Finding Serenity…with Kids
Discover luxurious villas, stunning sunsets, fabulous food and a beautiful beach in the land of dhoklas, theplas and fafdas. Find all the ingredients for a perfect holiday with kids.
Sometimes, you just want a getaway with a little…or a lot…of heart. Some place where enjoying sunsets and sunrises is not a luxury, but the norm. Where the beach is simply a lovely beach. Where there are beautiful seashells still waiting to be found. Where the sound of the sea is the sound of music. Where you can sit or lounge blissfully unperturbed. Where you feel afloat yet rooted. Some place like…Serena.
Surprisingly, despite its vast coastline, India does not have many luxurious beach resorts. With few exceptions, the ones that exist are clustered around Goa and Kerala or rather busy, inaccessible or unapproachable beaches. While destinations such as Pondicherry, Mahabalipuram and Vishakhapatnam are gaining popularity, options for weekend getaways with kids continue to be rather limited.
Enter: Serena Beach Resort, a fabulous find in an unexpected place. Located about an hour from the town of Bhuj in Gujarat, the property is situated on a lovely stretch of Mandvi beach. A convenient halt for those visiting the Rann Utsav, the property is best experienced as a destination in itself with or without kids.
Ingredient #1: A fun journey
When we set off for this unseen haven with a group of friends and a menagerie of kids, we were quite unsure of what to expect. Though there are direct flights from Mumbai to Bhuj, we opted to take an overnight train there and the flight back. The kids were practically falling over themselves in excitement and the merriment, songs, dance and laughter lasted throughout the very comfortable journey.
A journey that was punctuated by massive quantities of food. Think: homemade sandwiches, cold coffee, Gujarati staples thepla and aloo subzi, Maharashtrian vada pav, piping hot Punjabi samosas, delicious packed North Indian/fast food thalis from Surat station, a mountain of fresh sweets and a couple of sinful birthday cakes.
For any breaks in between meals, there were enough dry snacks to supply an army.
Gluttony complete. So much food should have wiped us out for the entire weekend, but it just whetted our appetite for more.
Whether it was the excitement or food-induced coma, the kids were blissfully knocked out for most of the journey. Score!
Ingredient #2: Serene Serena
A labour of love by the family that conceived it, Serena Beach Resort blends rustic charm and funky contemporary luxury: a traditional colourful three-wheeler proudly sits outside a lobby flanked by carved and hand-painted wooden pillars. Across the property, tyres are cleverly repurposed as planters and art installations, or as we used them, selfie/groupie props and spots.
Spacious rooms outfitted with modern amenities, contemporary interiors complete with regional fabrics, local handicrafts and thatched roofs overlook pretty landscaping. With themes ranging from Grecian to Indian, the pool villas are the highlight of the property. Open, airy and inviting, each villa is very unique and very private.
The garden villas, where we stayed, were also very large and beautiful with outdoor sit-outs. These sport an important feature that is missing in most properties: a bedroom and a sofabed-equipped separate living room with a bathroom for each room. For those of us with two kids that experience the daily morning bathroom rush, it was truly a blessing!
An oasis in the desert
Infinite ripples
Riot of colours: the pool villa
Ingredient #3: FOOD
For any peaceful trip, good food is a central requirement. The resort’s prime restaurant, Dunes, delivers an amalgamation of flavours that satisfy the most finnicky of eaters (kids and adults). From finger-lickingly good North Indian to palate-pleasing Italian and Asian, the talented Chef served up meals that turned into binge-fests. We managed to nibble or gobble pretty much everything from moussaka and macaroni to achari mushroom sabzi. To assuage our guilt, we loaded up on the fruits and salads, fresh from the family’s organic farm at their nature cure centre nearby.
Where a little funk meets a lot of flavour…
Where sunsets meet set menus…or any menu you set…
Dunes at dusk…
Ingredients #4, 5, 6 and 7: Open space, beach, pool & games
The core ingredient to achieving parental nirvana is achieving kid-vana.
Mornings walks and sandcastle sessions on the beach were followed by leisurely lunches served in the cool restaurant overlooking the beach. Hot afternoons were spent in the indoor play areas with toys, board and video games or movies, followed by coffee or milkshakes and snacks by the gorgeous infinity pool that overlooks the beach, some splash time and more walks, sand castles on the beach and delicious feasts. To mix it up, the kids took a dip in the lovely pool at a friend’s pool villa or monkeyed around at the outdoor playground.
While we blissfully chose to graze and laze like happy cows, the property also offers a cycling track, mini-golf and local excursions for the more activity-inclined. For us, it was a fun and uncomplicated holiday that actually felt like a holiday.
Exactly the kind of break needed with kids. Kid-vana achieved.
