Kanyakumari day trip from Kovalam: Sunset at three oceans

Stand at the southernmost tip and watch three oceans converge at sunset

A full-day tour from Kovalam to Kanyakumari, the southernmost point of the Indian subcontinent, with hotel pickup, private air-conditioned transport and an English-speaking guide. You visit the 3,000-year-old Amman Temple on the shore, the Vivekananda Rock Memorial on an island, the Gandhi Memorial by the sea, and take a ferry to the 133-foot Thiruvalluvar statue before watching the sunset where the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal meet. Lunch at a local restaurant is included. Beverages are not.

Step-by-step itinerary

Full day trip to Kanyakumari

• Pick up from Kovalam hotel
• Drive to Kanyakumari (2.5 hours)
• Visit Kumari Amman Temple
• Visit Vivekananda Rock Memorial
• Lunch at local restaurant
• Visit Gandhi Memorial
• Ferry to island with Thiruvalluvar statue
• Watch sunset at ocean’s edge
• Drive back to Kovalam hotel

The experience

How do you get to the southernmost tip of India without arranging your own transport? Hotel pickup from Kovalam settles that. A private air-conditioned vehicle collects you in the morning and handles the 55-mile drive, which takes around two and a half hours. Your English-speaking guide travels with you, so the route and the stops unfold without navigation or planning on your part.

The day moves through four named sites. First is the Amman Temple, a 3,000-year-old structure on the seashore dedicated to the virgin Goddess Kanyakumari. Next, a ferry takes you to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial on a nearby island: the spot where the philosopher Swami Vivekananda meditated before spreading his message across the world. After lunch at a local restaurant, you visit the Gandhi Memorial, a temple-shaped structure by the sea where his ashes were kept before immersion. The architecture aligns so precisely that on Gandhi's birth anniversary, sunlight falls exactly on the spot where the urn stood. Then another ferry carries you to the island holding the Thiruvalluvar statue, a 133-foot stone figure of the Tamil poet and philosopher that took 5,000 sculptors to complete and weighs over 14 million pounds: its height mirrors the 133 chapters of his famous work, the Thirukkural.

The tour ends at the ocean's edge as the sun sets over the confluence of three oceans. You're driven back to your hotel in Kovalam afterward. Two bottles of mineral water per person are included. Lunch comes without beverages.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Kovalam.
• private air-conditioned transport for the full day.
• English-speaking guide.
• lunch at a local restaurant.
• two bottles of mineral water per person.
• ferry rides to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial and Thiruvalluvar statue island.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 10:00

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by SITA World Tours

Is this one for you?Pick this if you want a full day reaching India's southernmost point with a guide who handles driving from Kovalam, so you can focus on the three-ocean sunset and temple sites rather than managing the route yourself.

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3): free.

How far is Kanyakumari from Kovalam, and how long does the drive take?

Kanyakumari is 55 miles from Kovalam, and the drive takes around two and a half hours each way in a private air-conditioned vehicle.

What is the Thiruvalluvar statue, and why is its height 133 feet?

The Thiruvalluvar statue is a 133-foot stone figure of a famous Tamil poet and philosopher. The height is symbolic of the 133 chapters in his most celebrated work, the Thirukkural. The statue took 5,000 sculptors to complete.

Do I need to take a ferry to see all the sites?

Two sites require a ferry ride: the Vivekananda Rock Memorial stands on an island close to the shore, and the Thiruvalluvar statue is on a nearby island. Both ferry rides are included in the tour.

What does lunch include, and are drinks provided?

Lunch is served at a local restaurant and is included in the tour price. Beverages are not included with lunch, though two bottles of mineral water per person are provided during the day.

What is special about the Gandhi Memorial's architecture?

The Gandhi Memorial is shaped like a temple and sits by the sea at the spot where Gandhi's ashes were kept for public view before immersion. Its design is so precise that on October 2nd, Gandhi's birth anniversary, sunlight falls exactly on the spot where the urn containing his ashes was kept.

Is there walking involved in this tour?

A small amount of walking is involved as you move between the temple sites and take the ferry rides to the island memorials.