Here are five places to visit in India if you are in need of some beach time.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, off India’s East Coast, are a group of over 500 uninhabited islands. I keep hearing about beautiful beaches, clear waters and lush nature. The islands have been for long inhabited by indigenous groups, but tourism is growing and more and more people are finding the islands.
Visitors are only allowed to some of the islands in the Andaman group and none of the Nicobar Islands. Havelock Island is the most popular with tourists. Foreign visitors need a permit and it allows for a stay of 30 days.
How to get there: fly from Chennai or Kolkata to Port Blair, or take a boat from Chennai (but plan and book in advance, there are a few boats each month and the trip takes days).
East Coast: Chennai, Mahabalipuram, Puducherry
Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) on India’s East Coast, in Tamil Nadu, is a stone-carving center, a temple town, and a beach resort. Famous for its Shore Temple (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) Mahabalipuram seems to have developed from the backpacker hangout it used to be, and there are quality beach resorts around town as well as along the coast between Mahabalipuram and Chennai, and around Puducherry or Pondicherry.
How to get there: Chennai has an international airport. Frequent buses connect Chennai to Mamallapuram and Pondicherry via the East Coast Road.
Goa Beaches
Goa’s beaches are India’s most famous and most popular.
Gokarna Beaches
Gokarna is a good alternative to Goa. It is quieter, cheaper and just down the coast from South Goa. For years Gokarna beaches (Kudle, Om, Half-Moon, and Paradise) attracted backpackers and accommodation were pretty basic, but it is now becoming a more and more popular beach holiday destination and there is even a beach resort on Om Beach.
Kovalam and Varkala in Kerala
Kerala is one of my favourite places in India and one of the most beautiful areas on the country. Kovalam is Kerala’s busiest beach resort, Varkala is quieter. Accommodation ranges from lovely homestays and comfy guesthouses to five star resorts and Ayurvedic spas, the seafood especially in Varkala is delicious, and Kerala has this very special vibe.
How to get there: the nearest airport to Kovalam and Varkala is Trivandrum, some international flights land here but you’re more likely to fly to a major South Indian airport such as Bangalore, and travel to Kerala by train or by bus.Original link
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, off India’s East Coast, are a group of over 500 uninhabited islands. I keep hearing about beautiful beaches, clear waters and lush nature. The islands have been for long inhabited by indigenous groups, but tourism is growing and more and more people are finding the islands.
Visitors are only allowed to some of the islands in the Andaman group and none of the Nicobar Islands. Havelock Island is the most popular with tourists. Foreign visitors need a permit and it allows for a stay of 30 days.
How to get there: fly from Chennai or Kolkata to Port Blair, or take a boat from Chennai (but plan and book in advance, there are a few boats each month and the trip takes days).
East Coast: Chennai, Mahabalipuram, Puducherry
Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) on India’s East Coast, in Tamil Nadu, is a stone-carving center, a temple town, and a beach resort. Famous for its Shore Temple (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) Mahabalipuram seems to have developed from the backpacker hangout it used to be, and there are quality beach resorts around town as well as along the coast between Mahabalipuram and Chennai, and around Puducherry or Pondicherry.
How to get there: Chennai has an international airport. Frequent buses connect Chennai to Mamallapuram and Pondicherry via the East Coast Road.
Goa Beaches
Goa’s beaches are India’s most famous and most popular.
Gokarna Beaches
Gokarna is a good alternative to Goa. It is quieter, cheaper and just down the coast from South Goa. For years Gokarna beaches (Kudle, Om, Half-Moon, and Paradise) attracted backpackers and accommodation were pretty basic, but it is now becoming a more and more popular beach holiday destination and there is even a beach resort on Om Beach.
Kovalam and Varkala in Kerala
Kerala is one of my favourite places in India and one of the most beautiful areas on the country. Kovalam is Kerala’s busiest beach resort, Varkala is quieter. Accommodation ranges from lovely homestays and comfy guesthouses to five star resorts and Ayurvedic spas, the seafood especially in Varkala is delicious, and Kerala has this very special vibe.
How to get there: the nearest airport to Kovalam and Varkala is Trivandrum, some international flights land here but you’re more likely to fly to a major South Indian airport such as Bangalore, and travel to Kerala by train or by bus.Original link
Sign in to leave a comment.