On the ride from the train station to our homestay, the girls and I were sure we would only have enough energy to crawl into our room and doze off. However, the moment we were near enough to get our first glimpse of the beach and the sea, our weariness flew out of the open window as we all clamored over each other like ten-year-olds to get a better look.

One thing became clear to us at least: Why the place was called Kovalam. For we all saw the coconut trees trailing off into infinity. The place was certainly aptly named. But that was mostly an absent observation. Before dashing for the beaches, we were served a cool welcome drink by our docile host at the homestay and we felt even more energized.

It honestly looked like something out of a postcard. Waves lapping gently at the golden shore like the sea was having a playful game of tag with the beach. Tiny, languidly moving figures of beach-goers who’d gotten there before us. The dim sunlight of late afternoon and very early evening that hadn’t quite yet reached those dark red tones of sunset.

The Three Kovalam Beaches

Even before we had left for Kovalam, all that we had heard about was the Lighthouse Beach, which is a famous tourist spot. But our host informed us that there were actually three beaches to explore and we could not restrain our joy and thank him excitedly. Well, the other beaches are the Hawah beach and the Samudra Beach.

And we headed straight for the Lighthouse Beach. And let me tell you, it doesn’t matter how much you travel, you always wind up in awe about how wonderful something looks when you finally see it for real. Which is what happened with us too.

The coastline view was even more amazing in close-up, and a helpful passerby who caught us gawking at the sea cheerfully told us that the outcroppings is what separated this beach from the other two. (I’m still surprised I remember this tidbit, since the photographer in me had taken over and I was busy clicking pictures of the horizon and the sea.) The picturesque lighthouse on a tall hillock on one side of the beach along with the setting sun, bathed the area in red, gold and purple hues, which further accentuated the beauty of the landscape.

We stayed there until the moon rose and the stars twinkled. Though we were covered in damp sand and water, but we loved every second of it! Having decided that we would be back on the last day of our trip, we headed towards our homestay.

The next day, we headed to the Hawah Beach and the calm blue water of the ocean had us mesmerized. We thoroughly enjoyed the local Kovalam cuisine and then headed towards the Samudra Beach, which was more of the fishermen’s business area.

It was such a wonderfully amazing short trip that we had. Kovalam just so aptly fits the description of a beautiful heaven on earth.