Reception
The reception building itself, for example, is a "nalukettu", a design that features a four-cornered open-roof courtyard within the basic structure. Originally located in the village of Vaikom not far from Coconut Lagoon, it was known as "Kalapakasseril illom" the word illom signifying a mansion belonging to a member of the Brahmin caste -and was constructed in 1860. The illom was purchased in 1993, at which time a team led by Bhaskaran Ashari, one of Kerala's few surviving master craftsmen still familiar with the traditional thachu shasthra style of carpentry, went about the task of reconstructing the mansion at its present location.

The Restaurant
Cited in Arundhati Roy's Booker Prize-winning best-seller, "The God of Small Things," the restaurant at Coconut Lagoon is renowned as much for its superb Keralan cuisine (vegetarian and non-vegetarian alike) as for its authentic setting, and is housed in one of the resort's most impressive tharawads. Known as an ettukettu, the building incorporates two atrium- like courtyards under an expansive tile roof supported by dozens of slim columns, a design that enables the space within to benefit from the slightest breeze. The restaurant is the oldest structure at Coconut Lagoon, and it, too, formerly belonged to a prominent Malayali family living in a nearby village.

The Accommodation
Though all the cottages vary in configuration, and some of the air-conditioned units are newly built replicas incorporating only fragments of old tharawads that could not be saved in their entirety, Coconut Lagoon offers three basic types of accommodation: Heritage Mansions, Heritage Bungalows and Private pool villas. The former have two stories, the upstairs bedroom gallery offering particularly magnificent views of Lake Vembanad. The latter are more compact, single-level cottages. Both are furnished in aiyny and jack woods, and retain all the charm of original family homes, with thick, solid doors, intricate window carvings, and terra cotta tile floors.

Leisure Activities

Sunset Cruise
There can be few better ways to adjust to the pace of backwater life than to spend the waning hours of the afternoon just watching the sun go down.

Backwater Cruises
A relaxing boat trip through the maze of canals adjacent to Coconut Lagoon is a fascinating experience, and a delightful way to get a closer look at life in the backwaters.

Bird Sanctuary
On the southern bank of the Kavanar River, immediately opposite Coconut Lagoon, is a small bird sanctuary, where numerous species of birds, including Darters, Bitterns, Brahminy kites, Marsh Harriers, Teals; and several varieties of Herons roost.