Beaches of Kerala - Top 5 Beaches in Kerala
In this article the top 5 best beaches of Kerala as well as all the other smaller yet beautiful beaches of the state is described.Kerala is famous for its lush greenery, tall coconut groves, splendid paddy fields and scenic backwaters. Kerala also offers its locals and visitors a number of beaches which are neat and enchanting.
The state of Kerala in India is also known as 'God's own country' and for good reason too. The entire place is filled with lush greenery, natural harbours, calm and serene backwaters, white sandy beaches with the turquoise coloured waters, beautiful paddy fields and green huge palm-coconut trees. All this makes Kerala a hot spot tourist destination in India. Its coastal land's are enchanting and spread across 600 kilometres. The beaches and lakes of Kerala face the deep blue Arabian Sea. Of the 14 districts in Kerala, 9 of them have beaches. The nights at the beaches are more memorable and beautiful compared to the day. Kerala is a haven of some really charming beaches which can absorb your attention at first glance. Top 5 best and famous beaches of Kerala
1. Alappuzha beach - Alappuzha also known as Alleppey is a one of the most well known tourist destinations in Kerala with its scenic backwaters and calm atmosphere. Alappuzha is home to a 140 year old pier which extends into the sea. Due to its calm and romantic atmosphere, Alappuzha is also known as the Venice of the East. It is the perfect place for one to de-stress and rejuvenate before returning back to the rush of daily life. It is this peaceful atmosphere that makes Alappuzha the most sought after place in whole of Kerala. Alappuzha is most popular for its backwater tourism on the luxurious houseboats that provide every basic as well as additional facilities for its tourists. These houseboats provide all the facilities that one would find in a good hotel such as bedrooms, bathrooms, dining area, living area and even a balcony for angling and uninterrupted views of the backwaters. One can opt for either a day cruise or an overnight stay in the houseboats as the oarsmen take you on a wonderful journey through the charming lagoons of Alappuzha with amazing sights such as wading birds, fishermen carrying out the day's activities, local villagers who wave at you as you pass their homes and the vast paddy fields of Kerala which are filled with lush green which soothe the eyes. Many tour operators in Kerala offer good holiday packages with backwater cruise. Some of the other attractions of Alappuzha are its boat races, marine products and coir industry. The Alappuzha beach consists of an old lighthouse whichi s breathtaking as well as a Vijaya Beach Park which offer entertaining activities for adults as well as the young ones. 
2. Beypore beach - This beach is situated about 10 km south of Kozhikode district in Kerala. The most famous feature of this beach is its ship building industry and is also most popular for its ports and fishing harbours. The shipbuilding yard has also constructed the Uru or the Arabian trading vessel which is almost 1500 years old and has made the place all the more famous for its exquisite crafting works. Major part of the trade takes place with the Arab world and so the Uru became very significant for trading. The beach lies in the mouth of the Chaliyar river and has its own historical significance because of its ports and fishing harbours. Long ago, Beypore used to be a prime location for trade. As present, it is most famous for its shipbuilding as ships have been in great demand. The reason for the shipbuilding's fame is the way in which each member of the team of shipbuilding does their work with utmost dedication, alertness and discipline which makes the ultimate product perfect. Tourists are also allowed to have a look at the work of the shipmen. Near the beach, about 7 km from Beypore, there is also a Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary which is known to be a paradise for birdwatchers with a large variety of local as well as migratory birds. The sanctuary is located on an island and the place is locally known as Kadalundi Nagaram. 
3. Kovalam beach - Out of all the beaches, Kovalam beach is the most famous one among them in Kerala. It was the first beach to be titled as a major tourist destination of Kerala. This popularity comes from the cleanliness and safety of the beach. This beach is situated about 13 km from Trivandrum. The beaches with its turquoise coloured waters is also a popular choice for honeymoon seekers. The beaches of Kovalam have been divided into three parts - one is the southern Lighthouse Beach, the centered one is the Hawah beach which is the most crowded one among the others and the last one is the Samudra beach towards the north. The Vizhinjam lighthouse, which is 35m in height, is the highlight of Kovalam beach which brings a romantic ambience to the village by emitting its light throughout the day and night. The lighthouse is located on top of the Kurumkal hill which protrudes towards the sea and is filled with palm-coconuts. A spiralling staircase is provided for visitors to climb to the top of the lighthouse tower and enjoy the unimaginable and spectacular view of the surroundings. Kovalam beach is famous for the activities that it provides such as sunset-watch, surfing, Ayuverdic body massages and spas, swimming and sunbathing and catamaran cruising. Foreigners will love this beach as it is perfect for their usual beach activity called sunbathing with the tropical sun shimmering down at the beach and its shores. Though the beach is fine throughout the yeat, the best time to visit Kovalam beach is between September and March. Kovalam offers many accommodation facilities according to one's budget. The cleanliness of the place is what attracts foreigners to this beach. The beach also offers little stalls from where one can buy beautiful sea shells, handicrafts, paintings and wood materials to either decorate one's home or to gift to loved ones. 
