Beaches

Marina Beach
Marina Beach is among the longest beaches in the world and it comprises of sun, sand and surf. Counted among one of the longest beaches in Asia, it is stretched across a 12-km long area. This beach was given a makeover by Governor Mountstuart Elphinstone Grant Duff in the early 1880's, and is Chennai's major tourist attraction today.

Adjacent to the Bay of Bengal, Chennai has one of the loveliest beaches in India. A walk along the Marina, whether in the morning or evening, re-energizes one. The old buildings dotting the other side of Kamarajar Salai, a main road along the Marina, bring back memories of good old British Raj. The Senate House of the University of Madras and the old buildings now housing government offices, such as Ezhilagam and the Director General of Police office. They wear a mysterious look in the morning when the Sun rises.

Kovalam Beach
The beautiful and calm Kovalam Palm Beach have been a hot favourite amongst the tourists since 1930s. Kovalam is small village, situated on the Malabar Coast along the Kerala shoreline. Kovalam means a grove of coconut trees and truly the coconut trees along the beaches gives it a ravishing look. This quiet town of Kovalam came on the tourist map, when its beautiful and secluded palm beaches were discovered. Today Kovalam has become one of the most popular beach hangouts in India. Kovalam palm beach is equally famous in the international tourists as among the Indian tourists. A massive rocky promontory on the beach has created a beautiful bay of calm waters, ideal for sea bathing. The Arabian sea coast at many places is lined with beautiful patches of coral reefs.

Major Attractions

The Three beaches : The Kovalam palm beach line is formed by three seperate beaches. The most popular beach is the southern-most Lighthouse Beach. The middle beach is called Hawah beach. Each morning this beach acts as a base for the local fisherman. The northern most beach, Samudra, is least affected of all by the changing times. It is dotted with few rudimentary wooden fishing vessels.

Water Sports : Kovalam is a natural bay ideal for kayaking, swimming, surfing and skiing. One can swim in the shallow blue water and have a sunbath in the exotic tropical sun. The coast at many places is lined with beautiful patches of coral reefs or you can crest the waves on logs of lashed woods on catamarans.

Leisure : Alongside the palm fringed beaches, markets are made for tourists. These markets offer handicrafts, jewellery and cloths. Shops are spread along the waterfront. One can also go for the delicious sea food, available in the restaraunts on the beaches. In the evening the quiet atmosphere of the Kovalam beachside is enlivened by Kathakali performances, the classical dance-drama of Kerala.

Yoga and health care : At present Kovalam is developed not only as a beach resort, but also as a Yoga and health center. One can have Ayurvedic massages and oil baths or learn in detail the methods of doing Yoga and meditation taught by experts.

Varkala Beach
An Introduction
The quiet and isolated Varkala family beach is a sandy expanse where one can enjoy a relaxing beach holiday without the crowds and bustle of other beaches in Kerala. Varkala family beach is also known for its landscape. A high rocky cliff ends abruptly and a stretch of clear sand extends down to the sea. The contrast between the cliffs, sand and sea makes Varkala Beach a striking sight. The sunset at Varakala Beach is truly breathtaking with the sun sinking into the sky like a ball of molten gold as the sun and sea are tinged with crimson and vermilion.

Major Attractions
Beach Activities : Various beach activities like, beach volleyball, swimming, surfing, sailing, parasailing or scuba diving can be enjoyed at the Varkala family beach. Else just laze in the sun or try your hand at building a sand castle or participate in any of the numerous beach activities offered on the beautiful beach.

Shopping in Varkala : Shopping is a good option for the visitors, as the markets are located on the Varkala family beach. These bazaars are always bustling with activity and the shops are full of little trinkets and souvenirs that you could take home with you. The Temples: There is a temple near the Varkala family beach, considered 1200 years old. Sree Janardhana Swamy Temple is dedicated to Ayyappa and is visited by many thousands of pilgrims year round.

North Goa Beaches
Miramar
Miramar is at a distance of 3km from Panaji. Although it is the beach that is closest to the capital, it is not the most spectacular. But if you feel that a beach with a name straight out of Top Gun is worth trying out, then accommodation should not be a problem. A range of budget hotels and a youth hostel are available here.

Dona Paula

Sprinkled with palm trees and casuarina plantations, the beach of Dona Paula in North Goa is a peaceful stretch next to the little town and fishing village of Dona Paula. It is also a popular picnic spot. You can take a ferry from here to Vasco da Gama. Resorts with swimming pools and beach cottages are available in Dona Paula.

Vainguinim
The five-star deluxe hotel – Cidade de Goa, stands on the lovely Vainguinim Beach. Their USP is that their hotel is run by Goans, so they give you the complete Goan experience, coupled with all the five star frills.

