My TripAdvisor Review No.171: Nalknad Palace, Kakkabe, Coorg.

“A Hideout for the King.”

Reviewed 1 week ago

The palace is about 25 km from Virajpet in the South of Coorg (Kodagu) district. It is about 2 km off the Virajpet – Talacauvery road, near the town of Kakkabe. There is a small turn-off on the left as you are coming from Virajpet. The last 1 km is a very rough and rocky road.

The Nalknad Palace is not a real palace, but a hide-out of the old Kodagu kings, to escape their enemies during war time. Some of their enemies were the British, as well as Tipu Sultan. The palace seemed to be in a state of disrepair, but still looked very regal.

It is in the midst of the forests on a hill, and surrounded by the tall peaks of the Western Ghats. The tallest peak of Coorg, the Tadiayandamol, is visible in the background and is about 6 km from the palace. Trekker’s start their trek to this peak from near here.

Photography was prohibited inside the palace, but we took many snaps outside. There was a lone guide cum watchman who showed us around the palace, and we left him a small tip.The guide showed us the ancient wall and ceiling paintings, as well as a secret passage and a dark room inside the palace.

The surroundings were very calm and beautifully forested and green.

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Visited January 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g1639845-d3912989-r355601306-Nalknad_Palace-Kakkabe_Kodagu_Coorg_Karnataka.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.170: Upsouth Restaurant, Mandya, Bangalore-Mysore Highway.

“Expensive Fast Food.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

Upsouth is in a food mall by the name of ‘Right-O’ which had about 6 or 7 newly opened restaurants. It is located about 10 km from Mandya towards Mysore on the Bangalore-Mysore highway. The mall looked very attractive from outside and was quite clean from inside too. We decided to stop and have a quick brunch on the way from Bangalore to Virajpet (Coorg).

We chose to have dosas and idlis followed by filter coffee from Upsouth. However the service was slow and we had to wait about half an hour after making the payment. Taste of the food was quite ordinary considering that one gets such great tasting idlis and dosas in Karnataka, and we paid more than what we pay at a normal Udupi restaurant.

The only redeeming factor was that we got to use the clean washrooms of the food mall.

• Visited January 2016
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g2078495-d7924520-r355205951-Upsouth-Mandya_Karnataka.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.169: Indradhanush Restaurant, Channapatna, Mysore-Bangalore Highway.

“Decent Break on Mysore - Bangalore Highway.”

Reviewed 2 days agoNEW

Indradhanush is a very good vegetarian restaurant, located in a food court called ‘Milestone-67’. As the name implies it is exactly 67 km from Bangalore, and 7 km from Channapatna going towards Mysore, in a small village called Mudugere. It is on the right side if you are going towards Mysore. The other restaurants in Milestone-67 include; CCD, KFC and Indradhanush Ice Creams.

We stopped here for lunch while driving from Coorg to Bangalore, and were quite impressed with the ambience and the food. There was sufficient parking space in a shady compound which had some gardens and mango trees. The restaurant served tasty North and South Indian vegetarian dishes. The restaurant was very clean and had excellent washrooms.

The menu was well designed and each dish had a short description about it. We ordered a South Indian thali, ragi roti with tomato chutney, and a rawa idli. We quite enjoyed the dishes. Our bill amount was only Rs.220 which we found very reasonable.

We then shared a kesar-pista ice-cream from the Indradhanush ice-cream parlour.

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• Visited January 2016
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g1898393-d4025870-r354918629-Indradhanush-Channapatna_Karnataka.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.168: Igguthappa Temple, Coorg, Karnataka.

“Beautiful Temple in a Natural Setting.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

This temple is about 30 km from Virajpet in the South of Coorg (Kodagu) district. It is about 2 km off the Virajpet – Talacauvery road, near the town of Kakkabe.

Lord Igguthappa is an important deity for the local Kodavas. He is considered to be a provider of food and the one who fulfills his devotee’s desires. During the harvest festival, paddy is first harvested in the fields belonging to the Lord, and only then the people of Kodagu celebrate the festival.

We were lucky to visit this temple around noon time, and see the special ceremonies being carried out that day. The idol was taken out in a procession around the temple on the head of the priest to bless all the devotees who were present. Later all the devotees were served with a sumptuous lunch. We were served by one of the priests himself, Shri Lava Kumar, as a guest in his house. We were happy to receive his blessings.

The temple is located in a very natural and beautiful setting, surrounded by hills and forests. It is definitely a must visit if you are in Coorg.

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Visited January 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g503697-d3207795-r354308006-Igguthappa_Temple-Kodagu_Coorg_Karnataka.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.167: Club Mahindra Virajpet, Coorg.

“An Enchanting Plantation Resort.”

Reviewed 2 days agoNEW

Club Mahindra’s Virajpet Resort is located about 13 km from Virajpet town, in the middle of the coffee plantations of Coorg (Kodagu).

We drove down from Bangalore via Mysore, Hunsur and Gonikoppal, and it took us about 6 hours with a few breaks in between. The roads were generally good, except for the last 5 km. In fact the last 2 km were under repairs when we arrived and we had to drive our car over large stones which were being used to pave the road. Hope it is done by now. They have a large parking area, and a separate area for self/owner driven cars.

