South India, India

Enjoy a night or two in an ancestral farmhouse on the edge of the Annamalai Hills in Tamil Nadu. Within striking distance of the wonderful Parambikulam National Park, this remote guest house makes the perfect base from which to experience rural life in a wonderfully unspoilt mountain area.

There’s plenty to see around the estate, where a variety of crops including coconut, cocoa, pepper and nutmeg are grown alongside fruit and vegetables, and where a nearby waterfall offers the chance for a refreshing dip. Jeep rides can be arranged for the trips to birding hot spots, or you could opt for walks to local tribal villages.

Our opinion

A comfortable guest house in a farm house. The Banyan Tree at Sethumada is an ideal base to explore Parambikulam National Park.