Kovalam | |
|---|---|
Locality | |
   From top to bottom: 1. View of Kovalam Harbour 2.The Kovalam lighthouse 3.Development along theKaramana River | |
  Kovalam  Kovalam | |
| Coordinates:8°24′01″N76°58′43″E / 8.4004°N 76.9787°E /8.4004; 76.9787 | |
| Country | India |
| State | Kerala |
| District | Thiruvananthapuram district |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal Corporation |
| • Body | Corporation of Thiruvananthapuram |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Malayalam,English |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| Postal code | 695527 |
Kovalam (Malayalam:[koːʋɐɭɐm]) is abeach andseaside resort in the city ofThiruvananthapuram inKerala,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]
Kovalam means "coconut grove", after the coconut trees which are common there.[2]
Kovalam first received attention when the Regent MaharaniSethu Lakshmi Bayi ofTravancore constructed her beach resort,Halcyon Castle, here towards the end of the 1920s.[3] Thereafter, the place was brought to the public eye by her nephew, theMaharaja of Travancore.[4] TheEuropean guests of the thenTravancore kingdom discovered the potential of Kovalam beach as a tourist destination in the 1930s. In the early 1970s, manyhippies came on their way toCeylon via thehippie trail, beginning the transformation of a casual fishing village in Kerala into a significant tourist destination.[5]
Kovalam has three beaches separated by rocky outcroppings in its 17 km coastline, the three together form the crescent of the Kovalam beach.[6][7]
Kovalam was among the most prominenttourist spots in India during thehippie era.[10][citation needed] It still has a high status among tourists, who arrive mostly fromEurope andIsrael.[citation needed] Kovalam is finding a new significance in the light of severalAyurvedic salons, and recuperation and regeneration resorts which provide a wide variety of Ayurvedic treatments for tourists.[11]One of the first hotels to open there was the Kovalam Beach Resort, which was designed byCharles Correa from 1969 to 1974.[12][13]
The nearest train station isThiruvananthapuram Central railway station, about 16 km (9.94 mi) away. The nearest airport isThiruvananthapuram International Airport, about 10 km (6.21 mi) away.
Kovalam assembly constituency is part of theThiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency.[14] In the 2016 Kerala Assembly elections,M Vincent of theIndian National Congress defeated the incumbentJameela Prakasham by over 2,500 votes.[15]
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 thePadmanabhaswamy Temple.
The Vizhinjam Cruise Terminal is currently under construction byAdani Ports.[when?]
_-_2016.JPG)
A few other beaches in Kerala
Kovalam travel guide from Wikivoyage
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