If you are looking for a place to give your tired mind a rest, then this is the place to be. 15 kms uphill from bhalukpong, in a discrete location is The Retreat. We halted at this place for a stay overnight while on our way to Dirang and Sela Pass but, believe me, its a destination in itself although lesser known. Here you will not find any artificial splendour but everything owes itself to mother nature. The Retreat has a couple of simple but well provided cottages with balconies where you can sit and enjoy the views of the dense vegetation infront against the sound of the rushing Jia Bhoroli river down below. It feels as if you are transported to a different world altogether. the vast plantations of bananas and other vegetables together with a dairy farm at a distance are places to explore and sooth oneself. It was the season in december when the fruit trees were laden with ripe oranges and you just had to shake the tree a bit to enjoy the fresh sweetness of the fruits. A truly out of the world experience. And what's more, some of these oranges find their way to the breakfast table the next day as juice.
Food is familiarly homely and exceptionally well served with adequate heating arrangements to keep you warm in the dining area. The chief cook would'nt say 'no' to anything that we wanted to have and was pretty fast in his preparations.
The rooms of the cottages were well stocked with quilts to keep us warm in the cold season. we fell fast asleep as we laid down for a brief siesta in the afternoon. when we woke up we saw the place beautifully lighted with small colored lights and they even arranged firewood and lighted a huge fire by the side of which we enjoyed hot tea and vegetable pakoras.
the cottages were situated in different elevations and gave us the opportunity to walk around. we settled for an early dinner and went off to sleep. The morning was as fresh as the freshness of our minds and the freshness of the juice in our glasses.we wandered the entire place and marvelled at the way it was maintained. After breakfast we set off on our onward journey but could not help visiting the place on our return journey for a hot, sumptuous lunch. As we left the place with a promise to visit it again we were given some fresh fruits and vegetables from its gardens as a loving gift. The entire experience was truly welcoming!