MARCH 2025
OVERVIEW
If you haven’t done so already, please read my India Tips, Tricks, and Traps post first. This will help you better understand what you are going to read in this post.
We have just had a look at Varkala Beach.
<<< our next stop is Kovalam, Kerala >>>
EXCHANGE RATE
The currency in India is the Rupee (the ‘INR’ or ‘rs’). At the time of writing, the exchange rates for the major currencies were:
| US$1 | EU€1 | GB£1 | |
| Published Wholesale Rate | 86.35 | 89.93 | 106.57 |
| Actual Exchange Rate (Wise Debit Card) | 85.48 | 89.03 | 105.50 |
| Actual Exchange Rate (Typical Credit Card) | 84.40 | 87.91 | 104.17 |
| Actual Exchange Rate (Good ATM) | 84.40 | 87.99 | 104.17 |
| Actual Exchange Rate (Bad ATM) | 78.58 | 81.84 | 96.98 |
Over time, these exchange rates will change. Please check the current rates.
For simplicity, think of a 500rs note as being US$6 / EU€6 / GB£5.
ATMs
Be careful which ATM you use. I use SBI Bank ATMs WITHOUT CONVERSION.
WISE DEBIT CARD
I keep my costs down by using a Wise Debit Card.
WHEN TO GO
The West Coast has a tropical monsoonal climate with a dry season and a heavy monsoon the rest of year. There is no cold season.
The best time to come is December through April.
GETTING THERE
My Varkala hotel ordered a tuk tuk to take me the 3.5kms to Varkala Railway Station. I paid 150rs (everyone is trying to make 150rs the ‘standard’ price between the two).
I jumped on the 10:55am train to Trivandrum. I had a 2nd class ‘sleeper’ class ticket that cost 163rs after online fees. The trip takes 50 minutes.
I arrived in Trivandrum in the middle of a rain storm. I got onto UBER and paid 500rs for a tuk tuk to take me the 18km / 40 minute trip to the Kovalam Car Park at the Sea Rock Restaurant in Kovalam.
KOVALAM TRANSPORT
UBER
UBER operate here.
TUK TUKs & TAXIs
Rule-of-thumb prices apply … if you have any problems, just point at their published ‘certified’ rate as written on the passenger side of the driver’s seat.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
There is ‘public transport’ to and from Kovalam but not within Kovalam.
SCOOTER RENTAL
Scooter rentals are hard to find. I walked the streets and still only found the 3 places listed on Google Maps.
I went to Kovalam Tours. They wanted 800rs to rent a scooter from 10am to 6pm. I declined.
I went to Trivandrum Rentals and Moto Beast. There was nobody there. I returned to my hotel, found their whatsapp numbers on Google Maps, and messaged them. They never replied. I did not rent a scooter whilst I was in Kovalam.
BICYCLE RENTAL
I didn’t try.
INTERNET / WIFI
I had an Indian SIM Card from Airtel. I had a strong 4G signal everywhere.
ABOUT KOVALAM
The 2 main beaches (Kovalam Beach and Hawa Beach) are at the bottom of a steep hill.
Kovalam town is atop that hill. Let’s go walkabout …
One surprising thing about Kovalam is the excellent street signs.
KOVALAM BEACH
Please note that I caught Kovalam Beach on a bad weather day.
This is not the main beach.
HAWA BEACH
Hawa Beach is the main beach where you find the majority of hotels, stores, and restobars.
I also caught Hawa Beach on a bad weather day. This is what it looks like on a good day:
The black part of the sand contains thorium oxide, which is a radioactive substance. Thorium and thorium oxide (and its isotopes) are found all over Kerala.
THE ALLEYWAYS
When I was researching which hotel to book, I found myself concerned about hotels that were nowhere near a road shown on Google Maps. People were also saying bad things about getting to hotels found down narrow alleyways.
I didn’t know if I could get to a hotel with my heavy suitcase or not.
I can put your mind to rest on both issues.
Firstly, the beachfront path spans the whole length of Hawa beach from Kovalam Car Park to Lighthouse Road. This is easily walkable with luggage.
Also, many hotels will offer to meet you where your tuk tuk / taxi has dropped you off and carry your luggage for you.
In addition, there is a decent walking path that connects Green Palm Resort Road to Hawa Beach.
So, secondly, what are these alleyways like and would you be OK in a hotel here? Let’s go walkabout again:
The answer is that a hotel in an alleyway is a perfectly good option … but read ‘Where to Stay’, below.
MY ACCOMMODATION
I used AGODA to book 4 nights in a Double Fan Room at the Sea Star Beach Resort. I paid 1,008rs / US$12 per night.
My room was on the 3rd floor … no lift.
The first room that they gave me had no running water. I gave them ‘what o’ and they changed me immediately to another room next door.
I was happy with my room. The fan was enough, the wifi was good, and I enjoyed sitting out on the patio working.
One minus: No hot water shower.
WHERE TO STAY
There are many resorts and hotels in Kovalam. Quite a few of them are in Kovalam Town.
I do not recommend staying in Kovalam Town … most people will tire of walking up and down that steep hill very quickly.
I suggest that you stay at (or very close to) the bottom of the hill in the green shaded area. This area includes both beach fronts and the alleyways not in / near the wetlands.
The red shaded area is the ‘Wetlands’ at the back of the Hawa Beach alleyways. This area is pretty but it is a ‘still water’ area with a lot of mosquitos (all year round).
Eve’s Beach Road is not very steep so some people may be happy in the yellow shaded area towards Palace Junction.
Lighthouse Road is steep but the road comes right to the beach. Tuk tuks are always waiting. People who are happy to pay for tuk tuks may be OK with the yellow shaded area at the top of that hill. If you are going to catch tuk tuks, you may as well extend your search area to anywhere in town.
EAT & DRINK
EAT
You are back in a ‘tourist town’ … you are paying at least 25%-50% more than elsewhere in India.
A simple Chicken Biryani scoring 6/10 in one of the cheaper beachfront restaurants will set you back 250rs.
The budget restaurants are found in town or in the alleyways. Down the alleyways you can get the same biryani for 150rs.
In town you can get something like 3x Porotas with a Veg Curry and a cup of Chai for 70rs.
At the back of the ‘wetlands’ near Green Palm Resort Road a ‘local’ cafe (where a lot of locals eat) does a Veg Thali for 125rs and a Fish Thali for 175rs.
DRINK
There is a Kerala State Beverages Outlet on Beach Road about 600m from Hawa Beach.
There are 2 bars on Hawa Beachfront. The cheapest is at the Jeevan Beach Resort.
Here you can get a large 650ml Kingfisher Strong for 230rs.
GETTING AWAY
I will catch an UBER Tuk Tuk back to Trivandrum. Interestingly, UBER quote only 300rs for the return trip (please note that the Tuk Tuk rule-of-thumb says that the price should be 305rs).
I will stay in Trivandrum for a couple of nights before saying goodbye to India and jumping on a flight to Malaysia.
YOUR GRANDPAcking COSTS
Typical costs DO NOT apply. Add 25%.
A GRANDPAcking couple should have ‘Money to Spend‘.
CONCLUSION
Kovalam is a ‘tourist town’ … and, IMHO, there are many better places to be.
