Beaches, yoga, eating sumptuous local treats and going exploring...these are just some of the exciting things in store for you at Kovalam.
Kerala is known as 'God's own country' for many reasons. Full of scenic beauty, a balmy climate and the warmest people, Kerala exerts an irresistible attraction on every traveller. It has the capacity to soothe your tired soul and rejuvenate your spirit, especially if your destination is the picturesque town of Munnar or the beach town of Kovalam.
If you're headed to Kovalam, you are understandably looking forward to frolicking on the three main beaches in the district - Lighthouse, Havah and Samudra Beach. But there is so much more to Kovalam than first meets the eye, and it goes beyond just its pretty beaches, too. Start your holiday on the right note with a room at the best Kovalam beach resort[1], The Leela Kovalam. It is the country's only clifftop hotel, and this resort in Kovalam is one of its most prime hotel properties for its service, location, luxurious rooms and other amenities.
Once you have booked yourself into the best resort in Kovalam, it's time to explore Kovalam in detail.
* Go look at elephants and crocodiles. This is your chance to get up close and personal with two of nature's most fascinating creatures - elephants and crocodiles. The Elephant Rehabilitation Centre is open for visitors early morning, when the elephants are brought out to bathe and play. A short drive away is the Crocodile Park. You will need to make a day of it from Kovalam, since both destinations take a lot of time to see fully. But the ride to and from is quite excellent, and the destinations themselves, utterly charming.
* It takes a village...Most of the country still lives in its villages, but the truly fascinating ones are those that are still almost perfectly preserved down the ages. The Veli Tourist Village is a shining example of a historically important village.[2] The village still houses a small proportion of the original indigenous population. It is large, lush and flanked by a scenic lake on one side. If you're visiting Kovalam in winter, be sure to go watch the water sport festival that takes place here.
* Do yoga on the beach. Kovalam Beach is a peaceful sanctum before the Sun rises, so this is the best time to head down to the beach with your yoga mat and get your Surya Namaskars in. Your soul will be filled with blissful peace as you practice your yoga asanas amidst clean and pristine surrounds, with the balmy breezes in your hair. If you want a change of location, head down to the Neyyar Dam outside Thiruvananthapuram[3]. You can visit the famous Shivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanvanthari Ashram here, which teaches many forms of yoga to both beginners and advanced learners.
* Go Insta-happy at Vellavani Lake. What is the point of taking a Kerala vacation if you're not going to fill your Instagram feed with gorgeous photos? The perfect photo ops exist at Vellavani Lake[4] located about 8 km from Kovalam. Apart from the lake that forms a great backdrop for your shoot, you can also hire a motor boat and explore the lake for videos. Every turn offers a stunning new view, so keep your cameras and smartphones at the ready! There is an exciting boat race held here during the Onam festival, so be sure to catch if you're visiting at that time.
* Explore a mysterious cave temple. If you like mysteries, and caves in particular, then you should definitely check out the Vizhinjam Rock Cut Cave Temple[5]. It is a beautiful spectacle to behold, and it has an alluring capacity to transport you to a higher spiritual plane. The cave temple abounds with intricately detailed rock cut sculptures; nobody knows who carved them, though archaeologists date them back to the 18th Century). Many Shiva devotees flock to the temple to view the large but unfinished rock statues of Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati inside the temple.
[1] https://www.theleela.com/en_us/hotels-in-kovalam/the-leela-kovalam-hotel/
[2] https://www.keralatourism.org/destination/veli-tourist-village/232
[3] https://www.tourism-of-india.com/neyyar-dam-tour.html
[4] http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/jspui/bitstream/10603/143774/7/07_chapter%202.pdf
[5] https://www.indianholiday.com/tourist-attraction/kovalam/vizhinjam-rock-cut-cave-temple.html