imported>David81KL at 13:21, 27 July 2021

2021-07-27T13:21:10Z

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{{short description|Area in Trivandrum, Kerala}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Kovalam
| other_name =
| settlement_type = Suburb
| image_skyline = Kovalam_3.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption = Kovalam beach, [[Thiruvananthapuram|Trivandrum]]
| nickname =
| map_alt =
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = India Kerala#India
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|8.4004|N|76.9787|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = India
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Kerala]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Thiruvananthapuram district]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type = Municipal Corporation
| governing_body = Corporation of Trivandrum
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| population_total =
| population_as_of = 2001
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Malayalam language|Malayalam]], [[English language|English]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = 
| postal_code = 695527
| registration_plate =
| website =
| facebook = https://www.facebook.com/KovalamIndia
| footnotes =
}}
[[File:Kovalum Beach.jpg|thumb|View of Kovalum Town from Light House]]
[[File:Kovalam Beach, only International Beach in India.JPG|thumb|Hawa Beach, Kovalam]]
[[File:Kovalam palm grove.JPG|thumbnail|Palm grove in Kovalam]]
[[File:Boat Houses Kovalam.jpg|thumb|Boat Houses of Kovalam]]
'''Kovalam''' is a region situated within the city of [[Trivandrum]]. Located around 13 km southwest of the city center, Kovalam is famous for its world famous beaches.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.keralatourism.org/destination/destination.php?id=29|title= Kovalam|publisher= [[Kerala Tourism Development Corporation|KTDC]]|access-date= 31 August 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120921161352/https://www.keralatourism.org/destination/destination.php?id=29|archive-date= 21 September 2012|url-status= dead}}</ref>

==Etymology==
Kovalam means a grove of [[coconut]] trees, and true to its name, the village offers an endless sight of coconut trees.

==History==
Kovalam first received attention when the Regent Maharani [[Sethu Lakshmi Bayi]] of [[Travancore]] constructed her beach resort, [[Halcyon Castle]], here towards the end of the 1920s. Thereafter the place was brought to the public eye by her nephew the [[Maharaja of Travancore]].<ref name="Kovalam1">{{cite web | url = http://www.kovalam.com/html/about.htm | title = Paradise of South India - Kovalam | access-date = 2008-01-07 | publisher = kovalam.com | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071011041353/http://www.kovalam.com/html/about.htm | archive-date = 11 October 2007 | url-status = dead }}</ref> The European guests of the then [[Travancore]] kingdom discovered the potentiality of Kovalam beach as a tourist destination in the 1930s. However, Kovalam shot into limelight in the early seventies with arrivals of the masses of [[hippie]]s on their way to [[Ceylon]] in the [[Hippie Trail]]. This exodus started the transformation of a casual fishing village of Kerala into one of the most important tourist destinations in all India.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.kovalamhotels.com/ | title = Kovalam | access-date = 2008-01-07 | publisher = kovalam.hotels.com}}</ref>

==Geography==

===Beaches===
{{advert|section|date=March 2019}}
Kovalam has three beaches separated by rocky outcroppings in its 17 km coastline, the three together form the famous crescent of the Kovalam beach.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL44rwb3iYA/ | title = Kovalam video | access-date = 2016-01-07 | publisher = travel trends360.wordpress.com}}</ref>

* Lighthouse Beach
:The southernmost beach, the Lighthouse Beach, is the one most frequented by tourists. It got its name due to the old Vizhinjam Lighthouse located on top of the Kurumkal hillock, 35 metres high. The lighthouse is built using stones, is colored in red and white bands and enjoys a height of 118 feet.<ref>[http://www.keralatravelpages.com/kovalam.html Kovalam Travel Guide] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150222002631/http://www.keralatravelpages.com/kovalam.html |date=2015-02-22 }}</ref> It's intermittent beams at night render the beach with an unearthly charm.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kovalam.org |title=kovalam.org |publisher=kovalam.org |access-date=2013-11-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104163858/http://kovalam.org/ |archive-date=4 January 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* Hawah Beach
:Eve’s Beach, more commonly known as Hawa Beach, ranks second, in the early day, is a beehive of activities with fishermen setting out for sea. With a high rock promontory and a calm bay of blue waters, this beach paradise creates a unique aquarelle on moonlit nights.
* Samudra Beach
:A large promontory separates this part from the southern side. Samudra Beach doesn't have tourists thronging there or hectic business. The local fishermen ply their trade on this part.

