Hi I am planning to short trip to Kerala in a week and I heard that Indian Ocean got around 82 °F (28 °C) temp in winters, which I think is best for swimming, but I want to know is it safe to swim in the Indian Ocean down there in Kerala? How are the waves and beaches there? I am even concerned about catching any skin problem or illness by swimming in dirty water.
Water temperature remains on the higher side even in winters so swimming is never a problem be it winters or summers. Kerala has a very long coast line and plenty of different beaches but you wont find much arrangement of life guards if that is what you mean by safety. It is always advisable to stay close to the shore and if you want to do a low of swimming then go to a swimming pool Traditional beaches are far away from the pipes that take dirty water into the sea.
Keep to beaches as far away from towns and cities as possible if you are too concerned about dirty water but as ChaiNashta said you wont find any life guards there (Not that you would on more frequented beaches). Temperature is not a problem in winters due to the proximity to the Equator.
If you really want the cleanest beaches and the cleanest water then go to Andaman Nicobar Islands where you would find some of the worlds most beautiful beaches and they are also the least busy in terms of tourists that go there. You may find it a little expensive to get there and back but it is well worth the money. You would probably not find such clean beaches anywhere else in the world.
