Kanyakumari, a city in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu is a major tourist destination. Kanyakumari city is the southern tip of the Cardamom Hills, an extension of the Western Ghats range. It is surrounded by Lakshadweep Sea on three sides.
Etymology of Kanyakumari
The name Kanyakumari has been derived from the name of goddess Kanyakumari, whose temple is also there in the city. In Tamil the name is pronounced as Kan-niya-kumari. Deity Kanyakumari is believed to be the incarnation of Goddesses Parvati, who meditated for a long time to convince Lord Shiva for marriage.
Beaches of Kanyakumari
The costal region of Kanyakumari is replete with some of the beautiful serene beaches:
Kanyakumari Beach: One of the most popular beaches to visit is Kanyakumari Beach, which is the meeting point of the Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea. The meeting point is called Sangam. Vivekananda Rock Memorial and Thiruvalluvar statue are the main attractions of this beach. There is a prominent mausoleum dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi as well. Glittering sunrises and dazzling sunsets are the complimentary attractions of this spot. This beach is often regarded as the "Lands End".
Muttom Beach: This famous beach at Muttom is located about 16 kms from Nagercoil and 32 kms from Kanyakumari as well. Muttom is famous for its beautiful landscaping and high rocks dipping into the sea at the beachside. The sunset viewpoint at Muttom is very famous and one of the most panoramic view points in the district. Another attraction of Muttom is the century old lighthouse built by the British. People come and see all these with great interest.
Sanguthurai Beach: Sanguthurai beach is situated about 9 km away from Nagercoil town, Kanyakumari district. Sanguthurai beach is a sandy beach and it has huge white pillars with black conch built during King Chola period. From this beach one can see Thiruvalluvar statue and Vivekananda rock in a long view. Backwater view in Sanguthurai beach really looks beautiful. Sanguthurai beach welcomes its tourists with Sangu statue and a sea tower. The sea tower gives a long shot view of the beach and the entire area is surrounded by coconut trees.
Sothavilai Beach: The Sothavilai Beach is one of the most important beaches in Kanyakumari District. The beach, being almost 4 km long, is one of the longest beaches in Tamil Nadu. In 2004 Tsunami, this beach mostly got affected in the entire district of Kanyakumari.
Thengapattinam Beach: This beach, one of the most popular one, is situated in Painkulam village in Vilavancode Taluk in Kanyakumari. It is 54 km away from the city of Kanyakumari. The shore of the beach is surrounded by coconut groves and palm trees. Tourists can take a sailboat ride on the water as well. The water of this portion is perfect for swimming. There is a mosque in this area which is about 1500 year old.
