Kovalam
The Travancore royal family's beachside retreat
With a name that means a grove of coconut trees, Kovalam’s crescent beaches lined with palms was considered a perfect, tranquil retreat for a queen who built her Halcyon Castle upon the sands. Once serving as a beach resort for European guests of the Travancore royal family, Kovalam later gained significance as a tourist destination for the throngs of hippies on their way to Sri Lanka. Today, is a hub for recreational tourists seeking Ayurvedic treatments and therapies.
Image credits: Kjetil Ree, CC-BY-SA