Kerala Beaches

Kerala’s beaches are the perfect antidote for stressed and overworked souls. An air of serenity and peace pervades the beaches of Kerala, known for untainted, clean sands, whispering palms and ancient remedies offered by the string of ayurvedic spas along the shores and backwaters.

The state of Kerala is believed to have been founded and blessed by the great sage Parashuram. It’s gold and silver beaches sandwiched between the Arabian Sea on the west and the Western Ghats on the east are popularly referred to as ‘slices of heaven’ on earth, and have gained international fame. Some of the famous beaches of Kerala include Alappuzha, Kovalam, Poovar, Varkala, Cherai and Kappad. The Alappuzha beach, also known as Alleppey, houses a 140 years old quay. 85 kms from the Kochi airport and 5 km from the Alappuzha station, the beach is close to Kuttanad, known for its rice fields that lie the below sea level.

The Kovalam beach at Kerala is known for having three contiguous falcate beaches. The southernmost of these beaches, the Lighthouse Beach is the most popular and offers a string of budget hotels. The Poovar beach is a sheltered cove, still unexplored and enveloped by serene backwaters. Further down, the Shanmugham Beach is known for its exotic sunsets. Lying adjacent to the Thiruvananthapuram airport, the beach is also close to the Veli Tourist Village.

The picturesque Varkala beach is popular with Hindu devotees who visit the ancient temple of Sree Janardhan Swamy. Majestic cliffs and therapeutic mineral springs are an added attraction at Varkala, besides the Nature Cure Centre located on it.

Kappad beach has the unique distinction of being the landing site of Vasco da Gama on May 27, 1498. Colloquially referred to as Kappakadavu, this rock studded beach has a boulder that protrudes into the sea. The rock is the site of an 800 year-old temple.