Kerala ecolodge

Here is the perfect place for you to relax and forget the pressures of work and a frenetic lifestyle five thousand miles away. It's a place to read that book, paint that water colour you always wanted to try your hand at, master that instrument, or just take in a completely different outlook whether scenically or culturally.

A different pace of life is here on the backwater and in the palm garden....it is inextricably linked to the slow progress of a punted country boat or the pace of an ox cart. Relaxing in your hammock you'll see old stiched hull boats punted by carrying coconuts, firewood and provisions as they must have done in Solomon's time. It is a real mission just to go into town!

The nearest house is three hundred yards away and accordingly we are alone with nature. The quiet is only punctuated by the daily calls to prayer of diverse faiths and occasional village festivals which can extend their musical jollity into the small hours.... There is no light pollution and so the stars are just amazing.

We may not have a swimming pool, but when the water is up our canals and the river make for far safer swimming than the sea. With no rips or breakers that can dump you, the river, with sensible supervision, is safe for children too.

The jetty is great for diving off, and at sundown provides a peaceful platform for fishing. Our local boatman is on hand to punt you around the maze of backwater canals and his keen local knowledge will identify the varied flora and fauna in surprisingly good English!

Our 4 cottages are built with great care and a contemporary aesthetic. Well shaded and surrounded by water, temperatures are cooler here and as has been said, no mosquitoes!

Each cottage is on its own little island with a natural garden of palm and acacia trees interplanted with jasmine and flowering shrubs.The cottages are thatched with palm leaf and raised above the ground on granite steddle stones. This ensures exceedingly good ventilation which keeps the cottages remarkably cool.

Each cottage has fan, wash basin and bidet. The logistics of plumbing, with our canals, has dictated that we have a shared bathroom. Like the owners it's alternative! Four metres square with rain shower head and central four feet square copper shower tray, loo and bidet, honeymooners seem to get stuck in there.

All cottages have a spacious veranda from which you can glimpse life on the river.

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Up the coast is the ‘famed’ Kovalam beach, for lively swimming, beachfront boutiques selling Kashmiri and Lamani handicraft, and plenty of restaurants.

A drive out into the villages can be really interesting to witness rubber tapping, an oil mill, or even a cashew nut factory.

For a full day out, a drive down to Kanyakumari , where the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea meet, can also take in the famous Travancore Palace which is entirely constructed of exotic hardwood.

Trivandrum city, the capital of Kerala, is a bustling, hot and polluted place. Nevertheless the architecture within the old fort area is certainly worth a look and the Padmaswamy Temple is the best example of Dravidian architecture outside the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu.

Ayurveda: We are situated on the same river location as Poovar Island Resort and Isola Di Cocco. These are arguably the best resort ayurveda centres in the area and we are happy to arrange an ayurvedic massage experience or treatment regime with them. Alternative treatment with them and your alternative retreat with us, makes for a genuinely complete holistic experience. The little private garden outside your verandah, shady and quiet, is ideal for yoga.

Birdwatching: Southern Kerala and adjoining Tamil Nadu support a rich array of bird life on the coastal plain and up into the hills, the Western Ghats. Last year we had Brahminy Kites and Paraqueets nesting on our land! We are happy to arrange day trips out for the twitcher in you.

Fishing: The Kerala coast 1km down river from us can provide good fishing off the beach. There are some rocky outcrops just up the coast at Surya Samudra and Kovalam. We fish in the river for eels and Kurimeen and even off the bridges which interconnect the cottages. The crabs make really good eating!

Star gazing: We have an Explorer 200 8" Reflecting Telescope for a real close up of our starriest skys. The evenings just get better!

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We are situated near the small town of Poovar, Southern Kerala, India, on the Neyyar backwater, a 40 min drive south from Trivandrum International Airport.

Our land, extending to one acre, is right on the river bank of the Neyyar, with no neighbours, and as yet, no sign of other development. There is no road access which ensures our privacy, peace and quiet. We are only able to access our hideaway either by walking through the palm garden for ten minutes from the excise check post or by boat from the Poovar town wharf or the Poovar Island Resort Welcome Jetty. It is truly an exceptional location brought about by an act of God and an instrument of man!