Kumarakom - Coconut Lagoon
Hidden among the palm trees on the eastern shore of Lake Vembanadu, at the mouth
of the Kavanar River, Coconut Lagoon Heritage Resort is set on a coconut plantation
in the very heart of these fascinating backwaters, and has been designed to
give visitors an authentic insight into Kuttanad life. The resort can only be
reached by boat. Govt. approved hotel with Indian, continental and sea food
specialty, restaurant and bar. Ayurvedic massage, yoga and meditation, country
boat expeditions, visit to bird sanctuary, 'Rice boat' cruises, fishing, swimming.
Ayurvedic centre, swimming pool, health club, fishing expeditions 37 part ac
rooms. Swimming Pool, credit cards etc.
DESCRIPTION OF COCONUT LAGOON
The resort can only be reached by boat - a ferry leaves from one of several
"mainland " embarkation points at scheduled times throughout the day
- and its accommodations consist of individual cottages called " Tharawads
", the traditional wooden house of Kerala. Though some of these cottages
are of more recent vintage, many are well over a century old and a few actually
date back to the early 1700s. Painstakingly dismantled and brought to their
new Lake Vembanad site from various villages and plantations in the surrrounding
countryside ( where because of high unkeep costs they had been abandoned or
were doomed for destruction ) these tharawads have been re-assembled peice by
piece in accordance with " Thachu shasthra, the ancient rules and rites
of carpentry, and set within the coconut grove's well-manicured network of irrigation
canals, all of which have been lovingly preserved. Each ancient building is
a veritable museum unto itself, and each has its own tale to tell.
Location of Coconut Lagoon, Kumarakom
10 Kms from Kottayam. 78 kms from Cochin.
Getting There
Direct ferry from Casino Hotel, Cochin. Also travel half-way by road and take
the ferry from Puthenangadi jetty or Kumarakom.
Climate
23 C , Max : 32 C.
Cuisine
Ethnic and international ( buffet )
Things to do
Ayurvedic Massage, yoga and meditation, country boat expeditions, visit to bird
sanctuary, " Rice Boat " cruises, fishing, swimming.
Amenities at Coconut Lagoon, Kumarakom
Shopping Arcade, Health Club, Swimming Pool, Water Sports, Ayurveda Treatment
Centre, Country Canoe Expeditions, Bird Watching, Fishing Expedition, Sunset
Cruise, Cultural Programme, Village Expeditions.
Accomodation of Coconut Lagoon, Kumarakom
14 Heritage Mansionsm, 28 Heritage Bungalows, 8 Private pool Villas. Though
all the cottages vary in configuration, and some of the airconditioned units
are newly built replicas incorporating only fragments of old " tharawads
" that could not be saved in their entirety, Coconut Lagoon offers three
basic types of accommodation : Heritage Mansions, Heritage Bungalows and Private
Pool Villas. The former have two stories, the upstairs bedroom gallery offering
particularly magnificient views of Lake Vembanad.
The latter are more compact, single-level cottages. Both are furnished in alyny
and jack woods, and retain all the charm of original family homes, with thick,
solid doors, intricate window carvings, and terra cotta tile floors. Structually
necessary alternations have been carried out with consummate discretion, ie.,
in keeping with the style and decor of the era, and great attention has been
paid to every detail. The lampstands in each " tharawad ", for example,
having been carved from old wooden hinges. Traditionally, of course, Keralites
bathed in the rivers - in rural areas many people still do - but Coconut Lagoon's
cottages feature ultramodern bathrooms, each located in an inner courtyardd
boasting its own banana ( or coconut ) tree, so you can shower al fresco under
a starlit sky in complete and utter privacy !
Reception
The reception building itself, for example, is a " nalukettu ", a
design that features a four-cornered open-rrof courtyard within the basic structure.
Originally located in the village of Vaikom not far from Coconut Lagoon, it
was know as " Kalapakasseril Illom" - the workd illom signifying a
mansion belonging to a member of the Brahmin Caste - and was constructed in
1860. The illom was purchased in 1993, at which time a team led by Bhaskaran
Ashari, one of Kerala's few surviving master craftsmen still familiar with the
traditional thachu shasthra style of carpentary, went about the task of reconstructing
the mansion at its present location.
Restaurant of Coconut Lagoon, Kumarakom
Cited in Arundhati Roy's Booker-Prize winning best-seller, " The God of
Small Things. " the restaurant at Coconut Lagoon is renowned as much for
its superb Kerala cuisine ( vegetarian and non-vegetarian alike ) as for its
authentic setting, and is housed in one of the resort's most impressive "
tharawads ". Knowns as an " Ettukettu ", the building incorporates
two atrium-like courtyards under and expansive tile roof supported by dozens
of slim columsn, a design that enables the space within to benefit from the
slightest breeze. The restaurant is the oldest structure at Coconut Lagoon,
and it, too, formerly belonged to a prominent Malayali family living in a nearby
village.
Leisure Activities at Coconut Lagoon, Kumarakom
Sunset Cruise :
There can be few better ways to adjust to the pace of backwater life than to
spend the waning hours of the afternoon just watching the sun go down.
Backwater Cruise :
A relaxing boat trip through the maze of canals adjacent to Coconut Lagoon is
a fascinating experience, and a delightful way to get a closer look at life
in the backwaters.
Bird Sanctuary:
On the southern bank of the Kanavar River, immediately opposite Coconut Lagoon,
is a small bird sanctuary, where numerous species of birds, including Darters,
Bitterns, Brahminy kites, Marsh Harriers, Teals, and several varieties of Herons
roost.
COCONUT LAGOON'S AYURVEDIC CENTER
Ayurveda, the Science of Life, is almost as old as the Indian civilisation.
It's holistic approach, the efficacy of its therapies and the absence of distressing
side affects are some of its more salient features. Throughout the world there
is a rising awareness of the benefits of natual health systems. Health in the
ayurvedic view represents the Harmony of body, mind and soul. It's pharmacopia
is nature herself and its diagnostic and curative tools have been derived from
the invaluable legacy of insights, experience and knowledge bequeathed to posterity
by its great masters. It is based on natural principles that inform and animate
human life. The Coconut Lagoon offers the following therapies at it's Ayurvedic
Centre under the guidance of an expert " vaidyan " ( physician ) whom
you may consult for a fuller understanding of symptoms and appropriate treatment.
It is well equipped with a dispensary and qualified resident staff.
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