Vaamika Island

Arriving by speedboat just might be the last noisy thing you do while staying at Vaamika Island, an ultra-private resort located deep in Kerala’s so-called backwaters. India’s southwest state offers plenty of places to disappear, though none equal this one in remoteness coupled with decadence. It’s on an island, after all — and a recently acquired second island offers an untamed land perfect for picnics or perambulations among coconut trees and feral flora.

Some of the boutique villas have stood for two hundred years. Located on their own islets, most come with an infinity pool, a jetty, lake views, a butler, a private prayer room, and a secluded massage pavilion (Ayurvedic medicine is unsurprisingly big around these parts). The chef-and-butler combo will encourage you to “dine anywhere,” so go ahead and nosh while being anointed in oils. And the island itself offers a museum of the arts, home to an outstanding collection of South Indian sculpture and antiques and sometimes doubling as a performance hall for traditional Kathakali dancing or an exhibition of martial arts. Basically, all you have to do is get here, because everything else will come to you.

Vaamika is a low-impact place. If you’re into things like composting, solar panels, recycling, and organic farming, the resort offers all of the above. What has been rebuilt or restored was done so using local materials by local craftspeople. Such things matter more as Kerala becomes increasingly touristed, its particular ecosystem asked to support the many who’d like to experience what the Department of Tourism has dubbed “God’s Own Country.” Happily, this hotel’s ethics are as lovely as its setting.

How to get there:

The Kochi International Airport is located 45 kms north of Vaamika Island. The Cherthala and Ernakulam railway stations are both located 20 kms from Vaamika Island. The hotel staff is pleased to welcome guests at either the airport or railway stations for transfer to the island. The cost for airport transfers is INR 1800 + tax (per trip) and the price for railway station transfers is INR 1500 + tax (per trip). Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with airport transfers.

• 7 Rooms
• Style: Traditional Elegance
• Atmosphere: Secluded

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