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Traversing the muddy, bumpy and rocky roads, the compact MUV Chevrolet Tavera headed towards Vythiri Resort, one of the most reputed resorts in the Wayand region of Kerala.  

'Despite the great scenes around, the cruel road continued to take us through fresh torments at every turn. From the Karnataka border, it took us only two and a half hours to reach the resort, thanks to those well paved roads, which turned horrible as we deviated to one of those pocket roads from Vythiri, a small town on the way. But the balmy surroundings just coming out of the morning mist was soothing in contrast to the jerky drive. The comely forests, the cool air fresh with the mixed flavours of tropical leaves and the creaky notes of crickets accompanied by a chorus of jungle frogs welcomed us on the country road.

Despite the great scenes around, the cruel road continued to take us through fresh torments at every turn. We grew more and more impatient to reach our destination and take some rest.

We took a sharp curve, drove past a mud plastered fence and landed right in front of the resort, which looked like an earthen palace drawn in a mid-tone canvas. After a brief enquiry, the security personnel showed us the parking slot with a pleasant welcome smile.  The entire architecture of the resort is in traditional Kerala style with a Padipura at the façade that signified the cultural richness of the state. Everything, including the walls, floors and the fences were built in mud and clay, which contributed heavily to the eco-friendly ambience of the resort. The 13 year-old resort is located in 150 acres of coffee and cardamom plantation, surrounded by the tropical forests. The nippy climate of this region from June to January attracts regular flock of tourists from western countries.

The pond adjacent to the cosy spacious lounge, set against a fabulous reception desk (with alert and pleasant receptionists) was quite an invitation. Playful fish were having a hid e n’ seek in the muddy waters. We had booked the cottage two days back over phone. As soon as we checked in, a boy ushered us in to our cottage. We followed him past a basketball court and a row of cottages named Paddy Rooms.

Kudeeram Cottage

Our twin room cottage (No 309) faced a small chirpy stream.   Each cottage was arranged with two spacious rooms in two separate floors.  The floors could be clubbed together to accommodate bigger families.  The neat and highly hygienic room dispensed a fresh new fragrance, thanks to the perfume essence taken from a special grass which could also be used to keep away mosquitos, leaches and other insects from the surroundings.

The balcony of the cottage opened right over the top of a stream, where water rushed between the rocks amidst thick forests. The sound of the stream varied…depending upon the mood of the nature…tuning in to the rhythm of earth, by being just an element of it, was something of an experience extraordinaire.  

The loo attached to the room was equipped with state-of-the-art facilities except a bathtub. Clean commode, disinfected wash basin, bath towels, toilet papers, shampoo, soap, hand wash, moisture cream everything was in place including hot water. At half past one, an intercom call reminded us about the lunch time. “Ahh, I forgot about the time, thanks to the phone call”, exclaimed my friend. Yes, like any other paradise, one thing that you don’t need to worry about here is time, as it hardly exists inside the resort.     

Since the restaurant was located on the other side of the stream a hanging bridge was the only option available to cross over. We cautiously stepped in and bridge swayed sending reflex signals through my body. It was a little scary, I should say.

As expected, a huge variety of dishes from soups to desserts were arranged for lunch apart from the traditional Kerala Sadya (feast) with its 18 indispensable vegetarian dishes.  I preferred wheat chapatti and chena masala as against my friend’s South Indian likings. The buffet lunch arranged in clay pots were so delicious that we spent almost an hour devouring the choicest on display. As a matter of courtesy, I complemented one of the chefs who acknowledged us at the point of exit, “your vegetarian culinary skills were truly exceptional, but unfortunately we couldn’t taste your non-veg preparations”.' The buffet lunch arranged in clay pots were so delicious that we spent almost an hour devouring the choicest on display.'

He gladly pointed towards the chicken and fish corner (non-veg corner), which we failed to notice. We looked at each other in utter dismay, but were quick to cover it up with a smile: ‘just kidding, we are vegetarians’. Back in the cottage, we took a short siesta. Amidst the sounds of streams and birds we slipped into a short deep sleep. At 5’ o clock in the evening we again started to explore the resort in detail with a Nikon D-50 series camera.

Paddy Rooms

Paddy rooms were built on Kerala’s traditional farm cottage concept. The rooms opened into a small sit out from where you could enter directly to the bedroom. Here a small corridor separated the way towards the bathroom and back yard. The entire backyard was converted as an open bathroom. The outer door could be closed for meeting requirements that needed privacy.

Tariff of paddy rooms - Rs 5500/- per day (including food.)

Tribal Huts

True to its name the architect has recreated rooms that resembled tribal huts, but they were more spacious than the original ones.  The mud finished walls and thatched roofs gave them a true feel.  A rock kept inside one of the huts also caught my attention.

One day rate in the tribal hut - Rs 3500 (sans food).

Wood House

The plush wood cottages stacked with state-of-the-art furniture were another attractive feature of the resort. The spacious sit out opened into a small lounge. The aesthetically designed bathroom appeared awesome in the middle of the room. The charming bedrooms with dim lights aptly matched the color tone of the logs used to build the woodhouse. 

One day rate in the wood house - Rs 7500/-

Tree Houses

These huts were specially designed for honeymooners or other privacy seekers as they were placed 800 meters away from the main entrance. The first tree hut could be ascended using a ladder attached to the tree but the second tree hut could be reached only through an elevator operated using water weight. Even though the huts were eco friendly the abundant metal frames faintly dented the natural feel of tree huts. 

Spa and Ayurveda

Then we visited the Spa and Ayurveda Centre that offered a gamut of genuine Indian wellness treatment. The spa was designed in a manner that balanced organic design and state–of-the-art finishes.  The tranquility of the Spa was enhanced by calming music, gentle lighting, plants and a rustic yet contemporary, well-planned décor using stones.

Evening

After a two-hour long expedition, we moved to the mini bar/coffee shop attached to the resort. We were awestruck at the colonial design, which reminded me of the cowboy era seen in Hollywood movies. Youngsters were seen enjoying drinks, snooker and table tennis in groups. I tried a few shots at the snooker table, but failed to find the hole. Later, I decided to drop further attempts, blaming the table that it had only six pockets.

After a fine heavy dinner that included soups, rotti, dal fry, chicken and a myriad of other dishes, we reached the balcony of our cottage. Darkness started to spread across the region, the stream beneath the balcony calmed down, cool breeze gently made its entry, in between eerie silence pervaded the woods….  the “No Television” policy of the resort also complemented the atmosphere…

Goodmorning Wayanad

In the morning, when I was struggling to get out of the blanket, my friend found the water in the bathroom hot. “Now we can at least brush our teeth”, he giggled.

Suddenly, a commotion near the window startled me and I rushed to the balcony. It was  a group of monkeys playing on the roof of our cottage. When we were about to leave for breakfast we made sure that the balcony doors were closed as we didn’t want to give the monkeys another playground. After the breakfast we spent sometime enjoying the natural pool, which was more inviting than the swimming pool.

Along with the squirrels and the rabbits and a number of humming birds who recited some of the sweetest melodies, we enjoyed a great night. As the birds rendered the last song of the day, the whole forest slipped into profound sleep.

© travelbird