Kovalam and Poovar Coastal Escape — 3 Nights / 4 Days
Three nights is enough to pair two very different stretches of the south coast, busy Kovalam and quiet Poovar, with a Trivandrum heritage morning in between. Poovar's stays sit on an island with no road in, so the last leg is by boat along the golden sand bar where the Neyyar river meets the sea.
About this itinerary
This 3 nights and 4 days package covers two very different stretches of Kerala's south coast, with two nights at Kovalam and one at Poovar. You check in at Kovalam on Day 1 for the Lighthouse Beach sunset, spend Day 2 on a Trivandrum heritage morning, move to Poovar island stay by boat on Day 3, and keep Day 4 for a slow morning before the drop.
The pacing puts the lively stay first and the quiet one last, so the trip winds down rather than up. Padmanabhaswamy Temple restricts entry to Hindus and enforces a dress code at the gate, which we brief you on before the Day 2 morning.
Everything below is included unless it is listed under Add-ons.
Day-by-day itinerary
Every day below can be moved, shortened or swapped. Replanning is free — you only pay the difference in what you change.
- Day 1KovalamArrival day
Kovalam and the Arabian Sea
Trivandrum pickup and check in at Kovalam, then sunset at Lighthouse Beach.
The highlight of this day is sunset from below the Vizhinjam lighthouse, with the fishing boats coming in.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleTransfer duration: About 40 minsStay: Kovalam - Day 2KovalamSightseeing
Trivandrum Heritage Morning
A Trivandrum city round covering Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Kuthiramalika Palace and the Napier Museum, with the afternoon free on the beach.
The highlight of this day is Kuthiramalika Palace, with 122 carved wooden horses running along the eaves.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleStay: KovalamBreakfast included - Day 3PoovarTransfer day
Poovar: Boat Transfer to the Island Stay
Drive to Poovar and take the boat across to the island stay, then cruise the estuary and the golden sand bar where the Neyyar river meets the sea.
The highlight of this day is arriving at your stay by boat, because there is no road in at all.
Transfer: Private AC vehicle and boatTransfer duration: About 40 mins by road, then boatStay: PoovarBreakfast included - Day 4Departure
Departure
A morning at the stay, then the boat out and the drop at Trivandrum.
The highlight of this day is a relaxed final morning before the transfer, with no early checkout rush.
Transfer: Private AC vehicleTransfer duration: About 1 hr 15 mins, after the boat outBreakfast included
Hotels on this package
Rooms are held on twin sharing with daily breakfast. Switch the category to see the properties it puts you in — the tab you pick here also sets the price shown at the top of the page and on the enquiry form.
The base category — comfortable, well-run properties in walkable locations, picked for reliable power, water and staff more than for the view.
| Stop | Nights | Standard category | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kovalam | 2 | Hotel Beach Flora Inn | |
| Poovar | 1 | Antalaya Island Resort |
Notes
- This package is available with or without flights. To add flights or trains, call us for current fares.
- Customization option is available.
- Extra bed, child with or without bed, and single supplement are quoted separately.
- Quoted on the Bed and Breakfast (BB) plan: room with daily breakfast, twin sharing, land only. A full meal plan (MAP) or all-inclusive (AP) plan can be arranged on request. Any meal not listed for a day, including on the arrival day, is on request and payable directly.
- The room category and meal plan stay open, so you can decide them at the time of booking. Floating cottage and island stay upgrades at Poovar are available.
- Entry to Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Trivandrum is restricted to Hindus and a dress code is enforced at the gate. These rules are set by the temple authority and can change, so we brief you before the Day 2 morning.
- The Poovar stay sit on an island with no road in, so the last leg on Day 3 and the first leg on Day 4 are by boat.
Popular add-ons
Priced per person unless noted, and added to your quote only if you want them. Everything below can also be booked on the ground once you are there.
| Add-on | Price | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Ayurveda spa | ₹999/- onwards | Kovalam — Day 1 or 2 |
| Yoga sessions | ₹999/- onwards | Kovalam — Day 1 or 2 |
What’s included
Included
- Hotel or resort stay on twin sharing, BB (CP) plan: room plus daily breakfast
- Private AC vehicle for all transfers as per the itinerary
- Airport or railway station pickup and drop
- Experienced local driver cum guide who knows the routes
- All fuel, toll, parking, inter-state permit and driver allowance
- Sightseeing as per itinerary
- Houseboat night on full board: welcome drink, lunch, evening tea with snacks, dinner and next-morning breakfast, which is standard practice on Kerala houseboats
- 24x7 on-ground assistance from the trip2keralam team in Kerala.
