Covelong Beach, Chennai

Covelong Beach, Chennai

Covelong Beach is located in Covelong (Kovalam) which is a fishing village in Chennai, India, 40 kilometers south of Chennai, on the East Coast Road en route to Mahabalipuram. Covelong was a port town developed by the Nawab of Carnatic, Saadat Ali. It was taken over by the French in 1746, and destroyed by the British in 1752. Along with the beach, the village of Covelong, famous for its fishing activities draws many tourists.

Covelong beach is one of the few places in the East Coast where wind surfing takes place. There is a surf school with resort in the beach. This beach has now turned into a beautiful resort owned by Taj Groups of Hotels and named as Fisherman's Cove Resort. The beach is located on the way to Mahabalipuram and is separated from the mainland by a canal running from Chennai to Mahabalipuram. 

Apart from its lovely white sand and clean blue waters, this beach is also known for its calm environment and of course its water sports. Over time the beach has carved a niche for itself and is today considered amongst the more exquisite beaches of India.

Covelong Beach is well worth checking out. It’s such a charming place. This apart, the beach has a very old Catholic Church and mosque bounding it. Once you are through with sunbathing on its sandy shores, stroll around these places of tourist interest. The beach is so beautiful that you could sunbathe, frolic on the shores or even meditate here. The ancient ruins of the fort take you back to a bygone era.

The historic town of Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram) is a hop, skip and jump away. The gorgeous Shore Temple here is one of India’s most well known tourist spots. If you are a wildlife buff, the Crocodile Farm is a fascinating place to spend a few hours.

Covelong Beach is a lovely little beach between Chennai and Mahabalipuram. In fact, it is one of the most stunning and virgin beaches of Tamil Nadu, India and is close to a small but pretty fishing village on the coast of the Bay of Bengal. From a sleepy fishing village till the early nineties, Covelong Beach has transformed itself into a trendy picnic and excursion spot.

Covelong Beach is a popular destination among beach lovers. Covelong Beach is regarded as one of the finest beaches in the state of Tamil Nadu. Located on the coast of Coromandel, between the cities of Chennai and Mahabalipuram, Covelong Beach is famous for beach activities and its serene beauty.

History 

Covelong Beach was a principal port in the 16th century. It was Saadat Ali, the Nawab of Carnatic, who built a port at Covelong Beach in the year 1746. In 1746, this place was an important political hub for the French.

In 1752, the port was captured by the French and it was soon seized by the British East India Company. Today, Covelong Beach has transformed to become one among the top beach resorts in the South. Covelong Beach, though famous for its clear waters, is less crowded.

The Dutch built a fort in Covelong during the colonial times, which has been made the Taj Fisherman's Cove, a private luxury beach resort. An ancient Catholic church on the beach is another attraction. There is also a Dharga & temple nearby the beach.

Highlights

·        White sand – One of the major attractions of the Covelong beach is the white sand that it has to offer. The beach is spread all along the East Coast Road and allows for some great sun bathing during the day.  At night, the moon brings the beach to life, in more ways than one.

·   Water sports – The highly spirited village of Covelong is well known for its brisk fishing activities. Being frequently visited by tourists from all over the world, Covelong is the ideal place for sea surfing, as the sea and the wind are very gentle. Besides swimming and other water sports, one can seek the help of local fishermen and set out to sea in catamarans. These are the popular activities among the tourists. Thus this cool beach spot is the right place for adventure seekers. Water sports like mid-sea floating, swimming and water surfing are very common on the Covelong Beach. Wind surfing is the one sport that is offered on this Indian beach exclusively. The winds here are highly favourable for this sport and a number of wind surfers can be seen here enjoying this activity.

 ·   Old Ruins – Historically, Covelong was a very important port. Under the control of the Dutch, A large fort was built here. Despite the fact that the British destroyed this town later, the ruins of the fort can still be seen today. A large part of the fort has been converted into a luxury hotel. There is some old church ruins found on the beach as well.

·        Church – A short walk down the beach is a small catholic church which plays host to the Christian community around the beach and in the fishing village.

·        Mosque – Just a few steps down the church is a mosque.

·       Fishing Village – There is a small fishing village near the beach. The village allows a glimpse into the world of those who use these waters for their fishing ventures. Their boats and nets can also be seen on the beach.

Tips

·  Bargain – The water sports rates are not fixed. The rates are decided based on the season and availability. Bargain with several organizers before paying.

·      Heat protection – Like most beaches in Chennai, Covelong Beach is also warm. Make sure you apply sunscreen and bring a beach umbrella.

