Staying at the Kuttanad Scenic Village, from your window all you see are lush paddy fields and the placid backwaters as palms sway languidly around you in the breeze. If you think about it, the name says all – this is the place where you can spend balmy evenings sitting by a lagoon on a secluded tropical island and listen to the whisper of the waves on the shore. It’s more than scenic. It’s gorgeous and stunning, breathtaking and beautiful. It’s Kerala.

USP: Serenity, peace, backwaters.

Air: Nearest airports are Cochin, 85 km to the north, and Thiruvananthapuram, 105 km to the south. Hire a taxi or take a bus to Alleppey from where you can set forth in a taxi.

Rail: Nearest railheads are Alleppey (8 km) and Changanassery (18 km).

Road: Alleppey is easily accessible by regular buses that ply from Cochin and Thiruvananthapuram. You can also hire a taxi from these places. Take NH-47.

Vast stretches of paddy fields interlaced with serene backwaters creating some of the most stunning sights in the world. Go sightseeing in houseboats, get not just massages but authentic Ayurveda treatments at the in-house Ayurveda centre and witness exuberant Kathakali performances, which are organised regularly at the Village.