There’s nothing quite like getting away from the hustle and bustle of city life for some real time-out relaxing on white, powdery sand beaches, soaking up the sun's rays, dipping your toes in the sea, building a sandcastle, having an adventurous ride on a jet ski or simply unwinding with a good book and dozing off in a hammock. A good beach holiday is the perfect antidote to our stressed out lifestyles.
Choose from beach holidays close to home and uncover some of India’s best-kept coastal secrets – visit secluded coves, heritage-listed coastlines and award-winning seaside resorts. Odyssey Travels brings to you a few of India’s best beach getaways.
Benaulim-Colva Beach (South Goa)
The tranquil, unspoilt beaches of South Goa, spotless and scattered with beautiful shells are perfect destinations if you are looking for ample solitude. The most important beaches in South Goa are Benaulim & Colva which are dotted with some of Goa’s best resorts.
Benaulim & Colva Beach:
Benaulim Beach, situated less than 2 kms south of Colva, promises a serene and calm vacation to its visitors. The best thing about Benaulim is that it is still rather undiscovered by domestic tourists even though it’s recognized for its fishing industry. With shimmering sands and immaculate water this beach is littered with wooden boats that add to the beauty of the Benaulim.
The silvery sands of the Colva beach stretch over a distance of about 24kms, making it one of the longest beaches in the world. Colva is perfect to perform water sports like Jet Skiing, snorkeling, Swimming, Dolphin Spotting, speed boat riding, etc.
For couples, a leisurely walk along these beaches in the moonlight can be an utterly romantic experience. There are no better beaches in Goa if you want to just laze and take in the picturesque beauty of the place.
Best place to stay:
Taj Exotica
Set amidst fifty-six acres of lush gardens, Taj Exotica is a Mediterranean-style resort overlooking the Arabian Sea. The hotel offers 140 elegantly designed and tastefully furnished rooms. The hotel is subtly split between the main block containing 31 sea view rooms and a number of villas located in the gardens, some with private pools. The hotel also has an excellent range of facilities including a golf course, spa, swimming pool, and evening entertainment.
Kovalam Beach (Kerala)
Located 16 km from Thiruvananthapuram, Kovalam is made up of three coves—Hawa Beach, Lighthouse Beach and Samudra Beach. Kovalam is an internationally renowned beach and has been a favourite haunt of tourists, especially Europeans since the 1930s. The palm-fringed bays of Kovalam in secluded coconut groves, promise a relaxed stay. Besides sitting and getting a lovely tan at the beach, there are several other leisure options at this beach like catamaran cruise, herbal body toning massages, sunbathing, swimming, special cultural programmes etc. When you have enough of aquatics, you can explore the handicrafts, jewellery & cloth shops spread along the waterfront and of course relish the delightful seafood fare including lobsters available at the beach-side restaurants of Kovalam.
Best place to stay:
The Leela
Perched on a cliff-top and nestled among gently swaying palms with a sandy bay below, this resort offers panoramic views of the famous Kovalam coastline. Just a short distance from Trivandrum International Airport, the rooms at the hotel come with private balconies offering stunning views of the Arabian Sea or the property’s sprawling gardens. The 182 room suites are dotted over many verdant acres and offer delicious dining & entertainment options.
Bekal Beach (Kerala)
Bekal, a mesmerizing beach holiday destination, is located 14 kilometers off Kasargod in Kerala. Marked as the only Special Tourism Area by the Indian Government, Bekal is fast emerging as a global beach destination. Centuries old Fort, virgin beaches and pristine backwaters are the key attractions here. The beach is a pleasant beauty especially in the evening when the sun emits its golden rays lighting up the sky till it slowly sinks into the sea. The landmark of the beach is its ancient fort which spreads across 35 acres of land and is also one of the largest forts in Kerala. The view of the blue Lakshadweep Sea and the beach from the tall observation tower is breathtaking.
Best place to stay:
The LaLiT Resort & Spa
Surrounded by the beautiful backwaters of Kerala, The Lalit Resort & Spa Bekal is less than 2 km from downtown Bekal and 75 kms from Mangalore Airport. Spread over 26 acres of gardens, the resort provides Ayurvedic treatments, yoga facilities and luxurious rooms with hot tubs. It’s surrounded by a natural backwater from three sides and has internal lagoons, meander though the property. The LaLiT Resort & Spa Bekal is the only Spa Resort that allows kids to accompany parents.
