Private journeys in seven lands · a planner replies within one working day
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A ten-night journey up Kerala's coast for travellers who want sea, rest and a little culture: Kovalam's headlands and the old Travancore capital, the red cliffs and pilgrim beach of Varkala, and four quiet nights in a beach villa at Marari, with a private day on the backwaters.
Some travellers come to Kerala for the sea, not the mountains, and this journey is for them. It starts in the south, landing at Thiruvananthapuram, and works north along the coast with only two short drives. At Kovalam you stay on a clifftop above the crescent beaches, with a day in the old capital for its temple quarter, palace and museums, and a dawn boat at Poovar.
Varkala, an hour and a half north, is different again: red laterite cliffs above a beach sacred to Hindu pilgrims, a relaxed clifftop path and good yoga teachers. Then a longer drive takes you past Kollam and Alappuzha to Marari, where four nights in a villa among the palms give time for fishing-village mornings, cycling, Ayurveda and a private day on the backwaters.
Highlights
Day by day
We meet you at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport and drive 30 minutes to The Leela Kovalam, on a headland above Hawa Beach, where most rooms face the sea. Spend the afternoon by the infinity pool or on the hotel's beach. In the evening, walk along the promenade to the striped lighthouse on the Vizhinjam headland as the sun sets.
Spend the morning in Thiruvananthapuram with a local historian. Walk the East Fort around the Padmanabhaswamy temple, which only Hindus may enter, and visit Kuthiramalika palace with its carved wooden horses. After lunch in the city, see the Napier Museum and the Sree Chitra Art Gallery, with its paintings by Raja Ravi Varma. Return to Kovalam for the evening.
Leave early for Poovar, where a private boat winds through mangrove channels on the Neyyar river to a golden sand bar between the river and the sea. Return for breakfast. Later, have a consultation with an Ayurvedic doctor and a first treatment, perhaps abhyanga or shirodhara. The afternoon is free for the beach.
Drive north, stopping at Anjengo, one of the East India Company's earliest Kerala trading posts, built in the 1690s on a narrow spit between lagoon and sea, with its fort, cemetery and lighthouse. Continue to Varkala and check in at the best small hotel available on or near the North Cliff. At sunset, walk the clifftop path above the sea.
Rise early to watch, respectfully and from a distance, families performing rites for their ancestors on Papanasam beach below the cliff. Visit the Janardanaswamy temple area above the beach and drive 3 km inland to Sivagiri, the ashram and samadhi of the reformer Sree Narayana Guru, open to all. The afternoon is free for the beach or a private yoga session.
Start with a private yoga session on a terrace facing the sea. Later, drive 8 km north to Kappil, where a backwater lagoon comes within a few metres of the sea, for a quiet walk and a short boat ride. The rest of the day is free. In the evening, choose a clifftop restaurant for fresh seafood and the sunset.
Drive north on the coastal highway past Kollam and the Ashtamudi lake, stopping at Ambalappuzha for the Krishna temple, famous for its milk payasam, and for lunch near Alappuzha. Continue to Marari Beach and check in to a villa among the coconut palms behind the beach. Spend the evening on the sand.
Walk down to the beach at about 6.30 am to watch the fishing crews bring their boats in through the surf and sell the catch on the sand, with a guide from the village. After breakfast, an easy cycle ride through the palm lanes passes temple ponds, churches and a coir-spinning house. The afternoon is free.
Drive to a quiet jetty near Alappuzha and board a private covered boat for a day in the canals of Kuttanad, where rice grows below the level of the water. Lunch is cooked on board. Stop for a walk on the bund and a visit to the old church at Champakulam. Return to Marari in the late afternoon.
A free day at Marari. In the morning, you may visit the seafront basilica at Arthunkal, about 10 km north, founded by Portuguese missionaries in the 16th century. Otherwise, enjoy the beach, the pool and another Ayurveda treatment. A farewell dinner can be set on the sand.
After breakfast, we drive you to Cochin International Airport, about 2 to 2.25 hours away, allowing extra time for traffic. For a later flight, we can stop in Fort Kochi on the way for lunch and a walk. Our team in India stays in touch until you are through check-in.
Included
Not included
Where you sleep
A large clifftop resort above Hawa Beach at Kovalam, with sea-facing rooms, an infinity pool looking over the Arabian Sea, a private beach below and an …
A CGH Earth beach resort in coconut groves behind Marari beach, with thatched villas modelled on fishermen's cottages, some with private pools, an organic farm, an …
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Questions travellers ask
It depends on what you want. Marari is the quietest, with a fishing-village feel. Kovalam has luxury hotels, Ayurveda and the capital nearby. Varkala has dramatic cliffs and a relaxed scene. This journey includes all three, so you can compare.
In calm weather from November to March, in lifeguarded areas at Kovalam and Varkala and close to shore at Marari, yes. Currents along this coast can be strong, and the sea is dangerous during the monsoon. Resort pools are the safer choice for children.
Three nights is enough for most guests to enjoy the cliffs, the temple, Sivagiri and some yoga, given that hotels there are smaller and simpler. If you want a longer yoga stay, we can extend Varkala and shorten Marari. Tell us your preference.
Yes. One night of the Marari stay can be replaced with a private houseboat from Alappuzha, which is 30 minutes away. Alternatively, keep the day cruise and return to your villa for the night. Choose a premium single-party boat with an air-conditioned bedroom.
Yes. It is relaxed, with sea-view rooms at Kovalam, sunsets at Varkala and a pool villa at Marari, plus Ayurveda and private dinners. Couples who want a hill station can add two nights in Munnar from Kochi at the end.
From about ₹2,60,000 per person, twin sharing, including hotels, private car, guides, the boat trips and one Ayurveda treatment. Pool villas, sea-view upgrades and Christmas dates cost more. Flights are extra. We send a detailed quote with room options once you share your dates.
Yes. The journey can run in reverse, starting at Marari and ending at Kovalam, flying out of Thiruvananthapuram. Choose whichever direction gives you better flights. The order of the stays changes, but the experiences are the same. Tell us your preferred airports when you enquire.
Yes. All three places have Ayurveda centres, and The Leela Kovalam and Marari Beach have treatments on site. For a therapeutic programme, we recommend a separate 14-night stay at a retreat near Kovalam at the start of the journey. Tell us your goals in advance.
November to March, with December to February the calmest and driest. April is hot and humid. From May to September the monsoon brings heavy rain and rough seas, many Varkala cafes close, and swimming is unsafe. Book December and January dates early.
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