Detour past Kovalam junction to land on Samudra Beach which is to the north of Ashoka Beach. One has the option to walk along the sea-wall too. The sight of the waves lashing on the rocks below is awesome.
Shallow waters stretching for hundreds of metres are ideal for swimming. The beaches have steep palm covered headlands and are lined with shops that offer all kinds of goods and services.<ref>Ayub, Akber (ed), ''Kerala: Maps & More'', 2006 edition 2007 reprint, p. 97, Stark World Publishing, Bangalore, {{ISBN|81-902505-2-3}}</ref>[[File:01KovalamBeach&Kerala.jpg|thumb|Evening time view of the beach]]

=== Places to visit ===
* Karamana River - Karamana River originates from the southern part of Sahyadri Range. The river predominantly flows through an outskirt region of Kovalam called Karmana, hence the nomenclature.
* Vellayani Lake
* Halcyon Castle
* Kovalam Art Gallery
* Valiyathura Pier
* Neyyar Dam
* Aruvikkara Dam
* Thiruvallam Parasurama Temple
* Vizhinjam Rock Cut Cave Temple
[[File:Kovalamsunset.jpg|thumb|Kovalam lighthouse evening view]]

===Tourist facilities===
There are a large number of beach resorts in and around Kovalam.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}} The sea port of [[Vizhinjam]] is about 3 km away and famous for its special varieties of fish, old Hindu temples, big churches and a mosque.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}} The Proposed International Trans shipment Terminal at [[Vizhinjam]] is also close to Kovalam.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}}

Kovalam was among the most prominent [[tourism in India|tourist spot]]s in India during the [[hippy]] era.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}} It still has a high status among tourists, who arrive mostly from [[Europe]] and Israel.{{Citation needed|date=February 2011}} Kovalam is finding a new significance in the light of several [[Ayurveda|Ayurvedic]] salons, and recuperation and regeneration resorts which provide a wide variety of Ayurvedic treatments for tourists.<ref>[http://www.girija-yoga.de/Eayurveda.htm Ayurveda] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150415122825/http://www.girija-yoga.de/Eayurveda.htm |date=15 April 2015 }} Ayurveda in Kovalam</ref>

===Transport===
The nearest train station is [[Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station]], about {{convert|16|km|mi|2|abbr=on}} away. The nearest airport is [[Trivandrum International Airport]], about {{convert|10|km|mi|2|abbr=on}} away.

==Politics==
Kovalam assembly constituency is part of [[Trivandrum (Lok Sabha constituency)]].<ref>{{cite report|url=http://archive.eci.gov.in/se2001/background/S11/KL_Dist_PC_AC.pdf|title=Assembly Constituencies - Corresponding Districts and Parliamentary Constituencies|access-date=5 August 2016|publisher=Election Commission of India|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304011026/http://archive.eci.gov.in/se2001/background/S11/KL_Dist_PC_AC.pdf|archive-date=4 March 2009}}</ref> In 2016 Kerala Assembly elections, M Vincent of the [[Indian National Congress]] defeated incumbent Jameela Prakasham by over 2,500 votes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://trend.kerala.gov.in/views/index.php|title=Election trends|access-date=5 August 2016}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery class="center">
Image:Lighthouse Kovalam.jpg|Kovalam Light House
Image:Kovalam Beach (TUI) - 2016.JPG|Kovalam Light House beach
Image:Kovalam Lighthouse Beach.JPG|Lighthouse beach
Image:Kovalam Hawah Beach.JPG|Hawwah beach (Eves beach)
Image:Kovalam Samodra Beach.JPG|Samudra beach
Image:Kovalam - view from the lighthouse.jpg|Kovalam beach - view from lighthouse
File:Kovalam2011.JPG|Kovalam Beach - View from lighthouse (other side)
Image:Kovalam Leela.JPG|Kovalam beach with Leela Kovalam in the background
Image:FishingBoat-KovalamBeach-Kerala-India-May2002.jpg|Fishermen and bystanders bringing a fishing boat ashore on Kovalam (Lighthouse) beach (May 2002)
</gallery>

== See also ==
A few other beaches in Kerala
* [[Kollam Beach]]
* [[Varkala Beach]]
*[[Shankumugham Beach]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Wikivoyage-inline}}
{{Commons category|Kovalam}}

{{Kerala topics}}
{{Waters of Kerala}}

{{Thiruvananthapuram district}}
{{Tourism in Kerala}}
{{Subject bar |commons=yes |n=yes |n-search=Category:Kovalam |wikt=yes |b=yes |q=yes |s=yes |v=yes |voy=yes |d=yes |d-search=Q205697}}
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[[Category:Beaches of Kerala]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Thiruvananthapuram]]
[[Category:Villages in Thiruvananthapuram district]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in India]]

Kovalam - Revision history

imported>David81KL at 13:21, 27 July 2021