This is the part1 of a 4 day travelogue to the green coastal belt of Karnataka (Dakshin Kannada regions). I was to start from Bangalore and the travel would cover about 1000kms in my Innova and cover the following places
DAY 1 : Bangalore - Kalasa - Hornadu - Silent Valley Resort
DAY 2 : Silent Valley Resort - Kudremukh National Park - Hanumangundi Falls - Shringeri - Karkala - Udupi
DAY 3 : Udupi - Kateel - Moodbidri - Dharmasthala - Kukke Subrahmanya
DAY 4 : Kukke Subrahmanya - Sakleshpur - Bangalore
Here is the route map and itinerary I followed for your reference:
I was always fasicated by the unique culture and Kannada accent of this region and being a resident of the state this set of places are well known for their temples, green hills, ghats and coastal areas. I will cover the day 1 and day 2 part of the journey here and the rest of it in Part 2 of this series.
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DAY 1
We left Bangalore around 5:30 AM early morning on 25th December (yes Christmas holiday) to avoid the road rush and long queues in toll booths. We were at the Nelamangala junction and took a turn towards Bangalore - Mangalore highway by around 6:30 AM and it was already breaking dawn. The road is 4 lane and in some places wide 2-lane with shoulder up until Sakleshpur. There are a couple of amazing restaurants for breakfast right between Bangalore-Hassan which arrives at just about breakfast time 8:30 AM. Particularly Hotel Mayura is famous for its quick service, cleanliness and amazing food preparation. We made a stop here to have the customary Idli-Vada-Dosa. Other options include Kamat or CCD.
We broke off the highway here just after Sakleshpur towards Kalsa. This route is full of gentle and some places hard curves but the roads are smooth and can easily accomodate big vehicles. If you're a motoring enthusiast you'll surely enjoy this road.
From the suggestions I read on tripadvisor we had booked a villa package at Silent Valley resort a couple of weeks in advance. The package includes lunch & dinner for 25th, overnight stay and breakfast for 26th and cost me Rs.7200/- in all (Rs.6000/- base price + extras). On arriving at the place at around 1:00PM we were given welcome drinks and shown to the rooms. The place has few but courteous staff. The resort has a nice pool and a dining area adjacent to it.
TIPS: Book in advance for options if you are going during vacation seasons. Villas are comfortable clean and relatively newly built rooms compared to Cottages. Prefer Villas or A/C rooms to cottages though slightly expensive they are worth it. Villas have geyser hot water facility. No cellphone network coverage here.
We had lunch and went to the nearby Hornadu Annapoorneshwari temple and Ambuthirtha (on the recommendation of the hotel staff). Ambuthirtha is slightly offroad to Hornadu and has a very narrow road approach road. GPS won't work here and asking around is the best way to get directions. We drove precariously on the non-existent small road for about 2km but we were pleased with the spot when we got there. It has some rocky gorges carved out by the river and engulfed in scenic mountains.
We returned to Silent Valley for dinner where we were greeted by colourfully lit up trees for Christmas and a local folk dance performance by a troupe from Karkala over a warm camp fire on a cold breezy night. Dinner was simple and served by the camp fire with special cake for Christmas celebrations.
DAY 2
It was a cold winter night and early morning despite carrying thermals and having thick sheets. The sun rises late in the valley so we decided to take a early morning fresh air stroll and were advised by the hotel staff to trek either Ganesh tea estates (about 1.5km from there) or a trip up the adjoining mountain for a sunrise spot on the cobblestone trail to peak of Devaragudda. Although we didn't reach the peak it was a pleasant morning walk up the hill in the cradle of nature. We had a sumptuous breakfast and checked-out by around 9:00 AM. Those who have travel/motion sickness the road ahead is a ghat section so do take appropriate precautions in food intake.
The road to Shringeri goes through the Kudremukh National Forest which is a protected National Reserve. You are given a pass on entry and are expected to reach the next point in 1.5 hours. We stopped on the way, climes down around 300 steps to the the witness the beautiful Hanumangundi water falls on the way. The path down has been blocked so as not to allow people to play in the water after several accidents at this falls as narrated by local authorities. We also stopped by the Lakya Pollution Control Dam on the way. The dam is dry since 2010 after the Kudremukh Ore company was shutdown but offers a picturesque view from atop the dam of the surrounding greenery. The drive through the National Park is scenic and pleasant. We drove at nominal speeds and rolled down windows to enjoy the serene and silent forest surroundings.
There is a deviation onto Solapur-Mangalore Highway towards Shingeri. The roads here are very narrow and have sharp deep edges. The route passes along Tunga river and has through several steeps corners and driving can get tricky when bigger vehicles cross in the opposite direction. We visited the Shringeri temple and started back towards Karkala and were back on the Karkala Main road by around 1PM. At Karkala we visited the lofty Gandharva rock statue and Chathurmukha Basidi which is has a lavish architecture with a simple stone framework and rich carvings dating back a thousand years. This place is being actively renovated by ASI.
We reached Manipal by around 4:30PM from Karakala. We had booked the Fortune Inn Valley View hotel at Manipal. The hotel cost us about Rs.6500/- and came with a lavish star hotel breakfast package. We quickly freshened up and raced to the Malpe beach for the sunset. The beach is slightly crowded in the evening but still clean and well maintained. The beach is safe (even for children) to enjoy the waters and the shore line is not steep. There are several water sports one can indulge in at the beach (paragliding, powerboat etc.).
Post the resplendent sunset at the beach we proceeded to the famous Krishna temple at Udupi. The temple was crowded due to the holiday season, I recommend taking the special darshan if available else you will have to squeeze your way in through the long queue. The belief is that the idol turned to face the devotee (Kanakadas) who was not permitted to enter the temple. Hence even now the diety is viewed from window first(Kanakana Kindi). We had rice at the Bhojana Shale of the temple which is free food all the bhakts wanting to partake in it. It was very humbling experience indeed. One can buy Diyas, Lord Krishna Idols and other handicrafts at the temple premises.
I will journal the rest of the trip covering St Mary Island, Dharmasthala, Moodbidri, Kukke Subrahmanya, Sakleshpur in Part 2 of this travelogue. Do visit the next section and let me know if you need any other details in the comments section below.
