Romancing the backwaters at Bekal at this luxurious stay

On a starlit night, walking past a line of dim lights, we were set to romance the backwaters. As we stepped onto the raft, and made ourselves comfortable, we noticed a speaker kept in front of us. Bluetooth connected, we played, Bikharne ka mujhko shauq hai bada…

We had arrived at Taj Bekal Resort & Spa in the morning and we were already feeling at home. There’s a certain magic to Kerala. Lush greenery drapes the land, backwaters shimmer with a life of their own, and ancient traditions whisper through the air. Our recent escape to Taj Bekal Resort & Spa unveiled a slice of this magic, a haven of serenity that pampered our senses and soothed our soul.

From the moment we arrived, the resort engulfed us in its warm embrace — the welcome drink and a shell garland — more than enough to tell us how happy they were to welcome us. The elegant décor, infused with subtle colour tones and bespoke furnishings, hinted at the richness of Kerala’s heritage. We were soon escorted to our villa — 472. This resort has 75 rooms and villas! The architecture inspired by Kerala’s iconic Kettuvallam houseboats, hinted at the unique experiences that awaited. Our luxurious villa, a haven of its own, became our sanctuary. The spacious bedroom was inviting, an equally spacious and comfortable bathroom was alluring, and the outdoor bath was tempting. We reserved the latter for later. There was also a bathtub where one could unwind for a nightcap. The private plunge pool beckoned for cooling dips after a day of exploration. We sat by the pool, dipping our feet and watched how Time, when not rushed, is a great companion.Whether it was lounging on the comfortable daybed or unwinding on the private balcony, the villa was an oasis of tranquility, a place to truly embrace the slow pace of Kerala.

Nestled far away from the chaos and cacophony of city life, this resort became our reckoner for how life should be led — watching sunrises and sunsets in the lap of nature, trekking through the jungle, making friends with birds and listening to water make symphonies on a moonlight rafting night, where worries of everyday life seem to melt away.

We lay down on the swing bed near the pool in our villa for sometime before we got going to explore the property. Seating ourselves in a buggy that took us around, we learned that the statues of Ganesha adorning the property are imported from Bali; in fact, all the statues are made of sand stones, and that the Kettuvallam are made of bamboo mats, without the use of a single nail! We were also shown the ‘control forest’ — a landscaping concept where the trees and plants are left free to grow as they like, without resorting to ‘uniformity’. Basically, they are not ‘dressed up’ (trimmed to give a certain shape).

After the tour around, we headed for lunch immediately to By the Bay, offering coastal cuisine along with a lot of vegetarian options on the menu. As someone not too much of a foodie, we ordered simple veg rice and veggies tossed in butter. It was yum, to say the least!

It was time now to take some rest and we did exactly that on our comfy bed. When we woke up, we looked forward to the ‘Chai Kada’ experience about which we were told in the morning. Unlike the usual tea breaks we have in the city amidst noises, this place gave us a whole new feel to sipping on our chai. Imagine enjoying local specialties at ‘Thattukada’ as you savour light evening snacks and tea by the backwaters! Bliss. Pure bliss.

From there, we took a walk to the beach as the sun was all set to say goodbye. No matter how many lines we write to describe this was the most beautiful sunset we have seen, it won’t be enough. One has to witness it to believe it.

Rejuvenated, we decided to take a stroll around, all by ourself. That, we would say, is one of the most beautiful thing about this serene place — it invites you without ever imposing it on you. The place seemed like a jigsaw puzzle at first, but soon we found our way around. You can never get lost here, for there are multiple signboards for directions and if that’s not enough, you are sure to bump into a staff who is more than happy to give you a ride or accompany you to where you want to go.

We were do go ziplining earlier that day, but that somehow didn’t happen. Perhaps, it didn’t fit into the schedule. Same goes for bird watching; perhaps because our visit was during the off season. Our advice thus is to always choose the right time of the year to be here — mid-June and mid-October. Though we wish we could have experienced ziplining and bird watching, there’s always a next time.

