South India has some beautiful beaches that offer an exciting range of adventure sport activities like scuba diving, water skiing and wind surfing. Blissful sound of waves crashing onto the rocky shores, the azure sky and complete solitude -- South Indian beaches are the ultimate destination for travel lovers.
And of course, the wide variety of scrumptious sea food available here are to die for. Apart from this, Ayurvedic spas and massage parlours will provide you the complete opportunity to relax and enjoy your holiday. As you soak up the sun while sipping on some heavenly cocktails, you will realise that the beauty of nature has no measure. City Express takes a look at some of the popular beaches of South India.
Om Beach
The natural beauty, heavenly surroundings and the sand washed shores are what makes Om beach one of the famous beaches of South India. Om beach is situated in Gokarna, a small place in Karnataka which is about three hours from Goa. The beach got its name from two semi-crescent shapes joined together resembling the Hindu religious symbol. People from all over the world visit this beach. When City Express visited Om Beach, we found a large presence of the Italian and Spanish population. In fact, there are small cafes near the beach which are run by European owners. Today, Om beach has become home to a majority of them. Water sports like surfing, water-skiing, parasailing, and banana boat rides will surely spike your adrenaline. Besides, one can enjoy Ayurvedic massages too.
Alleppey Beach
Kerala is well known as a tourist destination and talking about the best beaches in South India, it will be unfair if we do not include Alleppey beach in the district of Alappuzha. The beach that is densely populated with the swaying palm groves boasts of beautiful lakes, lagoons and several water crisscrosses. The boat races and the relaxed houseboat are the main attractions here. Water sport activities like surfing, para sailing, swimming are also available.
Promenade Beach
This is one of the prime attractions in Pondicherry. The beach runs parallel to a 1.5 km stretch long road. There are statues of personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, Dupleix(Joseph Francois Dupleix) and Joan of Arcin near the beach. There is also a War Memorial, the Heritage Town hall, the Old Light House, the tourist information centre, the Old Customs House that stand opposite to the beach. This beach gives a vivid picture of the rich heritage that Pondicherry had in the past. Although there is no scope for the visitors to enjoy the water due to the presence of rocks, it is the place to hang out with your friends and take long walks. The crowd towards the evening is astonishing as everybody wants to get a glimpse of the beach during that time.
Kovalam Beach
Another beach in the state of Kerala that stands out is Kovalam Beach. The nomenclature is derived from a small village in Kerala by the name of Kovalam which signifies a grove of coconut trees. Situated on the Malabar coast in Kerala the blue waters of the Arabian sea attracts a large number of crowds all throughout the year. Although surfing and para sailing, are not allowed here due to high tides, one can see people swimming and sunbathing throughout the day.
Malpe Beach
The Malpe beach is a natural port located in Udupi, Karnataka. The golden brown sand and turquoise blue waters aligned with palm trees is a ultimate hub for beach lovers.