Riverlap Homestay

We were looking for a beachfront resort near Kasargod and ended up here after reading the reviews and seeing photos. This place is waay better than those 5* 'famous' resorts in the area. The photos do not do justice to the beauty of the place. Its awesome beyond words. It is in a small friendly fishing village about 9 Km from Nileshwar railway station. The property is clean, well maintained and very picturesque. A river flows on one side, beach at hardly 300mt on other side, pond in front of cottage and around 1 km from estuary. We went in rainy season with intermittent rains and the whole place had a different charm, lush with different birds & fish(and a mongoose). Mr.Vinod and his family were fantastic hosts and took care of all our personal choices and needs. He arranged everything for an early check in and helped us with the transport for sightseeing. The food was amazing, some of the best Kerala food we have had ever. Would definitely recommend this experience for everyone.

I booked 3 nights but ended-up spending 5 nights in this relaxing and welcoming homestay. It was a "real" Kerala experience without the crowds. The property is immersed in a community who lives in nice villas surrounded by a lush forest of coconut trees. The area is a long stretch of land between the river and the sea populated by peasants and fishermen. In few minutes, you switch from lush rice fields, to the long sandy beach. You can enjoy a boat-ride in serene backwaters or visit mosques and small hindu temples. The individual bungalows are quite comfortable while not being luxurious (A/C, frifge, good, indiviual terrasse). Mine was in right front of the pond surrounded by coconut trees where local birds nestled. Vinod is a great host who arranged airport pick-ups from Kannur through his brother (2.5 hours drive). He always asked me about my preferred meal time and desired menu. The meals are taken in the dining-room of their modern property next to the bungalows. The wife cooked delicious seafood from the nearby fishermen's pier. I enjoyed king prawns and fishes cooked in a delicious masala mix. For breakfast, you can get local Indian breakfast, fresh fruit (ananas, watermelon) or eggs with delicious homemade masala chai. What sets the River Lap Homestay apart is the hosts. Vinod and the team are very nice and can arrange several experiences. I recommend asking for a sunrise boat ride in the backwaters (ask for the narrow river beyond Maddakara bridge). They have a motorised long-tail boat and the wife prepared a thermos of masala chai and bananas for me. We also went by boat to the nearby fishermen's pier to buy the morning catch. In my view, it is a great alternative to the "touristy" backwaters near Allepey & Kochi where I did not go. It is a more relaxing and authentic way to discover Kerala if you like nature.

We spent 8 glorious days at this amazing homestay. First of all, the location is unique and incredible, between the sea and the backwaters and you are able to see both from the property which itself is spacious with 2 beautiful ponds and a paddleboat as well as hammocks and swing chairs. It’s luxurious in a natural, rustic way; it’s heaven on earth. Vinod, the owner, was so kind and helpful, solving any problems we had with ease and offering fantastic suggestions. We took some outings we could never have found on our own and got to really experience Kerala, simply fabulous! The food was great, home cooked by family members who only want you to enjoy. They were responsive to all requests and the seafood was especially delicious! It was a perfect vacation and a perfect place to stay and I certainly hope to return. One word of caution, the wifi is not great and if you need it, request the middle cabin though the other cabins have boosters which do help at times. We were able to accomplish the little necessary work we had and this most definitely did not diminish our enjoyment of the stay. It actually helped us to stay away from the mobiles a bit more and let the magnificent nature penetrate!

Kerala gives the best of scenic places and unmatched hospitality which we have experienced in many of our trips here. So we knew what we will be getting here when the stay is close to the estuary with both back water and beach in walking distance. But we were in for surprise. This place was superlative to all our previous good experiences in Kerala. Better views, hospitality, food and more tranquil. The staff and owner are always there to improve your stay experience even more. We loved every bit of this stay. The evening beach walk is a must. And if you are a foodie, you are in for a treat but do give your preference beforehand. Highly recommend.