Windflower spotting

Amidst languid backwaters, playful sea, marine platter and serene night sky, discover bliss

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We are out windflower spotting… looking for signage that gives directions to The Windflower. It's like a treasure hunt, and after peering through the rain-beaten windscreen and enduring a 30-minute bumpy ride from Puducherry, we finally pull into the portico of The Windflower Resorts and Spa. White pillars brace the high-arched ceilings, giving the lobby a feel of royalty. Inside is a statue of Buddha with his usual blissful countenance. His expression turns out to be symbolic of what the resort has to offer.

The resort sits daintily between the languid backwaters and the playful sea. No matter where you are in the seven-acre property, you always catch a glimpse of either of the water bodies. And then there are the wide expanses of green as far as the eye can see, nestled amidst which are 51 rooms that include five villas, 26 studios and 20 suites.

My villa offers a breath-taking view of the backwaters. I draw back the curtains of the large glass windows, sink into my king-sized bed, and dreamily gaze out. I realise lazing in my room would only keep me from the host of activities The Windflower has to offer. There is a lovely open-air shower as well, but I don't want to play Jane today. And, why would I when I have the option of wading in my own private pool. So, here I am soaking myself in the cool green mini pool and sipping on a drink. I feel like one of the women from “Sex and the City', but instead of sipping on martini and gingerly popping olives into my mouth, I am sipping on

elaneer and biting into chunks of coconut. Next, I head to the spa. Allowing oils, potions and lotions to do their trick, I drift into a deep slumber where I dream of calamari rings, grilled prawn and basa fish fillet. And, when I do wake up, I decide to have just that for dinner. The resort has a multi-cuisine restaurant that specialises in sea food. They are also coming up with a roof top resto bar that gives diners a 360 degree view of the property. I am in no mood to sit in the restaurant and have my meal. The outdoors beckon. With the rain finally taking a break, it's rather pleasant outside, and the cool breeze makes me opt for a candle-lit dinner on a boat. Now, it's just the backwaters, the basa fish and me. And as the boat gently bobs about, I polish off all the food, lie back like Garfield and watch the stars flicker in the velvet night sky.

No wonder they say that the road to bliss is often an arduous one.

Tariff

Studio — Rs. 6,300; Suite — Rs. 7,200; and Villa Rs. 12,600 (includes breakfast and dinner)

How to get there

The Windflower is located at Survey No. 198/1, 198/2, Manavely Revenue Village, Maraimalai Adigal Street, Chinnaveram Pattinam, Ariyankuppam Post. It is half-an-hour by road from Puducherry. The nearest airport is Chennai, approximately 165 km away.

For details, call 0413-2603200.