I recount some of my India adventures with you again today, Kerala! Kerala is a wonderful adventure destination, be is trekking the hills, cruising along the kayal (backwaters), climbing the rugged rocks, spice scented plantations, unending coconut trees, misty mountains, sun-kissed golden beaches, the God’s Own Country has lot to offer the travellers. The state is adorned with panoramic beaches and exquisite interconnected water bodies, providing a fantastic treat for anyone who visits the land. Listing here are the popular beaches at Kerala which should not be skipped in your next visit.
Alappuzha Beach
Alappuzha, the Venice of the East, is a famous hotspot on the map of Kerala.The town draws tourists worldwide to experience scenic spots and adventures; calm backwaters, beautiful beaches edged with coconut palms, coir industry and snake boat races. The picnic spot is a relaxation destination for the tourists. Besides natural lagoons, fresh water lakes, rivers, the picturesque beach towards the west has the mesmerising Arabian Sea and dense coconut palms on the other end. The pier, stretching into the sea is 140 years old. Vijaya Beach Park is an added entertainment for the tourists. The beach offers variety of fun-sports like beach volleyball, swimming, surfing and parasailing. If you are planning to visit Alappuzha beach, don’t miss cruising along backwaters in ‘Kettuvallam’ or houseboat.
Varkala Beach
Varkala beach is located 51km North of Thiruvanathapuram and 37km South of Kollam. The serene Varkala beach is one among the top ten seasonal beaches of the world. About 10km away from Varkala beach is the Papanasam beach, a well-known destination for natural spring. The silvery sand Varkala beach landscaped with oscillating coconut palms is the only beach in Kerala that has beautiful cliffs running parallel along the fullstretch of the beach. Tourists can engage in interesting activities like scuba diving, swimming, parasailing, sailing, sun-bathing and surfing. A 2000 year old SreeJanardhana Swamy Temple (on the cliff of the beach), Sivagiri Mutt Ashramam, Ayurvedic resorts, mineral springs are some of the fascinating attractions around the place.
Bekal Beach
Kasaragod district owns the renowned destination of Kerala, the beautiful Bekal Fort beach. Surrounded by the undulating and roaming sea stands the famous Bekal Fort. One of the ancient and largest (around 40 acres) forts, Bekal Fort is a souvenir of the past memories. The vastbeach stretching near the fort to the expanse of sea is a beautiful location for tourists. You can trek along the seaside fort; climb the tiny hills, explore the fishing village and Bekal Fort park, cruise across the backwaters and enjoy the beautiful sunset over the coconut palms. On the beach there are two sculptures of Theyyam made of laterite. The beach is illuminated after sunset, allow tourists to spend more time relaxing on the beach.
Shangumugham Beach
The beach is located 8km away from Thiruvanathapuram. Expanse of white sand lined with coconut palms and the breezy atmosphere offers a pleasurable time for tourists. The beach is known as Sunset Beach because it offers a soothing experience with photographic shots ofthe sunset – a favourite hangout for people to see sunsets. Swimming is not much advisable due to the rough tides, but other than that beach volleyball, badminton, are activities which tourists enjoy. MatsyaKanyaka (a huge 35m sculpture by the famous sculptor Kanayi Kunhiraman on the hilly terrain), Star Fish Restaurant, Indian Coffee House, are other hideouts at Shangumugham.
Kovalam Beach
Kovalam beach is located 16km South of Thiruvananthapuram. The beach has black sand with coconut palms on one end and Arabian Sea on the other end. With the arrival of hippies during the seventies, the beach which was once a small fishing village is now the most popular beaches of the world. It is the favourite haunt for European tourists. The entire stretch of coastline is divided into three crescent shaped beaches; Lighthouse Beach, Hawah Beach and Samudra Beach. The leisure activities at Kovalam are many; Ayurvedic Spa resorts, yoga centres, swimming, sun-bathing, surfing, kayaking, skiing, etc.
This article is authored by Ajith Thomas who is one of the authors of the blog Ayurveda, you can find him at Google+
