As vacations go, a lakefront resort in warm and humid Kerala may not strike one as the ideal spot for a summer jaunt with the family. Much better, you would think, to head to Coorg or Manali and soak in the chill, while gloating over the soaring mercury back home.

However, Vasundhara Sarovar Premiere, a luxury lakefront resort in Vayalar, Alleppey, shows that there could be perks to this unconventional choice. The property is located on the banks of the tranquil and seemingly boundless Vembanad lake, which covers vast swathes of this part of Kerala. Vayalar is well away from the touristy Kumarakom and attracts fewer visitors, our boatman tells us. One benefit is the lack of crowds, and another is the pristine condition of the lake waters, with no plastic bags sullying the shores.

Alight at Kochi airport and drive down to a private jetty at Valamangalam (about 65 km away). From here, you can take a leisurely boat ride to the resort. You may start the ride feeling hot and bothered, but as you drift over the winding waters, with a cool breeze wafting by and the lake’s mirror-like surface reflecting the lush greenery on the banks, you are lulled into a languorous state.

I walk into the resort’s lobby in a mid-afternoon stupor, but am instantly revived by the dark wood décor. The vast lobby has high-vaulted ceilings and is bounded by tall wooden pillars with strands of gently chiming temple bells. The walls are painted in muted green, yellow and brick-red traditional Kerala murals. At the centre of the lobby is a depiction of the famous Thrissur Pooram festival, where mock elephants in full temple regalia line the sides of a pool.

Rooms at the resort are large by city standards with 500 sq ft of space, and have large balconies. But the air-conditioning is unequal to its task as the mercury soars above 35 degrees celsius. The ethnic touches — woven rattan fans, wardrobes made of coconut shell and large, pebbled bathrooms are enticing.

Historic trail

The two heritage villas situated on the lakefront — Naalukettu and Kovilakam — are authentic 200-year-old Kerala homes, dismantled panel by wooden panel and transported here to be painstakingly re-assembled, explains Ashok Kumar, the resort’s engineer. They are charming but a little cramped. In contrast, the resort’s houseboat Geetham is fully air-conditioned, with all modern conveniences including a Jacuzzi and viewing deck.

Apart from these, there are six ‘floating’ cottages on a tiny private lake, which bob up and down as the lake waters rise or recede. Both the heritage villas and the floating cottages, I guess, are best experienced during Kerala’s torrential monsoons from June to September.

If you like to gad about on your holiday, be warned that there are not too many sightseeing stops around Vayalar. One can visit the Alleppey market, which is no different from that in any other town, and the bustling beach. Quaint, old-world Fort Kochi is much more interesting, its lanes dotted with curio shops selling (expensive) bronze and wood crafts. The Dutch Palace, formerly used by the Kochi royal family — now a museum — is worth a visit for a peep into the life of Kochi’s maharajahs.

Strolling down the coast at sunset, we come upon fisher-folk working the huge cantilevered Chinese fishing nets. Tethered to wood frames, the nets are lowered into the water each evening with a light bulb at the centre. The fish, attracted to light (I thought only moths were) arrive in shoals, only to be sneakily snatched out of the water as the frame is levered up.

We come across the St Francis Church, tucked away in a bylane, housing the grave of Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama. Much excited by this sight, I take a photo of the faded placard that says he was first interred here before his earthly remains were moved to Portugal.

Toddy tasting

Those who enjoy their drink cannot miss a visit to a toddy shop, a legal business in Kerala. Shojimon, our guide, takes us to a popular one on a boat. The shop, a ramshackle structure with a thatched roof and mud floor, bustles with local men keen to usher in Vishu, the Kerala new year, with a tipple.

Here, three glasses of toddy can be had for Rs 80. A variety of accompaniments cost another Rs 50 — mussels with tapioca, tuna and tiny fish mixed with coconut and green chilli — the USPs that make this particular shop so popular. I sip gingerly at fresh toddy, which the ‘bar owner’ claims is ‘good’ for health. The drink isn’t unpleasant, but carries a zing similar to over-fermented buttermilk. Two old men at the table snigger at my modest tippling and cockily down a bottle of two-day-old toddy — far more potent stuff — in one big, breathless gulp.

Toddy, Shoji warns us, is also an appetiser, so we are both hot and hungry when we head back to the resort. Meals at Vasundhara are elaborate affairs that offer both traditional Kerala and continental fare. Chef Suresh explains that this improvisation is necessary because of foreign visitors. Being a vegetarian, I enjoy Cheera Thoran, a preparation of red spinach, garlic and shallots, and large fluffy aapams with stew. Suresh, however, is a mite disappointed that I’m missing the best part of the menu — seafood. Karimeen Polichathu, pearl fish cooked in a banana leaf-wrap; Alleppey Prawn curry, prawns cooked with coconut and raw mango; and the live seafood grill are specialities here.

Evenings at the resort can be whiled away at the lakefront, lounging in hammocks or gazebos, or taking leisurely boat cruises around the lake. I choose the former, reading a book and intermittently gazing out at the sunset, with the ethereal scene of fishermen unfurling their nets on the lake.

After the sun goes down, the opposite shore is lit by tiny explosions of light. I wonder what those are until I hear the far-off sound of firecrackers. Local children, back from school by boat, are celebrating Vishu with sparklers, while their fathers are probably heading back home replete with toddy.

(Tariff ranges from Rs 9,000 to Rs 10,000 a night for the rooms, Rs 18,000 for a floating cottage and Rs 20,000 for the houseboat.)

(Pictures by the author)

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