Home > Destination > Kerala > Kovalam

Kovalam

The Travancore royal family's beachside retreat

With a name that means a grove of coconut trees, Kovalam’s crescent beaches lined with palms was considered a perfect, tranquil retreat for a queen who built her Halcyon Castle upon the sands. Once serving as a beach resort for European guests of the Travancore royal family, Kovalam later gained significance as a tourist destination for the throngs of hippies on their way to Sri Lanka. Today, is a hub for recreational tourists seeking Ayurvedic treatments and therapies.

Image credits: Kjetil Ree, CC-BY-SA

Related Destinations

Places of interest to weave into your itinerary

Alleppey

Alleppey is a graceful reminder to pause, breathe & reflect

South India

Kerala
Bekal

Kerala's best preserved seaside fort

South India

Kerala
Calicut

A once-glorious port along the silk & spice routes

South India

Kerala
Cochin

Kerala's artsy & cultural melting pot

South India

Kerala
Guruvayur

Host of an anuual Carnatic music festival

South India

Kerala
Kumarakom

A lakeside retreat of ayurvedic spas & backwater cruises

South India

Kerala
Munnar

A town of tea estates, spices & lush forests

South India

Kerala
Palakkad

A starting point for adventure & wildlife trails

South India

Kerala
Thalassery

India's mussel capital with a rich colonial history

South India

Kerala
Thekkady

A wetland refuge for wildlife

South India

Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram

A former trading city of sandalwood, spice & ivory

South India

Kerala
Varkala

A haven for ayurvedic spas

South India

Kerala
Wayanad

A hidden history amidst raindrenched forests

South India

Kerala
Kannur

Glimpse the Tantric traditions of the theyyam festival

South India

Kerala