We had a smooth check-in, and Chandni from reception walked us to our Studio room while introducing us to the resort, which is spread out 37 acres of a coffee plantation. They also arrange for a guided but chargeable walk every morning for the guests. Each block of rooms is named after a species of butterfly, because the plantation had a huge population of butterflies before becoming a resort. Each room has a butterfly poster as a decoration. There is a large clean swimming pool and tracks laid out for walking among the trees and plants.

Our air-conditioned room was quite spacious and clean, and there was a nice sit-out. We had a dry kitchenette with a microwave oven, tea maker, toaster, crockery and cutlery. The housekeeping staff were very helpful and courteous and always enquiring if we required anything.

There are two large restaurants, one serving buffet and the other ala-carte. There is also a room delivery service called ‘Gourmet Express’. There are no restaurants outside the resort nearby. One has to travel at least 13 km to Virajpet to try out the local cuisine. We tried the ala-carte restaurant ‘Coorgenburg’ and the food was quite tasty. We also made good use of the kitchenette and dining table in our room.

The area around the resort is surrounded by forest and plantations, and the sight-seeing places are few and far between. It is a long drive to the Nagarhole NP and the Iruppu Falls. One can visit the St.Anne’s Church and Ganesha Temple in Virajpet town, and shop for local products. We enjoyed driving to the Iguthappa Temple and Nalknad Palace which is relatively close, and got a view of the Thadiayadamol peak, the highest mountain in Coorg.

On the whole, we had a nice stay and enjoyed our holiday experience at this plantation paradise.

Room Tip: Choose rooms closer to the forest at the far end to enjoy the morning bird calls.

See more room tips

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• Stayed January 2016, travelled with family
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g1638802-d4341806-r353488495-Club_Mahindra_Virajpet_Coorg-Virajpet_Kodagu_Coorg_Karnataka.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.166: Dasara Dibba, Hampi.

“Ceremonial Platform of the Royals.”

Reviewed 2 days agoNEW

This pyramidal platform, built by Krishnadevaraya in the memory of his conquest of Orissa, is located to the northeast of the Royal Enclosure. It rises to a height of 8 metres and has an area of 35 sq. metres.

The platform was used by the Royal family for important festivals like Dasara (also called Mahanavami). The embossed carvings on this platform are just like those in the Hazara Rama temple. Hunting scenes, dance postures and mythological carvings are the common themes.

After climbing onto the platform, one can tarry here for a while to take in the views of the Royal Enclosure and nearby monuments, and feel like a king surveying his grand kingdom.

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Visited January 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g319725-d5854206-r353010795-Dasara_Dibba-Hampi_Karnataka.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.165: Hemakuta Hill Temple Complex, Hampi.

“Good for Scenic Views of Hampi.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

This hill, which is quite near to the Virupaksha Temple, offers a good 360 degree view of the ruins of Hampi all around it. There are many temples on this hill slope, most of them dedicated to Lord Shiva. The two Ganesha shrines, Sasivekalu and Kadalekalu, are also located nearby.

The hill is also one of the best places in Hampi to view sunrise and sunset, so do carry your camera. There is no entry fee.

It’s best to visit here early in the morning or late in the evening, otherwise it can get very hot, though the climb is not too stiff.

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Visited January 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g319725-d3912995-r352594644-Hemakuta_Hill_Temple_Complex-Hampi_Karnataka.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.164: Hazara Rama Temple, Hampi.

“Story of Ramayana, Carved in Stone.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

This temple is very close to the Zenana Enclosure and the Royal Enclosure areas. It is believed that this temple served as private place of worship for the royal family.

There are more than a thousand (hazara) wall carvings from the story of Lord Rama, which is probably how the temple got its name.

The temples walls are full of relief carvings depicting incidents from the Hindu mythology, the Ramayana. The carvings are relatively well preserved and the characters are distinct and recognizable. One can easily spend an hour or more looking at the various incidents from the Ramayana depicted on the walls.

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Visited January 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g319725-d3913236-r352089279-Hazara_Rama_Temple-Hampi_Karnataka.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.163: Group of Monuments at Hampi, Karnataka, India.

“An Ancient City from another World.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

Hampi is an amazing city from another world...from a bygone era. It is fascinating and awe inspiring even in its ruined state.

There are more than 500 ancient monuments and buildings dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries. Some temples are even older than this. There are beautiful temples, ruined palaces, ancient market places, royal pavilions and treasury buildings. Each monument has intricate carvings and unique architecture. One can spend days and even months exploring the intricate details of these monuments, which are spread out among the giant boulders of granite.

The meandering Tungabhadra River in the midst of this makes the land very fertile. You will see green fields, amongst coconut and mango trees, being tended to by the local farmers who still occupy this rich land. The most ancient Virupaksha Temple is still a live temple where Lord Shiva is worshipped by the Hindus.

One should spend at least a couple of days at Hampi, if not more, to get a real ‘Out of this World’ experience. It is a paradise for art, history and nature lovers.

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Visited January 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g319725-d8425108-r351845871-Group_of_Monuments_at_Hampi-Hampi_Karnataka.html#