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Kovalam actually consists of two promontories or jagged headlands between which two palm shaded beach coves curve. On one promontory the Ashok Beach Resort is located, with a stunning view of the sea, and the other has a lighthouse (open from 2-4pm) perched on it and along the sweep that runs between (Lighthouse Beach) is located all of tourist Kovalam. The lighthouse too is fenced in from all sides with tourist facilities and these spill over into the outskirts of Vizhinjam village (pronounced Virinyam) as well. The focal point therefore of all tourist activity is Lighthouse road and Lighthouse beach. Kovalam beach is actually in some ways a misnomer for Lighthouse Beach, closer to Vizhinjam. Kovalam beach is huge and extends beyond the eye can see and if you were to take a trek further north of the Ashok Hotel you would still be on Kovalam beach and would arrive at a third sea cove, blessedly signboard free.

Kovalam is now beginning to feel the results of assiduous promotion by government of India tourist bureaus. These days it receives a heavy dose of tourists during season and has lost the pristine, lonely beach look. Periodically KTDC buses arrive at Lighthouse Beach and disgorge large loads of Indian tourists with their radios, who stomp about the beach and then move on. A hot international tourist destination too, the beaches are nowadays packed (not however to the scale of European resorts ) with loads of tourists sunbathing or pottering about. In fact it is something of key backpacker destination, where budget travellers can live and eat cheaply for a few months and sign off from the rest of the world. And Lighthouse Beach with its handicraft stalls, beach side food, resort hotels and carnival ambience is another Goa all over. But unfortunately Keralites are Keralites and Goans are Goans and the la di da, laidback, song and dance Goan style of hospitality has not been recreated here and the place is rather mellow. In fact the scattered fishing villages beyond the beach have better (and less ersatz) ambience and are worth a visit. Worthy too of a dekkho or peek are the beach crescents north of Lighthouse Beach where one can watch fisherman netting fish. Alternately pop into Vizhinjam village, one of the older villages of Kerala and look at the tiny shrines located here, like the Tali Shiva temple. A vist to the lighthouse is interesting enough too; it is open between 2 and 4pm.

It is important to swim at Kovalam beach at only the flagged spots. The sea is rather rough and the dangerous undertow can drag one in. Life guards patrol the beach too however.

A great side trip to make while you are in Kovalam is an excursion to the backwaters nearby. The KTDC tourism office on the grounds of the Ashok hotel can arrange a trip to the backwaters near Kovalam. They will arrange a flat rice boat , that you will probably have to share with a few other tourists. The rice boats are unique in themselves. Long and narrow, the oarsman has to walk with his oar from one end to the other. One route, they suggest, takes you down a beautiful backwaterway, shaded by extensive palm groves that runs parallel to the ocean. On one side you are close enough to see the surf foaming up on the beach and on the other side you are gliding past typical sleepy backwater villages. The boat stops at a palm island. The island is a small coir centre. You just have enough time to chit-chat with the locals, have a cup of coffee at one of the huts and then you have to walk across to the other side of the island and board your rice boat to go back to Kovalam

A trip into Trivandrum if you have time to spare from Kovalam's mesmeric beaches is recommended. Trivandrum is a slow, laid-back, coastal capital built on palm-fringed hillocks. Its sleepy red-roofed whitewashed houses, colonial buildings, lush gardens and narrow lanes make it very representative of a Kerala town. A wander through the Fort area of town makes for an interesting excursion where the famous Shri Padmanabhaswamy Temple, owned by the Travancore royal family is located. Admission to the temple is reserved for Hindus but the locality is atmospheric enough to warrant a visit. Trivandrum's Government Museum, Natural History Museum and Shri Chitra Art Gallery could be of interest to the museum buff (Same hours for all. Closed Mondays. Open daily 09.00 to 17.00. However on Wednesday open from 13.00). MG Road is a good place to catch up on handicraft shopping.

Two other day getaways from Kovalam could be to see the fantastic old palace of the Travancore royal family at Padmanabhapuram, 17 kilometres away (Open 09.00 to 17.00. Closed Mondays. No flash. Handycam: Rs 500 fee). Or a day trip to Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary, 30 kilometres away the home of crocodiles, Nilgiri Tahr, gaur, sloth bear, elephants, deer, langur.