·    Food – Keep in mind that there are no restaurants aligning the beach so carry food, water, and snacks, especially if you are planning to spend more than half the day here.

·        The beach of Covelong lies in the lee of an ancient Dutch fort. You can see a few walls of the fort which still remain in ruins.

·    The ancient Catholic Church is a must visit amongst the other religious monuments at Covelong.

·       Take a relaxing sunbath and rejuvenate your body and soul in a serene and pristine atmosphere.

·        Visit the marvelous Mahabalipuram which is located nearby, just 19 km. away.

·    Don’t miss the Crocodile Farm and watch the crocodiles from close quarters.

·       When it comes to accommodation, Covelong Beach offers plenty of options that suit various budgets.

·        The hotels at Covelong, Chennai and Mahabalipuram may suit your needs.

Connectivity

This beautiful beach is easily accessible by Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) and East Coast Road (ECR) from Chennai.

By Road

Metropolitan Transport Corporation (Chennai)(MTC) and TNSTC Villupuram operate bus services which connect almost all areas in Chennai city and Covelong. & Long distance buses to Cuddalore, Villupuram, Chidambaram, Nagapattinam & Pondicherry plying via East Coast Road also stops here. Apart from this, the village can also be accessed by boat, along the seashore of Chennai or Chengalpattu.

Metropolitan Transport Corporation (Chennai)(MTC) bus routes plying in Kovalam:

Via ECR

Route Number	Start	End	Via
19E	Kovalam	Broadway	MGM,VGP, Thiruvanmiyur, Adyar, Mylapore, Royapettah, Central
19G	Kovalam	Broadway	MGM,VGP, Thiruvanmiyur, Adyar, DMS, TVS, Central
PP19xt	Broadway	Kovalam	MGM,VGP, Thiruvanmiyur, Adyar, Santome, AIR, Secretariat
PP49	Koyambedu	Kovalam	Vadapalani, Liberty, T.Nagar, Saidapet, Adyar, Thiruvanmiyur, VGP, MGM
T151K	Kovalam	Tambaram East	MGM,Uthandi, Akkarai, Sholinganallur, Medavakkam, Camp road
588	Adyar	Mamallapuram	Thiruvanmiyur, VGP, MGM, Kovalam, Thiruvidandhai, Vadanemmeli, Devanery
588B	Broadway	Mamallapuram	Annasquare,AIR, Santhome, AMS, Adyar, Thiruvanmiyur, VGP, MGM, Kovalam, Thiruvidandhai, Vadanemmeli, Devanery THIS ROUTE IS AVAILABLE ONLY ON SUNDAY AND GOVERNMENT HOLIDAYS
588C	Koyambedu	Mamallapuram	Vadapalani, Ashok nagar, Guindy, Madhya kailash, Thiruvanmiyur, VGP, MGM, Kovalam, Thiruvidandhai, Vadanemmeli, Devanery
589	Velachery	Mamallapuram	SRP Tools, Thiruvanmiyur, VGP, MGM, Kovalam, Thiruvidandhai, Vadanemmeli, Devanery
599	Mamallapuram	T Nagar	Saidapet, Adyar, Thiruvanmiyur, VGP, MGM, Kovalam, Thiruvidandhai, Vadanemmeli, Devanery

Via Kelambakkam

Route Number	Start	End	Via
T151	Kovalam	Tambaram East	Kelambakkam, Navalur, Sholinganallur, Medavakkam, Camp road
517	Pallavaram	Vada nemmeli	Tambaram,Vandalore zoo, Mambakkam, Kelambakkam, Kovalam, Thiruvidandhai
517K	Kovalam	Pallavaram	Kelambakkam, Navalur, Sholinganallur, Medavakkam, Kovilambakkam, Echangadu, Vels college
566B	Pattur	Kovalam	Kundrathur, Pallavaram, Tambaram, Vandalore zoo, Mambakkam, Kelambakkam
587	Thiruporur	Broadway	Kelambakkam, Kovalam, MGM,VGP, Thiruvanmiyur, Adyar, Santome, AIR, Secretariat

By Train

Chennai is well connected to rest of India by Railways. Nearest Major Railway Stations are Egmore & Chennai Central. From Chennai Central one can take local train to reach Thiruvanmiyur Railway Station from which this beach is connected by excellent Number of Buses.

By Air

Nearest Airport is Kamaraj Domestic Airport and the Anna International Airport located at Meenampakkam at a distance of 20 km from the city.

It is about an hour’s journey from the airport to the beach and a round trip would cost roughly INR 2500.