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Thirty years ago, Kovalam was a hippy idyll: a picture perfect tropical beach; a traditional fishing village providing fresh fish, fruits and toddy (coconut beer). Today this tiny beach is the focus of a multi-million dollar business, drawing thousands of tourists for a week dose of ozone, UV and a refreshing Indian Experience. Kovalam was brought to the public eye by the Maharaja of Travancore. Over the past three decades, the place has been well developed, and now figures prominently on the world tourism map. Kovalam is just 16 kms away from Trivandrum.Today Kovalam beach is known as the "Paradise of the South".
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"Kovalam" means a grove of coconut trees and true to its name the village offers an endless sight of coconut trees. The crescent-shaped beach has three parts. The southern most beach, and the most popular, is light house beach. It offers an amazing sight of Vizhinjam mosque. The northern Samudra is a laidback one and time seems stands still here. The middle, hawah, 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.
Its scenic beauty and serenity is supplemented by the availability of excellent accommodation . There are a lot of restaurants which provide western style food as well as Indian, which is delicious.
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The grilled seafood items such as lobster, king prawns and kalamari are got fresh from the sea at Kovalam. Ayurvedic massage parlours, yoga centers and water sport facilities, makes Kovalam a popular haven for tourists from all over the globe. |
It is warm and clean filled with the coconut trees and the white sandbed as the seabreeze gently plays with the waves. Swimming and bathing are very refreshing and exhilirating in the waves. One can walk into the sea for about 100 metres without loosing ground. This cove is also the safest place for swimming. At many coastal places there are beautiful patches of coral reefs. The underwater views, which are visible during snorkeling, are really marvellous. |
| Tourist Places In Kovalam |
| Varkala Beach |
Varkala is a sea side resort, as well as an important Hindu centre of pilgrimage. High cliffs with rich mineral springs rise majestically from the coastline. The 2000 year old Janardana Swamy Temple and the Nature Centre are the two main attractions here. High cliffs border the excellent beach. Located 55 kms north of Trivandrum with unusual land formations, Varkala beach does has not many visitors. Cliffs, 3 kilometers of shining white sands, the red soil of the hilltop and coconut trees makes it unique. The beach named as Papanasam- an auspicious place, for Hindus to worship their ancestors.
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| Padmanabhaswamy Temple |
The sojourn from Kovalam to Sri Anantha Padmanabhaswamy Temple is one of its kind in the entire state of Kerala. Tourists coming to experience the holy bliss of the temple of Sri Anantha Padmanabhaswamy can find a gopuram or tower which is 100 feet tall.
The sculpture of Lord Vishnu, the presiding god of the Sri Anantha Padmanabhaswamy Temple, is aesthetically embellished with stone and gold. Reclined on the great snake called Anantha this idol of the temple has a length of 18 feet. The unique trait of the Sri Anantha Padmanabhaswamy Temple is that the entire idol can be seen part by part through the three doors of the shrine.
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| Ponmudi |
Ponmudi (meaning Golden Crown) is hill resort situated just 54km from Thiruvananthapuram, is an enchanting one for tourists. It is just one and a half hour's road journey from Trivandrum.The main attractions at Ponmudi are Orchids and Deer Park which is only 3 kilometers away from the Ponmudi resort.As one leaves the city behind, one enters the region of plantations - rubber, pepper, cardamom and tea. The change is abrupt. The tappers can be seen going about briskly gathering the milky fluid from rubber trees collected in coconut shells.
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| Sankhumugham Beach |
Located 8 kms from Thiruvananthapuram city, the Shankhumugham Beach is a favourite haunt of sunset watchers. The beach is adjacent to the Thiruvananthapuram Airport and Veli Tourist Village.the 'Matsya Kanyaka', a gigantic 35 m long sculpture of a mermaid and a restaurant shaped like a starfish are the major attractions here.
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| Veli Tourist Village |
The seemingly placid sheet of water that backed away from the visibility reverberant sea offers a general idea of the famous backwaters of Kerala. Located near the airport this popular picnic spot offers landscaped gardens and water-sports facilities.Pedal boats, rowboats, and motored boats are available.Children in particular have a lot of fun and frolic climbing over the huge sculptures, which dot the landscape, and riding a ferry.
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| Padmanabhapuram Palace |
Located at 54 kms from Thiruvananthapuram across the border in Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari district, the palace nestles at the foot of the Veli hills. Built during the 14th cenury it was called Darpakulangara, but later in the 18th century it was renovated and renamed as the Padmanabhapuram palace. A place of elaborate woodwork, it was the ancient seat of the Travancore rulers Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma till the capital was shifted to Thiruvananthapuram in 1780. It contains relics of historical and artistic value. |
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