Marari Beach (Mararikulam)
Shore-seine fishing beach with coir villages and no promenade
Best time to visit Marari Beach (Mararikulam)
- Jan, peak season
- Feb, peak season
- Mar, shoulder season
- Apr, off-season
- May, off-season
- Jun, best avoided
- Jul, best avoided
- Aug, best avoided
- Sep, off-season
- Oct, shoulder season
- Nov, peak season
- Dec, peak season
peak shoulder off-season avoid
- Go: November to February
- Shoulder: March and October, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
- Skip: June to August
Marari Beach (Mararikulam) season by season
Winter December to February Prime time
Dec-Feb is the whole point: 24-32°C, a calm sea you can actually swim in, and shore-seine crews hauling nets at dawn.
Summer March to May Shoulder
Mar-May is 34°C, humid and airless, the sea turns choppy from May and the sand is too hot to cross before five in the evening.
Monsoon June to September Mixed, read the detail
June-Aug is a write-off for swimming, with red flags, heavy swell and 700 mm months, though the coir villages keep working.
Autumn October to November Prime time
Oct is still stormy off this coast; November settles down and is the quietest month before the Christmas and New Year rush.
What Marari Beach (Mararikulam) is actually like
Homestays and low-rise resorts scattered through coir-making hamlets; you meet couples and Europeans, not backpackers
Things to do in Marari Beach
The local places worth your time in and around Marari Beach, with how far each sits from the centre. Tap a name to open it in Google Maps.
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Arthunkal St Andrew's Basilica
Church · 9 km out
Sixteenth century Portuguese shore church; the January feast pulls lakhs of walkers, any other week it is silent and cool.
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Andhakaranazhi Beach
Beach · 16 km out
Where the Vembanad backwater cuts through to the sea, a lighthouse and a working harbour; vicious rip, do not swim here.
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Thanneermukkom Bund
Reservoir · 18 km out
The salt water barrier across Vembanad, shutters closed through the dry months; walk the causeway for the width of the lake.
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Cherthala Karthyayani Devi Temple
Temple · 10 km out
The town's own Bhagavathy temple, a short auto from Cherthala station; dress code applies, opens early and shuts by noon.
Getting to Marari Beach (Mararikulam)
Cherthala station 10 km on the Ernakulam-Alappuzha line, then an auto; Kochi airport 70 km, Alappuzha 12 km
Practical ways in: flighttrainroad
Trip facts
- How long to stay
- 2 days
- Budget
- Mid-range
- How busy
- Quiet at its peak
- Solo travel
- Fine solo
- Altitude
- 0 m
- State
- Kerala
- Coordinates
- 9.6032, 76.2980
Common questions
When is the best time to visit Marari Beach (Mararikulam)?
November to February is peak season in Marari Beach (Mararikulam). March and October is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid June to August. Oct is still stormy off this coast; November settles down and is the quietest month before the Christmas and New Year rush.
How many days do you need in Marari Beach (Mararikulam)?
2 days is the usual stay. Homestays and low-rise resorts scattered through coir-making hamlets; you meet couples and Europeans, not backpackers.
How do you get to Marari Beach (Mararikulam)?
Cherthala station 10 km on the Ernakulam-Alappuzha line, then an auto; Kochi airport 70 km, Alappuzha 12 km. Practical ways in: flight, train and road.
Is Marari Beach (Mararikulam) expensive, and does it get crowded?
Mid-range by Indian travel standards, and it runs quiet at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.
What are the best things to do in Marari Beach?
Arthunkal St Andrew's Basilica, Andhakaranazhi Beach, Thanneermukkom Bund and Cherthala Karthyayani Devi Temple. Sixteenth century Portuguese shore church; the January feast pulls lakhs of walkers, any other week it is silent and cool.
Nearby, and where to go next
-
Alleppey (Alappuzha) Backwaters
Kerala
Venice of the East - houseboats through the backwaters
20 km from Marari Beach (Mararikulam), roughly under an hour by road
-
Kumarakom
Kerala
Vembanad Lake birding village and backwater resort belt
20 km from Marari Beach (Mararikulam), roughly under an hour by road
-
Champakulam (Kuttanad)
Kerala
Kuttanad canal village of snake boats and paddy below sea level
30 km from Marari Beach (Mararikulam), roughly under an hour by road
-
Fort Kochi
Kerala
Colonial port town of fishing nets, spice lanes and art
50 km from Marari Beach (Mararikulam), roughly under an hour by road
-
Aranmula
Kerala
Snake-boat village on the Pamba that still casts metal mirrors
70 km from Marari Beach (Mararikulam), roughly about 1 h by road
-
Ilaveezhapoonchira
Kerala
Treeless grass hills above Melukavu, climbed for sunrise and camping
90 km from Marari Beach (Mararikulam), roughly about 2 h by road
-
Vagamon
Kerala
Quiet rolling-meadow hills - Kerala's answer to Scotland
100 km from Marari Beach (Mararikulam), roughly about 3 h by road
-
Muziris Heritage (Kodungallur)
Kerala
Lost Roman spice port with the Cheraman mosque and synagogues
90 km from Marari Beach (Mararikulam), roughly about 2 h by road
More places to visit in Kerala
- Agasthyakoodam (Athirumala) Kerala
- Alleppey (Alappuzha) Backwaters Kerala
- Aranmula Kerala
- Athirappilly Falls Kerala
- Bekal Kerala
- Beypore Kerala
- Champakulam (Kuttanad) Kerala
- Fort Kochi Kerala
- Gavi Kerala
- Guruvayur Kerala
- Ilaveezhapoonchira Kerala
- Kakkayam Kerala
- Kalpathy (Palakkad) Kerala
- Kannur Kerala
- Kanthalloor Kerala
- Kovalam Kerala
- Kumarakom Kerala
- Munnar Kerala
- Munroe Island (Munroe Thuruthu) Kerala
- Muziris Heritage (Kodungallur) Kerala
- Nelliyampathy Kerala
- Nilambur Kerala
- Paithalmala Kerala
- Parambikulam Tiger Reserve Kerala
- Ponmudi Kerala
- Ranipuram Kerala
- Silent Valley National Park (Mukkali) Kerala
- Thalassery (Tellicherry) Kerala
- Thattekad (Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary) Kerala
- Thekkady (Periyar) Kerala
- Thenmala Kerala
- Thirunelli (Brahmagiri) Kerala
- Thrissur Kerala
- Vagamon Kerala
- Valiyaparamba (Nileshwar backwaters) Kerala
- Varkala Kerala
- Wayanad Kerala