As the world is slowly starting to open up, we have also started to move beyond the walls of our home – cautiously of course. We’re still not venturing outside the city limits and not using public transport. That leaves us with a few places we can go to over weekends.

We had been to Palm Exotica pre-pandemic and had liked the open atmosphere. Although there wasn’t anything new this time, it felt good to be out and about. Since we went on a weekday, there were hardly any other guests apart from us. The benefits of work from home extends to work from anywhere you like!

Our luggage and us got a sanitising spray while we checked in at the reception. The short walk to our rooms was beautiful with the pathway flanked by greenery on both sides. The fresh air and quiet ambience meant we could hear the chirping of a variety of birds.

Our rooms were clean and spacious. We had an issue with the geyser not working but it was soon resolved by the staff. Once we were settled in, we set out to explore the surroundings. 

Our son had wanted to bring along his cycle and had fun cycling everywhere. A little walk away is the WildWaters theme Park. Unfortunately, it was closed as a safety measure during the pandemic. The spa was open when we went, and their massages are highly recommended.

In the evening we used the pool and had warm tea and pakodas by the poolside. One of the advantages of travelling on a weekday was that we were the only people around apart from the staff (there were a few other guests but we didn’t see them roaming outside). That combined with the open spaces, we could finally keep our masks in our pockets.

The night sky was a delight to behold – so clear that you could count the stars. We could actually see the constellations! We used the sky map app on our phones to identify some of them. One of the trees was home to a flock of bats. They had just become active looking for food and we could see them munching some fruits from the tree. 

There’s only one restaurant that serves a multi-cuisine menu. The food was good. We had snacks, dinner, and breakfast here. The menu is quite standard but it didn’t disappoint.

If you’re an early riser, like most of my family is, you’ll love going for a morning walk here. It was fun to spot the various birds, butterflies, and other critters among the greenery with our son. There’s also a play area for kids. We loved the swings, slides, and the climbing ropes.

It was a pleasant quick getaway without it being a strenuous drive. Check on their latest deals and offerings before making a booking. Hopefully the theme park will open soon as well.