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As the rhythm of urban life is becoming faster day by day, people’s state of mind is gradually getting pressurized. Even if one spends a few days on a hill station, it is still difficult to feel completely relaxed and gain peace of mind. In our recent trip to Kodaikanal, India we knew Kodai Lake at the center of town is the most happening place in this lovely hill station. But we wanted to stay at least a day away from the touristy crowd, isolated on the hills. We discovered the perfect place in the lap of nature which could help anyone unwind, energize and rediscover oneself while giving an offbeat experience. We discovered – ‘The Pear County’. The Pear County is a conceptual speciality lodging located in the outskirts of Kodaikanal in Shenbaganur village. The said concept revolves around experiencing the best of nature by shooing off the unpredictable issues of camping out in the hills without losing the comforts urged by an urban dweller. How they manage to provide a camping experience with basic amenities was something we were curious to see. We happened to visit this property in September 2017. The Pear County is located right opposite to the TNEB sub-station, about 9-10 kilometers away from the Kodai Lake. We took a diversion from the main road and just a few meters of drive on the ‘kutcha’ road brought us to this wonderful property. Car can be driven right to the location of stay. Mr. Shanmugam, who manages the resort, was in constant touch with us since morning to guide us with directions. As soon as we reached at around 4 PM, we were very warmly greeted by him and offered a welcome drink. The reception cum dining area of Pear County was a whitewashed building which also included kitchen. After few basic check-in formalities we were escorted towards other end of the dining area which happened to be a recreation room. Stepping out of recreation room, the moment we got the first glimpse of the property, we knew we would love it. Levels of green grass and pear trees with spaced out tents on the right and a valley with a view of Kodaikanal on the left. It felt better than what we had seen in pictures. We were then escorted to our tent. The tent was a Quecha 3+, big enough for two people to cosily fit in. A comfortable mattress was well laid out with clean linen, pillows and blanket. This wasn’t just what it was. Right next to the tent was a door which opened to a small changing room attached to a clean private restroom built in brick and mortar. The changing room also had space for keeping luggage. Necessary toiletries and clean towels were provided and the bathroom also had hot water facility. The thatched roof over the tent provided security from the rain. We also had chairs laid out towards one end as a tiny sit-out area. The moment we saw the tent, all our apprehensions of camping, staying in a tent with no proper washroom facilities, the mosquitoes, noise of the crickets, cold weather, everything seemed just unreasonable. The Pear County provided the right balance between adventures of camping with comforts of a hotel. Our tent also offered a scenic view of the Kodaikanal hill which was right opposite to us. The weather was quite cool and the experience of cruising through the fog was explicit. Everything was covered in greenery and the clouds were coming down to kiss the hill. Yes! We were on a hill. A pear farm hill – Almost the whole hill was owned by the family of Mr. Vishal Sudhakar who conceptualized Pear County few years ago. It houses 4 tents in total – two for couples, one four-membered and one five-membered tent. All tents have their private washrooms and changing rooms. Apart from the tents; they also have 6 cabins which are just like hotel rooms with double beds, an attached bathroom and a TV. The tents and cabins are all located right in middle of pear orchard. The well-lit walkways connect all the tents which are very thoughtfully spaced wide apart to offer privacy. The cabins – cute and compact are located at higher levels with a wonderful sit-out area and each of them offers an excellent view of the Kodai hill. A huge cart wheel was laid in the front of one of the cabins on which tiny plantations were grown. They also house few pet rabbits and birds which kids would love playing around with. To our luck, it was still the pear season and all the trees were loaded with plenty of them. So many that when the wind blew heavily many pears just fell off the trees with thuds. They allow the guests to pluck as many as they want. In fact, they even teach how to identify the right Pears hanging on the trees and how to pluck them. We had a small campfire arranged right in front of our tent which we planned to lit in the evening. While we were sipping coffee, heavy rains started. We were provided two big umbrellas by the staff to securely roam about in the property. The sun had done its work for the day and was descending. Kodai hill was covered with fog and clouds and slowly all the lights on the hill lit up offering us a splendid view. It was time for a barbeque. As it was still rainy, the staff decided to get the barbeque ready for us all by themselves, while we played games in the recreation room. The recreation room was filled with all sorts of indoor games and activities. Sofas and bean bags were laid over in the room for ones who just wished to sit and relax. Story books, novels, drawing books and puzzles were stacked in one of the shelves for the guests. The