The Art of Doing Nothing: Rediscovering Stillness at Little Chembaka

These days, we're all rushing towards deadlines, striving for productivity, and climbing company hierarchies. The race never ends, and by the time we hang up our boots, we’ve often lost our zeal for an unhurried, relaxed life. What if we stop for a while, savor the pause, maybe ‘smell the roses’, and enjoy the time doing nothing at all.

Let me tell you about a place where we celebrate the art of doing nothing. In a sleepy hamlet of Kumarakom in the Kerala Backwaters, our days start in a slow rhythm. We get up at the crack of dawn with the alarms of roosters and birdsongs, sip our tea slowly, looking over the shimmering water in the nearby canals, enjoy our simple breakfast of Puttu and Kadala Curry, and set out for our daily livelihoods amidst the cascading coconut groves.

Would you like to know more about our slow-paced living in Kumarakom? We invite you to savor the pause with us, for, in a world that celebrates productivity, we celebrate cherishing little moments in our daily lives.

There is a quiet kind of wisdom that Kerala carries. It lives in the sway of the coconut palms, the lingering afternoons, and the golden light that slips through the backwaters of Kumarakom. At Little Chembaka, a boutique experiential villa nestled along these canals, the pace of life slows to a gentle pace. This boutique villa in Kumarakom offers more than a place to stay—it’s a gentle retreat into slowness and self. Here, you are not asked to pack your day with to-dos or tick off a checklist. Instead, you are gently invited to rediscover the forgotten art of doing nothing. It’s the kind of mindful travel experience that speaks to the soul.

The philosophy behind doing nothing

In Kerala, rest is not an afterthought. It is woven into the very rhythm of life. Afternoons are sacred, often set aside for a nap or a slow meal. Chai is not just a beverage, but a pause —a time to reflect or chat with a neighbor. Meals are not hurried. They are cooked with care, eaten with attention, and followed by conversations that stretch long after the last grain of rice is cleared.

At Little Chembaka, this philosophy is honoured in every corner. No bells or loudspeakers are announcing the next activity. There are no fixed timetables. Instead, you are given room to breathe. You can wake up when the birds do, or sleep in. You can join the host in the kitchen, or simply watch the world drift by from the patio.

This is slow travel in Kerala at its finest—there is space to be, without needing to become.

When we slow down, we begin to notice. We notice the scent of wet earth after a drizzle, the rustle of the trees, and the distant call of a boatman. Stillness brings clarity. It invites presence. It helps us return to joy in the small things—the steam rising from a cup of tea, the laughter of a child paddling a canoe, the softness of the dusk light.

What "Doing Nothing" looks like here

Doing nothing does not mean being idle. At Little Chembaka, it means being gently held in a space where there is no pressure to perform, only permission to feel. This backwater stay in Kumarakom offers the quiet comfort of unhurried holidays in India.

A morning with no alarms

You may wake to the birdsong outside your window or the sound of a canoe gliding through the water. You might choose to step out for a silent paddle across the backwaters or sip a hot cup of tea as the world awakens. These early canoe rides in Kumarakom are not just scenic—they are soul-soothing.

There are no alarms here. Just the natural rhythm of a village slowly coming to life.

Unscheduled afternoons

After a traditional Kerala breakfast, your day is open. Some guests find their favourite spot on the hammock and drift into a nap. Others browse through a book from the small collection in the villa. Often, a guest or two joins the hosts in the kitchen to learn how to cook fish moilee or avial. The vegetables are fresh from a neighbour’s backyard. The spices are roasted by hand. The conversations are unhurried and filled with laughter.

Evenings of quiet rituals

As the sun begins to dip, the canal outside turns golden. Guests often sit on the patio or the tiny jetty, simply watching the light change. Some write in their journals. Some listen to the crickets or chat softly with fellow travellers. No screens are competing for attention. Just nature, in all its evening glory. It’s the kind of Kerala wellness retreat that gently resets the senses.

Camille from France shared, "I did nothing all day, and it felt like everything. I found a part of myself I didn’t know I had forgotten."

Medha and Saket, a young couple from Mumbai, said, "We came here to escape the noise. We stayed because silence started to feel like home."

Why this matters to the modern traveler

In cities, we are constantly racing. There are deadlines, messages, meetings, and pings. Even our holidays sometimes become packed schedules. In the chase to experience everything, we miss out on the experience itself.

Little Chembaka offers a different kind of travel. It is not about covering ground. It is about grounding yourself. This is what sustainable travel in Kerala looks like—a stay that restores, rather than depletes. It is about stepping away from the noise so you can hear your thoughts again. It is about making space—for reflection, for connection, and for simply being.

For the modern traveler, this is not just a break. It is a recalibration. A way to return to work, to life, and relationships with more clarity and calm.

Tips for embracing stillness as a guest

Stillness can feel unfamiliar if you are used to a fast-paced life. Here are a few gentle suggestions to help you ease into it:

• Leave your laptop behind if you can. Or at least try to keep it closed.
• Watch the sunset without reaching for your phone. Just be with the moment.
• Say yes to that extra cup of chai and the stories your host wants to share.
• Try waking up with the birds instead of the clock. Let go of the need to constantly be doing something. Let your day unfold naturally.

You might be surprised by how much joy there is in simply sitting still.

An invitation to pause

Stillness is not empty. It is full of presence. It allows us to return to ourselves. To notice what we have missed. To feel what we have been too busy to feel. To connect with a way of living that honours time, space, and slowness. If you have forgotten the joy of doing nothing, maybe it is time to remember. Little Chembaka—a haven for mindful travel experiences in Kerala—will be here, waiting. Just as the backwaters do.