Kovalam is small enough to walk. The main beach strip — from Samudra in the north to the lighthouse in the south — takes about 20 minutes on foot along the coastal path, and the three beaches are connected by the cliff path and by the main road behind. Most guesthouses are within five minutes' walk of Lighthouse Beach.
Autorickshaws are the main local transport and wait at the main entrance to Lighthouse Beach. Fares for short hops within Kovalam are ₹50–80; to Vizhinjam village it's around ₹80. Negotiate before you get in, or ask the driver to use the meter (which they may decline to do for short tourist trips).
To Thiruvananthapuram, the bus is the cheapest option: local buses (114A, 114E) run from the Kovalam bus stand near the entrance to the beach road. The KSRTC fare to East Fort or the railway station is around ₹25. Autorickshaws to the city centre cost ₹350–400 and take 30–40 minutes; taxis cost more. Uber and Ola work once you get back into the city zone.
Rented scooters and motorcycles are available from several shops near the beach entrance and are the best way to explore the surrounding coast — Poovar Island to the south and the Neyyar Dam wildlife area to the east are both easier to reach independently. International licences are technically required but rarely checked.
Bicycles can be rented cheaply and work well for the immediate Kovalam area, though the road north to Thiruvananthapuram is too busy and fast for pleasant cycling.