Slow Life Foreshore

Birdwatching by infinity pools, in-villa meals featuring fresh Konkan catch, and minibars stacked with single malts—Sindhudurg’s Coco Shambhala is luxe dipped in rusticity

- Gustasp And Jeroo Irani

In the misty early morning light, surf curled on the white swathe of Bhogave beach. Hermit crabs scurried away at our approach and fishing boats bobbed on the sapphire-blue sea, like a ghostly armada sailing to the edge of the world. Occasionally, a paraglider floated past in blue skies while an avian orchestra struck up a symphony. From the ringside seats in our villa, we felt like we were watching a colour-saturated, big-budget film.

A sandy cove in the coastal district of Sindhudurg in south Maharashtra, Bhogave is India’s first Blue Flag beach, an international certification that validates it as clean and in compliance with the stringent requirements of sustainable tourism. Coco Shambhala, a luxury boutique property, sculpted into the slope of a hill, lies just 200 metres away from Bhogave beach. A cluster of four two-bedroom villas on stilts, Coco Shambhala is ideal to perfect the art of escaping from the real world. Buried amidst a tangle of tropical vegetation, the Mangalore-tiled, pitched-roof villas have been built in keeping with local vernacular. Of all the lovely nooks though, our favourite place to linger during the three-day stay was the pavilion-like living area, affording unhindered views of the sea.

Inside, the understated decor exudes an aura of rustic chic, and is studded with handcrafted coconut wood furniture. As for the driftwood sculptures in abstract shapes, they do hijack the imagination… Could those be gnarled old fingers pointing to a sky? The discreet scattering of vintage artefacts, like an old stove, copper glasses, recycled lamps, and jugs and crockery, lend the interiors a classy touch.