by Suman Gupta
Taj Bekal Resort & Spa, Kerala is only a 2hr drive from Mangalore with a beach and the backwaters! Situated in Kasargod of North Kerala, this beautiful resort and this part of Kerala was absolutely unaffected by the recent monsoon deluge and floods. Verdant, unexplored and lush with greenery and the gushing backwaters, make a perfect get away or holiday destination. Also, well connected with the nearest airport being Mangalore, Bekal is only an 80 kms drive away.
Taj Bekal Resort & Spa is an idyllic spot to relax with beautiful sunsets and is an excellent place to enjoy a weekend of luxury and pampering. It has 71 laterite-lined villas and rooms over 26 manicured acres that reflect the spirit of the sea and backwaters of Kerala. It’s located on the Arabian Sea and there is a good-looking beach nearby. Unfortunately, they don’t encourage people to swim there since the water is always rough. It was a real shame since the water is so warm, it would be like taking a bath. Running through the property is the Kappil River and they offer guest kayaks to explore.
The rooms and villas are inspired by the design of Kettuvallam houseboats and inside they have Chitra Pothi art on the walls. Our villa had a private courtyard with a plunge pool, daybed, outside rain shower and soak tub. We used it day and night and at every chance we could! The interiors are done tastefully and have a lot of traditional yet contemporary touches giving it a lot of personality. There is plenty to do here for two nights. There is a swimming pool, and kayaking, yoga, spa, indoor games, gym, paint ball, bar, restaurants, library. Enough for two nights.The spa has services ranging from INR 2500 to INR 12000.The average cost per meal is roughly INR 2000 for two.
A large number of Activities are offered at this resort. Along with kayaking, the resort also offers boating, rowing, fishing and trekking. They will even pack a picnic basket to take to a spice plantation or historic fort. The highlight for me was being able to check practicing yoga in India off my bucket list. They offer one-hour daily classes outside in the early morning sun and the instructor is awesome.
The best thing about this property is the staff. Just like any Taj, this one also has an eye for detail. The food at the hotel is very good. The resort has three dining options: Latitude Restaurant, Ivory Bar and a BBQ by the pool. Latitude is the main restaurant, which serves three meals a day and multi-cuisines. “Sadya” lunch in Latitude is excellent where meals are served on a banana leaf. It’s a special treat so you have to set it up in advance and the menu includes: sambaram, inji puli, kadu mango pickle, lime pickle, banana chips, sharkkara pratti, vellirikkai, kitchidi, pineapple pachadi, kerala rice, parripu curry, ghee, avial, sambhar, mixed vegetable thoran, chicken ularthiyathu, tawa fried fish, mooru, ada pradaman, banana rasakadalai, papa dam, fried chili.
