Beaches where it is safe to swim

KateW

We, myself and family including teenagers, visited Kerala last New Year and are thinking of doing it again.

We stayed an a couple of beach resorts and the only thing which stopped it being completly perfect was the sea was too rough to actually swim.

Any suggestions of where we could swim gratefully recieved.

traveller_from_hyd

Lakshadweep, off Kerala coast!

avik3in2005

Puri,Digha,Gopalpur...

__________________
AC

theyyamdancer

The poster is looking for Keralan beaches!

__________________
"Wandering seemed no more than the happiness of an anxious man." - Albert Camus

CliveG

Cherai Beach near Cochin always appears safe to me - very little current or undertow.

tittooraju

I second cherai beach..
Kovalam beach is also reportedly calm..
Almost all other beaches are open seafronts..
There will be waves depending on the climate..
Vadanapilly beach near trichur is shallow for quite some distance into the sea., but still the problem is that it is quite rough there and also crowded..

__________________
Ente keralam ethra sundaram..

www.sarathkumar.blog.com

KateW

Thanks for the help.
We have now decided to go to Sri Lanka instead.

machadinha

Nope, Puri sees its drownings (I wouldn't expect much better of Gopalpur-On-Sea, both in Orissa), so does Kovalam. The latter I think is supposed to have some signposts and lifeguards in place these days though; whether to put your faith in them is up to you.

Fact is very few of India's mainland beaches are to be considered "safe" for swimming; less to do with the waters being rough (must have been your bad luck? It's often a tidal and so lunar thing too), but with the undercurrents pulling you out, which you typically can't see, not even when it looks otherwise perfectly balmy.

I don't know Cherai Beach's precise location, but I think it lies somewhat secluded among Cochin's seaward islands, so could make a difference yes.

I've found Diu safe, and Daman seemed to me to be probably so, although I can't say I really tested the waters at the latter (both nestled within the state of Gujarat); my theory is this may be because they're still somewhat sheltered by the Gulf of Cambay.

__________________
Reading tips, all picked up at IndiaMike : INDAX's A Comprehensive Guide To India / Dinoj Surendran's Desi Humor / ITHVC on Culture Shock & Travel Health / JetLag Travel Guides For the Undiscerning Traveller / India Travel Links

wonderwomanusa

Puri has a very bad undertow.

__________________
The map is not the territory. --Alfred Korzybski

machadinha

I was surprised to see it come up even yes, it has a bad rep for this as far as I know.

Reading up some now, Gopalpur doesn't seem to have a better reputation in the field.

I sometimes feel there may be a difference in what one considers "swimming"; I don't usually see many Indians swimming away from the shore anyway, not even at those few popular beaches I've been. So some frolicking in the water where you can stand will usually be fine yes, and is what many people will do (still, keep an eye on not being unwittingly pulled out further and further), apart from just goofing around on the beach; that's not what I understand to be safe for swimming though.

tittooraju

You could plan lakshadweep islands off the kerala coast.. They are wonderful for sea sports and also swimming..

theyyamdancer

The OP said she has decided to visit Sri Lanka instead!

Continuing the theme of the thread, however, the safest beaches are maybe in the Andamans. Although there also there are undercurrents. But some of the beaches are protected by the mangrove formations.

machadinha

Yes, but I suspect some more future readers will be looking at this for "safe" beaches

I suppose the islands may be different yes; the Lakshadweep expensive and restrictive (and so making it expensive) to get to at least for foreigners though, I think, or am pretty sure in fact.

The Andamans normally get good reports yes (by you among them, I guess?), and I don't think I've heard of such cautions there. Popular for diving and stuff in any case.

spicetrekker

I agree Puri is not very safe... in general I find the Bay of bengal rougher than the Arabian Sea. Diu beach is very good

chackmatha

Let her go to Sri Lanka . Why should we all waste the time