Indriya Resorts & Spa, Munnar

Dawn breaks over the line of mountains to the east and in the growing warmth the eponymously named Indriya Bird,s Valley comes alive with the sounds of over 6 acres indigenous and transient species of birds. Spread over 6 acres Indriya Bird's Valley is an exquisite hideaway set on a slope of a hillock, designed to provide the warmth and comforts of a home and the luxuries of a resort.

Slender beams of light pierce the lush overhang of trees forming dappled pools on the stone paved pathways that wind through the slope - with the lobby at the base of the hillock, linking the cottages and the ethnic themed restaurant and coffee shop set in a corner. The lush vegetation spread across the property consists of endemic species of fruit trees, herbs, shrub and shrub thriving in profusion interspersed with immaculately maintained lawns and flower beds.

A profound silence hangs over the valley through the day, broken only by the chatter of birds. On the higher reaches of the hill are a set of delightful honeymoon cottages set discreetly amidst a clump of trees. All the cottages contain private verandas with scenic views of both, the gardens and the upper slopes of the mountains across the valley. Outside, on the roofs of all the cottages are terraces that look out at the canopy of trees below and the mountains opposite.

The wind sometimes sighs wistfully as the sun dips below the trees to the west. The light on the mountain slopes dims and the raucous birds are now silent. Night descends on Bird's Valley.