19 Facts About Kovalam Beach That Will Impress Your Friends

 19 Facts About Kovalam Beach That Will Impress Your Friends

This coastal heaven in Kerala shot to international prominence in the 1970s as a hippie stopover on the way to Sri Lanka, and part of that alternative spirit lives on in Kovalam's surfing culture. With rocky outcrops that keep underwater sandbars stable, the tidal waves at Kovalam's three beaches are just mild enough to not lose energy, and have a mixture of beach and point breaks. India's first artificial reef was installed here almost 10 years ago to tackle erosion, and has further helped calm the waters. We hear that surfing's possible all ten year round, but the best time to paddle past the whitewater is between June and September. Having an existing relationship with the ocean certainly helps - many riding the swells are fishermen working within the area. Note that Indian beaches don't have uniform lifeguard programme to keep an eye on novice surfers, so we'd advice you to either go through a surf school, or buddy up with locals. Classes are prohibitive, with instructors teaching in English, Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi and a smattering of European languages. If you vibe nicely, dry up and continue the revelry with seafood, reggae, sunbathing and spa treatments.