Kovalam, the fishing village on East Coast Road south of Chennai that is also called Covelong, is the city’s surfing base. Its main contest, the Covelong Classic, was held from 6 to 8 August 2026 as the fourth stop of the national surfing and SUP series run by the Surfing Federation of India (SFI) and the Tamil Nadu Surfing Association, DT Next reported. Local surfer Kishore Kumar won the men’s open, and Kamali Moorthy took both the women’s open and the under-18 girls’ titles.
The same surfers then flew to the Asian Games in Japan, where surfing made its debut. Kishore Kumar, Kamali Moorthy, Sugar Shanti Banarse and Sivaraj Babu made up India’s team, Al Jazeera reported; Kumar and Babu come from fishing families in Kovalam and Mahabalipuram. Here is when to surf, how to find a school and how to stay safe.
When to surf at Kovalam
The coast south of Chennai gets waves for much of the year, but they are not the same every month.
- Competition season, roughly July to September: the southwest monsoon’s swell reaches this coast, and that is when the big contests are held. The Covelong Classic, the Point Break Challenge at Mahabalipuram (30 July to 1 August 2026) and the international events at the Shore Temple all ran in this window.
- Beginner season, about November to March: the water is usually calmer, and beginners find it easiest to learn then, Outlook Traveller noted.
- Northeast monsoon, October to December: heavy rain and cyclone warnings can close the beach entirely. The monsoon set in on 15 October this year, so check IMD and Tamil Nadu disaster management alerts before every trip in the coming weeks.
Surf schools and what lessons look like
Schools started appearing along this coast in the late 1990s and 2000s, and several in Kovalam are run by local fishermen who learned from visiting surfers. One former fisherman, now an ISA-certified coach, opened a school around 2015 and first trained village children in exchange for beach clean-ups, The Chennai Emailer reported.
Outlook Traveller lists Covelong Point Surfing School at Kovalam, which says it is affiliated to the SFI and offers both longer courses and short private beginner sessions, and Bay of Life, a Chennai-based water sports school that has run adaptive surf camps. Mumu Surf School at Mamallapuram rents boards and runs lessons too.
A typical first lesson includes a land session on how to paddle and stand, then time in shallow white water on a large soft-top board with an instructor close by. Prices vary by school and season and are not regulated, so compare a few and ask what is included: board, rash guard, instructor-to-student ratio and how long you are actually in the water.
Staying safe
Kovalam is a working fishing beach with rocks along part of the shoreline, and rip currents are a known danger on Chennai’s beaches. Before you paddle out:
- Learn only with a school. Ask whether instructors hold surf coaching or lifeguard certification.
- Stay inside the zone your instructor marks. Keep clear of rocks and fishing boats.
- Know a rip. If you are pulled out, do not fight it; paddle parallel to the shore until it releases you.
- Wear the leash and use a soft-top board while learning.
- Check warnings. Stay out when IMD or the district administration issues sea-state or cyclone alerts, and go elsewhere when the beach is closed.
Events and state backing
The state government has supported surfing for several years. The 2023-24 sports policy note records that the 9th Covelong Classic and Mahabs Point Break Challenge, held from 1 to 7 August 2022 at Kovalam and Mahabalipuram, was organised by the SFI with the government as platinum sponsor at ₹30 lakh.
This August, Mamallapuram hosted a World Surf League qualifying event from 12 to 16 August with the Tamil Nadu Surfing Association and the SFI, DT Next reported; SDAT was a co-organiser, and about 120 surfers from 12 countries took part, the paper added. The SFI also runs under-12, under-14 and under-16 contests for young surfers, and gained government recognition in March 2025, Al Jazeera reported.
Quick answers
Is Kovalam the same as Covelong?
Yes. Covelong is the older spelling of Kovalam, the village on ECR south of Chennai.
When is the best time to learn surfing near Chennai?
Roughly November to March, after the worst of the monsoon, when the water is usually calmer.
Do I need to know how to swim?
Yes. Schools expect you to be comfortable in the sea, even though you will wear a leash.
When is the Covelong Classic held?
In August. The 2026 edition ran from 6 to 8 August.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- Kishore, Kamali sweep all big prizes in Covelong Classic (DT Next)
- India’s SUP scene continues to grow through back-to-back Tamil Nadu events (SUP Boarder)
- Mamallapuram hosts International Surfing Open with 120 athletes from 12 countries (DT Next)
- WSL returns to India, starts Aug 12 (DT Next)
- Policy Note 2023-24, Youth Welfare and Sports Development Department (Government of Tamil Nadu)
- India’s surfers look to make waves at the 2026 Asian Games (Al Jazeera)
- Ride the waves: surfing schools on the southern coast of India (Outlook Traveller)
- How surfing became a favourite sport for fisherfolk in Kovalam (The Chennai Emailer)
