But the allure of a beach is not just in the sand and the sea. It's in the living environment that surrounds it.

In the trees and plants, the birds and fishes that call it home. And most of all, in the culture, life and colour of the people who belong there. Because it is only this that makes it special, different from other interchangeably pretty stretches of sand around the world.

A beach is just a beach, until you find its living heart. For us, the search ended in the little village of Mararikulam.

Somewhere around the middle section of Kerala's coast, the Indian Ocean finally realizes that it has now become the Arabian Sea. The result of this personality change is a splendid azure colour, quite distinctive, with frothy whitecaps and a translucent, pearl-like quality. The sands that fringe this coastline for endless miles are themselves distinctive, deep and rich and fine, in a shade closer to ocher than gold.

This natural brushwork leaves its mark on human life too. The people of the area have been fisher folk for millennia and over this time, they've evolved a way of life that's as tranquil and colourful as their world.

The village of Mararikulam is tucked away behind a line of dense palms that rise like a sudden rampart of green out of the sands. Like all villages, it has evolved naturally, in picturesque disorder.

The huts are slapdash adobe, thatched with-what else? -palm and tied with coir, or coconut rope. (In fact, the coconut tree supplies the villagers with an endless number of useful items, from kitchen ladles to sunhats to boat hulls.) Neat and scrupulously clean footpaths veer between the huts and everywhere, the pungent scents of the sea mingle with the fragrance of coconut oil and spice.

Spread out here and there on rough coir mats are sunbursts of red. These are the famous red chilies, without which no self-respecting fishwife would ever dream of serving up dinner.
Evening in fact, is a special time. The winking of oil lamps and cooking fires transforms the village into a glowing tableau vivant, with a painted sunset as the backdrop. Within moments, you feel your city clock winding gently down, then dying without protest as you pass through a scene unchanged for centuries.

The Village Reborn.
The challenge for us was to take the village, not just its architecture, but the subtle elements of its life and translate them into an unforgettable experience for the modern traveler.
We wanted to recreate the same harmony with nature. And impart the same sense of languid pace to the Marari Beach resort.

Sprawled expansively across 25 acres of land, the resort, like its namesake, is separated from the sea by a windbreak of stretching palms. There are a mere 52 cottages, so the sense of space here is much more dramatic. The cottages are separated by generous stretches of open parkland, dotted with fruit-laden trees. The winding village pathways are a faithful echo of the originals.

Rambling walls curve around corners, their rust-coloured stones smothered with trumpet flowers. Completing the picture are rippling lotus ponds, usually with a family of ducklings getting a swimming lesson out in the middle.

But appearances are deceptive, as you'll discover when you enter. Air conditioning is made possible by a roof invisible from the outside. Simplicity and harmony mark the interiors, which nevertheless contain all the comforts of a modern resort. There are modern twin - or - double beds, elegant, locally-inspired furniture and even a tea and coffee making facility, for all those odd times.
The bathrooms are open-roofed courtyards, similar to those in the homes of old Kerala. There's ultra - modern plumbing of course, and hot-and-cold running water too.
For the true sybarite, our spacious Pool Villas are a good option to the cottages. These feature cozy living rooms and -luxury itself- your own private pool.

FACT SHEET
The 30 acre Beachside Resort Village

ACCOMMODATION : Garden villas Pool villas
RESTAURANTS : Multi cuisine restaurant, Club house - Bar, Beach shack (seafood restaurant), Beach Bar
FACILITIES : Swimming pool, Tennis, Ayurveda centre, shop, yoga class
Regular doctors on call
THINGS TO DO: Cycling tour of the village, tennis & badminton, beach volleyball, indoor games and 'Learn to cook with spices'
DISTANCES: 88 Kms from Cochin airport.
SEASONS: Jan - Mar: cool, dry
April - May: Summer
June - August: Monsoon
Sept - Dec: pleasant, dry

For Detailed Dossier on Marari Beach Resort, please write to us at  mktg@mediescapes.com