Stunning location and sensitive design – these cottages made of rice straw, bamboo and mud offer an alternative stay like no other. Situated plum in the middle of a coconut grove, Bhakti Kutir is for the discerning traveller looking for a holistic holiday combining the rhythm of Goan village life with world class luxuries, but eco-friendly. The nearby Palolem Beach beckons – ride the surf, build sand castles or just laze with (or without!) a book. Inside the Kutir enjoy massages, homemade pasta and wheat grass juice. Run by a German-Goan couple, the resort attracts guests from all over the world. The exuberance of people from different milieus mingling is infectious – this is where new ideas get kicked off and great conversations happen.

USP: Holistic living, global culture, earth friendly. Great for families with kids.

Bhakti Kutir is located at the Palolem Beach in the south of Goa. The easiest option is to request the resort for a pick up. They willingly oblige.

Air: Goa is well connected with all major destinations across India and also has international airlines servicing it. Dabolim is the main entry point for Goa situated at a distance of around 29 km from Panaji on the coast near Vasco da Gama. Most domestic airlines operate in Goa apart from chartered private airlines operating from UK and Germany. Indian Airlines has direct flights from Delhi and Mumbai daily. Air India also flies to Goa. Bhakti Kutir is 60 km from Dabolim and the journey will take you about an hour and a half to cover. Hire a taxi at the airport.

Rail: You can take trains from Delhi (1,874 km), Mumbai (490km) and Bangalore (430 km) to reach Goa comfortably. From the railway stations, you can hire taxis and even motorcycles to go to Palolem.

Road: Goa, Maharashtra, and Karnataka state transport corporations operate from the Kadamba bus stand at Panaji.

Sea: Frank Shipping operates a boat service between Mumbai and Panaji.

Genuine Ayurvedic massages, Yoga classes by authentic masters, organic food. No two cottages are alike and an eco-friendly compost toilet accompanies each of them. Built to include trees as well as the starry skies, Bhakti Kutir’s mainly vegetarian restaurant serves fresh sea food, wine and even tribal liquors! You get to participate in the nightlife on Palolem beach and then retire to a world of complete serenity.

Also, healing programmes such as meditation and Yoga are conducted. You can even conduct impromptu workshops for other visitors. Also on offer are cultural programmes, short excursions to wildlife reserves, heritage towns, spice gardens and other holistic resorts in the area. There is even an informal school in the premises to keep your kids busy!