Beaches of Kerala
Kovalam has three beaches separated by rocky outcroppings in its 17 km coastline; the three together form the famous crescent of the Kovalam beach.
Lighthouse Beach
The southernmost beach, the Lighthouse Beach is the one most frequented by tourists, Lighthouse Beach got its name due to the old Vizhinjam Lighthouse located on a rocky promontory here. Its intermittent beams at night render the beach with an unearthly charm.
Hawah Beach
Eve’s Beach, more commonly known as Hawa Beach, ranks second, in the early day, is a beehive of activities with fishermen setting out for sea. With a high rock promontory and a calm bay of blue waters, this beach paradise creates a unique aquarelle on moonlit nights.
Samudra Beach
A large promontory separates this part from the southern side. Samudra Beach doesn't have tourists thronging there or hectic business. The local fishermen ply their trade on this part.
Detour past Kovalam junction to land on Samudra Beach which is to the north of Ashoka Beach. One has the option to walk along the sea-wall too.The sight of the waves lashing on the rocks below is awesome. Shallow waters stretching for hundreds of metres are ideal for swimming. The beaches have steep palm covered headlands and are lined with shops that offer all kinds of goods and services.
Muzhappilangad Drive-in Beach (4 km length)
Muzhappilangad Drive-in Beach is a beach in the state of Kerala in southwestern India. It is located parallel to National Highway 66 (formerly National Highway 17) between Kannur and Thalassery. This beach is the largest Drive-In Beach in Asia. Even though Goa has many beautiful beaches, it does not have a Drive-in beach.
The beach festival is celebrated in the month of April and it is one of the important tourist attraction in the district of Kannur in Kerala. The youth also try many driving stunts in cars like drifting and wheeling in bikes as this is a paradise for driving along the shore. Just 100m from this beach you would find a private island, which can be reached by walk at times of low tide.
There is an unpaved road winding through coconut groves leading to the beach. To get to this road, if you are driving from Tellicherry towards Kannur, take the left turn just before the first railway crossing you encounter after crossing the Moidu Bridge. The beach is about 5 km long and curves in a wide area providing a good view of Kannur on the north. Local laws allow beachgoers to drive for a full 4 km directly on the sands of the beach. The beach is bordered by black rocks, which also protect it from the stronger currents of the ocean.
Shankumugham Beach is a beach in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala, south India. The beach is on the western side of Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) city and very near to Trivandrum International Airport. The vast stretch of white sand and the serene atmosphere, away from the crowd in the city, provide all the ingredients for relaxation and for spending an ideal evening. There is also a “Star Fish Restaurant” with eating kiosks and open air theatre with car parking facilities. Good food can be enjoyed at the Indian Coffee House, just across the beach, which is also a vantage point for enjoying the sunset
Meenkunnu Beach
Meenkunnu Beach, is a beach in Kannur district of Kerala, India. It has sand and coconut trees.
Cherai Beach
Cherai Beach is located in Vypin island, Kochi, India. Cherai Beach is just 25 km from Kochi, and 30 km from Cochin International Airport. The nearest towns are North Paravur (6 km) and Kodungallur (10 km) and the nearest railway station is Aluva (20 km).
Dharmadam
Dharmadam Island (Green Island) is a small 2 hectare private island in Thalassery, Kannur District, Kerala. It lies 100 metres from the mainland at Dharmadam. This island, covered with coconut palms and dense bush is a beautiful sight from the Muzhappilangad beach. During low tide, one can walk out to it from the beach. Permission is required to land on the island as it is privately owned. Dharmadam, known earlier as Dharmapattanam, was a Buddhist stronghold.
Varkala Beach
Varkala Beach, also known as Papanasam beach is a beach in Varkala, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, along the Arabian Sea, part of the Indian Ocean. The word Papanasam means wash away sins. It is believed that a dip in the waters of Papanasam Beach washes away all the sins in one's life.
Payyambalam Beach
Payyambalam Beach is a beach in Kannur district of Kerala in India that attracts tourists and local people. It often finds mention in tourism related publications as a beautiful beach. It has now a garden close to it. The beach is just 2 km from Kannur town.
Kappad
Kappad, or Kappakadavu locally, is a famous beach near Kozhikode (Calicut), India, where the Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama landed on May 20, 1498. His voyage established the sea route from the Europe to India. This heralded the arrival and permanent route from Europe to India. This heralded the arrival and permanent presence of various European merchant companies, leading to eventual domination and rule by the East India Company and later the period of British colonial rule.