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Photo: Akhilan, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The old lighthouse, at the southern beach is a local landmark, for being one of the oldest lighthouses of Kerala, guiding ships to the nearby Vizhnjam port. The lighthouse can be visited 3-5PM daily.
Vizhinjam Lighthouse or Trivandrum Lighthouse is situated near Kovalam beach in Kerala. It started functioning on 30 June 1972. Vizhinjam was a busy seaport in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Before the current light was installed, there were no lighthouses at this location. A day mark beacon must have been there in 18th century. After 19th century, this port was in a neglected state. A lighted beacon was constructed in 1925 at nearby Kolachal. Subsequently, a day mark beacon was provided at Vizhinjam during 1960.
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The largest and southernmost beach of Kovalam, known for its 35-m-high lighthouse which towers over it atop Kurumkal hillock. Most of the foreigners stay on Lighthouse Beach. Many hotels, restaurants, lodges and shops are here. There are some vendors on the beach, but they are not too pushy.
The second-largest beach of Kovala, and it takes less than five minutes to walk from Lighthouse Beach. It is named for the topless European women who used to throng there. It was the first topless beach in India, although topless bathing is banned now.
The northernmost crescent, usually crowded on weekends. It is very popular with the locals, day-travellers, and passing-by tourist buses. During the week it's quiet. A large promontory separates this part from the southern side. Samudra Beach doesn't have tourists thronging there or hectic business. The local fishermen ply their trade on this part.
The Tamil-style koil is known for the 18 m tall Gangadhareshwara sculpture, the tallest Shiva sculpture in Kerala.