Kovalam
Locality
From top to bottom: 1. View of Kovalam Harbour

2.The Kovalam lighthouse

3.Development along the Karamana River
Kovalam is located in Kerala
Kovalam
Kovalam
Kovalam is located in India
Kovalam
Kovalam
Coordinates: 8°24′01″N 76°58′43″E / 8.4004°N 76.9787°E / 8.4004; 76.9787
CountryIndia
StateKerala
DistrictThiruvananthapuram district
Government
 • TypeMunicipal Corporation
 • BodyCorporation of Thiruvananthapuram
Languages
 • OfficialMalayalam, English
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)

Kovalam is a beach and seaside resort in the city of Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, India. Kovalam is located 12.6 km (7.8 mi) southeast of the city center. The beaches around Kovalam are popular vacation destinations for both domestic and international travellers.[1]

Etymology

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Kovalam means "coconut grove", after the coconut trees which are common there.

History

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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]

Geography

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Beaches

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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]

Places to visit

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Tourist facilities

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There are a large number of beach resorts in and around Kovalam.[citation needed] 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.[citation needed] The Proposed International Trans shipment Terminal at Vizhinjam is also close to Kovalam.[citation needed]

Kovalam was among the most prominent tourist spots in India during the hippie era.[citation needed] It still has a high status among tourists, who arrive mostly from Europe and Israel.[citation needed] 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]

Transport

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The nearest train station is Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station, about 16 km (9.94 mi) away. The nearest airport is Trivandrum International Airport, about 10 km (6.21 mi) away.

Politics

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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]

Trivandrum International Cruise Terminal

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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.[when?]

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See also

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A few other beaches in Kerala

References

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  1. ^ "Kovalam". KTDC. Archived from the original on 21 September 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  2. ^ "Paradise of South India - Kovalam". kovalam.com. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 7 January 2008.
  3. ^ "Kovalam". kovalam.hotels.com. Retrieved 7 January 2008.
  4. ^ "Kovalam video". travel trends360.wordpress.com. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  5. ^ Ayub, Akber (ed), Kerala: Maps & More, 2006 edition 2007 reprint, p. 97, Stark World Publishing, Bangalore, ISBN 81-902505-2-3
  6. ^ Kovalam Travel Guide Archived 2015-02-22 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ "kovalam.org". kovalam.org. Archived from the original on 4 January 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  8. ^ Ayurveda Archived 15 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine Ayurveda in Kovalam
  9. ^ "Kovalam Beach Resort by Charles Correa: Open to sky space Approach". 16 January 2021.
  10. ^ "Kovalam Beach Resort". 13 March 2022.
  11. ^ Assembly Constituencies - Corresponding Districts and Parliamentary Constituencies (PDF) (Report). Election Commission of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2009. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  12. ^ "Election trends". Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
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