This is the fourth part in the series of articles on our trip to Kerala. It was the Day 5 of our trip and we started from Alleppey to reach Kovalam. The distance from Alleppey to Kovalam is around 170 kms and can be covered in 4-5 hours.

Enroute Kovalam, one can find the famous Jatayu Earth centre.

Jatayu Earth Centre:

It is the largest Bird sculpture in the world. It is said that this center was built at the same place where the Jatayu fell after its fight with Ravana according to the Ramayana. It is situated on the hilltop and can be accessed either through cable cars or by steps. There are around 826 steps which takes one to the top of the center.

We reached there to see the wonder sculpture of Jatayu. However, on that day, the cable cars were under maintenance, and we had the only other option of taking the steps route. Since, we were running short of time and had other plans, we gave it a miss that day. However, one must definitely go and visit the place. Also, the place offers many adventure activities catering to the fun-loving enthusiasts.

After our brief halt at the Jatayu Centre, we proceeded with our journey to the Kovalam and reached there around late afternoon. Our resort was adjacent to the beach, and we checked into it.

We quickly freshened up and decided to visit the famous Azhimala Siva. This had always been on our bucket list. The Azhimala temple is just a 10-to-15-minute drive from the Kovalam beach.

Azhimala shiva temple:

The temple has a good connectivity through public transport and is easily accessible. Parking facility is available in the temple premises. The temple is built in the architectural style of Tamil Nādu and adjacent to it, stands the tallest shiva statue of Kerala at 58 ft. The temple looked colorful with all the images of Ganesha, Vishnu, Ayyappan etc. adorned on its walls.

Gangadhareshwara statue:

The statue is sculpted by P.S.Devadathan and it shows the brilliance of his work. The sculpture with its backdrop of blue sky and green sea offers a mesmerizing view to the visitors. The sculpture depicts Lord Shiva in a seated posture. The statue shows four arms of Shiva, with the front right hand resting on the lap, front left hand in a raised position, the back right hand holding a Damru and the back left hand holding a Trishul. The shiva statue is adorned with Goddess Ganga, moon and a snake, everything perfected in detail.

Kovalam beach:

After our visit to Azhimala, we went back to the beach. The Kovalam beach is a beautiful one with sprawling tourists till late hours. One can go for shopping in the various shops located near the beach. All types of eateries are available, serving right from the local dishes to the international cuisines. The nights at Kovalam get lively with all the music playing at its various restaurants. At the corner of the beach, there is a light house which offers a clear view of the surroundings. The famous Poovar island can be witnessed from there.

The beach offers all sorts of activities for the adventure junkies. After spending our time leisurely by enjoying the calmness of the beach and having a delicious meal at the restaurant, we retreated back to our room and had a great sleep.

Based on the time available, one can go and explore the Poovar island too which is nearby Kovalam beach. It offers a tranquil experience away from the hustle bustle of the city life. One can enjoy a boat ride in the backwaters. There are resorts available here and the floating cottages offer a different staying experience. One must definitely give it a shot. We were less on time and so couldn’t go there. We reserved it for our next visit to Kerala.

We ended our Kovalam trip with a lot of beautiful memories and looked forward to our next day.

• Stay at Kovalam: Jeevan beach resort
• Kovalam/Vizhingjam Lighthouse timings: 10 am to 12:30 pm and 2 to 5 pm
• Jatayu Earth centre timings: 10 am to 5 pm
• Nearby places to visit: Varkala