India’s traditional system of medicine – Ayurveda – draws on the healing power of plants to restore balance in the mind and body. Its treatments have evolved over thousands of years and remain popular in Kerala, whose rain-soaked mountains are the source of many of its most powerful medicines. In recent decades, Ayurveda has also experienced a new lease of life as a rejuvenation therapy in the region: treatments such as full-body massage, steam baths and herbal decoctions are used to promote deep relaxation and a sense of wellbeing.

Most high-end hotels have special spa wings attached to them where you can experience a range of different therapies, alongside un-strenuous forms of yoga. Early morning sessions are usually conducted al fresco in dreamy covered platforms open to the breezes and views.