Yatri Yadien: monsoon

Showing posts with label monsoon. Show all posts

August 15, 2016

My TripAdvisor Review No.191: Garden Court, Varca Goa.

“Rustic Garden Restaurant.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

This is a small garden restaurant located between Club Mahindra Varca and Zuri White Sands Resort. It is not a beach shack, but rather more like a garden shack. You have to park your car on the narrow road outside, or better still walk to the place if you are staying in one of the nearby resorts.

However, the food compensates for the lack of ambience. They have a good selection of local Goan dishes as well as Punjabi and Continental food. Their ‘Toast Salad’ was actually a ‘Tossed Salad’ in which they had forgotten to add the mayo. It was rectified immediately when we brought it to their notice. Their ‘kadhai veg’ and ‘dal fry’ were tasty and well prepared. The service was courteous, and their efforts to satisfy were sincere. Prices were reasonable.

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

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g1096236-d2274894-r405249398-Garden_Court-Varca_Goa.html#

August 10, 2016

My TripAdvisor Review No.186: Club Mahindra Emerald Palms, Varca.

“Good Place to Experience A Goan Monsoon.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

This was our second visit to Emerald Palms. This time it was to experience the rainy season in Goa. Yes, it did rain quite a lot when we were there, but luckily it would stop when we wanted to venture out.

Of course, it is advisable to go there in your own vehicle. The taxi union at the resort does not allow you to hire from anywhere else, and their charges are exorbitant too. There is a good parking area inside the compound for the private vehicles, though it gets full during the weekend.

The area around the resort is very beautiful and green, with a lot of coconut and other trees, surrounded by wild grassy meadows. We had a very good view of the beautiful scenery from our first floor balcony. However the beach is a ten minute walk away and visible in the distance only to a few west facing rooms. It is very nice to go out for a walk in the mornings, when you can even see and hear peacocks in the wild. Evenings were best to watch the sunset if the monsoon clouds let you.

The rooms are very spacious and tastefully furnished. The 1BR apartments have two bathrooms, and a walk in closet. There are also two LED TVs, tea/coffee maker and a pair of comfy sofas. The central air conditioning was very efficient and cooling.

There is a medium sized swimming pool in the resort which we used often. It was clean and well maintained. Swimming in the sea can be dangerous at this time of the year.

The restaurant serves buffet and ala carte meals, but the prices were on the higher side. There were very few local Goan dishes on the menu, so we would go out and enjoy the local delicacies at the nearby restaurants. There are many good restaurants between Colva and Varca which serve food with a local flavour.

All in all we enjoyed our stay at Emerald Palms, and enjoyed the Goan greenery in the monsoons.

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

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g1096236-d3240619-r403097205-Club_Mahindra_Emerald_Palms-Varca_Goa.html#

August 4, 2015

My TripAdvisor Review No.108: Malshej Ghat, near Pune.

“Monsoon Magic at Malshej”

Reviewed 3 August 2015NEW

Malshej Ghat is a paradise for nature lovers, especially those who enjoy dancing in the rain. It lies on the Kalyan Ahmednagar Highway (NH222), about 155 km from Mumbai. From Pune it is about 130 km. Take the Pune Nashik highway (NH50), turn left at Narayangaon and proceed to Junnar (SH111). From Junnar town, Malshej is another 25 km ahead. You will pass the beautiful Pimpalgaon Joga Dam on the way. You will know that you have reached Malshej Ghat (during monsoon season) when you see the clouds rising above the hills and then swooping down menacingly to engulf you. It will look scary at first but then you have to move ahead, albeit at a reduced speed, till you are entirely engulfed in the mist. Visibility is minimal and it is advisable to switch on all the lights of your vehicle.

After another few kilometres you will come across a multitude of waterfalls, big and small, and at some places you will see some food stalls serving baked corn, wada pao, and egg bhurji, as well as hot cups of tea. Travellers stop here for refreshments and to enjoy a shower under the falls. It is advisable to avoid the weekends, as the heady combination of natural beauty and holiday revelry can cause more than just a few traffic problems.

As you proceed ahead towards Mumbai you will pass a tunnel at the end of which are some more huge waterfalls, one of which falls directly on to the road with a lot of force. It is quite a thrill to drive your car under this one, and get a free car wash in the bargain!

The MTDC Resort is located at a vantage point at Malshej Ghat. Sushant Resort situated next to the Pimpalgaon Joga Lake is another hotel surrounded by natural beauty. Junnar town, about 25 km towards Pune has a handful of stay options. One can also visit the famous Shivneri Fort, birthplace of Shivaji Maharaj, and the Lenyadri Buddhist caves near Junnar.