We landed in Kochi and were greeted by a warm welcome and an excited Autoriders Chauffeur who not only drove us around but also became a quick tour guide. Hungry, we stopped by De Puttu a place that serves these super cool cylindrical rice preparation meals called “Puttus.” It was delicious and we were all charged up to begin our journey to Kumarakom.
Around two hours through beautiful lakes, greenery and crisp air, we reached the Kumarakom Lake Resort. With the banks of the river on all sides, a beautiful saree clad hostess greeted us with a warm sandalwood teeka and a cold refreshing coconut water.
Our room was gorgeous! An open air bath and a duplex wooden engraved room with a meandering open pool added to our excitement. And the housekeeping were the nicest! They actually left us a personalised note along with the doggy towel on our bed.
After experiencing the beauty of Kumarakom, don’t leave out these 5 fun things – :
- Toddy- Prepared from the sap of a coconut tree, this bitter sweet drink is sure to leave you with quite a kick.
- An Ayurvedic Massage at the Zuri Hotel Spa – Being more accustomed to western inspired massages such as the swedish, thai etc , ayurvedic massages have a variation of different options which involve long strokes stretching from head to toe in single long movements. I tried out the floating bath after and it was an insane simulation of floating in water without any water underneath! And for someone like me who is petrified of the water, this was heavenly.
- Food – The Vembanand at the Kumarakom Lake Resort was fantastic. Not specifically known for its crab, the prawns in almost any preparation were simply delectable. The fried ice cream helped tie in our meal and we were stuffed and ready for bed.
- Cooking, pottery and mat weaving classes- The Resort had wonderful activities which allow you to spend your day waking up to yoga by the lake and making your own memorabilia in the form of coaster mats and mini pots.
- The House boat to Allepay was extremely inciting where you drift through the ocean until you are pretty much in the middle of nowhere only to be able to fish and eat your catch for lunch. Karan and I weren’t too keen on the fishing bit and were low on time so we thought we would let that past.
All in all, it was the perfect place to visit for some peace of mind, relaxation and self thought. My take on Munnar coming soon!
