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Coconut Lagoon, Kumarakom
Coconut
Lagoon is our attempt to capture the essence of the Kerala experience and then
offer it in a unique setting. Nothing has been added that does not already belong.
And if the comforts of life enter (as they must), they do so in a way that leaves
the harmony around them undisturbed.
Before you is the great Vembanad
lake, rippling under the vault of an impossibly large sky. Sunlight sparkles on
her waters, tearing the reflection of a passing houseboat into crystal shards.
Darter birds go about their fishy business. Your nostrils fill with scent- laden
ozone.
To a timber and tile mansion that seems to belong to this earth,
but to another time.
If you left the comfort of your hammock for a closer
look, you'd see that it is an authentic reconstruction.
Some of its timbers
are 200 years old. They were moved here piece by piece, a legacy of the tharavads
of old Kerala.
The Liquid Highway The resort is reachable
only over the water. It nestles along one shore of the Vembanad lake, a 175 square
km. expanse stretching between the backwaters of Kerala and the sea. Perhaps,
if you are lucky, you'll arrive at dusk. When reds and golds and purples colour
the sleepy waters and the only sounds are of gently lapping waves, mingled with
your own rising breath. Lazily, the red roofs of Coconut Lagoon emerge from the
palm shadows and, going a little way up a river mouth, you make a sharp turn that
brings you right into our reception.
Accommodations and Enchantments
The
reception area too, like the homes we mentioned earlier, is a living piece of
Kerala history. It dates from 1860, the four-cornered open courtyard design an
echo of times past. The entire mansion was painstakingly transplanted from the
nearby village of Vaikom in 1993. Relax on the wooden swing before you check in,
or wander about, sipping on a fresh coconut and soaking in the atmosphere.
You can choose from three kinds of accommodation at Coconut lagoon. The Heritage
Bungalows are compact independent cottages, set in lush lawns along the canals.
The Heritage Mansions are larger, with an upper story defined by distinctive
wooden ribs that resemble the sides of a boat. Most of these afford fine views
of the lake.
Beyond, on their own quiet section of lake front, are the
Pool Villas. Peace and privacy combine here, with private pools, distinctive interiors
and even your own little hammock, tied up front.
Take a closer look at
any of the accommodations, and you'll see the minute architectural details that
make each of them distinctive. A trellis pattern here, a row of tiny brass knobs
there, a rampant diety on a 200 year old columnno two houses are exactly the same.
Of course, these old-world touches betray little of the conveniences that
are found within. Air-conditioning, telephones, hot and cold waterall the comforts
of a modern resort are yours to relish.
The bathrooms are open-roofed,
echoing the outdoor facilities of traditional Kerala, but of course, incorporating
every mod con. So you can shower under the sheltering sky, yet in complete privacy.
Coconut Lagoon, Kumarakom,
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