The region around Thiruvananthapuram is rich in day trip options. Kovalam, the famous beach resort with its crescent of sand and lighthouse, is 16 km south and easily reached by taxi or auto. Varkala, with its distinctive cliff beach and backpacker ambiance, is about 50 km north — comfortable as a day trip or a two-day excursion. Kollam (Quilon) is about 70 km north on the coast, the southern gateway to the Kerala backwaters.
Destinations
Day Trips from Thiruvananthapuram
01
Kovalam
Kerala beach town of three rocky coves, fishing boats, and cliffside restaurants south of Thiruvananthapuram.
02
Varkala
Kerala cliff-top beach town where Hindu pilgrimage sites share red laterite bluffs above the Arabian Sea
03
Kollam
Historic Malabar Coast port and cashew centre, serving as Kerala's southern backwater gateway.