Mararikulam

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.

Marari Beach Resort

Sprawled expansively across 25 acres of land, Marari Beach 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.