Top 18 Must Visit Beaches of Kerala

Kerala, situated right along the shores of the Arabian Sea is blessed with many beautiful beaches which are a primary attraction for tourists. The right season to visit theses mesmerizing beaches of Kerala is between the months of December and March; you’ll be sure to have an enchanting experience.

Kovalam Beach

This is the most visually appealing beach in Kerala, and is without doubt, the pride of the capital city. The pure blue water, silvery sand and bordering coconut trees make the beach more attractive. You can opt for lounge chairs to relax and enjoy the serene beauty of the sea. If you’re looking for a thrilling adventure, be sure to try out some sea sports such as surfing, cruising, kayaking, skiing and more in Kovalam beach.

Alappuzha Beach

Alappuzha, the land of backwaters, enchants tourists with a beautiful beach which ensures relaxation and long sandy walks. Vijaya Beach Park and the nearby light house are the other attractions of the beach. The pier, which extends into the sea, belongs to the good old days when Alappuzha port was one of Kerala’s most important ports. The lush greenery, an awesome view of the sunset and the delicious sea food delicacies make your trip unforgettable.

Cherai Beach

Cherai BeachImage credit by totochan2009 via Flickr

This beautiful beach in Kochi is located in a typical Kerala village with paddy fields and palm trees. The occasional appearance of dolphins makes it unique among the other beaches in Kerala. Situated at the north end of the Vypeen island, the beach grabs a lot of crowd at dusk.

Muzhappilangad Drive in Beach

Muzhappilangad Drive in BeachImage credit by rlaxman via Flickr

This is the longest drive-in beach in South East Asia, and beckons multitudes of visitors with a variety of mouthwatering Malabar cuisines. The yearly beach festival and adventurous sports like paragliding make it a must visit place. This amazing beach is situated in Kannur district.

Varkala Beach

Varkala BeachImage credit by Johannes H. Jensen via Flickr

Varkala beach or Papanasam beach is located in Trivandrum district and is an important pilgrim center for Hindus. It is believed that the beach is capable of taking away all our sins. The cliff adjacent to the beach makes it even more beautiful. An amazing view of the sunset, calm and clean blue waters, and a peaceful atmosphere makes the beach a most sought after destination for foreigners.

Kappad Beach

Kappad BeachImage credit by Rafeeque K K via Flickr

This historically significant beach where Vasco da Gama, the famous Portuguese explorer landed is in Kozhikode district. There is a stone monument erected on the sea shore in memory of this historical incident. You can spend an amazing evening here munching on Kozhikode’s specialty snacks.

Bekal Beach

Bekal BeachImage credit by Earth-Bound Misfit, I via Flickr

This picturesque beach is in Kasargod district, very close to the famous Bekal fort. The white sea shore surrounded by palm trees is a visual treat for visitors. Two huge sculptures with beautiful murals and a nearby children’s park are the other attractions of the beach.

Marari Beach

Marari Beach

Image credit by simianwolverine via Flickr

This much unexplored beach is located in an isolated fisherman’s village in Alappuzha district, far away from the crowded city life. It is a lonely, serene place where you can enjoy the charming sound of sea water in a calm atmosphere.

Shangumukham Beach

Shangumugham Beach

 Image credit by Ekan via Flickr

Situated at the outskirts of Trivandrum city, Shangumukham beach offers a calm and quite evening for its visitors. Far away from the madding crowd, you get to enjoy a thrilling experience with the magnificent waves of the sea. Easy accessibility and a calm atmosphere makes it a beach lovers paradise.

Payyambalam Beach

Payyambalam BeachImage credit by Sandeep Gangadharan via Flickr

Payyambalam beach is at the heart of Kannur city. This beach is a most sought after picnic spot for the locals. A beautiful sculpture of a mother and child by the famous sculptor, Kanayi Kunniraman Nayar, and a garden adjacent to the beach make it an attractive picnic spot. You can also enjoy some adventurous water sports like parasailing, jet skiing and snorkeling.

Kozhikode Beach

Kozhikode BeachImage credit by Shabeer MP via Flickr

Enjoy glimpses of an idyllic beach destination at Kozhikode Beach. Vast and expansive, you can enjoy hours of quiet contemplation marveling at the beauty of nature. You can sit here in silence and observe children at play, young honeymooners sitting side by side and enjoying the refreshing breeze, elders sitting silently and gazing into yonder or talking about old times.

Kozhikode Beach is the ideal place for rest and relaxation after you have explored the beautiful city of Kozhikode because it is just one kilometer away from the city. The points of attraction at the beach are its twin crumbling piers (constructed more than a 100 years ago) and its ancient lighthouse. Other places include the Lions Park and the Marine Water Aquarium.

The dusk at Kozhikode is spectacular. After sunset, stay here for a few more moments to enjoy the twinkling lights and watch the colors of sunset spreading across the beach. It is a hue you must watch; it calms the mind and spirit.

 Kollam Beach

Kollam BeachImage credit by simianwolverine via Flickr

Kollam was once upon a time the favorite settlement of the Dutch and the English, and has been maintained beautifully.  Before that, it was set up as a harbor for Chinese ships and trade was in full swing here. There is a port protected by Thangasseri Breakwater, located at the south – south-east point of Thangasseri Point. The beach is also known as Mahatma Gandhi Beach and offers breathtaking views of the Arabian Sea.

