Visualise this...tropical rainforests, breezy mountain tops, cool walks under a tree canopy and cocktails by an infinity pool. Now snap out of it, and make your way to Niraamaya Retreats Cardamom Club, Thekkady, for all of that and more.
Set in Thekkady, near the Periyar tiger reserve, this one is all about unwinding, doing spice trails, yoga and bumping down the river on a bamboo raft. Definitely check in for a relaxing session and a weekend of soaking in the Kerala culture -- from the massages to the food. Pick from garden cottages which are ideal if you have kids around. They can just bounce out of the front door and play around, and you’ll have lawns in the foreground and the mountains in the distance. For more privacy and a direct view of the mountains, choose the mountain-view cottages that are built on stilts for uninterrupted visuals of the undulating hills that lead up to the misty mountains.
For the real deal, you’ve got to sign up for a massage (or two). The Niraamaya Spa has quite the menu of western and traditional Ayurvedic therapies. Plus, Yoga, meditation, and pranayama, if you are so inclined. Me? I’d just like the Spice Magic massage which blends the east and west for 90-minutes of long, looping movements with blended oils that will help detox and undo the knots of my city body! But only after you’ve gone bird watching, trekking and river rafting, which is quite the adventure and one you really shouldn’t miss, given that it’s in the thick of the jungles. Nothing like the sights and sounds of nature to push you to be adventurous.
Come back to Cafe Samsara for your fill of pan-Asian fare, or even Continental food. I highly recommend you ditch it all in favour of the local cuisine which includes loads of flavourful curries (hello, fish curry!) to be paired with rice, appam and stew, and anything that is not on the menu too. They’re really obliging, and that hospitality extends across the space and not just the restaurant. Then take the party outside to the infinity pool for either a dip, or curl up on a deck chair with a book. Or both.