| Kovalam | |
| Settlement Type: | Locality |
| Pushpin Map: | India Kerala#India |
| Coordinates: | 8.4004°N 76.9787°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | India |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Kerala |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Thiruvananthapuram district |
| Government Type: | Municipal Corporation |
| Governing Body: | Corporation of Thiruvananthapuram |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Population As Of: | 2001 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Languages |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Official |
| Demographics1 Info1: | Malayalam, English |
| Timezone1: | IST |
| Utc Offset1: | +5:30 |
| Postal Code: | 695527 |
Kovalam is a beach and seaside resort in the city of Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, India. Kovalam is located 12.6km (07.8miles) southeast of the city center. The beaches around Kovalam are popular vacation destinations for both domestic and international travellers.[1]
Kovalam means "coconut grove", after the coconut trees which are common there.
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.[2] The European guests of the then Travancore kingdom discovered the potential of Kovalam beach as a tourist destination in the 1930s. In the early 1970s many hippies came on their way to Ceylon via the hippie trail, beginning the transformation of a casual fishing village of Kerala into a significant tourist destination.[3]
Kovalam has three beaches separated by rocky outcroppings in its 17 km coastline, the three together form the crescent of the Kovalam beach.[4] [5]
There are a large number of beach resorts in and around Kovalam. The sea port of Vizhinjam is about 3 km away and famous for its special varieties of fish, old Hindu temples, churches and a mosque. The Proposed International Trans shipment Terminal at Vizhinjam is also close to Kovalam.
Kovalam was among the most prominent tourist spots in India during the hippie era. It still has a high status among tourists, who arrive mostly from Europe and Israel. Kovalam is finding a new significance in the light of several Ayurvedic salons, and recuperation and regeneration resorts which provide a wide variety of Ayurvedic treatments for tourists.[8] One of the first hotels to open there was the Kovalam Beach Resort, which was designed by Charles Correa from 1969 to 1974.[9] [10]
The nearest train station is Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station, about 162NaN2 away. The nearest airport is Trivandrum International Airport, about 102NaN2 away.
Kovalam assembly constituency is part of Trivandrum (Lok Sabha constituency).[11] In 2016 Kerala Assembly elections, M Vincent of the Indian National Congress defeated incumbent Jameela Prakasham by over 2,500 votes.[12]
Vizhinjam's location, with its proximity to beaches, historical sites, and cultural attractions, is a base for exploring Kerala's heritage. Visitors can take tours to nearby destinations such as Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram, and the Padmanabhaswamy Temple.
The Vizhinjam Cruise Terminal is currently under construction by Adani Ports.
A few other beaches in Kerala