KOVALAM

About 30 minutes south of Trivandrum and more a relaxed sprawling village than resort, Kovalam has attracted beach-lovers since the 1930s, and is grouped around three adjacent crescent beaches - Lobster Beach, Palm Beach and the southernmost Lighthouse Beach (the most popular). Around the latter are a cluster of restaurants (serving fresh seafood and local delicacies) as well as little shops. Here you can unwind on a supremely relaxing beach holiday, enjoying the views, the walks and the simple beach life - or end your Kerala tour with a few easygoing days by the Arabian Sea. Among our recommended hotels are the long-established Kovalam Resort and Surya Samudra Beach Garden (the latter at nearby Mullur), both offering essentially simple and informal surroundings overlooking the sea. At nearby Chowara is the Somatheeram Ayurvedic Beach Resort, a simple but pleasant beachside retreat of traditional Malayli cottages and an important Ayurvedic centre. Chowara is also the setting of the Travancore Heritage - a unique new heritage resort where every cottage is adorned with rich wood carvings.

VARKALA

To the north of Trivandrum (reached in about 90 minutes by car), the Papanasam beach in this small resort is known for its mineral springs and rocky cliffs. In the village is the 2,000-year-old Janardana Swamy Temple. This is the setting of the elegant little Taj Garden Retreat, perched atop a dramatic cliff overlooking the sea, and with a beautiful free-form pool and Ayurvedic Centre.

MUNNAR

High amid the Cardamom Hills in the Western Ghats of Kerala, at an altitude of over 5,000ft, Munnar was once the South India summer retreat of the British in former colonial days. Today it offers all who appreciate natural beauty and exotic mountain vistas a delightful setting amid sprawling tea plantations and wildlife-rich forests, with many fascinating echoes of its unique past. Here you can enjoy exhilarating walking and trekking in the refreshing upland air. Stay at the 'old world' High Range Club or the Windamere Estate.

OTHER HILL STATIONS

Among other hill stations are PEERMEDE (near Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, 50 miles from Kottayam amid plantations, pine forests and grasslands, and once the summer haven of the Maharajahs of Travancore) and PONMUDI (about 40 miles from Trivandrum and with excellent walking amid beautiful mountain flowers, butterflies, springs and streams).

CALICUT

The home of 'calico' (block-printed cotton cloth) and a former major spice-trading port (Vasco da Gama landed here in 1498), this bustling northern coastal city has a distinct Arabian influence, and is reached through attractive scenery of coconut palms, tea, coffee and rubber plantations, groves of tropical fruit trees and traditional boat-building villages. The modern Taj Residency - which has an Ayurvedic centre managed by the renowned Ayushman Ayurvedic trust - makes an excellent base for exploring the unspoilt hinterland.