Kollam beach is also one of the few beaches in Kerala that has a lifeguard outpost. There is a one-story marine aquarium being constructed at the beach, the work started in 2014, and would be completed soon. Spend an evening here and watch the hypnotizing waves crashing against the shore or marvel at the brave few venturing forth and playing with the mammoth size waves.

 Chavakkad Beach

Chavakkad Beach

Image credit by Chippu Abraham via Flickr

Do you love watching migratory birds and do you love the sea and solitude? Then head to the Chavakkad Beach at Thrissur and you can enjoy all of them – solitude, birds and the sea. Some of the glorious flight masters of the world can be seen here – the Siberian Seagull and Eurasian Oyster catcher are among them. The symmetric disorder in which they pitter-patter along the sands is a sight that would refresh your mind.

The best time of the year to watch them would be the September-April months. In the meantime, you can also observe the fishermen coming in from the sea and sorting their enormous hauls.  If you are lucky, you can even see a crab making off with one of the smaller fish dropped unintentionally by the fishermen who come in from the sea carrying their heavy load.

 Bypore Beach

Beypore BeachEnjoy the true flavor of a mesmerizing beach atBeypore Beach, also at Kozhikode. The sound of the waves crashing against the rocks, the sun taking its leave for the day casting vibrant hues of different color, the light laughter of the people enjoying a few moments of refreshing breeze after a day’s work, the dreamy look of those in quiet contemplation, the pitter patter and chatter of little children enjoying the waters and squealing when the waves rush out to their legs are all worth watching. Don’t miss this.

The Beypore port is historically important as well, as it is one of the oldest ports of Kerala, and where the traders of Kerala carried on trade with the merchants of the Middle East once upon a time. Head to the beach after spending time at the historical town of Beypore, located 10 kilometers from Kozhikode.

 Chowara Beach

Chowara BeachThe virgin sands of Chowara beckons you to enjoy its serenity and yet, tempestuous waters. The beach is synonymous with peace and tranquility, because you can actually hold your soul captive here and enjoy silence in its true sense, without the interference of too many people. Chowara is actually a fishing hamlet located near Kovalam, near Thiruvananthapuram.

Additional attractions near the place are the Ayyappa temple atop a hill, and the ancient AnalothbhavaMatha Church.Chowara Beach is also known as Azhimalathara Beach and is probably the only beach where the sea does not eat the beach during the monsoon season.

Snehatheeram Beach

Snehatheeram BeachWhen literally translated into Malayalam, Snehatheram means “on the shores of love”, and perhaps rightly so. At the beach here, you can immerse yourself in the lap of Nature, feeling truly secure in Her blissful love while enjoying Her bountiful nature and colorful hues. Snehatheeram Beach is located at Thalikkulam, Thrissur. The sunset is tantalizing here, especially when it is not cloudy, and there is a beautiful park as well.

Children are galore and you can watch their innocent hearts fill with joy when they run about the sand playing games under the watchful eyes of their parents. This is an ideal place for relaxation and sunbathing.

 Dharmadom Beach

Dharmadom BeachA beautiful beach destination that has only the best for its visitors. The beach is located at Thalassery, Kannur and is the most frequent spot for people who relish their solitude more than anything. The beach is fringed with swaying coconut trees and palm trees, and is set aside and away from the mainland, thanks to the three rivers and the Arabian Sea with which it is surrounded. You can also visit Dharmadom Island if you get permission from the owner.

 Fort Kochi Beach

Fort Kochi Beach

Image credit by Connie Ma via Flickr

Fort Kochi, located on the western part of Kochi city has a lovely beach that attracts people from far and wide. The tranquil atmosphere, the occasional laughter of the people, the cry of thrill and victory from the fishermen all give you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The scintillating sunset of the beach, the refreshing breeze that nature gives you when it bids farewell to yet another lovely day brings back memories of safety and security that you used to feel under your parents care.

You can head to the beach for sweet rumination after spending your day at Fort Kochi and its many wonders. The beach presents a picture of untarnished perfection whose memory will stay with you long after the trip is over. The famous Cochin Carnival is held at this beach for every New Year’s Eve.

Include these beaches in your travel itinerary to make your next vacation more memorable and enjoyable.

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12 Comments

  1. Nevin John on February 26, 2016 at 9:03 am

    Recently I visited Kozhikode beach, such an awesome experience. Thanks for this wonderful article. I must visit these beaches in future.

    • Sunu Philip on March 8, 2016 at 10:38 am

      oh Nevin..that’s great! I love Kozhikode beach..so many beautiful memories with my family. Kerala is indeed blessed with many breathtaking beaches and some are totally unexplored!!

  2. Mark Jonson on December 17, 2019 at 12:37 pm

    Thank you for sharing this information.

  3. Thomas David on December 17, 2019 at 12:58 pm

    Hi, Ratheesh thank you for sharing this information.

  4. Jamy Grey on December 17, 2019 at 1:19 pm

    Thank you for sharing this information.

  5. Ordan Smith on December 17, 2019 at 1:32 pm

    Thank you for sharing this information.

  6. Nitin Chaudhary on January 25, 2020 at 6:37 pm

    Thanks for the lis. I will cover many of them with Fort Kochi.

  7. Hazeem khan on February 28, 2020 at 5:25 am

    Nice Blog, Thankyou for sharing this blog

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