Pondicherry (Tamil Nadu)
A Tamil culture with a strong French flavor and a cosmopolitan flair of many nationalities makes Pondicherry a happening destination for travelers worldwide. Largely unexplored, the turquoise blue waters in Pondicherry are treasure troves for all those who desperately seek seclusion and solitude. The 1500 meter long beach that borders the town on the eastern side is clean and is an ideal place for sunbathing, swimming or simply strolling on the golden sands. Pondicherry beaches are gifted with many backwater lagoons & estuaries and vast stretch of swaying palms. The most famous beaches in Pondicherry include the Paradise Beach or the Pondicherry beach, Serenity Beach, Karaikal Beach, Auroville beach, Mahe Beach and the backwaters at Chunnambar. The breathtaking vision of the sunset and the exhilarating vision dawn and the gleaming sand under a morning sun brings in liveliness and radiance to the beaches. Veerampattinam Festival and Masi Magam are some of the festivals celebrated by the general people on the beaches.
Best place to stay:
Le Dupleix
Imbibing Tamil elements into French architecture, Le Dupleix is an opulent heritage property. The building is an 18th century French colonial era villa built originally for the Mayor of Pondicherry and has been beautifully restored and modernized with designer elements. Affording 14 luxurious rooms, the hotel offers all possible amenities and also offers a dedicated service to give guests the needed attention. The striking feature of this heritage hotel is its courtyard dining venue where guests can relish on the World cuisine under the stars, complemented with the soothing sound of the water, flowing from the granite fountain. The Governor's Lounge Bar is a nice place to enjoy beverages.
Karwar Beach (Karnataka)
Located about 15 km away from south of Karnataka-Goa border and 519 km north-west of Bangalore, Karwar is regarded as the administrative headquarters of Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka. Karwar’s mesmerizing beauty is said to have inspired the famous poet Rabindranath Tagore to pen his first drama. The tranquil ambience, the scintillating waves, swaying palm leaves and acres of golden beach offers a perfect holiday destination for tourists looking for a retreat in Karwar. The Sadashivgad Fort Hill, the Durga temple, the 300 year old Venkataramana Temple having some fine paintings of ochre and the unique octagonal church are the major attractions of this place.
Best place to stay:
Devbagh Beach Resort
Devbagh Beach Resort is located in the converging landscape in northern Karnataka along the Karwar and Goa border. It has furnished log huts-on-stilts and a local gazebo called the Gol Ghar, in the midst of a dense casuarinas grove. The resort has eight log cabins, six fishermen huts and four cottages that have attached baths. The resort is mainly popular because it is considered to be a bird watcher’s heaven and lucky visitors can even go hunting for crabs or looking for jackals in the night. If you love adventures, Devbagh offers a host of exciting water sports such as parasailing, snorkeling, speedboat cruises, banana boat rides, water scooter and kayaking.
Havelock Islands (Andaman & Nicobar)
Named after Henry Havelock, a British colonial time General in the region, Havelock is the Andaman’s star attraction. The Havelock Island is approximately 55 kilometers northeast of the capital city of Port Blair with around two to three departures daily from Port Blair to the island. The five main villages featuring their own unique beaches are Govinda Nagar, Radha Nagar, Bejoy Nagar, Shyam Nagar & Krishna Nagar. Among these Radha Nagar beach is the best of the lot having been rated by the coveted TIME magazine as the best beach in Asia back in 2004. The island is renowned for its greenish blue water, white sandy beaches and coral reefs including marine creatures such as turtles, dolphins, etc. The best way to explore this paradise is on foot, discovering the various beaches, shacks and shopping places. If you wish to explore the marine flora and fauna up close and personal, then opt for SCUBA expeditions which are available for every appetite, beginner, intermediate and experienced at exceedingly reasonable prices.
Best place to stay:
Barefoot at Havelock
Barefoot at Havelock is a complete eco-friendly resort located right next to the beautiful Beach No. 7 (Radhanagar Beach). The resort comprises 18 beautifully designed cottages that are hidden among 7 acres of grounds, their hardwood walls and conical thatch roofs blending into the tropical foliage. The barefoot philosophy means a minimal footprint, so only indigenous materials are used, rainwater is harvested and most of the staff is local. It is by no means a resort where you head for Maldivian style luxury or service, but for those who want to be more down to earth. Barefoot at Havelock is perfect if you are looking for an unpretentious hideaway in one of the world’s last undeveloped tropical islands as it’s totally cut off from the rest of the world: no television, newspapers, internet or (sometimes) telephone. The resort offers complimentary snorkeling and activities like scuba diving (the coral reefs are full of tropical fish, turtles, barracuda, rays, Napoleon fish and the elusive dugong), nature walks, bird watching, yoga and massages.
About Odyssey Travels
Odyssey Travels is a leading IATA accredited Travel Company, established in 1992. We specialize in planning customized holidays in India and abroad for our clients which includes air ticketing, worldwide hotel reservations, inclusive tours, sightseeing activities, visa assistance & travel insurance services. We offer complete family holidays from beach vacations to customized tour packages. For further information or to make a booking contact 020-66442929 or visit http://www.odysseytravels.net/