Plan your trip · Kovalam
What's on in Kovalam
Upcoming festivals, fairs and events in Kovalam — plan your visit around them, then check the best time to visit.
Nothing dated is confirmed for Kovalam right now, so here is the year instead — the fixtures that come round annually, and what each one means for a visit.
The year in Kovalam
Kovalam's calendar works around the monsoon — the big outdoor events sit either side of it, and the wettest weeks are the quietest ones for anything held in the open. Broadly, Oct – Mar is when visiting is most comfortable here, and that is when the calendar is busiest — which also means accommodation is most expensive and books furthest ahead.
Most of these follow lunar calendars and move by weeks from year to year, so treat the windows below as the season rather than the date, and confirm the year’s dates before you book around one.
Across Kerala
Onam
🗓️ August–SeptemberTen days of flower carpets, feasting on a banana-leaf sadya, and snake-boat races on the backwaters.
Planning: The state effectively stops for it; book houseboats and trains well ahead.
Nationwide
Diwali
🗓️ October–NovemberThe biggest holiday of the year — lamps, sweets, fireworks and a week of visiting family. Cities are lit up and markets stay open late.
Holi
🗓️ MarchColoured powder and water, thrown at anyone within reach, mostly through the morning.
Navratri and Dussehra
🗓️ September–OctoberNine nights of fasting, music and dance, ending with Dussehra. What it looks like changes completely by region — garba in Gujarat, pandals in Bengal, processions in the south.
Eid al-Fitr
🗓️ shifts ~11 days earlier each yearThe end of Ramadan. The old quarters of Delhi, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Bhopal are at their best in the evenings through the preceding month, when food streets run past midnight.
Makar Sankranti and Pongal
🗓️ mid-JanuaryThe harvest turn, marked with kites in the west and north and four days of Pongal in Tamil Nadu.
Kovalam is a quiet beach town, so most big festivals happen in nearby Thiruvananthapuram, about 16 km away. Onam, in August or September, is the biggest, with flower carpets, sadya feasts and a week of lights and cultural shows across the city. In February or March, Attukal Pongala fills the streets around Attukal Temple with women cooking offerings in clay pots, and the Nishagandhi Dance Festival brings a week of classical dance to an open-air stage at Kanakakkunnu Palace.
Twice a year, in March–April and October–November, Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple holds its ten-day festivals, which end with the Aarattu procession to Shanghumugham Beach, where the deities are bathed in the sea. On the beach at Kovalam itself, Christmas and New Year are the liveliest nights of the year. Most dates follow the Malayalam or lunar calendar, so check the exact dates each year before you plan around them.
Tips for Attending Events & Festivals near Kovalam
- Book your stay early for Onam, Christmas and New Year.
- Expect road closures and heavy traffic in Thiruvananthapuram on Attukal Pongala day and during the Aarattu.
- Allow extra time to travel between Kovalam and the city during festivals.
- Dress modestly for temple festivals and follow the dress code.
- Carry water, a hat and sunscreen, as many events are outdoors in the heat.
- Keep your phone and wallet secure in crowds.
Questions
Kovalam — FAQ
What are the main festivals near Kovalam?
The main festivals are Onam, Attukal Pongala, the Nishagandhi Dance Festival and the Alpashi and Painkuni festivals at Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. Christmas and New Year are the busiest nights on Kovalam's beaches.
When is Onam celebrated?
Onam usually falls in August or September, in the Malayalam month of Chingam. Thiruvananthapuram holds a week of lights and cultural events, and many restaurants serve a special Onam sadya.
What is Attukal Pongala?
Attukal Pongala is a festival at Attukal Bhagavathy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, usually in February or March. On the main day, huge numbers of women cook sweet rice offerings in clay pots along the city's streets.
Is Kovalam busy at New Year?
Yes. Christmas and New Year are the peak of the season, with parties at the beach restaurants and hotels. Book your stay and dinner tables well ahead.