Twelve claustrophobic hours in that glass box called the Volvo be better worth it. Trivandrum isn't near from Bangalore, not on the week before Onam anyway. My manager recently told me that the reason the sands at Kovalam were black and sticky was due to an oil spill that occurred in the region some years back. Well, that and the other fact being that Kovalam in the evening does look like Bangalore’s Brigade road with attached beach, doesn’t exactly endear itself to me – considering that I had Gokarna to compare it with.
Then again, where it scores is the lighthouse (an edifice that’s better seen from far than visited and endured), and the sheer power of the waves that just mesmerizes in the early hours of the day. It does pay to wake up early in these parts, just to witness the sheer majesty of the 20 foot high waves crashing on the rocks jutting out from the sand bars.
Kovalam is 30 kms from Trivandrum, easily accessed by town bus or autorickshaw from the city. Once you get down at Trivandrum Central, or at the Main Bus Stand, you can catch a bus at East Fort Bus Stand, or take an auto direct to Kovalam beach. It does help to reserve in advance though. The peak season starts from September onwards so plan ahead.
Apart from Kovalam, there is Veli, a greenified ‘tourist village’, and Shankamugham beach, which are both worth a visit. We reached Veli in the middle of a typically heavy downpour, after all what Kerala holiday is complete without a heavy-duty monsoon shower. And it poured the whole time we were there on the premises, thank god for pocket umbrellas. Veli is mostly a large patch of landscaped gardens with abstract stone sculptures, and a melancholic KTDC restaurant where the only thing on the menu worth consuming was the tea and coffee, as advised by my well-travelled companion. Adjoining the gardens is a neat little beach that showcases the inevitable crashing waves; and standing there in the pouring rain and wind watching the waves compete with each other to reach the shore, it was definitely one of the high points of the trip.
Shankamugham beach is wider, longer, and definitely much neater than its more famous counterpart. The beach is so long that its extremities fade off in to the surf rising from the heaving waves. When you get off, you are confronted by several ancient mansions, most of which have been converted into restaurants, and boutiques. The most spectacular one was a red tiled one, with a pyramid shaped roof that was almost as tall as the main building itself.
Adjoining it is one of the most bizarre sights you would ever hope to come across in Kerala. A gigantic granite statue of a mermaid lying propped on her elbows with her hair open and breasts bared to the elements. I am told this was carved out of a single block of stone by a reputed sculptor several years ago. I was quite pleasantly surprised to see such an explicit expression of sexuality in a state which is infamous for its sexual hypocricy and orthodox conservatism.
Getting back to Kovalam, as with Gokarna and I suppose most of Goa, the beachfront is peppered with eating joints offering all possible permutation of sea food, and other forms of comfort food. Special mention must be made of German bakery, Rock Café, and Coconut Grove – amazing food, comfortable ambience. Especially the top floor of German Bakery, the view is amazing and the food is delicious. Special mention to Rock Café for their home made pasta and steaks. Evenings on the Beach front are quite harmonious; what with the mellow street lamps and a soft drizzle, a walk on the promenade turned out to be quite a memory. As you walk by the many eating houses, you see families enjoying the food and drink, and the occasional single traveller gazing out into the sea and jotting down her experiences into her notebook.
Then there are the ubiquitous Indian honeymooners, all heavy bangled and starry eyed. The beam from the lighthouse sweeps through the landscape, cutting across the promenade and the coconut trees. The waves are crashing on the rocks with increasing energy, and all is well with the world. The lighthouse itself is quite a sight to look at, perched on the far side of the beach, all red and aloof. Once in, you have to climb three floors of stairs and then a metal ladder to reach the viewing platform. The view is worth the climb though. Kovalam is one of the most hyped destinations in India, and frankly it disappoints to a degree, black sands on the beach and unregulated commercialization is not my idea of a beach side holiday. Then again, if one could forget everything else and just focus on the waves, it would be worth the journey from Bangalore.
Some more pictures from the trip:
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