"Nilaya" is Sanskrit for "heaven", and it seems almost near enough to grasp here in the middle of coconut palm plantations, ten minutes away from Baga Beach. Former French fashion stylist Claudia Derain and her Indian husband Hari Ajwani have designed eleven suites and four luxury tents in fairy-tale hippie-chic. Stilettos are quickly exchanged for flip-flops and sarongs. Kate Moss and Peter Lindbergh have also celebrated laissez-faire at Nilaya, whether in an Ayurvedic oil massage, the meditation room, or the natural-stone pool. By the way, Nilaya’s Christmas and New Year’s Eve parties are legendary.
