Cherai Beach

Ten kilometres of golden sand at the north end of Vypin Island, with a trick to its geography: a few hundred metres behind the surf line the land turns into calm backwaters and paddy green, so sea and inland water sit within one short walk of each other. The waves are gentle enough for swimming, dolphins are sometimes spotted offshore, and the sunset is what the whole day builds toward. It takes about an hour from Fort Kochi, either by the Ro-Ro ferry and the Vypin road or around by the Goshree bridges.

Sea on one side, backwaters and paddy on the other, an hour from Fort Kochi