September 18, 2025, Thursday
The word Shankumugham literally means conch-faced. Shankumugham Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Trivandrum, partly because of its proximity to Trivandrum airport, Thampanoor railway station, and bus stand. But one cannot disregard the beauty of its golden sand, sculptures, and the stunning sunrise and sunset views.
This was only my second visit to the beach; the first was a sneak trip with IT colleagues for a farewell celebration. One of those rare instances during my IT life when I wasn’t a tiresome workaholic/rulebook monster and took an hour off on a working day to be with friends.
How to reach?
Once you’re in Trivandrum, catch a bus to Chackai, get down at the Chackai roundabout, and board one of the Veli side buses that has a stop at Shankumugham Beach. If you reserve a ticket on the city tour bus starting from East Fort, it will cover all popular spots in Trivandrum, including this beach.
Since I was already loitering around in Veli, I boarded a private bus, bought a Rs 12 ticket, and got down at the Shankumugham beach by 4:15 PM. By this time, my milk-bikis packet was over, and I was working my way through a packet of sharkarvaratti, a local sweet snack.
What not to miss?
- Like all beautiful beaches, a leisurely stroll is a must. Try to time your visit around sunrise or sunset for the best experience.
- The mermaid statue, popularly known as Sagarakanyaka, made by the renowned Malayali sculptor Kanayi Kunhiraman, and the historical landmark – Arattu Mandapam, are important attractions in this spot.
- If you’re accompanied by kids, I bet they will redirect you to the roadside stalls selling balloons, plastic toys, and bubble liquid. There’s another newly added attraction to lure them. Look out for the game zone with VR games, toy cars, horror houses, the vertex tunnel, maze of mirrors, trampolines, and archery, too.
- If you enjoy street food, the rows of roadside stalls selling tea, pani puris, pav bhajis, vadas, cut fruits, and ice-creams might delight you. But do use your discretion, as the cleanliness and quality of food could vary from one store to another.
- If you’re more into fine dining, check out the famous and highly rated cafes and restaurants close to the beach premises.
Here’s a Collage of What I Saw …
The roadside food stalls at the beach’s entrance lured me, but I practised restraint as one episode of food poisoning could derail my trip plans by days, or worse, weeks.
I stared at the mermaid statue. She looked gorgeous and sensual, but also surprisingly at peace and empowered… Like a deer grazing in a meadow, or a dolphin sunbathing in the sea, liberated and unshackled by the gender rules or societal expectations. I was happy for her.
Kids leading their elders to the game zones and balloon sellers, youngsters munching on snacks, and a group of Ayappa swamis, clad in black shirts and lungis, flaunting the beaded vow necklace, making a pit stop in Trivandrum before going to Sabarimala, brought a smile to my face.
A brown stray pranced to my direction, with a furious expression and guttural groan, but luckily, the noise of a toy gunshot at a distance scared the dog away. A middle-aged man, dressed in a khaki shirt and white mundu, advised me to be careful: “Usually, they don’t bite as they are always in human company. But you never know when they’re angry or irritated.” I nodded in agreement.
Small heaps of red and maroon kumukum on sale, school kids and college students traveling with their teachers, a man selling fancy earrings, the Ayappa swamis playing in the sea like kids, and a green parrot squawking inside the half-open cage of a fortune teller(a pakshishasthrakaran) made me feel I was inside an old 90s Malayalam song. Two kids with curious sparrow-like eyes gazed at rainbow bubbles and spinning tops in wonder while munching on popcorn.
The renovation of the Shankumugham Palace was still underway, much later than its initial ETAs. The old Arattu mandapam, a stone pavilion used during the arattu ceremony of Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple, when the deity is brought to Shankumugham for a ritualistic bath in the Arabian Sea, lay strewn with litter. People, especially youngsters, used it as a hangout spot, without realising its historical or cultural significance.
Though I smirked dismissively at the ‘Plastic free zone’ signboard and the heap of plastic deposited below it, I couldn’t help but notice two things in this visit. One, the beach was far more crowded and dirtier than last time. Unless the authorities implement stringent measures to improve my people’s civic sense and keep the beaches clean, water and land pollution will worsen. Two, the sea waves have significantly eroded the coast.
Close to the sea, signboards announced that the sea was rough and swimming was prohibited for the day. So I strolled closer to the road, gazing at the nearby buildings. Saw an Ayurveda Vaidyashala and Panchakarma Centre, Trivandrum air cargo terminal, a restaurant named Coastal Kitchen, the Buddha Statue in front of a building called ‘Old Coffee House,’ cafes playing the anthem song from the recent hit movie Lokah, and Fish spas. In some areas, construction works were in progress.
On the roadside, a few policemen were on patrol duty. A foreigner, wearing a sky-blue kurta and holding a navy blue umbrella, intrigued me. He was twinning with the sea and the sky.
There were many makeshift stalls where people sold raw as well as sundried and salted fish. There were big, fresh lobsters, too.
I walked all the way to the end of the beach. I could see a bridge-like structure at a distance. Probably a ruin. Too far, even on full zoom, I couldn’t capture it properly in photos. The sea was rough, and that area was deserted. So I didn’t dare to get closer.
…And How I Felt.
I realized I was going to be sick soon because of the cramps. Around five, I crossed the road and returned to the bus stop, missing what could have been an unforgettable sunset.
A lady jogging in front of me, dressed in a white shirt and black pants, carrying a lot of food items in a big, white bag, entered a momo shop. Two men in similar uniforms, inside the shop, were relieved to see her. Did they have a cooking mishap? Or were they simply waiting for her to bring the groceries to start the meal prep? I never found out. From their facial features, they could be from the Northeastern states.
On the way to the bus stop, I saw the Shankumugham Devi temple. While I was clicking its pics, a city bus rolled off the bus stop.
I was also intrigued by the signboards for luxury hotels like Uday Suites Garden Hotel. Maybe someday when I’m damn rich, I shrugged.
As I waited at the bus stop, two auto drivers asked me if I wanted a ride and where I was headed. When I told them I was returning to the city, they were like, “Ayyo! You just missed a bus.”
I smiled because there was no hurry. It wasn’t as if something or someone was waiting for me. This moment reminded me of a Charles Bukowski quote:
“… and when nobody wakes you up in the morning, and when nobody waits for you at night, and when you can do whatever you want. What do you call it, freedom or loneliness?”
Pushing people away from your life actually works. At some point, they will actually stop checking up on you. Some stop caring, some believe you can handle it on your own, or even prefer life that way. For a second there, I wondered if I had pushed people away too hard.
“Oh, stop being a baby,” I scolded myself cruelly. “It’s just the period cramps and mood swings messing with your head. You walked a mere 6k steps today, compared to yesterday’s 16k. You just need a bath, some food, and a good night’s sleep. Don’t overthink life at every beach and bus stop.”
Life is too long to live alone, but it’s also too short to waste on the wrong people and places.
I boarded a bus to Chackai by 5:30 PM, bought a Rs 15 ticket, took another bus to Attinkuzhy, and reached my hostel in an hour.
“More adventures await you,” I assured myself. “And don’t forget. You haven’t met all the people you’ll love yet.”
Author’s Notes
~ All content on this blog is the intellectual property of the author. © 2026 Lirio Marchito. All rights reserved.
~ This blog is part of a series exploring my travels through Trivandrum, the capital city of my home state, Kerala, in India. You can read more posts from this series here. Trivandrum | Kerala| India
Lirio's Wanderings 