Beaches & Backwaters
Often referred to as ‘God’s own country’, the beauty and diversity of Kerala offer a vast network of serene palm-lined backwaters and rice fields to be experienced on a private houseboat for a night or two, beautiful sprawling beaches with pristine waters for laid-back relaxation, a rich cultural tradition of arts and dance to experience, expansive tea gardens surrounding picturesque hill stations as well as trekking through hillsides of the Western Ghats. The name Kerala means ‘The Land of Coconuts’ in the local Malayalam, no wonder with its rich and abundant flora and fauna. Gustatory delights await, with food infused with coconut and flavoured with subtle aromatic spices including cardamom, clove, ginger, cinnamon. Try a Sadya, served on a banana leaf.
Often called the “Venice of the East,” Alappuzha is the most iconic backwater region. Old fashioned kettuvallam houseboats move in small canals, through emerald paddy fields and riverside houses where kids wave at verandahs. Life is calm here, fishermen throwing out their nets, toddy-tappers climbing coconut-trees, women washing clothes at the water-side.
KumarakomKumarakom is located on the large Vembanad Lake, and is a more reflective backwater experience. In misty mornings we see the flocks of waterfowl, and herons and kingfishers as they glide across the surface of the water.
PoovarPoovar, at the junction of river, lake, backwater, and sea, is an almost surreal landscape of mangroves and golden sandbanks, and is located near the southern tip of Kerala.
KovalamKovalam has traditionally attracted foreign tourists with its crescent-shaped beaches and clear waters of the Arabian Sea. Lighthouse Beach, surrounded by waving palms and fishing boats, is both lively and tranquil.
VarkalaVarkala, more dramatic and bohemian than Kovalam, is built upon ochre cliffs, which tumble into the sea. The cafes and small shops lining the cliff-top promontory have panoramic views of the turquoise waters below.
Marari/MararikulamTo anyone looking to relax, Mararikulam is virtually undisturbed. It has broad, uncongested beaches and remote fishing villages, examples of slow coastal living.
Gokarna is a coastline that feels like a secret, the kind you stumble upon while looking for something else, only to realise this was what you were always meant to find. Unlike India’s blockbuster beach destinations, Gokarna offers something quieter, more intimate, almost meditative.
Here, the Arabian Sea doesn’t roar, it breathes, rolling in with warm, rhythmic waves that seem to match the pulse of the hills behind it.
Gokarna is a retreat for travellers who want their seaside experience unhurried and unfiltered. The beaches are wide and gentle, framed by cliffs and forests, with a raw, natural beauty that feels worlds away from commercial beach life.
Cows wander lazily across the shore, fishermen mend their nets beneath palm shade, and evenings dissolve into violet skies as the sun sinks slowly into the sea. This is a place to slow down, breathe deeply, and let the coastline teach you its own rhythm. In Gokarna, time moves with the tide.
