My TripAdvisor Review No.627: Maravanthe Beach, NH66, Karnataka.

Between The Flowing River And The Deep Blue Sea.

We drove by besides the Maravanthe Beach on NH66 while going to Murudeshwar from Udupi. On the left side we had a beautiful view of the expansive Arabian Sea, while on our right was a gently flowing Souparnika River. The river flows down from near the Mookambika temple at Kollur in the Western Ghats hence it is also known as the Kolluru River. It then takes a U-turn next to the highway as it flows further south, but ultimately drains into the sea later.

We stopped by the beach to take in the beautiful view and enjoy a tender coconut. It was amazing to see the coconut tree fringed road snaking through with water bodies on both sides of the road. It is reputed to be one of the most scenic places on the west coast of India.

Date of experience: December 2019

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

My TripAdvisor Review No.550: Jasper Train & Tour, Canada.

All Aboard The 'Skeena' to Prince Rupert.

We decided to take the VIA Rail tour to explore and sight-see the western parts of British Columbia. We took ‘The Skeena’ train from Jasper to Prince Rupert, sometimes referred to as the ‘Rupert Rocket’ by the train staff. The journey takes about 20 hours to cover the distance of 1160 kms with an overnight stop at Prince George.

Our Economy Class seats were very comfortable with lots of leg room. Of course one can also choose to travel in the Touring Class, which has free access to the Dome Car and Park Car, by paying a higher fare, and which also includes buffet meals and drinks served on the train. For the economy class, meals, snacks, fruit juice and coffee have to be purchased separately and it is served to you at your seat. Some passengers opted to bring their own packed sandwiches and snacks. While traveling to Prince Rupert we did not have access to the Dome Car, but while returning we did, as there was only one couple in the Touring Class and they very kind and did not mind mingling with us.

The train staff were friendly and ever helpful. We had lady Louise as our guide, ably assisted by gentleman Anthony. They would periodically inform us about the route and stations we were passing, as well as the main attractions and points of interest along the way. Wildlife spotting was high on everyone’s agenda and we did spot some deer and elk along the route. The snow covered mountain peaks and fast flowing rivers, the Fraser and the Skeena, always kept our gaze riveted out the large windows during the day. The train would slow down while passing points of interest like Mt. Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies.

One of the most controversial aspects of this way of travelling was that the VIA Rail trains were given lower priority than the freight trains, and we would have to stop at a siding quite often to let the freight trains pass, sometimes for as long as an hour. But this gave us an opportunity, with the engineer’s permission, to get off the train and stretch our legs and explore the countryside at ground level. As a result the ‘Skeena’ could never stick to its schedule. We had to check in to our Prince George hotel once at 11 pm, and beyond midnight on the return trip.

We had to arrange our own accommodations in the frontier towns of Prince George and Prince Rupert.

On the whole we quite enjoyed our rail trip from Jasper to Prince Rupert through the mighty Rocky Mountains.

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Date of experience: July 2019

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

My TripAdvisor Review No.471: Cheakamus River, Whistler, Canada.

Riverside Walk.

The Cheakamus River trail is about 5 km away from Whistler near the Function Junction. One side of the trail can be accessed from the trail which leads to the Train Wreck site. We walked along the trail till we reached a suspension bridge across the raging river. It was a beautiful sight to behold.

Be careful when you are walking along the trail as it can be lonely at times and there may be bears around. But the trail is well marked through the woods and not very strenuous. We enjoyed the trek to the river and looking at and listening to the gushing waters from the suspension bridge.

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Date of experience: June 2019

See all 12 reviews by EkMusafir for Whistler

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

My TripAdvisor Review No.383: Bhadra River Project Dam. Majestic Dam on the River Bhadra.

Bhadra Dam is situated on the River Bhadra very near to the towns of Bhadravati and Shimoga. It is located just off the National Highway No. 206 (Chittoor to Honnavar via Shimoga). We took a left turn off this highway after passing Tarikere, when we were driving from Bangalore to Goa. We passed the Bhadra Tiger Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary at Lakkavalli, where the Jungle Lodges and Resorts have a nice resort called the River Tern Lodge.

We stopped for a while to admire the imposing structure of the dam, but did not venture further as it was around midday and quite warm and sunny at that time. We crossed the bridge over the Bhadra River, which is known to be a habitat for the marsh crocodile and monitor lizards.

The Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary nearby has rich flora and fauna, and it would be worth stopping for a day or two at the River Tern Lodge for a safari and a boat ride in the Bhadra Reservoir.

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https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g1156205-d3265830-r623726834-Bhadra_River_Project_Dam-Shimoga_Shimoga_District_Karnataka.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.382: Gajanur Dam, Shimoga. Nice Picnic Spot.

Gajanur Dam is a nice picnic spot for the local people of Shimoga. It is located about 12 km from the city, on the Mangalore highway. The dam is constructed on the Tunga River and is visible from the highway, but the entry to the dam is restricted only up to the dam walkway. The dam is surrounded by lot of green fields and plantations.

We had to pay parking charges of ₹20 in the parking lot outside the gates. We entered the dam premises and walked to the parapet wall to see a vast expanse of water stretching across to the edges of the fields. Some water was being released into the canal, but it was not a very strong flow. We loitered around in the shade of the small garden near the office building inside the gates, and had our picnic lunch there.

The dam is about 1 km from the Sakrebailu Elephant Camp. Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary is another 16 km ahead of the dam, and one can combine these three attractions near Shimoga for a full day outing. The Shimoga Lion Safari Park, on the road to Sagar, can also be included in the full day itinerary, but the latter is closed on Tuesdays.

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https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g1156205-d3265827-r623408933-Gajanur_Dam-Shimoga_Shimoga_District_Karnataka.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.341: Ganga Ghat, Nashik.

Ganga Ghat is situated in the Panchvati area of Nashik. It is actually on the banks of the River Godavari which passes through the centre of the holy town of Nashik in Maharashtra, but the local people refer to it as their Ganga (Mother Goddess).

Holy River Bank.

It is supposed to be a very holy place for the Hindus, where many come to immerse the ashes of their loved ones for the onward journey to ‘Moksha’. Others take a dip or swim in the river to wash off their sins.

There are many temples on the banks and nearby, namely the Shree Ganga Godavari temple, the Kapaleshwar Mahadev temple, the Goraram temple, the Varad Vinayak Ganpati temple, the Vyankatesh Balaji temple, and many other smaller temples. The Ramkund and the Laxman kund, where Lord Ram and Laxman used to bathe, are also nearby.

There is a huge two sided statue of Lord Hanuman (Dutondya Maruti Mandir) on the banks of Ganga Ghat. As you walk a little further downstream you will come to the ‘Gangewarchya Bhaji Bazar’ which is the local vegetable market. There are many shops selling local products like agarbattis, kishmis (raisins) and fresh flowers, et al.

It was a good experience to walk along the paved pathway from the Ganga Godavari temple down to the local market, taking in the sights and sounds of the holy city.

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

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g303883-d2648853-r596124521-Ganga_Ghat-Nashik_Nashik_District_Maharashtra.html#