Kovalam Beach 2701092

Kovalam Beach, originally uploaded by Miran Rijavec.

Kovalam beach is known to many people as the "Paradise of the South". Kovalam is about 16 km from Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), the capital city of Kerala.

Kovalam is finding a new significance in the light of several Ayurveda salons, and recuperation and regeneration resorts which provide a wide variety of Ayurveda treatments and body massages for tourists.

There are three beaches at Kovalam. The larger beach is called the Light House Beach for its 30-meter-high light house. The second largest one is Hawah Beach named so because of the topless European women who used to throng there. It was the first topless beach in India. Top-free bathing and parading is now banned, except in private coves owned by resorts and hotels that are plenty here. Mostly visitors frequent these two beaches. The northern part of the beach is known as Samudra Beach. A large promontory separates this part from the southern side. Samudra Beach does not attract many tourists. The local fishermen ply their trade on this beach.

The sands on the beaches in Kovalam are partially black in color due to the presence of ilmenite and thorazite. The normal tourist season is from September to May, though it is an all-weather beach with moderate climate round the year.

The sea port of Vizhinjam is about 3 km from Kovalam and famous for its special varieties of fish, old Hindu temples, big churches and a mosque. The Proposed International Trans shipment Terminal at Vizhinjam is also close to Kovalam.