Not included
- Air and rail fare
- Lunch and dinner except where houseboat full board is stated
- Any site, ride or activity not named in the day-by-day itinerary, including wildlife safaris, bamboo rafting and adventure activities
- Ayurveda treatments and spa unless listed, camera fees, tips and personal expenses
- Extra bed, child with or without bed, and single supplement, all quoted separately
- Travel insurance
- Early check-in and late check-out beyond standard hotel timings
- GST as applicable on tour packages
- Anything not mentioned under inclusions
Good to know before you book
- 50% of the package amount confirms the booking. The balance is due before departure or on arrival.
- Prices are per person on twin sharing, land only, and do not include air or rail fare. Adding flights or trains will move the price up.
- Rates move during peak dates: 20 December to 5 January, Onam, Christmas, New Year, festive holidays and long weekends.
- Quoted rates hold for the hotel category confirmed at booking. Room and meal plan upgrades are re-quoted.
- Standard hotel check-in is around 2 PM and check-out by 11 AM or 12 noon. Early check-in and late check-out depend on availability and are not guaranteed.
- Guests must carry a valid government photo ID at every hotel. Foreign nationals must carry a passport and visa.
- Houseboats stop cruising by evening and anchor for the night, as required by Kerala government rules, with air-conditioning running for fixed night hours. This is standard across all operators.
- The itinerary may be re-sequenced on the ground for weather, traffic, forest department closures or temple and festival restrictions. Inclusions stay the same.
- Entry rules and dress codes at temples, and permit rules inside forest areas, are set by the authority concerned and are not within our control.
- Costs arising from events beyond our control, including hartals, floods, landslides, roadblocks and other natural calamities, and from any delay or change they force, are borne by the guest and are not refundable.
- The vehicle is provided as per the itinerary. It is not at disposal for unplanned running.
Cancellation and Payments
- Payment by bank wire transfer to our account. Confirmation follows receipt.
- Confirmed dates may be changed, shortened or cancelled with 30 days' written notice to the company, subject to availability.
- Eligible refunds are processed to the original bank account within a reasonable period after cancellation. Bank or wire transfer charges are deducted from the refunded amount.
- Inside 30 days, the reservation cannot be changed, postponed or cancelled, and the package amount is retained in full.
- No-shows are not eligible for any refund.
- No credit is given for unused nights or an early departure.
- Peak-date bookings (20 December to 5 January) may carry stricter hotel cancellation terms, which we confirm at the time of booking.
Traveller reviews — 4.9 average from 412 trips
Questions about this package
How do I get a quote for the Kovalam and Poovar Coastal Escape?
Send us your travel dates, the number of travellers and your room preference, and our team in Kerala shares a custom quote on twin sharing, land only, on BB (CP). Rates move during peak dates: 20 December to 5 January, Onam, Christmas, New Year and long weekends, so it helps to ask early.
What is included in the price?
Hotel stay on twin sharing with daily breakfast, a private AC vehicle for all transfers and sightseeing, all fuel, toll, parking, permits and driver allowance, airport or railway station pickup and drop, entry tickets and ride charges for everything named in the day-by-day itinerary, and 24x7 on-ground assistance from our team in Kerala. Air and rail fare, lunch and dinner, and anything not named in the day-by-day itinerary are not included.
Can anyone enter Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Trivandrum?
No. Entry is restricted to Hindus and a dress code is enforced at the gate. We brief you on both before the Day 2 morning so nobody is turned away. These rules are set by the temple authority, not by us, and they can change, so treat what we tell you at booking as the current position rather than a permanent one.
How far is Poovar from Kovalam?
About half an hour further south. Poovar is where the Neyyar river, the backwater and the sea meet, and the hotels/resorts sit on an island with no road in, so the last leg is by boat. That is the reason the two stays feel nothing alike even though they are close together.
What is the golden sand bar at Poovar?
A strip of sand that separates the backwater from the Arabian Sea. The estuary cruise on Day 3 runs along it, so you have still water on one side and open sea on the other. It is the part of this trip guests talk about afterwards.
Can this itinerary be customised?
Yes. Customization option is available. The room category and meal plan stay open, upgrades to deluxe, 4-star or premium, to a floating cottage or island stay at Poovar, and to MAP or AP, are re-quoted. The package works with or without flights.
How do I book, and can I cancel?
50% of the package amount confirms the booking, and the balance is due before departure or on arrival. Payment is by bank wire transfer to our account. Dates may be changed, shortened or cancelled with 30 days' written notice, subject to availability. Inside 30 days the package amount is retained in full.
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Want this trip on your dates?
- The same day-by-day plan, priced for your dates and hotel category
- Your houseboat blocked the moment your trip is confirmed
- Free replanning — swap Thekkady for Kumarakom, add nights, upgrade the boat