My TripAdvisor Review No.640: Tambdi Surla Mahadev Temple, Sanguem, Goa.

Hidden Gem Of A Temple In The Forest.

On the drive out from Colva back to Pune we decided to visit the Mahadev Temple in the forests of the Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary. We had to take a left turn off the Anmod Ghat Highway, at Dharbandora, and drive along a narrow forested road of the sanctuary for 23 km. The road was very smooth and scenic through tiny villages and giant trees on both sides. It took us about half an hour to get to the temple parking area from Dharbandora.

The small temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, and was built in the 12th century by the Kadambas, and is one of the only Hindu temples to have survived the ravages of the Muslim and Portuguese invaders of Goa, in its original form. The presiding deity in the form of a Lingam is mounted on a pedestal in the inner sanctum. Bas-relief figures of Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma, with their respective consorts appear on panels at the sides of the temple. There is a headless Nandi Bull at the centre of the mandap. The temple is surrounded by well kept lawns and plenty of greenery and is maintained by the ASI. A small river runs by the temple.

The temple is a short walk from the parking area through a well kept pathway. There are some small snacks and drinks stalls and a public washroom near the parking lot. The temple does not have many other commercial stalls selling puja offerings, nor any pujaris and beggars trying to relieve you of your belongings, so it is a very good place for a pure darshan of the Gods, either in the form of stone or natural beauty. Beware of the friendly monkeys though.

Date of experience: December 2019

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My TripAdvisor Review No.501: MacMillan Provincial Park, Vanc-Island, Canada.

Rare And Dignified Trees.

MacMillan Provincial Park is a forested area on Highway No.4 connecting Nanaimo to Port Alberni. The highway runs through the park and the core area is known by the older name of ‘Cathedral Grove’. You can park on either side of the road and enter the grove to view the ancient and giant trees of Douglas Fir, Red Cedar and Bigleaf Maple. It is situated just after Cameron Lake as you drive towards Port Alberni.

The biggest and oldest of the Douglas Fir trees is an 800-year-old tree, 76 meters tall and 9 meters in circumference. It was over 300 years old when Christopher Columbus first came to North America. Many of the trees are so old that they have fallen down during wind storms and now lie there providing life and succor to the newer trees and plants. They are known as the ‘Nurse Trees’.

The walk around the park can take between half an hour to over two hours, depending on how much time and interest you have. At the end of the north side are the banks of the Cameron Lake.

There are wheelchair accessible trails that wind through the park, but there are no benches or picnic tables here. Camping is not allowed and smoking is absolutely prohibited in the park. There are two pit toilets outside along the parking lot on either side of the road.

It is like an enchanted forest, only disturbed somewhat by the noise of the highway traffic.

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Date of experience: July 2019

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My TripAdvisor Review No.493: MacKay Bay Lodge, Bamfield, Vancouver Island, BC.

Coastal Paradise.

Located at the western edge of Vancouver Island, the small town of Bamfield is as remote as one can get on this beautiful island. MacKay Bay Lodge is at the remote end of Beale Cape Road in West Bamfield, where the roads are not even paved.

Cheryl came to receive us at the docks and carted us along with our luggage in her ATV to the lodge. The lodge has a beautiful setting at the edge of the rain forest and overlooking the fishing dock with the serene waters of the Bamfield Inlet. She made us feel at home in our cosy room, which had an additional couple of bunk beds for kids. In the kitchen cum dining room there was a dining table and chairs, chest of drawers, fridge, microwave oven, kettle, wash basin with some crockery, and a sofa. Even though it was summer we needed to turn on the heater at night.

Breakfast, lunch and supper were included in the stay package. In addition we could visit the kitchen for some snacks or hot and cold drinks and tea and coffee sachets were available at any time of the day. Nancy would always prepare an excellent breakfast and we had an omelette with bacon, spinach, green onion and cheese on the first day, followed by grapefruit and coffee. A variety of cereals were also available. Lunch and dinner were three course meals consisting of a salad, a fish, chicken or meat dish with roast potato and followed by yummy dessert. Nancy and Sue really pampered us with a lot of goodies.

Cheryl would help us to plan our day. After breakfast I went for a leisurely walk to the beautiful Brady’s beach about 3 km away, and returned via the boardwalk along the harbour. In the evening Cheryl arranged for a boat ride with Robbie who took us further into the inlet where we saw a Mamma Bear with her Baby Bear on the far shore feeding on the grass.