4. Varkala and Papanashanam beach - Varkala is another popular beach town as well as a place for pilgrimage in Kerala. This beach is located 51 km north of Trivandrum district and 37 km south of Kollam district in Kerala. More than its beaches, the place is famous for its 2000 year old Janardhana Swami Temple. Lord Vishnu is the main deity of this temple. Many tourists visit this place for its age-old beauty and sereneness. The temple stands high on a cliff and overlooks the beach. The beach also offers meditation and ayurvedic centres. Adventurous sports activities are also available such as water skiing and surfing. One of the highlights of this beach is the cliffs that are adjacent to the sea and from which mineral water pours out containing important medicinal properties. Varkala beach offers some amazing beach resorts which provide sumptuous food as well as arranges high-class facilities for the tourists. The resorts also provide excellent spas to help you to relax and rejuvenate your body and mind. The Nature Care Centre is the most famous one among them. Another attraction of Varkala beach is an Ashramam-Sivagiri Mutt which is located nearby. The place consists of the Samadhi of the great Hindu reformer and philosopher Sree Narayana Guru.
10 kms from Varkala lies another beach called Papanashanam beach. The name Papanashanam refers to 'getting rid of sins' and the beach is called by this name because there is a popular belief that a dip in this beach will wash away all the sins and impurities from your body. As a result, this beach is considered very holy. Papanashanam beach is also fills with beautiful cliffs which protrude into the sea and is a perfect spot for admiring the wonderful sunset. 
5. Fort Kochi beach - Fort Kochi is also another popular destination for beach lovers. The beach is located in Kochi district of Kerala and the fort located here has a major historical significance. The beach's highlight lies in its beach carnivals. The place is filled with many historical forts, monuments and architectural figures.Some of the other beaches that Kerala offers
6. Shankumugham beach - This is another small beach located 7 km from Trivandrum district near the Veli tourist villlage. The sunset views in this beach are breathtaking and is a favourite haunt among tourists. The beach is adjacent to the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport and Veli Tourist Village. The most attractive features of this beach are an indoor recreational club, a children's park, the matsya kanyaka or Jalakanyaka which is a huge, 35 m long artwork of a mermaid and a starfish-shaped restaurant.
7. Cherai beach - Cherai beach is located in Ernakulam district of Kerala and shares a border with the Vypeen Island. It is an ideal place for swimming and if one's luck permits, he/she can even spot dolphins in the sea. The beach is just a 30 minute drive from Ernakulam and is also easily accessible by boat. The western part of this beach consists of the sea whereas the eastern part homes the backwaters. This unique feature of this beach will enable it to become a major tourist spot in the future. Tall coconut groves are lined on the shore of the beach and one can also find Chinese fishing nets on the shores. 
8. Kappad beach - Kappad beach or Kappakadavu is situated in Kozhikode district of Kerala. It is known as a historical beach as it is the place where the Portugese navigator Vasco Da Gama had once landed with his 170 men. Kappad beach is also known as the gateway to the Malabar coast because of this reason. Long ago, Kozhikode used to be the most important centre for trade in the Malabar region and the land was ruled by the Zamorins. But unfortunately, nowadays this beach is not so famous and is less crowded compared to the other beaches of Kerala. Nevertheless it is as beautiful as any other beach and tourists can take advantage of the fact that the beach is unspoilt and uncrowned. Kappad beach also faces the charming backwaters of Kozhikode. The place is most easily reached through these backwaters which pass through the Korappuzha river. The beauty of the beach lies in the rocks which jut out into the sea. There is a temple situated on top of a rock and is believed to be about 800 years old.
9. Dharmadam Island - Dharmadam Island is located in Kannur district of Kerala. It is a small and beautiful island with an area of just 5 acres and much away from the mainland. During the low tides, it is also possible to reach this island by walking. From the beach. The place is completely covered with bushes and coconut trees and is an ideal location for picnics. Dharmadam island is also known as the Green Island. One has to take prior permission to enter the island as it is a private property.
