Poovar

Known for its clean golden sandy beach, Poovar is a small village located about 27 km southeast of Thiruvananthapuram and 17 km southeast of Kovalam. The clean and relatively unexplored beach with serene backwaters is the highlight of the town. Located at the mouth of the Neyyar River, the village is home to a fishing community. It is a great destination for tourists to learn about the local culture while spending their days leisurely in the beautiful natural surroundings.

 

The most popular place to visit is the Poovar Beach which separates the sea from the Neyyar River. With very few tourists present, it is an excellent place for those who long for solitude. Beach activities and water sports are not available on the beach due to fishing population. One can go on a cruise to a neighboring village from Poovar. Surrounded by tranquil waters, the most famed natural feature in Poovar is the estuary adjacent to Poovar Island. The silence on the beach is broken only by the birds and the waves hitting the golden beach.

Poovar has abundant flora and fauna. It is also known for its spice plantations, coconut and banana groves. The best time to visit Poovar is from August to March. The village and the region around it have a pleasant tropical climate with moderate temperatures during the summer and winter months. The village can be easily accessed from Thiruvananthapuram by hiring a boat. A house-boat, Canoe or Motor-Boat can also be hired to explore the village.

Poovar has had strong ties with erstwhile princely state of Travancore, especially with Martanda Varma Maharaja. During his exile, Martanda Varma Maharaja landed in Poovar. A rich businessman of Poovar, Moosa Marikar, gave asylum to the King and later helped him regain his throne as well. During his exile from his kingdom, the King saw carpet of red flowers that had fallen from Kovala trees on the Neyyar River. According to legend, the King named the stream as ‘Poovar’ because he described it as a ‘Poo-Aar’, which means a stream of flowers.

There are mid-range and budget hotels situated along the Poovar-Neyyatinkara Road. Thiruvananthapuram boasts of many budget, mid-range and luxury hotels. There are several multi-cuisine restaurants that serve local, Tamil, Chinese and North Indian cuisine. Kerala and Tamil cuisine are known for their liberal use of coconut. Don’t forget to try the fish delicacies. The best time to visit Poovar is between the months of August and March.