Taking a plantation vacation is one of the most relaxing things that you can experience. I decided to head to the Evolve Back Resorts which is located in the hills of Coorg amongst acres of coffee plantation. A three night holiday is the perfect way to relax and de-stress from the rigors of the city. Lush green plantations amongst abject luxury and top class hospitality are the reasons I fell in love with the Evolve Back Resorts Coorg.
Let’s start with the property. The property is laid out in villas which are displaced into clusters over the whole 35 acres of the property. Although walking is the best way to get from one point to another, there are buggies available which makes the transit quite a bit easy. As you roll along with streets lined with trees on both sides, it isn’t unusual to find a small monkey perched on one of the branches or the constant noise of birds and insects. As we had visited during the monsoon season, the lush greenery of the forest is at it’s fullest. The resort also has three restaurants, a library, two swimming pools and also areas for recreation.
Villas at Evolve Back Resorts
The villas at Evolve Back Resorts are a typical representative of the local Coorgi planter’s culture. Built in a typical South Indian cross British style, the red floors combined with the thatched slanted roofs take you to back to a South Indian home. With an ornately carved door and a small courtyard which has plants in it, the villa also has a plethora of modern yet responsible accessories. These include the RO water system along with reusable Cosmetic pots. I fall in love with the simple yet rustic wooden furniture that comprises of a four poster bed, dressing tables and an abundance of chairs where you can sit around and relax. The chairs hold a special memory for me. There are a few armchairs outside on the balcony which opens out to a garden along with a private swimming pool. As my villa was just near the lake, it was a magnificent view of the of pool against the backdrop of the lake and cottages in the distance.
What to Eat at the Evolve Back Resorts?
The Granary
The Evolve Back Resorts at Coorg has three restaurants serving out a variety of cuisines. The Granary is the all day dining restaurant which not only serves out a breakfast buffet along with lunch and dinner, it also works as a workhorse serving out evening tea which consists of Vadas amongst a plethora of things along with cups of Filter Coffee. Not only that, we also decided to have one of our dinners and breakfasts there. The explosively large breakfast had us enthralled as it offers a multitude of Continental dishes if you’re in the mood.
Plantain Leaf
The Plantain Leaf, on the other hand is a purely vegetarian restaurant which offers a predominantly South Indian cuisine but also manages some slick North Indian grub. We tried out a majority of our Dosas here only. Paired with a trio of chutneys daily (these change daily including Pumpkin, Carrot and even Garlic), the range of Dosas and Idlis offered here is astounding. The Plantain Leaf also offers a Thaali for Lunch and Dinner which has two variants: North Indian and South Indian. Let me recount the different styles of Dosas I had out here: Mysore Plain Dosa, Mysore Masala Dosa, Raagi Dosa, Baajra Dosa, Rava Dosa, Set Dosa and even the Ghee Roast Dosa. The South Indian Thaali, on the other hand included Fried eggplant, a mixed Vegetables Curry, a Bambooshoot curry and a load of Payasam. The North Indian Thaali had Shahi Paneer, Gatta Curry, Kofta along with a Kaali Daal and Butter Naan.
Pepper
The final restaurant at the Evolve Back Resorts is the Pepper which offers a traditional Coorgi plantation cuisine. It includes food from the British era along with that of the Kodavas and the Anglo Indians too. The menu comes pre-plated and is accompanied by a delightful Coffee Cherry liquor that we tried out for the first time. We followed that up with a tenderised Sweet Potato or Fish for the non-vegetarian cooked in a traditional Coorgi spice. The spice mix has a sweet and tangy taste which combines with the bed of crispy potato to create a layer of flavours you wouldn’t get elsewhere.
Activities at Evolve Back Resorts
Staying at the resort doesn’t only mean that you have stare at the lush greenery. What you can also do is a number of activities that are organised by the naturalists at the resort. Starting in the morning with a Bird watch to explore new species of birds that you can find all over to heading over to the nearby village to explore the rustic simple life, there is also an activity which takes you deep inside the plantations. The Workers Trail and the Plantation Trail offers you an unique experience to dwelve deep into the lives of coffee and pepper farmers who allow you to experience all the masterful produce.
In the evenings, there is a session which showcases the local dance form You can also take a trail to understand how this resort is becoming an icon for responsible tourism.
Vaidyashala: The Ayurvedic Spa at Evolve Back Resorts
True to every letter of its name, Evolve Back Resorts has access to all the nature’s splendor charm amidst the luscious greens of the coffee and pepper plantations. When in South of India taking an ayurvedic spa session becomes quintessentially a must indulgence.
An oasis of calm living in the environs of the metropolis is hard to imagine. But Vaidyashala– the Ayurveda Spa in Evolve Back Resort is here to release all your unquietness. With large open lush green areas all around, this resort is the perfect place to relax and rejuvenate oneself. Vaidyashala offers a perfect accompaniment to all your health and medical ailments. As the name suggests it is a place to attain mukti from diseases. With a traditional Ayurveda menu, this is your one-stop destination for rejuvenation.
I was greeted with warmth and a big smile at the reception. I could smell the fragrance of essential oils and it already helped me to mentally relax my body and mind. After a good 5 minutes of consultation, the therapist suggested me ‘ Udvardana’ (back, shoulder, legs and head massage with herbal powder and essential herbal oils which helps in weight loss and correcting the metabolism of the body.) so I decided to give it a try.
Spa Rooms
The rooms at Vaidyashala are tastefully yet minimalistic decorated. A large waiting area for you to just unwind and relax before and after your therapy.It has both single ones and couple therapy rooms. The rooms are wood furnished have an attached wooden steam booths which are the perfect place to sweat out toxins post a massage. A large table takes its place right in the centre of the room, with an art installation on the wall. There are changing rooms along with a lavatory and shower room. The toiletries are all customised Evolve Back Products.
Therapy
As I walked in, the room was turned into a comfortable den. I could smell the essential oils getting heated. I changed into a langot and settled myself to get the therapy started. The lights were turned low, aromatic candles were lit and gentle music was played to create a calm and relaxing atmosphere for my therapy. My masseuse Chaitrya began cleaning my feet with luke warm water while Bhagya started massaging my head and hair with the warm oil and worked her way up to the legs. They then moved from the lower to upper back to loosen up the tensed knots and stressed back muscles with herbal oils and finally rubbing off the oil using herbal powder, almost putting me to sleep. These essential ayurvedic oils really seep into your skin and help you to reach an ultimate state of relaxation and rejuvenation. After my ayurvedic therapy, I went for a hot steam and had a boost of energy and a feeling of rejuvenation as I was promised.
Evolve Back Resorts is the perfect place to rejuvenate for a weekend far away from the maddening hustle that pervades the cities.
Image Credits: Snigdha( Salt And Sandals)