Most of the other regular guests who visit here are into sport fishing and they regaled us with their fishing exploits and whale spotting for the day. There is a hot tub where they can relax and recover after a long day on the cold waters. We enjoyed our two day stay by just walking along the harbour and the forest, eating, drinking and sleeping to our hearts content. The atmosphere was very peaceful, serene and calming and it was a joy to just sit outside or upstairs on the veranda during sunset.

We were sad to leave when Brain dropped us back in the ATV to catch the boat back to Port Alberni.

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Date of stay: August 2019

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My TripAdvisor Review No.463: Cathedral Grove, Port Alberni, Canada.

Giant And Ancient Trees.

Cathedral Grove is located on Highway No.4 in Vancouver Island, very near to the town of Port Alberni. It straddles both sides of the highway and there is limited parking space outside the Park area. It is also known as MacMillan Provincial Park.

The wonders of this park are the giant Douglas Fir trees which inhabit this forest like silent sentinels from the past. The leader among them is an 800-year-old tree, 76 meters tall and 9 meters in circumference. It was over 300 years old when Christopher Columbus first came to North America. Other species of trees in this forest include the Western Hemlock, the Western Red Cedar, and the Bigleaf Maples.

The walk around the park can take between half an hour to over two hours, depending on how much time and interest you have. At the end of the North side are the banks of the Cameron Lake.

There are no benches is the park, but you can catch your breath sitting on the broad fencing or tree stumps of the old and fallen trees along the way. There are functional restrooms outside along the parking lot.

It is like an enchanted forest, only disturbed somewhat by the noise of the highway traffic.

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Date of experience: July 2019

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My TripAdvisor Review No.399: Vythiri Village Resort, Wayanad, Kerala.

Serene Green Resort in the Wayanad Wilderness

Vythiri Village Resort is located in the eponymous town in the Wayanad district of Kerala. It’s entrance is just off the NH766, which goes to Kozhikode. The lane leading to the gates is very narrow, so one needs to go slow after spotting their signboard which directs you turn off the highway after 50 meters.

Check-in was quick. After parking our car in the huge parking lot we were taken to our room, about a km away, in a resort van. Our room was on the second floor, with a nice view from the glass window, overlooking the river and the hanging bridge, with the hills as a backdrop.

The resort is well spread out over 30 acres of greenery and large trees, located at the base of the hills, and has a small tributary of the Kabini River running through it. There is a hanging bridge which leads to an artificial waterfall and the Infinity pool. But the path leading to infinity pool was steep and rocky, and I found the regular pool, next to the hanging bridge, much better for long swims. Every morning they arrange a complimentary Nature Walk, where a guide takes you outside for a walk in the plantations.

There are a variety of rooms, including the Pool Villas, Jacuzzi Villas, Cottages, Suites and Duplex Suites. As Club Mahindra members we were allotted the deluxe rooms, which had ac, flat-screen TV, e-safe, fridge, tea maker, wardrobe, telephone and wi-fi. Toiletries included a dental kit, besides soap, shampoo and body lotion.

Service was impeccable, and they provided sachets of tea, coffee, milk and sugar or ‘Sugar Free’. The three restaurants; ‘Sky Restaurant’, ‘Tea Garden’ and ‘House Boat’ were under maintenance and not in operation, but there was one main restaurant called ‘Spice Bowl’ where they served ala-carte as well as buffet meals. The tariff was on the higher side but the taste of the Kerala dishes was good. There were very few options to dine out in Vythiri itself, but there were some good restaurants in Kalpetta which is about 10 km away.

There were some good activities in the resort. Swimming, walking, zip lining, trekking, shooting, archery and spa were some of the popular ones. There is also an artist who sketches your portrait, as well as a painter.

The few cons of the resort were; there was some construction activity of a new block of rooms which spoiled the view from the window, and there was some water seepage from the vestibule ceiling, probably from the ac, in the passage near the main door of our room.

But we did enjoy our three days stay, and had a calm and relaxed time, with some sight-seeing.
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Date of stay: December 2018

• Trip type: Traveled as a couple
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My TripAdvisor Review No.373: Sakrebailu Elephant Camp, Shimoga, Karnataka. Have Fun With The Elephants.

Sakrebailu Elephant Camp is on the route from Bangalore to Shimoga. It is in a forest area next to the Tunga River, and there is also a jungle resort run by Jungle Lodges and Resorts, Karnataka State, where you can spend a few days and make friends with the pachyderms.

On the way to Shimoga we passed a caravan of the elephants going for their lunch away from the camp. By the time we reached the camp it was closed. They are very strict about the visitors timing which is from 8.30 am to 11.30 am. We have to pay ₹30 for entry, ₹100 for bathing, and ₹75 for a ride on the elephant. We got to see the camp but the elephants had all disappeared for their meals, as we saw on the way.

