This holiday home in Wayanad which looks straight out of the fables is a paradise on earth with glistening blue lake, caliginous forest and the Banasura hills kissing the skies. Your dream vacation spot is also something like this, isn’t it? If so, pack your bags and head to the Contour Island Resort situated on the shores of the famous Banasura Sagar dam.
People, who were cooped up at homes in the wake of the pandemic-triggered travel restrictions, are desperately searching for safe avenues where the COVID-19 protocols could be followed without any hassles. The increase in the number vehicles passing through the Thamarassery Ghat road, which is the gateway to Wayanad, is a testimony to the fact that more travellers are heading to this hill station in Kerala. The Banasura Sagar Dam, which is the largest earthen dam in India, is one of the popular tourist spots in Wayanad.
The lake is dotted with many isles and it’s a great experience to manoeuvre through these small islands on a boat. While boating, one can spot the majestic Contour Island Resort in the valley of the Banasura hills. Let’s take a peek into this grandiose facility.
While going beyond the parking area of the dam from Padinjarathara one can reach the end of a tarred road and the beginning of a metalled road. The roadway, which is abutting the forest, is not an off-road and is wide enough for small cars to pass.
On the left is the Banasura dam and on the right one could hear the babbles of a brook, which eventually flows into the dam. A word of caution while travelling through the area – be on guard against leeches and wild elephants.
The holiday home is tucked away in the lush green Banasura hills and the chances of seeing elephants grazing in a distance are pretty high. The parking area of the resort is on the front yard of a structure built using red bricks and following the traditional ‘nallukettu’ style of architecture. The interiors of the building evoke nostalgia with rounded brick-made pillars and staircase made of Palakkad palmyra trees.
The resort has dam-facing cottages, which are designed traditionally and built without disturbing the ecological balance of the region. One can get a jaw-dropping view of the Banasura Sagar Dam from the top of each cottage. The water body is dotted with green isles and boats meander through these small islands with tourists. And one won’t forget the experience of sitting beside the resort’s swimming pool in a perfect natural setting.
Wayanad is a unique place that can surprise everyone with its changing hues and shades. The sun may shine when it is drizzling and the clouds may clear in no time too. When dusk approaches, there is a dance of colours with every passing minute, and the blue skies will become dark blue as the night sets in. The yellow light from the cottages, the dark blue skies and the light blue lake are picture-perfect, to say the least.
One can have some mouth-watering dishes served at the resort and sleep in the open front yard in the warmth of a campfire.
There is a strict warning that the visitors should not step into dam waters at any cost, and it is always great to relish the beauty of the vast Banasura dam from a distance. One can enjoy a boat ride as the state government has put in place facilities for boating. One can also go on a walk safely as the pavement and the forest is separated by an electric fence. The resort can easily accommodate many people at a time and there is enough privacy too. Actor Tovino Thomas and his family had stayed in this holiday home a few years ago.
The Contour Island Resort provides three out-of-the-world experiences to its guests – a night’s stay in the forests, valley of the hills and on one of the inner isles in the water body. These three opportunities will give a different feel to the tourists.
Call +91 79-94799953, 9495553311 for more information.