Travel Back In Time At This Private Boutique Island Retreat In Kerala

There’s only some much than can cheer you up when every day feels like an extension of the last, or worse a repetition of the previous day. There is no doubt that our urban lifestyles tend to bind us to a robotic routine of eat, work, sleep, repeat and with the pandemic looming in our faces, matters only took a turn for the worse as we found ourselves spending countless hours on zoom calls and an impossible flurry of deadlines.

While exercise, naps, reading, and the occasional outing seems to distract us from the continual weight of our days, genuine mindfulness remains difficult to obtain. This feeling of burning out is a collective sentiment but we just might have a fix for you. Whether you’ve been trying to break out of a rut or simply find an escape from the stress of life, retreats are the perfect way to step back from reality, gain a new perspective, or just simply slow down for a while.

One such retreat is ‘Kayal’, a boutique island retreat, located in the backwaters of Kerala, just off the bustling port city of Kochi. Located on the shores of a private island in Kerala’s Lake Vembanad, the 4-cottage boutique stay allows you to travel back in time as you discover centuries-old traditions and life as it was a hundred years ago. You can sense the time travel from the get-go, as the only way to reach is with traditional rowboats. Since the boutique stay is located far from the hustle and bustle of the city, it offers the perfect setting to slow down and unwind.

Inspired by the local architecture and curated with reclaimed and recycled material, each of the waterfront cottages has been furnished with old teak cupboards, a reading area and desk for quiet contemplation, and an open-to-the-sky bath garden for some serious rejuvenation. Adorned with narratives of local history in art, the walls speak of the rich traditions of the islanders.

From yoga to Ayurveda to canoe rides on the backwaters, it is the perfect place to engage mindfully and consciously with yourself. For the adventurer in you, you can also take day trips to the nearby Fort Kochi and enjoy midnight stargazing; a dream that seems distant in polluted city skies.

Check them out here.

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