Coconut Trees, and there are plenty of them to be seen around the beach. The beach actually comprises of three separate beaches, which are separated from each other by pieces of terrain that juts out into the sea. The largest beach of them all is the Light House Beach and then there is the Hawah Beach as well as the Samudra Beach. Because of the immense popularity the beaches enjoy, there are a number of accommodation facilities to be had here and the demand for sea facing rooms is always high.
In keeping with the number of hotels and guest houses, there are also provisions for a number of hotels and the eateries here serve fresh sea food. You will get excellent options for kalamari, lobsters and king prawns and refreshing drinks and mocktails made from coconut water. Kovalam Beach has a lot of provisions for water sports as well and children have a great time here. There are jet skiing paragliding exercises before you take the plunge and you can also go for snorkeling. There are a number of yoga centers here as well, which have come up in recent times and they are quite good. You should definitely get a massage at the ayurvedic spa centers and that will be one of the most relaxing things you have done for yourself in a long time. It is one of the biggest attractions of the beach. Kovalam Beach is a photographer’s delight and you will always find sea gulls here. The sunsets here are amazing and you will not want to return to your room after a stroll.
You will find that the sand on the beach is slightly black in places because that is due to the presence of minerals like ilmenite and thorazite. It really looks good on photographs. The Kovalam Beach was a prominent destination for Hippies once, along with the coast of Sri Lanka and many adventurous people of the by- gone era will still regale you with the colorful, and sometimes borderline bawdy life of the beach here once. Today, however, almost all the hippies are gone and this the perfect center for family outings and beach picnics. Children can be seen playing volleyball and there are quite a few ayurvedic healing centers and natural and herbal spas along the beach. It is one of the best places in Thiruvananthapuram.
There is also a small hill by the beach and up from there you can catch a magnificent view of the landscape and the sea around. This is one of the best views of Arabian Sea you will get. There are some rocky outcrops here so swimming here is not allowed but is one of the best places to find a perch and enjoy the beauty of the sea around. There is a reason why the Kovalam Beach is known as the Paradise of the South and the views from this beach are stunning.
Of the three beaches that comprise the Kovalam Beach, the Hawah Beach was a sleepy village till the 1960s till after which the hippies started coming in droves. The village was initially home to fishermen who used the sand and the sun to dry their fish and lived in thatched dwellings. Some of the old charm of the fishing villages can be still seen here. It was also one of the first beaches in India that allowed topless sunbathing and swimming. In fact, the locals have no problems with it at all and the foreigners love to be here as they get to enjoy the tropical sun without any inhibitions. However, going topless is not allowed anymore except in the private coves of resorts. Along with the Lighthouse Beach, the Hawah Beach is also notorious for its currents and hence there is constant vigilance from the lifeguards there. It is essential that you follow their instructions anytime you are in the water.
A part of the Kovalam Beach, the Lighthouse Beach is so named because of the prominent lighthouse that gives the beach its identity. The beach lies in the southernmost part of the three beaches and is the largest beach. The lighthouse here is 30 meters tall. There are many hotels, restaurants and shops in the vicinity of the lighthouse and it is a wonderful coastal area if you just want to have fun. The lighthouse itself stands on a rocky outcrop and can be sometimes visited depending on the season. The lighthouse on the beach still works and acts like a beacon for ships and boats. Also, from the top of the lighthouse, one can get an amazing view of the moon shaped beach. There is an old mosque situated by the beach, known as the Vizhinjam Mosque and on moonlit nights, the starry sky, the mosque and the waves in the distance create a very surreal feeling and you tend to feel the presence of the Almighty around you.
The Samudra Beach is largely untouched and is relatively free from commercialization compared to the other beaches, which is why one can enjoy the full impact of the natural beauty in this place. The beach actually lies north of the Ashoka Beach and one has to take a detour from the Kovalam junction to get to it. There is a stretch of sea wall here and it is quite a sight to see the waves crashing against it. This beach is quite calm as the waters here do not have as strong current as the other two beaches as so games of volleyball, as well as swimming is very frequent here. You will also see surfers and swimmers here in huge numbers and various other water sports are enjoyed at the beach.
Located at a distance of about 8km from the main city, the beach is one of the most visited ones because it is the closest to the Thiruvananthapuram airport. Those who come here for a day or two often go straight to the beach from here. There is a gigantic statue of a mermaid, the Matsya Kanyaka- which is about 35 meters long and it the main attraction here. There is also restaurant that is shaped like a star fish and naturally people come here a lot attracted by it. The restaurant sells some of the best seafood you have ever had.
Varkala Beach has the most splendid sunsets you have seen and the cliffs in the background- with their reddish color of laterite soil- form a stunning backdrop which looks even redder during sunsets. It is a very quiet beach and if it is peace and calm you are looking for, then this is where you should head towards. There are also some natural springs nearby and according to the locals, by taking a bath here, one can purge off all the sin and impurities. The other notable places of interest here are the Sivagiri math and the 2000 year old Janardhan Swami Temple.
One of the most secluded beaches in the region, the Poovar Beach is also an estuary and is the part of an island. You will have a lovely experience visiting the backwaters of the lake here which is lined with coconut trees. The river cruise here is amazing and you can see the shores in the distance and small towns passing by. The sand here is a deep gold and the waters are a clear blue. You will also see many fishing villages passing by and it is a lovely collage of images out there.
Since this beach has one of the largest ports in India, this beach has a high population. The Vizhinjam International Seaport is located here and it is an International Deep Water Transhippment Terminal, which means foreign ships come here with goods. You have to visit the marine aquarium here which will leave you speechless with its treasures.
Located between the Vizhimjam and the Chowara beaches, this is a small beach that has many private resorts. If you do not want the cacophony of crowds and want to spend some quality time with your family, then this is the perfect beach for you, provided you book into one of the resorts here. You will find lovely sea facing rooms awaiting you.
This beach is about 10 km away from the Kovalam Beach and you will find little else than palm trees and coconut trees here. This beach is not very well known, which is why the large crowd of tourists are absent. However, that means only those who know about this hidden gem get to enjoy its beauty. The high point of the beach is an ayurvedic resort and you will have a most splendid time there, enjoying herbal spas and massages.
So, do make it a point to visit at least some of these beaches in Thiruvananthapuram and you will end up having a most memorable holiday here.
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April 15, 2024 
