rediff.com: Travel: A travel feature on Kovalam in Kerala, India


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One of India's finest beaches it is a must stop on an itinerary to South India these days. The tiny hamlet of Kovalam is also Kerala's only beach resort and a small one at that. Kovalam has all the ingredients of a balmy tropical paradise -- soft, white beaches, the warm ocean, luscious palm-fringed coves, cloudless skies and the sun. And there a miles of shimmering sand and solitude to be had. But the carnival atmosphere of a resort it has not. Nor the hullajulla don't-worry-be-happy air of a real beach escape. Nevertheless its proximity to the beautiful, untouched rural Kerala is an interesting side highlight.

Location: Sixteen kilometres south of Trivandrum

Population: 25,400

Map of Kovalam

Language: Malayalam. English; halting at times.

Climate: Hot, nearly equatorial climate. Maximum temperature 32 degrees. Minimum temperature 20 degrees. Kovalam receives 3000 mm of rain between May and Dec. The village has no dry season as such.

When to go: Between December and March. It is not really advisable to go off season. Kovalam gets quite hot and come monsoons the water swells and many of the beach restaurants and stalls close up because the sites where they normally peg down are now in the middle of the ocean. Swimming is definitely not advisable in the monsoon. But if you don't mind missing the beach "bazaar", during off season room rates are excellent.

Getting to Kovalam: Located 16 kilometres out of Trivandrum, Kovalam can be reached from the Trivandrum Airport in half an hour. It is possible to hire a tourist taxi at the airport. And the fare to Kovalam from there is about Rs 140 to Rs 150. There are two or three flights into Trivandrum daily from Bombay and Madras.

Indian Airlines flies in once a day from Bombay and Madras. There are Indian Airline flights connecting Trivandrum with Cochin, Bangalore, Goa and Delhi daily too. Air India too has flights arriving from Bombay six times a week. Madras is one hour away from Trivandrum and Bombay is two hours away by air. Alternately one can fly into Trivandrum directly from abroad on any of the international airlines flying in - Air Lanka, Maldives Airways, Air India as well as the Gulf airlines.

Airport Formalities: An efficient airport but even for domestic flights it is in your best interest to arrive early (one hour before and two hours before for an international flight). The airport has restaurant facilities and tea and coffee is available in the departure lounge too.

By train from Trivandrum: Bombay is 45 hours away, Madras 18 hours, Bangalore 20 hours, Mangalore 16 hours, Delhi 53 hours and Calcutta 49 hours. There are daily trains departing for Madras, Bombay, Delhi, Mangalore and Bangalore. Kanniyakumari Express is your best bet for Bombay and the Trivandrum-Madras Mail to go to Madras. The Kerala Mangala Link express departs for Delhi every day and the Kanniyakumari-Bangalore for Bangalore. Tickets can be reserved from the railway station booking office (tel # 64585, 62966, 63066) Thampanoor (open 07.00 to 19.30 with a lunch break from 13.00 to 13.30. On Sundays 09.00 to 17.00).
However far more enjoyable than a tedious train ride north is a short rail journey to Cochin (five and half hours), Kottayam (three and half hours) or Quilon (one and half hours away) through the green paddy fields and picturesque coastal villages of God's Own Country.

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