Niraamaya Surya Samudra
If you’re looking for a reset from the stresses of daily life, Niraamaya Surya Samudra should do the trick. A luxury take on the region’s Ayurvedic destination spas, the property’s 31 cottages blend hallmarks of traditional Keralan homes (think canopy beds, dark wood paneling, and silk textiles) with luxurious touches such as private sea-facing sundecks and open-air bathrooms. The resort’s main focus is on health and rejuvenation, with individually tailored wellness programs for everything from weight loss to ailments alleviation as well as more general treatments designed with relaxation in mind. Once you’ve kneaded out all the knots, you can dive right into the culture: get your hands dirty during a cooking class with the hotel’s chef or pottery lesson with a local expert, spot white-bellied treepies and woodpeckers on a bike ride along the coffee- and cardamom-scented grounds, or explore untold mysteries in the ornately carved Padmanabhaswamy Temple, whose hidden vaults are rumored to house treasures that total more than $1.3 trillion.