Sinquerim and Candolim
The Sinquerim Beach in North Goa has a dramatic backdrop in the form of the 16th century Fort Aguada. Sinquerim and Candolim beaches in North Goa are both popular with backpackers, and tend to be a little more sober compared to the Calangute Beach. Built in 1612 by the Portuguese, the Fort Aguada is pretty much in ruins, but the view from the top of the fort as you look down to the mouth of the Mandovi River, is simply breathtaking.

Calangute and Baga
Ever since the 60’s, the flower children have not looked at another beach. They’ve headed straight for Calangute; their abode, their psychedelia, and their Mecca. God knows if they ever found their existential-or-otherwise, ‘meaning in life’ but in their quest to do so, some of them went too far for the local sensibilities. The result was police clampdowns, and other drastic measures taken to control the ‘bunch of hippies’ of the lost generation.

Though the beach is still pretty ‘active’ and the ‘Om Namah Shivai trance’ continues to linger; today, Calangute is a far cry from what it used to be. The shacks and palms have given way to a rapidly-growing, package-tourist market, rows of shops, guesthouses and other budget hotels. The tidy little fish market in town is worth a visit.

Baga formed a twin beach with Calangute, and therefore shares Calangute’s colourful past. Nestling close to the estuary, this beach has more character.

Bogmalo- A South Goa Beach
The village of Bogmalo is 8km from Vasco da Gama. It has a pleasant beach with some nice cafés. Bogmalo South Goa Beach also has the Park Plaza five-star hotel, which has been built in disregard of the rule that disallows any construction till 500m of the beach.

Majorda, Colva and Benaulim
Not a long time ago, the spectacular beaches of Colva in South Goa and Benaulim were sleepy fishing villages and with practically no tourists, besides a few hippies whose quest for life made them give up the psychedelic pandemonium of Calangute. They erected palm shacks on the beach and slept under the moon, pondering with Janis Joplin, singing “freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose”.

Today, Majorda, and a part of Colva and Benaulim beaches, have been replaced by plush hotels, restaurants, shops and discos. But the beaches are still very beautiful, and once you get out of the main hangout patches, you are without doubt in a tranquill, tropical Xanadu. Seafood in one of the several beach shacks on Benaulim can be a very pleasant experience.

Varca and Cavelossim
5km from Benaulim, lies the up-market Varca, followed by the Cavelossim Beach in South Goa. There are some excellent hotels here, and each resort is at some distance from the other. A few budget hotels can also be found in the villages. The beaches are quite clean, and all in all, a relatively peaceful getaway.

Mahabalipuram Beach
The Mahabalipuram beach is a marvelous destination to visit. It is probably one of the finest un-touched beaches in India. Situated on the coastline of Tamil Nadu, it is nearby the shores of the breathtakingly beautiful Bay of Bengal. Truly a mesmerizing beach !

The port town of Mahabalipuram along with its beaches is absolutely awesome. At the beach you can have a lot of fun which may include sun bathing, relaxing and unwinding.

The Beautiful Beaches and The Magnificent Monuments
Mahabalipurm has magnificent monuments along with beautiful beaches. The rock cut art of Mahabalipuram is particularly attractive. Here one can also find some worth visiting places like the Shore temple, Rathas, Arjuna's penance, etc. Then there 's the fascinating crocodile farm, the snake venom-extracting center along with the schools of art and sculpture, which forms the prime attractions for tourists. Another major attraction here is the Dance Festival, hosted by the Department of Tourism of the Government of Tamil Nadu.

Alappuzha Beach

An Introduction
One of the most famous beaches in Kerala, Alappuzha beach is formed by the shores of the Arabian Sea. The beach is located in the beautiful district of Alappuzha. The Alappuzha district is also known for its backwaters and is home to a variety of flora and fauna. Due to its proximity to the sea, the town has always enjoyed a unique place in the maritime history of Kerala. The Kuttanad region also comes under this district, which is known as rice bowl of Kerala. It is one of the few places in world, where rice farming is done below the sea level. The Alappuzha beach is also known as Alleppey beach. The pier, which extends into the sea here, is around 140 years old.

Water Sports : Some of the best water sport facilities are available on the Alappuzha beach. Swimming under the clear blue sky and surfing are very popular among tourists. Beach volleyball, water scooter and high speed boats also offer a lot of thrill to the tourists.

Vijaya Beach Park : The Vijaya beach park was constructed for entertainment purpose of families. It offers facilities like Boating, a children's park, toy train and bicycle riding.
Kuttanad : Kuttanad is an expanse of water-logged land lying below sea level. It bears strong resemblance to Holland in terms of geographical features.
Picnic Spot : The Alappuzha beach offers great picnic spots. The beach is also famous for its boat races, holidays, marine products and picnic spots. There is a lighthouse on the beach, which attracts a lot of tourists.