A Lasting Vacation
There are properties where you stay and there are properties that stay with you. Serena Beach Resort is the latter. Long after the visit ends, visions of postcard-perfect sunsets on a quiet beach continue. In the sea of chaos, which is life, it is the memory of Serena that creates an island of calm.
…A mental getaway that can be taken whenever the mind pleases is the perfect way to find serenity.
Discover: Provence with family
Find unique experiences and travel tips for a memorable 4-day family trip to one of France’s most beautiful regions. Discover lavender field photo shoots, violet hot chocolate, 18th century farmhouse-turned-hotel stays, award-winning cheese, chocolate and olive oil tastings, charming local markets, unforgettable sunsets and more.
Provence is a dream. A beautiful dream, from which you may never want to awaken. Picturesque towns shimmer in golden light, while fields of lavender give way to roads lined with colourful wildflowers, gorgeous vineyards and ancient trees. Days filled with scenic drives, aimless walks and lazy lunches ease into sunsets and starry nights that continue to inspire generations of artists.
Places appear as if conjured from romantic novels: borie (stone)-filled Gordes, view-endowed Bonnieux, ochre-sheathed Roussillon, pretty Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, historic Avignon, artistic Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, rocky Les Baux, wild Camargue, vineyard-rich Bandol, green Gorges du Verdon or glitzy Nice, Cannes and St. Tropez. Yet, it is not merely the beauty of places that differentiates Provence; it is the sheer unpretentious charm that surrounds them.
To do or not to do, that is the question
When in Provence, the biggest mistake is to try and do it all. The second biggest mistake, is to not do it all. The scenes, flavours and experiences change as the locale changes. To truly experience all that Provence has to offer, it is most important to slow down.
Getting on that tour bus to try and see it in a day will let you do just that: “see” it. Not, experience it. The difference between the two is very simple: drive past a lavender field to admire its beauty, but walk amidst the plants and you will hear the bees buzz as well as inhale the fragrance.
Dream the dream….
Pick the dream you want to live. While the entire region is incredible, we chose to opt for a more simple, country experience with family. Considering there was an infant and two toddlers, we managed to cover quite a bit.
Here are 10 of our favourite experiences:
1. Drive from Gordes to Sault (one of the lavender routes): Scattered lavender fields, wildflowers, vineyards and orchards dot the gorgeous road. Even if you have time only to reach halfway, the scenic views are worth the detour.
2. Explore local markets: Each market is as unique as its locale. We opted to explore the relatively smaller and more eclectic markets, but for a more complete experience, mix it up with visits to markets in Avignon or Aix. A book by Marjorie Williams, The Markets of Provence, provides detailed coverage for each of the markets. Based on the day(s) of your visit and interest, select the appropriate venue. Do keep in mind though that parking can be problematic in many of the places and plan ahead for painful traffic.
For example:
- Gordes is a bit touristy, yet musical with a lot of fresh food, fruits, juices, produce, cheese and more free-flowing clothing.
- St. Remy is more artistic, with paintings and budding artists scattered among artisanal foods and funky apparel/accessories.
- Lourmarin is very relaxed, with a lot of homemade food and casual clothing. Visit the stall Les arômes méditerraneens for a range of delicious dips such as artichoke white truffle and pimento mustard. Or, walk around and pick up some freshly baked lavender or raspberry cookies.
Gordes Market
Cheese galore!
Apparel on display at the Lourmarin market
Travel tip: Halt for fabulous vegetarian bruschetta and refreshments at Le Comptoir after you have browsed to your heart’s content.
3. Pause to pose: Provence, especially its stunning lavender fields, provides the perfect backdrop for a memorable photo shoot. Trust Rosemary Jackson, a very talented local photographer, to find the perfect setting for a beautiful photo shoot. She also provides invaluable tips and suggestions to enhance your trip.
4. Walk into paintings: St. Remy is like a living painting. Van Gogh’s living painting. As the eccentric genius lived in the monastery there for several years, a large majority of his paintings are inspired by the surrounding scenery. The Van Gogh Art Walk pairs his paintings with the exact location that inspired them – use the map provided for a self-guided tour of the different scenes he painted. Viewing the town from the eyes of one of the world’s greatest artists adds a unique perspective and way to experience the town. Suddenly, you might take a closer look and notice the play of sunlight on olive tree leaves.
Tip: This is a child-friendly experience as it is outdoors and allows for learning with play amidst nature.
5. Discover culinary treasures: A trip to France is incomplete without some gluttony. Eat away or take back some delicious souvenirs:
- Chocolate: If there’s only one chocolatier you can visit, make it chocolatier Joël Durand’s creations. With a flavour for every letter of the alphabet, you will be spoilt for choice. Expect perfectly balanced, yet intense, flavours with an element of surprise.