10. Ezhimala beach - This beach is also located in Kannur district. It is a region filled with hills having an altitude of 286m. Many plants and small herbs can be found in this region which contain a lot of medicinal properties. Another highlight of Ezhimala beach is the carved stone pillars. 
11. Muzhapilangad beach - This beach is also located in Kannur district and boasts about being one of the longest beaches (with 4 kms of sand) of Kerala. This beach can be seen from the national highway. The interesting feature of this beach is that it is a drive-in beach which allows one to take their vehicle inside and drive the whole length of the beach. It is located 15 km from Kannur and 8 km from Thalasseri town in Kannur district. This beach is not very popular and still remains unexplored by tourists. If it gets too hot, one can rest in the shades of the high coconut trees that are lined up on the shore. Swimming is quite safe in this beach as there are areas where the water is very shallow. These patches of shallow waters occur due to the high rocks which are present here and there and prevent the strong currents from reaching the shores.
12. Pathiramanal beach - Pathiramanal is a small island which is located on the border of Kottayam-Alappuzha district in Kerala. The word Pathiramanal means 'sands of night'. 
13. Thangasseri beach - This beach is located in Kollam district of Kerala. It is famous for its historical importance. Its beaches are charming with its golden sands and tall palm trees bordering the beach. It is a very small beach of just about 3 kms. The beach is famous for an old lighthouse, the sports activities that it provides such as scuba diving, catamaran rides and fishing.
14. Poovar beach - This is not a very famous beach, but because it is less explored, it remains as an unspoilt and clean beach. Poovar beach lies 12 km south of Kovalam beach. The beach contains calm backwaters called the Neyyar river estuary which open out into the sea. In earlier days, this place used to be a major trading port but now it is more important as a tourist destination.
15. Marari beach - This beach is most famous for its spectacular view of the sunset. People who love to relax and watch the sunset will simply fall in love with this beach. The beach is located in Alappuzha district and is considered as the best beach in central Kerala.
16. Padinjarekara beach - This beach is located near Ponnani at the end of the Tipu Sultan road in Malappuram district of Kerala. It is a very small beach which gives a splendid view of the merging of Bharatha Puzha, Tirur Puzha and the Arabian Sea.
17. Vallikunnu beach - This beach which lies in Malappuram district mainly consists of a beautiful beach resort which is located in the middle of tall coconut groves. 
18. Thiruvambady beach - This beach, also known as the Black Sand beach, is located 1 km from the Thiruvambady road. It is yet another less popular and uncrowned beach which allows it to remain calm and serene. The beach is adjacent to the north cliff. It is the ideal location for people who crave for some solitary time in the midst of the beautiful beaches. The beach is easily accessible by descending the cliff or by driving down 1 kilometre.
19. Kappil beach - This beach is situated 6 km from Bekal Fort in Kasargod district. It is the perfect spot to witness the merging of the sea, river and backwaters. This beach is also quite isolated and less explored. The place has a Priyadarshini Boat Club which offers excellent boating activities for tourists.
20. Valiathura beach - Valiathura beach is located 10 km from Thiruvananthapuram and is close to Shankumugham beach. Long ago, it used to be the only port along the South Kerala coast.
21. Samudra beach - This beach is situated towards the north of Ashok beach near Kovalam. The only accessibility to this beach is through a deviation past Kovalam junction. The beach is simply awesome and contains a long stretch of sea wall. 
22. Thirumullavaram beach - Thirumullavaram beach is situated 6 km north of Kollam district. Though it is an isolated beach, it is still quite famous as a picnic spot. A major attraction in this area is the Mahavishnu temple located near the beach. Another highlight of Thirumullavaram beach is the Nyarazhcha Para, meaning Sunday rock which can be seen about one and a half kilometre into the sea. This rock can also be witnessed from the shore itself during the low tide. Its shallow waters allow people to take a bath in the water.
23. Valapattanam beach - This beach is located 7 km from the town of Kannur district in northern Kerala. It is famous for being the largest wood industry and for being a home to numerous fishing harbours.
Valapattanam beach is the main source for irrigation in the entire district. The banks of this beach is home to the largest wood based industry in South East Asia namely Western India Plywood Ltd. Kannur is the only place in Kerala where the cultivation of tobacco takes place successfully. Tourists are allowed to watch the traditional way of transporting timber wood - long pieces of timber are tied together and left to float down the stream.
