I visited Kovalam in February, 2015.
Kovalam is a beach town on the Arabian Sea located around 16 km from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Kovalam means a grove of coconut trees and true to its name the village offers an endless sight of coconut trees. Kovalam has three beaches separated by rocky outcroppings in its 17 km coastline, these 3 together form the crescent of the Kovalam beach.
It is one of the very rare CLEAN beaches in Kerala. Clean water and sky view along with beautiful Lighthouse are sure to put you at peace. While strolling down the beach, be sure to visit the lighthouse and enjoy the spectacular view it can deliver(especially during the sun rise or sun set) and avoid afternoons as there is a break time at the lighthouse and the flooring gets too hot as well.
There are plenty of restaurants, shopping markets all along the way. But be sure to choose wisely and not settle for the first one you see. All sorts of world cuisines are also available(but expensive as well).
Unlike Goa, the beach shacks closes at around 9 and all the street lights are switched off too. Always be alert of souvenir vendors as they may outcast you if you’re not a foreigner.