Kovalam & Varkala Beach Events near Trivandrum

Kovalam and Varkala are the two beach towns where Thiruvananthapuram's seaside events happen, and both run on a season that lasts roughly from November to March. Kovalam, about 13 km from the city centre, is the closer one: three beaches under the Vizhinjam Lighthouse, a promenade of restaurants and bars with live music in season, resorts that host conferences, weddings and ticketed parties, and the Kerala Arts and Crafts Village at Vellar for craft bazaars and music festivals. The Kovalam Marathon runs along this coast, most recently on 13 September 2026. Varkala, about 50 km north and under an hour by train, is younger and looser: cafes along the North Cliff put on open mics, acoustic sets and fire shows, yoga and surf schools run courses and retreats, and the town doubles as a pilgrimage centre, with the Sivagiri pilgrimage from 30 December to 1 January and ancestral rites on Papanasam Beach at Karkidaka Vavu. Both towns peak between Christmas and New Year. From June to August the sea is rough, many beach businesses close and events move indoors or stop. This page lists live music, retreats, workshops, sports events and parties at Kovalam, Varkala and the beaches in between.