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Honey Moon Masti &
Romance
People generally don't come all the way to India just to
laze on a beach - but there are some superb beaches if
you're in the mood for a beach holiday in India. On the
West Coast, at the southern end of Kerala, there's Kovalam and Varkala; farther north, Goa has a whole
collection of beautiful beaches complete with soft white
sand, gentle lapping waves and swaying palms. If you
find these a little overcommercialised then head of the
tiny ex-Portugueses island of Diu & Daman off the
southern coast of Saurashtra (Gujarat), or to southern
Karnataka, where the ex-Goa crowd are now throwing down
their bedrolls. Over on the East Coast you could try the
beach at Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu. In Orissa the beach
gopalpur on sea is clean and quiet. While they're not
easy accessible, come of the beaches in the andamans are
straight out of a holiday brochure - white coral sand,
gin-clear water and multicolored fish and corals. The
beaches of Lakshadweep, a series of coral atolls off the
West Coast, are pristine, but also accessible to those
with money to spare.
KERALA BEACHES
:
Kerala beaches may be take a backseat because of
the backwaters, but entire 900-km length of the Kerala
coast is lined with sandy beaches, rocky promontories
and coconut palms that
definitely
merit a visit in every tourist itinerary. Touring the
beach sites of Kovalam can make any beach holiday a
delightful one, as Kerala's beaches are renowned for the
gentle surf and blue waters. Beach travel has never
before been so exciting!
Kovalam Beach
Kovalam village is small village situated on the Malabar
Coast along the Kerala shoreline. This sleepy town
suddenly caught the attention of tourists from all over
the world when its fabulous beaches were discovered.
Kovalam beach can be divided into three parts. The most
popular among the three beaches is the southern most
known as the Lighthouse Beach. Middle one is called
Hawah, which acts as a base for the local fisherman
every morning. The northern most beach, Samudra, is
least affected of all by the changing times and the
tourist inflow.
Situated on the Malabar Coast along the Kerala shoreline is a small
village of Kovalam. This quiet town of Kovalam came on
the tourist map, when its beautiful and secluded beaches
were discovered.
Today Kovalam has become one of the most popular beach
hangouts in India. Kovalam means a grove of coconut
trees and truly the coconut trees along the beaches
gives it a ravishing look.
Locales
Surrounding Kovalam
The palm-fringed bays of Kovalam in secluded coconut
groves, promise a relaxed stay. The unforgettable image
of Kovalam is that of the coconut-palms-lined high rock
promontory that cuddles the calm and wide expanse of the
blue waters. This marvelous beach is a tourist's dream
come true.
BEACHES IN GOA
: Anjuna Beach
With its fluorescent painted palm trees and infamous
full moon parties, Anjuna, 8-km west of Mapusa, is Goa
at its most "alternative". Since the 7o's the one reason
that lure the people to visit this beach is the dancing
and lying on the beach slurping tropical fruit. While
browsing in the area have a day trip to the famous flea
market
With its fluorescent painted palm trees and full moon
parties, Anjuna Beach, 8-km west

of Mapusa, is one of the most popular beaches of Goa.
Most people's reasons for coming to Anjuna are the same
as they were in the 1970s: dancing and lying on the
beach slurping tropical fruit. While browsing in the
area have a day trip to the famous flea market of Anjuna,
a major shopping hangout, beside the beach.
Anjuna attracts a variety of tourists touring Goa, and
the crowd includes from the happy go lucky kinds to
overlanders, monks, defiant ex-hippies, gentle lunatics,
artists, artisans, seers, searchers etc. Even those
particular kinds of tourists who prefer to travel within
the limit of their tour itinerary, cannot resist
visiting this charming beach site.
Tropical Sights Of Anjuna Beach
Bathing is generally safer at Anjuna than at most of the
nearby resorts, especially at the more peaceful southern
end of the beach, where a rocky headland keeps the sea
calm and the undertow to a minimum. Taking long walks
under the moon on the silver sands of this beach is
something that any visitor would love to do at Anjuna,
beside the favourite pastime of watching the sun going
down.
At the north of the Anjuna Flea market ground, the beach
area broadens, running in an uninterrupted kilometre
long stretch of steeply shelving sand to a low red
cliff. The village bus park lies on top of this high
ground, where small cafes, bars and Kashmiri handicraft
stalls are lined, making a perfect hangout zone near the
beach site. Every lunch hour, tour parties from Panjim
also pull-up in here for a beer, before heading home
again, leaving the localities and tired tourists to
watch the sunset peacefully and relax a bit.
Visiting Time
The tourist season in Anjuna starts in early November,
when most of the long staying regulars show up. During
the Christmas and New Year rush, the village and beach
site is busy with a mixed crowd of round the world
backpackers and tourists from all over India, attracted
by the promise of the big beach parties.
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