Green Magic, Kerala, India
It's a scene straight out of Rudyard Kipling: A hideaway fort almost 100 feet up in a banyan tree, among the chattering monkeys. But this tree house is more chic than shabby, with comfy double beds and a full bathroom. At breakfast, guests call down like a cuckoo, and omelettes and baked bananas are hoisted up by a pulley system. The resort is located on 500 acres of tropical rain forest in Kerala, in southern India, which is as green and lush as Delhi is dry. By day, clients can take in the surroundings by trekking the Periyar Tiger Trail or cruising through one of nearly 50 nearby lakes, lagoons, and rivers. At night, it's all about the tranquility, with only the tree branches swaying ever so slightly from the wind—or is that just the monkeys playing?
Doubles from $240 per night, including all meals

Green Magic Nature Resort
Tel: 91 471 2331507
E-mail: tourindia@vsnl.com