Rock-Cut Temple

Kovalam


Amid neatly tended, banyan-shaded grounds 500m north of Vizhinjam harbour, this small shrine is one of Kerala's most ancient rock-cut temples. A sculpture of Dakshinamurthy is flanked by unfinished reliefs of Shiva as Nataraja (with Parvati) and Tripurantaka (carrying a bow and arrow), all believed to date from the 8th century.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Kovalam attractions

1. Vizhinjam

0.51 MILES

About 1km south of Kovalam's Lighthouse Beach, Vizhinjam village has a busy harbour from where fishing boats head out each day, along with one of Kerala's…

2. Vizhinjam Marine Research Aquarium

0.52 MILES

About 500m northwest of Kovalam's lighthouse, this small series of tanks displays fish from Kerala's waters, including lionfish and eels.

3. Vizhinjam Lighthouse

0.79 MILES

Kovalam's most distinguishing feature is the working candy-striped lighthouse at the southern end of Lighthouse Beach. Climb the spiral staircase – or zip…

4. Lighthouse Beach

0.93 MILES

A powdery stretch of gold-and-black sand, Kovalam's main beach is notable for the candy-striped lighthouse at its southern end.

5. Hawa Beach

1.18 MILES

Popular with domestic day trippers, Hawa Beach is a busy sandy strand just north of Lighthouse Beach.

6. Samudra Beach

1.53 MILES

Around the headland north of Hawa Beach, Samudra's sandy blonde expanse is overlooked by a gold-and-green mosque and the five-star Leela resort.

7. Mosque

1.57 MILES

Painted in gold, cream and lime green, this modern mosque sits on Samudra Beach.

8. Puthe Maliga Palace Museum

7.56 MILES

Overlooking the Shri Padmanabhaswamy Temple tank, the opulent 18th-century palace of the Travancore maharajas is a classically Keralan world of…