"A mud haven - India's only 'earth' resort and possibly the largest of its kind in Asia"
22 February 2010
"Best for being one with the earth"
May 2010
"India's best eco-resorts"
13 December 2010
Kerala
Tucked away at the southwestern tip of India and sandwiched between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, is a wisp of paradise called Kerala. Barely 360 miles long and a mere 70 miles at its widest, Kerala is blessed with unique geographical features that have made it one of the most sought after tourist destinations of the world. Nature has blessed the state so abundantly that National Geographic Traveler has included it among the fifty must see destinations of a life time. With mesmerizing mountains some soaring to a height of 2700 meters; numerous rivers that crisscross the land; pristine beaches awash with sugary sand; endless stretches of placid backwaters; a balmy and salubrious climate; a cultured and courteous populace; and a rich and colorful tradition of festivals, arts and crafts; Kerala makes an idyllic get-away destination. In fact tourist arrivals have seen a steady rise over the past decade.
The government has been playing a proactive role in promoting tourism, and has been facilitating the creation of amenities to cater to the tourist influx. There has been a spurt in the number of rooms available, with the type of accommodation ranging from humble home-stays to five-star establishments. A number of eco-friendly nature resorts have also sprung up. Banasura Hill Resort is one such. It is a unique eco-hotel tucked away in the mist-shrouded mountains of Wayanad in Kerala, and constructed using earth architecture. The fact that it was built using earth excavated from the very site that it stands on, makes the resort blend harmoniously with the micro environment around it. Banasura Hill Resort is also Asia's largest earth resort.
Highlights
- Asia's largest 'Earth' Resort
- Nestled on a 35 acre eco-friendly farm
- Set at 3500 feet amidst gushing waterfalls
- Adjacent to forests with exotic flora and fauna
- Neighboring an ethnic tribal hamlet
- The 'Greenest' destination in the Nilgiris Biosphere
Stunning Earth Structures of the World
The Djenne Mosque in Mali is the world's largest mud structure. It was built in 1907, and is today a proud UNESCO World Heritage site. The prayer hall of the mosque measures 26 by 50 meters (85 ft x 165 ft), and is large enough to accommodate 3000 people. The mud covered wooden roof is supported by ninety massive rectangular pillars. The walls vary in thickness between sixteen and twenty-four inches.
Click image to learn more..
Saint Francis of Assisi Church is a small mission in Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico. Work on the church was started in 1772 by Spanish priests of the Franciscan Order and completed in 1815. It is considered by many to be the most beautiful edifice in the State of New Mexico, and is an outstanding example of adobe architecture.
Click image to learn more..
Marrakesh is the third largest city in Morocco after Casablanca and Rabat, and lies near the foothills of the snow capped Atlas Mountains. Like many North African cities, Marrakesh is divided into two distinct parts: the Medina, comprising the historical walled city, and the modern district called Gueliz.
Click image to learn more..
The ancient Citadel of Bam located in the Kerman Province of Iran, dates back to the Parthian Empire (248 BC-224 AD). With an area of 180,000 square meters, the Citadel of Bam was the largest earth structure in the world.
Click image to learn more..
Ur was a city in ancient Sumer (now Iraq). Ziggurats are massive pyramid-like structures that have stepped levels leading to a temple at the top. They were built in the ancient Mesopotamian valley and the western Iranian plateau.
Click image to learn more..
Chan Chan (pronounced 'jang jang'), is located close to the Pacific coast about 5km east Trujillo in Peru. Chan Chan was a 6sqkm earthen city built in 850 AD by the Chimor, a late intermediate period civilization which grew out of the remnants of the Moche civilization.
Click image to learn more..
The Citadel of Rayen is a historical site situated on the foothills of the Hezar Mountains to the south-west of the city of Rayen. It is considered to be the biggest earthen structure of the Kerman province of Iran, and dates back to the pre-Islamic Sassanid era (224 AD-651 AD).
Click image to learn more..
Chogha Zanbil was a palace and temple complex of the ancient Elamite city of Dur Untashi in Khuzestan province of Iran. Its construction was started by king Untash-Napirisha in 1250 BC. At the center of the complex is a great ziggurat dedicated to the bull-god Insusinak. It is the best preserved example of such structures in the world today. In 1979 Chogha Zanbil became the first Iranian site to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The base of the ziggurat is 344 feet long on each side. The structure has a total height of 80 feet. Its ornate facade was once covered in glazed blue and green terra-cotta, and its interior was decorated in glass and ivory mosaics.
Click image to learn more..
Ait Benhaddou is a 'fortified city', built on the banks of the Ouarzazate River along the former caravan route between the Sahara and the city of Marrakesh in present-day Morocco. Ait Benhaddou has some beautiful examples of Kasbah architecture.
Click image to learn more..
Shibam is an ancient town in Yemen that was built in the 2nd century AD. What is distinctive about Shibam is the fact that its houses are all made out of mud bricks, and about 500 of them are tower houses that rise 5 to 16 stories high, with each floor having one or two apartments.
Click image to learn more..