IndiaMarariKerala is often overlooked as a beach destination, but Mararikulam (usually just Marari) has all the palm trees, golden sands and glittering seas you could wish for – just a few kilometers from the backwaters. Overview Trip ideas Experiences Regions Best time to visit Accommodation Back to all places in Kerala & Tamil Nadu This isn’t Goa: Marari is unassuming and largely undeveloped. Don’t expect beach parties, tourist markets or swanky restaurants. It’s not that kind of place. What you will find is easily the best bit of coastline in central southern Kerala, with a quiet little village not much bigger than a single street.You’ll come across plenty of signs of life here, including fishermen and their colorful boats on the beach, and shops piled with red and yellow bananas. A few restaurants strung with twinkly lights dot the seafront, serving prawn curries and whole baked fish at little plastic tables. Go for a walk or a cycle and you’ll pass churches, temples and cafés where you can stop in for a cup of chai or a coconut toddy. Weekends are a little busier, as city folk come here to escape the heat, but that’s about the shape of it. It’s totally relaxed and wonderfully Keralan.Accommodation at Marari ranges from basic homestays to plush, beachfront hotels complete with ayurvedic spas, yoga classes and villas styled after local fishermens’ huts. Wherever you stay, Marari has bags of charm, and couldn’t be better placed for a relaxing couple of days between Kochi and Alleppey. Other destinations in this region India CalicutA cultural crossroads, seaside Calicut is refreshingly un-touristy – despite having plenty to see and do, from medieval mosques to martial arts. India ChennaiYoung, vibrant and always in the throes of change, Chennai is one of India’s most exciting and creative cities — with some of the best street-food anywhere. India ChettinadA land of ghostly, abandoned mansions, like the ruins of a fairytale kingdom, Chettinad is one of the most spectacularly unexpected destinations in India. India Kannur & TellicherryThis charming, low-key corner of Kerala wouldn’t get much press if it weren’t for Theyyam: a Hindu festival unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. India Kerala backwatersKerala’s pride and joy, the backwaters offer mile upon mile of jungle-fringed paradise, where life is slow, water is king, and everything happens by boat. India KochiIndia’s coolest and most progressive state capital, Kochi feels like a European city transplanted to the palm-fringed Keralan coast. India KumbakonamPaddy fields, betel farms and coconut groves provide a picture-perfect backdrop for experiencing village life in rural south India. India Madurai‘The Soul of Tamil Nadu’, ‘The Athens of the East’, ‘The city that never sleeps’ – Madurai is one of the oldest cities in India, and it has collected its fair share of epithets over the years. India MahabalipuramWorld Heritage temples combine with sand, surf and backpacker vibes to make Mahabalipuram a beach break with a difference. India MunnarEnjoy old-world luxury in a plantation bungalow, surrounded by the emerald-green tea fields and mist-cloaked mountains of Munnar. India MuvattupuzhaExperience life in the Keralan countryside, surrounded by lazy waterways and fields of pineapple, banana, coconut and black pepper. India NeeleshwarTucked away in the north, Neeleshwar is a proper tropical paradise, with some of the best beaches and backwaters in Kerala. Load More