Kovalam's three crescents — Lighthouse, Hawa and Samudra — each have their own character. Lighthouse Beach is the lively one, lined with seafood shacks and cafés; Hawa catches the best breeze; Samudra is the quiet stretch where the local fishermen launch at dawn.

The climb up the Vizhinjam lighthouse costs a small ticket and delivers the whole coastline in one look: palm lines, red-tiled roofs and the sea shifting through four shades of blue.

Kovalam is also one of the best places in Kerala to experience Ayurveda properly. Many resorts run genuine treatments under qualified physicians — book a synchronised massage at least a day ahead, and go in the late afternoon when the beach cools down.

For photographers, the blue hour after sunset is the secret. The shacks light their lamps, the surf goes silver, and nobody is in a hurry.