Tip: Try the violet chocolate. The intense and velvety chocolate with the aromatic and flavourful violet is a taste that is not soon forgotten.
- Cheese: Though fresh cheese abounds in the region and especially at the markets, serious cheese lovers should visit La cave au fromage in St. Remy for award-winning fresh cheese paired with delicious local wines and fresh bread. Pick up some fresh fruits and dessert from the market for a complete meal. Note: Communication in English is a challenge, but manageable.
- Olive oil: No better way to strengthen your relationship with this cooking essential than by engaging in some olive oil tasting at a plantation or mill. The taste of fresh cold-pressed olive oil will forever change how you see this staple. Truffle lovers should use the opportunity to stock up on some delicious truffle oil. Visit Moulin du Calanquet in St. Remy, a mill that has been with Brun family for five generations. Or, head to Les Baux for a taste of award-winning oils at Les Castelas.
6. Visit a lavender field, distillery or museum: The Musée du Lavande in Coustellet provides an overview of lavender and lavandin as well as the entire distillation process, along with a selection of products from Le Château du Dubois. Skip the lavender tea that has a rather soapy aftertaste, but snag the gel refrâichent, which is a God-send for aches or pains of all kinds.
Still beauty – the essence of Provence
Lavender museum, Coustellet
Lavender – the fragrance of Provence
7. Go town or city-hopping: Provence lures the explorer with its postcard-perfect villages, towns and cities. Be it the villages of the Luberon, the sights and cities of the Alpilles, the magic of the Camargue or the glamour of the French Riviera. Each, unique. Each, incredible. If you want to build in some rest and relaxation however, prioritise and know that you simply cannot do it all at once.
Travel tip: Most of the large cities have tourist train rides that are perfect to get a quick lay of the land and some brief local history. However, do note that these close by 6pm, so plan ahead to reach on time.
8. Stay in a classic French countryside retreat: One of the highlights of our trip to Provence was a stay at Le Mas de Fauchon, a member of the Château Hôtels Collection. A quintessential Provençal experience, the property is an 18th century farmhouse that has been converted into a quaint hotel. Surrounded by scores of pine trees, yet within a 30-min drive of Aix-en-Provence, the hotel is a lovely country getaway.
9. Catch a sunset: Look around or simply ask around and you will find some lovely spots to enjoy gorgeous sunset views:
- Taste one of the best artisanal ice creams of the region at Les Glaces du Tinel in Bonnieux. One mouthful of their Pistachio ice cream and it is clear why. Grab a seat outside or take it to go and seat yourself near the wall opposite to watch one of the most beautiful sunsets of the region.
- While in Bonnieux, head for dinner to La Flambée for some delicious pizza and soup pistou (minestrone with pesto). Book a table on their terrace for one of the best views of the Luberon.
- Visit the Ochre Trail, Sentiers des ochres, in Roussillon and enjoy a multi-hued sunset. However, do note that the trail closes at 6pm. During summertime, catch the sunset from the viewpoint just before the trail starts.
10. Dine at a Provençal table: The quintessential image of Provence is one of eating elaborate meals at a beautiful table overlooking fields or farms. To make the vision a reality, dine at Mas de Fauchon in Saint-Cannat (near Aix-en-Provence).
If planned ahead, they rustle up some fabulous vegetarian regional specialties such as Ratatouille and Provençal potatoes along with delicious fresh pasta or mushroom risotto. The dessert is delightful and wines wonderful, but the view is fabulous. The tables overlook the family’s stud farm, so at any given time, there are a number of horses in the coral below. Surrounded by trees all around and atop a slight hill, the hotel reflects the image that appears when Provence comes to mind.
Beyond the Yellow Brick Road…
Some journeys go beyond a destination, to a place within. Long after the trip ends, thoughts collide and emotions flow: flashes of beautiful scenes, memories of slow days, joy over places seen, regret over experiences missed and nostalgia over a fun family trip. Sometimes, travel is not as much about the place as what the place becomes because of the people with whom you experience it.
The missing piece…
Provence is special not just because it is beautiful or because it has fabulous food, but because it touches the heart…a feeling of finding something that has been missing. Maybe a reminder of times when life was simple. Or maybe, finding that life still can be. Much like the beautiful traditional carousels that are at the heart of virtually every large town.
…The beauty of travel is that sometimes it helps you find something that you never knew you were seeking…
Travel tips:
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Those traveling with kids may want to visit Parc zoologique de la Barben, a wonderful zoo in the area near Saint-Cannat. However, do note that there is a lot of walking involved.
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Those travelling in the month of June should note that summer solstice is celebrated with several musical fêtes. Think: Live bands, dancing, drinks and fresh food.
Perpetually Tripping 