24. Bekal beach - Bekal beach is located 16 kms south of Kasargod district in northern Kerala. The beach is located on the national highway itself allowing it to be a hot spot for tourists. The main attraction in this beach is the Bekal Fort which is one of the largest and best forts of Kerala. The beaches contain shallow waters and the Bekal Resorts Development Corporation (BRDC) has taken all the efforts needed to make it a sought after beach destination. Some of the efforts include the creation of two sculptures of Theyyam which was created using the laterite on the beach.
A shed has been made which houses many mural paintings. Other attractions include a rock garden at the vehicle parking area, an excellent walkway for visitors to walk down the stretch of the coastline and admire the views of the Bekal Fort. The place has been filled with greenery by planting more trees. A huge space has been provided for parking all sorts of vehicles. The beach is splendid at night also with illumination because of which one can spend as much time as they want in the beach. The beach is mostly neat as there are bamboo waste bins provided at many parts of the beach. Toilet facilities are also available. A treehouse called Eru madam as well as a multi-shed is offered to the visitors to take rest. The young ones are also kept entertained with a children's park. As so many facilities are available and all this has to be maintained well throughout, each visitor is charged with a very minimal fee of one rupee at the entrance. Those with vehicles would also have to pay a small fee for parking them.
25. Payyoli beach - Payyoli beach is yet another small but charming beach with shallow waters which enable swimming without much danger. The waters share a border with Velliyamkallu. Water sports activities are also available in this beach.
26. Kizhunna beach - Kizhunna beach is located 11 km from Kannur district in Kerala. Though it is as beautiful as any of the other beaches in Kerala, it is still a very isolated and secluded area. The beach lies between two redstone cliffs. The shore of this beach are shaped in the form of a crescent. 
27. Payyambalam beach - It is located 2 km from the town of Kannur district. The best feature of this beach is its calmness and quiet surroundings. Among the locals, it is a very popular area as a picnic spot but there are some developments to be done in order to make it a desirable tourist attraction. On one end of the beach is a huge cliff protruding towards the sea. The attractions of this beach is a beautiful garden located near the beach and a sculpture of a mother and child. The beach has become more famous after the ad shooting for Worldspace featuring A.R Rahman was shot here. Some of the movies including Maniratnam's Alai Payuthey was shot in this beach.
28. Kanwatheertha beach - Kanwatheertha beach is located 3 kms from Manjeswaram in Kasargod district of Kerala. The main attraction of this beach is a huge area of the beach which looks like a swimming pool. Another attraction here is the Posadigumpe hill which is located many feet above sea level and is a great spot for picnicking.
29. Meenkunnu beach - This beach is located 12 km from Kannur district in Azhikode village. It is yet another less popular and untouched beach. Nevertheless, it is still a spectacular beach on its own. This beach is an extension of the Payyambalam beach.
30. Chavakkad beach - This beach is located 5 km from Guruvayoor town near Thrissur district of Kerala. The beach faces the Arabian Sea and is considered as one of the best beaches of the region. Its shores are lined with coconut palm trees and the atmosphere is pleasant most of the time. One can witness the merging of the sea with the river known as Azhimokam in Kerala. The beach is also famous for its splendid display of mural paintings.
31. Vadanapilly beach - This beach is also located 20 km from the town of Thrissur district. It is a charming stretch of golden sands laced with the lush greenery of palm-coconut groves. 
32. Kozhikode beach - Kozhikode is a major district of Kerala and was once known as a major trading centre of the state. The beach is filled with calm atmosphere, lush greenery, historical sites and tall coconut trees. The sunset view at this beach is also simply mesmerising. The attractions of this beach are an old lighthouse, two piers, which are hundreds of years old and protrude into the sea, a Lions park for the young ones and also a marine water aquarium.
33. Vadakara beach - This beach is known as Vadakara Sand Banks and is located in Kozhikode district of north Kerala. The Kottakkal river merges with the Arabian Sea at this beach and is a splendid sight. The beach is quite famous among locals as well as tourists and is a great place for those who love to watch the sunset.
34. Tanur beach - Tanur beach is an eco-friendly beach which is located in Malappuram district. The beach is close to the fishing town of Tanur. It has some historical significance since in the olden days, it was part of the Portuguese settlements in India. A very old Vishnu temple called Keraladeshpuram is located near this beach.
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