The Kovalam Beach in Thiruvananthapuram or Trivandrum, embodies the spirit of God’s own country, Kerala in more ways than one. Head to the Kovalam beach early in the morning or when the beach is bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun, you are sure to feel the touch of God. The state which seems to be handcrafted personally by God, with great love, is a mosaic of the colours of nature.

From its pristine beaches to its romantic backwaters, Kerala is the stuff that dreams are made of.

Kovalam beach, not far from the hustle and bustle of a growing city is an invitation to lose yourself in the comforting arms of nature.

Kovalam Beach – Trivandrum’s Pristine Gem

Kovalam beach was once the location of an obscure and serene, rural fishing village where the waves of the Arabian Sea frolicked with rocks and sand. The beautiful locale dotted with cliffs and coconut trees on the edge of the sea captured the imagination of Regent Maharani Setu Lakshmi Bayi of the royal Travancore family.

She constructed the Halcyon Castle atop a cliff that overlooked the sea. Today the castle is part of a 5-star hotel, The Leela Kovalam, a Raviz Hotel.

Kovalam Beach was soon under the lens of international tourists and was also a part of the hippy trail in the 70s. Today Kovalam beach is a well known international beach destination. Kovalam Beach retains its beauty, but one can only imagine its beauty before it was swamped with tourists.

In the words of Indira Varma, daughter of Maharani Setu Lakshmi Bayi and Rama Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran, in The Hindu, dated, December 2005:

” Kovalam, one of Kerala’s most celebrated tourist attractions, was once a neglected, lonely spot. My parents, who seemed to specialise in finding unknown, but beautiful spots, bought it. It was full of rocks but if you stood on one it gave you the illusion of being able to touch the sea. The sea was near enough to feel its presence, but far enough not to be dangerous. They built a house there with granite all around.

It seemed so much a part of the cliffs that it looked as though part of the rocks had risen up to form a house. Our lullaby was the sound of the waves breaking on the rocks. My father named the house Halcyon Castle, perhaps, because it had a tower.”

About Kovalam Beach

Kovalam Beach is a stretch of beach that is about 17 kilometres long and is marked by alternating cliffs and sandbanks. Kovalam has many beaches along the coast which also boasts of many resorts and 5-star hotels. Some of the prominent include Lighthouse Beach, Hawah Beach, Ashok Beach, and Samudra Beach.

The Lighthouse Beach is crowned with a red and white painted lighthouse. A promenade along the beach has many cafes and restaurants and is a great place to spend an evening.

Sunrise At Kovalam Beach

We woke up in the wee hours of the morning to the lilting melody struck by the avian orchestra from their vantage position in the swaying palms. As the electric buggy drove down from the clifftop on which nestled the Raviz Kovalam Hotel, to the beach below, the sea peeped seductively from behind the coconut palms swaying shyly in the breeze.

The beach stretched out languorously before us, untouched and pure. Rocks shone brilliantly, washed perpetually by the salt waters of the sea.  We were lost in the beauty of that moment and confused about whether to look at the spotless sands, the rhythmic waves of the Arabian Sea, or the golden glow of the sun that was rising from behind the coconut palms on the beach. We lost all sense of time as we became one with the sea, the sand, the surf, and the golden light of the rising sun.

A strange rhythmic singing brought us back to the realities of the world. It was the song of the fishermen who were pulling in the morning’s catch from the sea. They stood in a line, perpendicular to the shore pulling a rope to which was attached a huge fishing net that lay deep in the sea.

There were about 10 of them and they rotated their positions as they heaved the rope inch by inch to the shore. We too were blown away by the moment and joined the morning ritual of hauling the catch in, of the fishermen.

With great reluctance, we had to drag ourselves away from the beach, but with a promise to return for the sunset.

Sunset At Kovalam Beach

The beach had assumed a different avatar in the evening. The tranquillity of the morning was replaced by frenetic activity. Couples walked hand in hand into the sunset, kids were making sandcastles, the fishermen were gone, and their boats stood anchored firmly on the beach. The atmosphere was pregnant with anticipation, for the celestial performance of the sun as it went down into the Arabian Sea.

The water blushed, reflecting the golden colours of the sun. The people on the beach turned into silhouettes as the sun slowly went down in a blaze of glory.

It was time to head back to our comfortable and luxurious room at The Leela Kovalam. It was time to relax, listening to the soothing lullaby of the waves of the Arabian Sea crashing against the rocks.

 

We were on an 8-day South Kerala tour that was organized by KTM. The views and opinions expressed in this blog post are our own. #ktm #keralatourism #kerala

 

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