When in the lap of nature, who wants to get served the same dose of cityscape that you have travelled to get away from? So, next time when you visit the mangrove delta of the Sundarbans, ditch the mushrooming jungle of shabby concrete hotels and head to Bali Island’s Earth Villa to connect back to mother nature and enjoy an experiential stay of the place.
It is an eco resort in Bali Island, one of the islands of the 102 (or so) that make up the Sundarbans, the Bali Island in the South 24 Parganas is a perfect place to enjoy the wilderness while being away from the commercial chaos of Gosaba, the most developed village island in this deltaic region. Help Tourism’s Sundergaon Heritage Earth Villa is an organic tourist resort that intends to protect the fragile ecosystem of the Sundarbans while promoting sustainable tourism. With two interconnected rooms meant to accommodate no more than six people, you can rent the whole villa for INR 25,000 for three nights.
When in the village why not stay in a mud house that can offer you all the modern and clean amenities? This two-room resort is built with earth-friendly and locally available natural materials, and carefully designed by well-known architect Bidyut Roy to withstand the havoc of nature and to accommodate modern amenities. While the thick clay walls keep the rooms cool and shady like an air-conditioned one (trust us, you won’t miss the AC), the khaprail (round earthen tiles) roof insulates air to keep it cool in the summers and warm in the winters. Both the rooms come with attached bathrooms that boasts of a western toilet, a bath tub and a separate shower area.
With the Sundarbans National Park close to the village island of Bali, you could hire trained guides for national park excursions and village walks. Alternately, you could stay indoors and laze around Earth Villa’s leafy courtyard with a long porch or take a stroll down the overlooking lily pond to enjoy the idyllic glory of nature that envelops this place.