Best farm stays for detox: Wean off December's excesses amid verdant expanse and light living

Saraswat food at Maachli farm stay, Sindhudurg.

How about enjoying your breakfast in the shade of the very orchard which produced the fruit in your juice and breakfast jam? Or picking vegetables for your lunch later in the day and chasing peacocks around a lake. Add in the fresh countryside air, plus the feel-good emotions associated with partaking in sustainable “agritourism” and the charm of a farm stay is easy to understand.

If you are looking for a unique place to hit the hay (quite literally!) on your next getaway, this compilation of some of the most incredible farm stays will be your ultimate guide.

Fazlani Natures Nest, Vadgaon, Maharashtra

The three-tiered pool at Fazlani Natures Nest, Vadgaon, Maharashtra.

A sense of calm washes over you right from the moment you drive through the gates of Fazlani into this 68 acres of lush forest and farm overlooking the Sahyadris. Ducks glide serenely on the waters while pheasants waddle around. If you can tear yourself away from your lake facing suite with jacuzzi and rain shower, you can pick your own fruits from the property orchards, visit a rose farm (the company owns India’s largest rose farms) or go horseback riding at the equestrian centre here. There’s also a swimming pool to laze and a lake to go fishing. Meals are based on the principles of Ayurveda but don’t skimp on deliciousness (think quinoa biryani, paneer khumani kebabs, cabbage rolls, scallops in carrot sauce and peanut butter and jaggery ice cream). After exploring the place, return to relaxing massages and mud baths under the guidance of expert doctors. Fazlani offers a slew of traditional treatments like acupressure and acupuncture as well as unique treatments such as heliotherapy, magnetotherapy and chromotherapy. Most of all, watch out for the peacocks strutting around. They make for stunning pictures!

Oleander Farms, Karjat, Maharashtra

Life tends to move at a slower pace at this 46-room luxury stay, hardly two hours away from Mumbai. The scenery with mountain views, shaded walkways and a canal flowing right through the frontside lawns, is as bucolic as they come, and when you stay in the hilltop rooms, you will be treated to picturesque views from every angle. Take long romantic walks to the lakeside, cycle around the property, trek to the nearby hills or get your hands dirty at the beautiful plant nursery here and take a potted plant home. There’s a brewery to indulge in fresh beer and watch the process first hand. You can also explore the vintage-car collection, which includes one owned by MF Husain. The in-house restaurant Saltt makes excellent wood-fired pizzas and coffee is sourced and roasted by Ahmedabad-based Korebi Coffee. The property is per friendly so there is no need to leave your furry friends at home.

The lakeside makes for a great location for romantic walks at Oleander Farms, Karjat, Maharashtra.

BluSalz Rural — The Date Farm, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan

Just a 30-minute scenic drive from Jaisalmer city centre will land you at this one-of-a-kind rural farm experience. Nothing prepares you for what's to come — a spectacular sea of fruiting palm trees in a desert setting! Established in 2008, in collaboration with the government of Israel, this is the first and the largest date forest in India. The stay option includes log cottages embellished with modern comforts while meals are served on a bamboo machaan. Days at the farm can be as hectic or idyllic as you want them to be. While away your time on the hammocks dangling from the trees or go on a thrilling Jeep safari through the forest. Indulge your inner cowgirl or cowboy by riding the farm on horseback, and take in the spectacular sunset. But nothing beats a gentle camel ride through the picturesque palms. Guests can also watch and indulge in the process of date farming and picking.

BluSalz Rural — The Date Farm, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.

Maachli, Sindhudurg, Maharashtra

If you’ve ever entertained a fantasy of living off the grid, then this hidden getaway in a village in Vengurla is a good place for a test run. The cottages at Maachli are wrapped in a thick canopy of coconut and betel nut trees with a gurgling stream flowing around. The only sound you hear is the incessant shrill of hornbills and the persistent call of the frogs. Take a guided walk through the dense tropical forest or meander through the pottery village past the hills and to a small temple to meditate. Try your hand at the pottery wheel or simply buy some from the villagers. The magnificent view of the sunset on the way back will be the icing on the cake. On your return, a piping hot meal of fresh fish, vegetables and sol kadhi awaits you. Meals at Maachli are homestyle and carved from fresh vegetables and spices from the farm. Wrap it up with a tender coconut from the farm and then proceed to the hammock. This is one experience you won’t be forgetting in a hurry.

A cottage at Maachli farm stay, Sindhudurg, Maharashtra.

Off the Grid Farm, Castle Rock, Goa-Karnataka border

A swim under a waterfall, a trek in the jungle or simply lazing under a tree? Those are the only few decisions you will have to make at Off The Grid. The rest just seem to happen naturally at this farmstay by white-water-rafting specialist John Pollard and his wife Sylvia, a pottery artiste. Tucked away in the jungle, with a stream running through and a beautiful waterfall to dive into, Off the Grid makes for a refreshing break from the hustle and bustle of urban life. All the rooms, cabins and tents overlook the stream and oven-fired pizzas, homemade breads and barbecues make up for delicious meals. If you are happy to play with clay there’s a 1.5-hour session available at the studio. Rafting the rapids on the beautiful Kali river is a highly recommended trip and a blast for anyone four feet tall and above. There is also a slackline set up by the river, for those who want to try out their balancing skills. But if you ask me the best thing to do here is birdwatching, butterfly chasing, sketching, swimming, farming, playing board games and learning to make pizzas! With hill station weather, the mornings always start with a chill and bonfires keep the evenings warm.

Forest Hills, Tala, Maharashtra

Tucked away in a forest close to the Kuda caves, this eco-retreat is an exotic paradox of indulgent luxury and remote, untamed wilderness. Choose from a variety of stay options — cosy cottages, stunning container homes, spectacular barn cabins, captivating tree houses and a unique glass house. All of them overlook miles and miles of forest and combine privacy and luxury (think king-sized bed and roomy bathroom) effortlessly. There is horse riding, fun games and also a trek to the historic 3,000 BC Buddhist caves to explore. Or just sit back and enjoy the birdsong that the resort is blessed with. In the evenings, find a spot by the bonfire and relish a lip-smacking barbeque.

Tranquil Resorts, Wayanad, Kerala

A farm tree-villa in Tranquil Resorts, Wayanad, Kerala.

As you make your way up the winding roads to Tranquil Resorts, you will discover a world of charm and tranquility that exists in a 400-acre fruit-and-coffee plantation. There are plush garden rooms, cosy cottages and grand suites to hide into but none as charming and thrilling as the tree houses perched on gulmohar trees and canopied in leafy branches. All around are beautiful views of the mountains, dense woodlands and a soothing lake. Meals carved from the property’s own garden and the fantastic coffee are other highlights of Tranquil. The famous Edakkal Caves, Muthanga Wildlife Park and Kanthampara Waterfalls are close by for exploration. But the best thing to do at Tranquil is to take a dip in the pool, surrender to a massage and return to a delish south Indian meal by the host Nisha.