It is a good place to visit in the forest, and interact with the elephants up close and personal.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.325: Club Mahindra Virajpet, Coorg.

Rain Forest Paradise.

This was our second Visit to Club Mahindra Virajpet in the Coorg district of Karnataka. As usual we drove down from Bangalore via Mysore, Hunsur, and Gonikoppal and Virajpet town. The last part of the road, about 4 km, was still in a bad condition even though it had been under repairs on our last trip.

We wanted to be woken up by bird song in the morning, so I asked our guide, Ishika, for a room next to the forest. She obliged and allotted us a room in the Albatross Wing (each wing is named after a species of butterfly) with a ‘plantation view’. It overlooked the coffee plantation and the dense forest of trees beyond. We could hear the barbets and bulbuls twittering in the branches from the nice sit-out. Appanna helped us with our luggage and drove us down to our room, after parking our car in the parking lot.

Our ac studio room was well furnished with a king size bed and another folding bed. There was an LCD TV, microwave oven, electric kettle, and crockery and cutlery in the dry kitchenette. There is a round dining table with three chairs, and we could rustle up a quick meal with some of the ready to eat food packets we had brought with us. Once we ordered a meal which was delivered to us by their ‘Gourmet Express’. Of course there was the option of two good restaurants as well, one serving buffet (Aromas) and the other ala carte (Coorgenburg). The house keeping service was excellent, and Nasir was ever obliging and took good care of us. One evening he gave us a pleasant surprise by decorating our room with balloons and buntings. There was a complimentary cake on our table with Anniversary wishes even though the event was in the next month.

There is a nice big swimming pool and a fun-zone with plenty of activities for the kids. There is a gym and spa, and a shop named ‘Wolf-Pack’ where we bought some souvenirs. There are many activities organised for the mornings, and entertainment in the evenings, and one can never get bored even if you don’t go out for sight-seeing.

There are no decent restaurants outside within a radius of 5 km of the resort. One can buy basic necessities like eggs, bread, biscuits and junk snacks, from a small shop near the parking lot.

For sight-seeing we visited a Ganesh temple and St. Anne’s church in Virajpet (13 km), the Igguthappa temple, Nalknad Palace and Thadiandamol peak (22 km), Iruppu Falls (60 km), and Nagarhole (65 km). Other popular places of Coorg are closer to Madikeri (40 km).

We enjoyed our stay in Club Mahindra Virajpet. It is more a like place where you can come, switch off your digital devices and just chill out, enjoy the beauties of nature, and go for long walks into the plantations.

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Room Tip: Ask for a 'plantation view' room if you like to be woken up by bird song.

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• Stayed: February 2018, travelled as a couple
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My TripAdvisor Review No.297: Gureghar Nature Trail, Mahabaleshwar.

Nature At Its Best.

Triveni Point and Gureghar Nature Trail is one of the lesser known attractions of Mahabaleshwar, maybe because it is at a little distance away from the hill station. It is located bang opposite Mapro Garden, which is a major attraction for shopping and dining, on the Panchagani – Mahabaleshwar Road. Most of the tourists visit Mapro Garden and overlook the Gureghar Nature Trail, and hence miss out on one of the most beautiful points of Mahabaleshwar, the Triveni Point, which lies at the end of the 1 km long trail.

We entered through a small gate leading to the trail. Vehicles are not allowed inside. We walked at a leisurely pace up the narrow winding stony pathway which was gently sloping upwards. At times the slope would get steeper and there are rocks and stones on the path. There are trees and bushes on both sides of the trail and we were literally walking in a jungle. Some of the trees had a placard with their common and botanical names attached to them, like jambul, hirda, gella and pissa. There were stone benches at regular intervals so we could rest for a while.

After walking about 20 minutes we reached the watch tower which is the Triveni Point. We got an excellent 360 degree view of the whole Panchgani Mahabaleshwar plateau from here.

It is an easy to do trail by people of all age groups. We started on the trail at around 11 am and were back on the highway at noon. We did not encounter any other tourist on the way. We had only the birds and the bees, trees and forest for company. It is a beautiful place to experience nature at its best. Do remember to wear your trekking shoes and carry your camera when you visit, and not to litter the trail with your garbage.

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

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My TripAdvisor Review No.278: Wildernest Nature Resort, Chorla.

Forest Haven.

