The International Writers Magazine: Wild Wood Spa Redux

Fragrance and flowers in Wild Wood Spa • Marianne de Nazareth The fragrance of a thousand flowers envelops you as you step into the reception at Wild Wood Spa and resort at Kundapur. You feel your senses assailed by the most delightful combination of the floral fragrances of the heavily flowering Rangoon creeper and the pristine white Clematis running in a riot across the pergolas across the property.

For a city dweller this immediately calms your ragged nerves, after the drive down, from the nearest polluted environs of our bustling, overcrowded cities. Sit in the reception area and while you are being checked in, let your eyes wander across the miles, to the beautiful waterfall in the distance.

The canopy of trees overhead, then envelop you, as you walk into the property,with their soothing green colours and you immediately gulp in lungs full of fresh and clean air. Walking along the path to your room is again another experience with a variety of creepers and their scented hanging blooms that gently bush your face as you pass below the pergolas.

“That’s a creeper from Bangkok,” explains KP Shetty the owner of the resort who has personally bought and hand reared all the trees and plants in the entire 22 acre property. “I don’t want the hot sun beating down on anyone. Let the trees cover the whole area and make the experience of walking in the resort enjoyable and cool.” In a matter of four years, he has transformed what was harsh scrub land into a fruit and flower paradise, bringing in the most exotic species from across the world. And the best part is, he lets you share in the beauty he has created.

Even the path that you walk on, taking you to the cottages,  is covered with fresh and vigourous grass growing inbetween the granite slabs underfoot. And every side you turn, your eyes are pleasantly assailed with sights of gorgeous Torch Ginger or the pristine pure white scented Ginger Lilly. Common pink and white Hibisicus jostle with their more hybrid cousins, which bring tiny little sunbirds to flash in and out of the flowers sipping nectar all day long.

Above and flitting between the branches, a variety of rare avian feathered visitors hop around the trees, singing at day break or feasting on the fruit which are growing on the trees.

“I have planted fruit trees like figs and mulberries across the 22 acre property to bring in the birds. I have also left the wild jamun and wild jackfruit which the birds are accustomed to,” explains Shetty. Everywhere he has encouraged the growth of host plants which are called Krishna kireedam or Pagoda plant (Clerodentron paniculatum) which is a shrub that grows mostly in the wild but he has multiplied across the property as the flowers last about six months.

The orange-red- bell shaped flowers contain a lot of honey which attract a huge variety of butterflies and the Butterfly Walk is a delight for lovers of the magical butterfly in all its jewel colours.

For those who are looking for a relaxing Spa treatment, the Spa in the resort is another beautiful hideout with a variety of different treatments from the regular Ayurvedic to the Swedish and the Thai massage. Frenchman Alexandre Abraham has been trained in Thailand and says that a really good massage could be given in an hour and a half at minimum. These massages help muscle pain, low back problems, pain in the neck and shoulders which he finds a lot of Indians suffer from, with long hours sitting at the computer.

And of course the cuisine on offer are a variety of International and local cuisine to suit every palate! The three chefs cook up a storm in the open kitchen and their vegetarian offerings for a non-veg eater like me, was an eye opener. Everything from their naans to their brinjal fry and the hibiscus and Jackfruit idlies are wonderful to try dunked in a delish sambhar. Fresh off the tree Star fruit juice, bursting with vitamins was also on offer and was wonderfully refreshing.

Take that break and book a couple of days at the Wild Wood Spa and Resort.And as an added benefit you can enjoy the effort and time spent by KP Shetty with his wonderful collection of foliage plants and fruit trees for free.

Contact: Shiroor Check Post Deviation, Yedthare Panchayat,  Toodalli Village, Kundapur Taluk, Udupi District - 576228, INDIA  Ph :08254-250666,205866
Athens Leisure Resort (P) Ltd., 402,  Prestige Kada, #22, Richmond Road, Bengaluru - 560025, INDIA
Ph :+91 80 4411 0000 +91 7760976680 (After Office hours 6pm to 8am)
e-Mail : info@wildwoodsspa.com

© Marianne de Nazareth May 2013
mde.nazareth@gmail.com
A Moonlit Haven in Bangalore, India
Marianne de Nazareth
Bangalore is considered the silicon valley of the East. From a slow paced pensioner’s paradise of the ‘70’s, the city has evolved into a burgeoning metropolis with a very cosmopolitan flavour.

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