The Marari Beach Resort, Mararikulam

DINING

Mealtimes at Marari are unhurried affairs, with a firm eye on enjoying every subtlety that the waves have to offer.

Both at the buffet and at the specialty seafood restaurant, Fort Cochin, the fresh catch of the day forms the centrepiece. You can choose from a variety of prawns, lobsters, crayfish and the famous 'karimeen', grilled on the spot or prepared to your tastes. Complementing it all is an array of Kerala specialties. Aromatic vegetable stews, spicy chicken gravies, tangy tamarind and kokam chutneys and always, rice and the popular idiappams- string hoppers that accompany most Kerala meals.

Chef Narayankutty can be fanatical about freshness (check out his book of recipes, available at the gift shop) but he gets it easily. The bread is always baked daily on the premises and the vegetables too, come fresh-plucked from the hotel's own organic farm.

For light snacks, the beach-shack bar and buffet is the place. Sip a post-swim cooler, munch on some fried prawns and listen to the distant roar of surf.

Health & Recreation

There is a large swimming pool with sun terrace near the main buffet restaurant, bar, two tennis courts, Ayurveda centre and an amphitheatre where cultural shows are performed.

Dhara is a mental relaxant consisting of herbal oils and medicated buttermilk poured on the forehead and sometimes on the body as well. Good for insomnia, mental tension and certain skin problems

Sirovasthi is a treatment that anoints the head with special herbal oils. Good for headcahes and vatha-originated ailments.

Pizhichil is a special kind of massage with herbal oils. Good for rheumatic ailments and nervous disorders.

Njavarakizhy is a treatment that induces perspiration through the external application of medicated rice concoctions. Good for joint paints, arthritic conditions and certain skin disorders.

In Nasyam, a variety of herbal preparations are used to cleanse the nasal passage.

Beach cots and cozy hammocks have been evenly distributed in the grove. The Beach Volleyball "court" will be fun place to have a friendly match and for the more adventurous, bicycles are available at the reception to discover the neighborhood. You may even explore the marvelous backwaters, where the tranquility, the stunning scenery and the feeling of being transported back in time, make it a superbly relaxing and inspiring experience.

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