As evening took over the day and the night was only a call away, we were requested to get ready for moonlight rafting! The moon wasn’t too bright, but who cares about the light when there are stars in the sky and waters to lull you to peace. Half an hour of this tranquil ride, and we couldn’t have asked for anything better to end the first day of this trip.

Soon after, we headed for a simple dinner and a refreshing cucumber-lime drink. And before hitting the bed, the bathtub seemed too tempting to ignore. So we took a plunge, watching a show on Netflix as the skin felt rested. A good night’s sleep awaited.

At 6 the next morning, we were driven to Thonikadavu. We expected a regular nature trek, but what we saw here was beyond what we could have imagined. A private estate, contained by the lush green forests of Kundamkuzhy, it is a naturalist’s ultimate delight. Located 30 kms from the resort, Thonikadavu Estate is a fitting introduction to Northern Kerala’s diverse flora and fauna.

The owner of the estate, Rathnakar, guided us personally across the coconut and areca nut plantations. The expedition commenced with breathtaking views of the Pazhassi River and the forests beyond. From discovering herbs by their fragrance to getting natural temporary tattoos, this terrain has many surprises in store. We got the most beautiful tattoo done with a leaf!

The trek includes captivating activities en route to the thrilling waterfalls, where one can also experience a natural shower (during mid-June and mid-October). And wait, the natural fish spa is bound to leave you enthralled! Rathnakar made us a bag using just bark, that we brought home as souvenir and it stills hangs in our balcony. Travel is all about sweet memories, isn’t it? Oh, and he also showed us the homestay, where he treated us to tea made with blue butterfly pea flowers. We sipped on it as we enjoyed the jungle view rested on a hammock. This homestay is a writer’s den, we tell you.

It took us a good three hours to complete visiting the full property. But we weren’t complaining. It seemed like a workout, a really good one at that. Of course, we missed the yoga with the resort’s in-house experts who help you begin your day on a positive and mindful note. But this trek did just that. PS: Do not wear white shoes like we did. Yes, we wore white!

A good breakfast later (they have a variety of options), we took some time to rest our body and enjoy our luxurious villa. What awaited us next only helped us relax further. At J Wellness Circle, we were all set to nurture and nourish our senses with Ayurvedic therapy and healing spa rituals. With a soothing music playing in the background, we allowed our senses to calm down and feel the magic of healing spa. What made the experience better was the hand-made paste that they offered us to use as soap as well as hand-made shampoo paste after we were done steaming. The glow we noticed after this rejuvenating session, we doubt any spa or cream can match!

We headed straight for lunch and were treated to Sadya, a traditional vegetarian feast of Kerala, spread out on a plantain leaf with 21 nicely served items! 21! Oh how we loved it! The tamarind chutney was our favourite.

In the evening, we drove down to experience sunset on a cruise. A romance between the sun and the water is best witness onboard a cruise. No wonder, a lot of couples opt to spend their time at the resort and enjoy these experiences together. Upon arrival at the jetty on the Tejaswini River, we boarded the stylishly appointed ‘Rice Barge’. In the 19th century, these barges were used for transporting rice grains in huge quantities and hence, borrow its name from its original usage. The boats are also called Kettuvallam as the hull of the boat used to be wooden planks tied together by coir.

We were welcomed with a refreshing drink and soon enough we engaged in a conversation with the staff on board. Sometime later, we sipped on tea with some hot onion and potato pakodas. The cruise covers about 15 kms of the Valiyaparamba backwater, a large inland lake. Brightly coloured houses can be seen peeping through the dense fringe of languid palms that lines the water front. Apart from growing and trading rice grains, the main source of income for the local villagers is producing the coir fibre from coconut husks that is used to make twine, mats and mattress stuffing.

As the sun set behind coconut trees lined coast of Laccadive Sea, the cruise headed to a fitting end, and we were driven back to the resort, where we took another stroll around to say a final goodbye. Of course, until next time.

Villa 472 has a piece of our heart, where we rested the night and flew back the following morning.

The author was at Taj Bekal Resort & Spa on invitation.

Email: rupam@newindianexpress.com

X: @rupsjain