We have more than just Mysore, Halebidu and Belur around Bangalore. Some of my personal favourites are listed here: Bheemeshwari A day dawned with the Royal Enfield in toe, we decided to hit Bheemeshwari (approx 100 kms from Bangalore). A fantastic ride thru the greenery on Kanakpura road led us to the Sathnur village..... after the left turn off the Kanakpura road, it was eternal bliss. The greenery and peace of nature is an experience to be enjoyed and not described. We could feel the oxygen gushing through the wind pipe and the cool head winds refreshed our 2 hour ride to this place. A short trek to the forest watch tower at the top of the mountain gave a breath taking view of the Cauvery Valley... Lepakshi Lepakshi is very important historically and archaeologically. There are three shrines dedicated to Shiva, Vishnuand Virabhadra. The famous Veerabhadra temple, dedicated to Veerabhadra, is located here. Built by the brothers Viranna and Virupanna, the temple is a notable example of the Vijayanagar architectural style.[1] It is famous for itssculptures, which were created by the artisans of Vijayanagara empire. A huge Nandi bull made out of a single granite stone is one of the attractions in Lepakshi.The place is renowned for being one of the best repository of mural paintings (see below) of the Vijayanagar Kings. Many old Kannada inscriptions dating back centuries can be seen on its walls. Legend has it that the Naga of the Nagalinga was carved out of a single stone by sculptors while they waited for their mother to prepare lunch. More info- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepakshi Coonoor A small hill station town, surrounded by tea estates and Wellington and Lovedale as neighbours, is a paradise for people who want to RELAX! There's hardly anything to do here but sleep and relax. Couple of view points - Dolphins Nose, SIMs Park, Lambs Rock and the likes..... but otherwise a good evening walk into the bazaar will tempt you with hot pakoras.... Tea, Eucalyptus oil and some handicrafts shopping... thats what will keep you busy, if you want to kill time. A great place to stay is The Gateway Hotel, Coonoor.... excellent service, helpful and smiling staff, great food and a relaxed atmosphere - the recipe for a perfect vacation getaway.... Off course, there's enough and more site seeing, if you head towards Ooty.... Muthyalamadavu (Pearl Valley) A small waterfall outside of Bangalore.... The only time to visit this place, as per the locals, is between July and September. Went there too late... will definitely go back - this place holds some potential.... There are two routes to reach Pearl Valley - 1.Take Bannerghatta Road and reach Bannerghatta National Park. Continue beyond and reach Anekal. Take a right turn at Anekal and after about 15 minutes drive you will reach the spot. (Distance : 40 km) 2.Take Hosur Road, continue beyond Electronic City and reach Attibele. Take a right turn and reach Anekal. Again, take a right turn at Anekal and after about 15 minutes drive you will reach the spot. (Distance : 45 km) Route sketch: Route 1: Bangalore—>Banneraghatta Road—>Banneraghatta National Park—>Anekal—>Muthyala Maduvu Route 2: Bangalore—>Hosur Road—>Chandapura—>Anekal—>Muthyala Maduvu
Pondicherry (Puducherry) and Mahabailpuram (Mamallapuram) Forget the confusion in the names, heres a perfect getaway for a 3 day weekend. 300 km from Bangalore (and good roads to support the drive for a change) get you to Pondicherry. A sleepy town (and really so, lunch is not available after 1.45 PM and dinner closes at 10 PM at most restaurants).... but the beautiful sea and old french style roads is what you'll find here.
100 km from Pondicherry is Mahabalipuram, which house the 4 - 7th century Pallava Dynasty monolithic rock cut temples... some of them are already under the sea and some are yet to go below the sea .... visit these places before global warming catches up and you never see these masterpieces of Indian history and culture. Mahabharata stories depicted on single rock cut caves and temple walls....
Place to stay at Pondicherry: The Promenade. One of the very few hotels over looking the sea, with designer rooms by Hidesign. Good food, excellent buffet. Other place to eat: The Italian Pizzareia (near Pizza Hut !!!!) between Rue Romain Roland and Rue Suffren, serves excellent thin crust wood fired pizza...
And yes, do catch the sunrise here....
Hogenakkal Excellent drive from B'lore... amazing spot to see.... with the river in full spate, bouncing over the rocky terrain.... painful Coracle (Boats)men, however worth a visit. Avoid reaching there later than 9 AM.... its a crazy tourist spot.
Bonsai Garden On the Ooty Road, just beyond Mysore, is the Bonsai Garden. A well maintained garden inside an Ashram, this is worth a stop over whenever you do a trip to Mysore. It closes at 6 pm, and we couldn't see the Herb Garden or the Cactus Garden. Hesaraghatta
Mekedatu About 90 km from Bangalore via Kanakapura. Mekedatu means goat's leap in Kannada. Mekedatu is a pleasant getaway where the rivers Cauvery and Arkavathi after their confluence at the Sangam, squeeze though a narrow gorge. Gushing waters, imposing landscapes, is what Mekedatu is all about. The sight here is breathtaking. You have the choice to walk up to the 'Mekedatu' spot or take the jeep service available locally. The journey begins where you cross the river in a small 'basket like boat'.... A good time to visit the place would be just after the monsoons. Thats when you can feel the true power of mountain rivers. Please carry your own food here, the choice is scanty otherwise. You could of course visit the Chunchi Falls (enroute) to Mekedatu. Its a good trek down the rocks.
Shivanasamudram
Nandi Hills
Karanji Lake (Mysore)
Ranganatittu My Favourite - Destiny
Other places for a weekend getaway: Maidenahalli (Jayamangali) Black Buck Reserve Nagarhole Cauvery Fishing Camp or Galibore (properties managed by Jungle Lodges) K Gudi (or B R Hills) (properties managed by Jungle Lodges) Ooty (ideal during winter since the crazy tourists are away from the place!)
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