Marari: God’s Own Beach
Best places to visit in Marari Beach, sightseeing & tourist attractions in Marari Beach
The Marari Beach resort in Mararikulam on the outskirts of Alleppey is an hour’s drive from Cochin. The road arrows through rural landscape which is punctuated with billboards advertising Poppy umbrellas, Alapatt jewellery and what have you including one that claims to be God’s Own Opticians. It was an apt reminder that you are in a land that has been long been touted as God’s Own Country.
And once you enter the deceptive looking rustic resort, you know for sure that you are at the threshold of God’s Own Beach. For here the obtrusive reminders of the 21st century are forgotten. Modelled on the lines of the dwellings of local fisher folk, the villas, soothingly fashioned in earth tones with a back-to-nature air, conceale modern conveniences such as mini fridges, telephones, safe deposit lockers… An ozonised swimming pool, an Ayurveda spa, beach bar, restaurant, beach grill etc complete its bouquet of amenities.
Places You Should Not Miss in Marari Beach
This deluxe haven is spread over 35 acres and is surrounded by and virtually integrated into the neighbouring sleepy hamlet of 300 families. Here in this virgin enclave of sea, sun and sky, there is a noticeable absence of flash – villagers pursue a timeless lifestyle, singing as they haul in their catch, grow bananas and tend paddy fields, pound coconut husks to make coir, limber up palm trees to pluck tender coconuts and work on looms to create exquisite rugs.
Tour package of Marari Beach sightseeing spots
A holiday here, however, can be a life-enhancing experience. Drive 32 kms to the south of Alleppey to the famous Mannarsala or the Nagaraja Temple where snake worship is a popular cult rooted in ancient times. What makes the Mannarsala temple really unique is that it has a revered priestess (otherwise women are banned from the priesthood in the state). The lady has an almost mythical stature amongst her devotees and makes an appearance between 3 and 6 pm every evening to bless them.
On certain ceremonial days, a devotional dance is performed around a portrait of a snake done with rice powder, turmeric, lime and burned husk of paddy. A priest sings and plays a primitive string instrument whose notes reverberate throughout the temple as devotees sway with palms clasped together. Those possessed with the spirit of the deity – they are usually young girls and women – writhe in a holy trance across the floor erasing the drawing of the snake in the process. At the end of the ritual, the possessed devotees are cooled down with coconut water that is initially offered to the snake deity.
Tour package of Marari Beach sightseeing spots
It is this quixotic melange of exotic cults, a friendly people and a rural ambience that makes Kerala a quiet and relaxing getaway in the churning cauldron of the country. It is a comforting thought that your stay at Marari will not upset the balance of nature as you bite into a slices of local culture every day. Wallow in the pleasures of Ayurvedic massages; gorge on seafood mantled in Kerala spices and secret recipes; indulge in a spot of yoga and meditated on the beach; watch a traditional kathakali dance performance; embark on an enchanting cruise down the vibrant, living backwaters of Alleppey.
This off-trail resort laced with endless romance is just far enough from the tourist path to provide the gift of privacy and solitude yet eminently accessible.
Top Attractions and Places to Visit in Marari Beach
Kochi (Cochin) airport, which receives both international and domestic flights, is the closest airport to Marari Beach – 88 km away. Kochi, the commercial capital of Kerala, is about 50 km away.
Marari is well connected by road and rail via Alleppey and Kochi to the rest of Kerala and India. Of the few hotels and lodges CGH Earth’s Marari Beach Resort is the pick of the lot.
Marari is an excellent base to explore the living backwaters around Alleppey. Since it is just a 1½ hour drive from Cochin, it could be used as a quiet retreat from the buzz of the city.
