This is a multi part account of my stay at The Raviz Calicut and The Raviz Resort and Spa Kadavu, in collaboration with Panache, the travel designers.
This post gives you a glimpse of the activities that you can indulge in at The Raviz Resort and Spa Kadavu. The rest of the narratives cover the cuisine at their restaurants, sightseeing possibilities in Calicut and Calicut’s local attractions.
The Raviz Kadavu being a large 13 acre water front property, it naturally has the potential to sufficiently entertain its guests on the premises itself.
As at all the Raviz properties across Kerala, they make sure that their visitors have a culturally fulfilling experience, as they showcase their traditional music and folk dances at the resort.
As a part of the Onam festival celebrations, they had a few additional performances that are typically presented during this period and through which their guests could savor the local culture in one location, right from the comfort of the hotel.
While the lone flautist was filling the verandah with the melodious strains of his flute, the festival atmosphere was also enhanced by the Puli Kali, a folk dance that I had the pleasure of viewing.
The Puli Kali is said to have been introduced 200 years ago by the then Maharaja of Cochin. Translating to ‘play of the Tigers’, this recreational dance symbolizes tigers being stalked by hunters.
Body paints are used by the performers to depict tigers and hunters and they certainly do a skilled job of it. A strenuous game indeed, it requires trained people and great stamina to go on prancing for hours to the beat of loud drums. Of course I had to fearlessly assume the role of Tigress and pose among them 😀
Apart from these programs, guests can also make use of the swimming pool, billiards table, open library, dart board, archery and paintball and there is a charming handcrafted board that displays this information in the lobby.
The proximity of the resort to the river, makes it conducive to provide Water sports and one can go Kayaking or Jet skiing or take a Banana boat or speed boat ride.
The stately houseboat that lies docked at the boat landing, carries its guests on a soothing sunset cruise circumventing the island that lies in front of the resort.
One can pose at the railing of the landing with spread-eagled arms in Tianic’esque style, while awaiting the ride, and hope that it does not give way under your weight which has been greatly enhanced by the festival meal 😀
Onam being a very important festival, many of the people take leave from their jobs to celebrate in their own homes.
Hence the houseboat crew were not available but the resort arranged a speed boat ride for me so that I could go out onto the water for it from there that one can obtain a spectacular view of the property and scenic views of the river and its surrounding greenery. This is also where one can get the best pictures of the place. Of course I do prefer the calm of a gliding gently houseboat to the stomach churning of a speed boat but sufficient advance pleading made the ride less violent 😀
My speed boat driver also obligingly paused several times and tried his best to steady the boat so that I could shoot (almost) non shaky pictures of the hotel as well as the bat borne trees of the island.
For those who still need action after all these activities, there is a well equipped gym too.
But for those who believe that holidays are meant for relaxing and getting pampered, the Favorite Kerala Spa with its rustic red laterite construction, is the ideal place with its various ayurvedic herbal oil massages, Shirodhara – a therapy which involves gently pouring liquids on the forehead, a wooden steam box chamber and also many other forms of ayurvedic treatment. They also have complete packages that guests can avail of, including a tailor made diet.
And then of course for those (like me) who want to indulge in the ultimate form of leisure which entails lying absolutely still, there is that one lone hammock strung between two obliging coconut trees. One can loll around in this for hours and forget that the rest of the world exists.
Unfortunately my stay was short and I had too many things to cover so I was unable to use all the other facilities despite having heard much about their massages etc and I had to ration my time optimally so that I could manage a bit of sightseeing too, which you can read about in the rest of my narratives.
For more pictures see My Facebook – The Raviz Resort and Spa Kadavu-Activities
Pl note – This trip was made in collaboration with Panache and The Raviz Calicut
The narration is based on my own personal experiences.
If you want to weave in the Raviz in between your Kerala experience or
design your own dream trip, Panache can be contacted at
info@panacheworld.com
Sep 4th-6th, 2017