Wildernest is located at the cusp of three Indian states, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa. It can be approached either from Belgaum in Karnataka, or from Goa, on the scenic Chorla Ghat road. From the entrance gate we were taken to our rooms in a dilapidated jeep, holding on tight to our seats. One of the staff, all dressed in jungle jackets and shorts, took us to our cottage and then showed us around the property. He welcomed us with a glass of chilled ‘kokum’ juice.

Wildernest Nature Resort is in a class of its own. The rooms are luxurious not in the physical sense, but because you are so close to wondrous luxuries of nature. There is no TV, but you are woken up by the song of the Malabar whistling thrush. You witness the real life film of a waterfall on the cliff opposite your open veranda, and wild monkeys prancing about in the trees outside. There is no wi-fi, but the songs of the Barbets and the Sunbirds play all day long. Neither is the room air conditioned, nor is there a fridge or coffee maker. In fact, you are discouraged from eating anything in your room as it attracts pests and insects. There is no room service and you have to walk to the restaurant ‘Randhan’ for all meals.

The package at Wildernest included all meals, prepared from farm fresh ingredients in the local Konkani and Goan styles. It included morning tea, buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner, and evening tea and snacks. The food was very wholesome and delicious. On one occasion we had barbequed snacks for dinner.

There is a bar besides the restaurant where drinks are available on chargeable basis.

The activities like bird watching and trekking to a waterfall in the morning, to the sunset point in the evening, and an evening entertainment programme are all included in the package. One evening we witnessed some local songs and dances, and saw a film on wildlife the next evening. The bird watching guide took us around the property pointing out different species of birds. We even saw a green vine snake on one occasion. The treks were very strenuous as we had to clamber over stones and boulders in the forest to reach the waterfall. The sunset trek was quite an uphill climb and I was out of breath by the time we reached the top. Please do not attempt the treks if you are not fit or have small kids with you, even though there is always a guide to accompany you.

There is a beautiful infinity pool overlooking the hills. The pool is surrounded on three sides by the jungles, with some deck chairs to lounge and sunbathe. There is a man made waterfall on one side. The water is reasonably clean, and clean towels are available in the changing room.

We stayed in one of the Valley View Cottages overlooking the valley and waterfall. They also have Forest View Cottages surrounded by tall trees and forests, which is preferred by the hard core nature lovers and bird watching enthusiasts. The path and steps leading to the rooms can get quite dark after sunset, so do remember to carry a torch with you when you go for dinner to the restaurant.

We were at Wildernest for 4 nights and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves even though we were cut off from the ‘civilised’ world. Sometimes we would just sit in the machans and wait for the birds, or lie in a hammock gazing at the stars at night. It was a complete digital detox, and we returned to our humdrum existence totally refreshed with lovely green memories.

• Stayed: December 2017, travelled with friends
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My TripAdvisor Review No.249: Pine Forest, Kodaikanal.

Walk Deeper Into the Forest for the Real Feel.

Actually this is more like a plantation of Pine Trees, and the tall trees are lined in neat rows as far as eye can see. It is one of the favourite halts for the tourist cabs and buses, and so the serenity and solitude of the forest is ruined by the hordes of people alighting here for a break and a snack. There are horses available for a ride. The trees are full of monkeys, and the ground is littered with garbage.

But if you walk a little deeper into the forest, and away from the crowds, you will get the true feel of the forest. Let the silence of the surroundings engulf you and you are transported into nature’s paradise. We did just that, and enjoyed the experience.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.236: Gilbert Trail, Kasauli, Himachal.

“Paradise for Nature Lovers.”

Reviewed yesterday

NEW

Gilbert Trail is a unique nature trail and trekking path in Kasauli. It is meant only for walking or riding and enjoying the raw beauty of nature. It is a bird watcher’s paradise too.

The trail starts about 2 km from Kasauli market, and is located just after the Kasauli Club and Sunset Point. There is a green board indicating the start of the trail. The path is a bit stony and gravelly but quite well defined and you won’t get lost if you don’t stray off the trail, and remember your general direction.

It can get a bit slushy and misty during the rains, but the clouds enhance the beauty of the surroundings. You get to hear a lot of bird calls in the mornings and evenings. On a clear day the views of the hills and cottages around is very enchanting.

The trail is about 1.5 km long and one can see Manki Point and the Hanuman Temple at the other end.

This trek was one of the highlights of my trip to Kasauli. It was the best way to enjoy nature and the mountain scenery, for which we all like to visit a hill station.

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Visited July 2017

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

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g1152631-d8415616-r520233758-Gilbert_Trail-Kasauli_Kasauli_Tehsil_Solan_District_Himachal_Pradesh.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.

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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#