Staying at Philipkutty’s Farm is an excellent opportunity to enjoy the real Keralan experience in a fascinating location, with a caring family to look after you. It is a special place, as it provides something different, especially for those who prefer small and friendly places, and, could just be, the perfect hideaway for the bespoke traveller.

You are welcomed, looked after, and cared for by the family (wife Anu, mother Aniamma, son Philip and myself - Vinod). Though the family hosts you, your privacy is assured as the three waterfront villas are entirely independent and away from the family residence. The first villa designed by Karl Damscen, a Swiss architect, is a traditionally styled, antique filled, open plan affair, with sufficient space for a couple and an extra bed if need be. The other two villas designed by Thomas Dominic, are the same in style and deco, but with separate bedroom, living room and ‘sit-out’ facing the peaceful waterfront.

All this is set on a beautiful small farm island which was actually reclaimed from the backwaters (Vembanad Lake) in the early 1950’s by my grandfather. The working farm, which practices sustainable / organic methods of farming, is two metres below the lake level and has coconut, toddy, nutmeg, banana, cocoa and pepper cultivation not to forget the jumbo prawn (scampi) and karimeen (pearlspot) found in some of the farm canals. Though accessible by road (up to the opposite bank), it is the ‘vallam’ (countryboat) that will finally take you across.

All said, this is an excellent opportunity to reside with a family and share a Keralan way of life in serene and peaceful surroundings; complemented with warm hospitality and traditional homecooked food; excellent comfort and hygiene standards; a village and rural life experience; and, above all, an interaction to cherish and enhance your holiday experience.

We are prominent members of the community, and have our roots in agriculture. My grandfather was involved in land reclamation and my father, the late Philipkutty, received the ‘Kera Kesari’ award for the best coconut cultivator from the Govt. of Kerala in 1994.

Staying with the family is an unforgettable experience with fond memories to take back. As hosts, we reside on the property full time, and hence, our personalised attention is assured. All guests at Philipkutty’s Farm are welcomed and cared for by the family. We are fully involved and would gladly take you around the farm or the many places of interest or just sit and chat with you. You are also welcome to share in our interests - mum enjoys cooking and I do paintings as a hobby. All this is without compromising your privacy. The family takes a lot of interest in personalising your stay, depending upon your interest. We are always there to make your holiday another memorable experience.

We strive to give our guests the undiluted real Kerala with exposure to the Keralan way of life of a Kuttanadan (backwater) family. The interaction with the family is also an educative experience for the guests on issues like farming, cuisine and culture. Along with the fond memories they carry back, most guests when they leave are also better informed.

Food :

Food is definitely one of the highlights of staying at Philipkuttys farm. The cuisine is mostly local and cooked by my skilful mother. Being a traditional agrarian household, lavish meals are more or less the norm and pretty much a way of life. All meals are included in the price.

Meals are served either in the family dining room or outdoors in the courtyard or in the pavilion itself. Self catering facilities are minimal, with only an electric kettle and refrigerated mini-bar. The whole family, or, atleast some of us will definitely join with you for all the meals. We are glad to cater for any special diets if needed and also provide for vegetarian options too. In fact all meals are discussed with the guests.

We also cater for lunch parties for non resident guests but only on a prior arrangement basis. We also offer cooking classes for resident guests who are interested in learning the local cuisine.

The cuisine is predominantly Syrian Christian with a strong backwater influence. Most of the dishes served are centred around fish, farm vegetables and fruits, duck, chicken and occasionally other meats, supplemented with rice and rice based local breads like appam, string hoppers etc. Some of our specialities are karimeen (pearlspot fish) fry, fish molee, prawn and scampi preparations, duck roast and curry, and red hot Kerala fish curry to name a few.

For the adventurous, drinking Toddy (it is the fermented sap of the coconut tree- a kind of country liquor) is a must. Desserts are usually puddings, fresh fruits and some local treats.

Activities :

• Enjoy a sunset cruise every evening on a vallam (country boat) out in the open backwaters. The sights, breeze, sounds and smell of the late evenings are indeed very soothing. If you are lucky you can also catch the moonrise.
• Take a canal cruise through the narrow and winding canals on a vallam or motor boat and catch a glimpse of the unique backwater villages.
• For bird watchers the backwaters and the farm offer ample opportunities for sighting kingfishers, woodpeckers, egrets, cormorants, herons, crowpheasants, snakebirds, teals, etc.
• Ask for a cooking class from mum and learn the nuances of the local cuisine.
• Do a farm walk with any of us and learn about farming below lake level as well as the different crops cultivated. Do check out toddy tapping.
• Walk around the island along the outer dyke. This may take a little under 3 hours and covers a distance of approximately 8 kms. You could also walk in the village and the market, across in the mainland.
• Do a wider sightseeing and exploration trip of the countryside on a bicycle. A sketch of the region can be provided and you get to enjoy the coconut groves, paddy fields, canals and villages that blend into each other. Most of the roads in the mainland are flat with little or no gradient.
• For the adventurous try swimming in the backwaters in front of the villas.
• Visit the Ayurvedic Centre opposite the property for consultation. Try out rejuvenating massages to proper Ayurvedic treatments for various ailments spread over weeks if need be.
• Try fishing (rods available), or, if you are lucky, check out if you can spike scampi at night.
• Visit the St. Mary’s parish church at Vechoor. This is an old church with a history dating back to over 500 yrs.
• Visit the local temples which are in plenty, the Vaikom Siva temple being the biggest and most famous of the lot.
• Visit a very old Nair Tharavad (household) - ‘The Kaimals’. The household has a history of over 400 yrs- their old wooden house being a testimony of this. The family temple, the old palm leaf manuscripts, the temple art of ‘kalam’ drawing (for which only natural and organic pigments are used) and the tallest Snake God statue are the other attractions there.
• Watch the hundreds of fireflies in the farm at night. You might just mistake them for the stars.
• The property also offers an ideal setting and is inspiring for serious writers and artists.
• But, if you are the kind who wants to just relax and cool off, sit on the verandah or under the trees and dream or observe the passing backwater life or catch up with your reading. You could also star gaze into the clear pollution free night sky.
• Finally you could engage the family members and just chat about anything and everything.

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