indoor games included archery, carrom, snakes and ladders, and turnball. They also had speakers installed and you could play songs right from your mobile. As we enjoyed trying out on a few games, our barbeque was done and served hot to us right there. It was mouth-watering and we quickly gorged on it. Soon the dinner was ready and a large home-made buffet was spread in front of us and we ate to our heart’s content. The food was tasty and delicious but we need to specifically mention the pear custard which was made with freshly plucked pears from the orchard. It was time to call it a day. We weren’t in luck, but I’m sure if the sky was clear, we could have certainly spotted various constellations and celestial bodies. We however did get some amazing long exposure shots of Kodaikanal in lights as the clouds and rains added some haze to the view. We decided to sleep early for we had our next morning planned for trekking. Despite heavy rains, the tent was warm from inside and we had a really good night sleep. In the morning we woke up with chirping of the birds. The clouds were making way for the sun and the hills were slowly getting conquered by the sunlight. The gardens were blooming with colorful flowers and the tall trees were swaying with gentle wind. We were soon served hot coffee after which we wore our shoes and got ready for the morning trek up the Pear County hill. Nerson, a boy from the staff, guided us for the trekking. Slowly we started climbing the hills passing small waterfalls and various fields. The whole hill was full of trees laden with pears. We were informed that the farm owned 90 acres of property out of which maximum area went into pear plantation. We crossed a small village at the top of the hill and then climbed down someplace further to a very beautiful view point. The whole valley behind the pear farm hill was visible to us here. It was full of lush greenery and a few waterfalls here and there. The clouds were moving in between the hills creating a beautiful array of sunlight and shadows throughout. We took around 2.5-3 hours to complete the trail while clicking lots of pictures. On returning, we were surprised to see the breakfast buffet spread. The excellent chefs, Ashrita and Jansi Rani, had prepared various cuisines for us. The food was finger-licking. Later, we were accompanied by Pilabson who is also a chef, to show us the rest of the property which lies below the Pear County. We went slightly down the hill riding a bicycle towards the farms. The owners are also engaged in organic farming where they grow potatoes, beans, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots and avocados on a rotation basis. We also saw a beautiful stream of waterfall flowing down the hill. We realized how big the property was from these lower areas as the whole hill towered in front of us with few green roofs that outlined the presence of our tents It had been less than 24 hours since we arrived at The Pear County, but we felt so comfortable. We had interacted with most of their staff and could call them through their names. Even their pet cat had become so friendly that it followed us around. We knew so much more about Pears and farming that our daily lives back in city was a distant thought. Variety of blooming flowers added a unique charm to our stay amongst nature. But the highlight of our stay was the amazing views in the distance as a blanket of clouds kept covering Kodaikanal every now and then ensuring the charm of this lovely hill station stays intact. We could even see as far as Vattakanal falls on the other side. Areas of improvement we felt was the size of the changing or luggage room. Given how big the property is, we felt little congested with luggage, clothes etc. Though we always carry a multiplug extension piece when we travel, some guests might find one charging point difficult to manage with multiple mobiles, camera charger etc. Also location of charging point could be more convenient so that devices could be kept on table. Mr. Shanmugam had arranged a cab for us to drop us at Kodaikanal. They also arrange car hires for sight-seeing trips but we had other plans. We had a great time enjoying all the activities which were really very well planned and executed by the staff. The small trip included everything as advertised within the package - the stay, bonfire, barbeque, dinner, trekking, farm tour, pear plucking and breakfast. Everything was clean and managed pretty well by the staff. All in all, The Pear County makes a lovely place for everyone, be it hyper adventure lovers or lazy nature lovers. Travelers of any kind - solo travelers, honeymooners, couples, family with kids, a group of friends and even elderly people would enjoy this offbeat setup and would have a good time. Before leaving, Rajkumar, Preetiraj and Kirtiraj from the staff plucked and packed us a few delicious pears as a token of affection. The uncompromising and unconditional service of the staff made our stay memorable. A special shoutout to the owner, Mr. Vishal who went out of the traditional way to create such a beautiful offbeat location, away from Kodaikanal yet very close to it. This enchanting natural beauty coupled with the serene ambience makes for a perfect getaway and we would surely recommend it to everyone. PIN THIS IMAGE You can book The Pear County from any of the famous hotel aggregators by clicking on any of the ads listed on this blog or you can directly get in touch with them through their website. Have you been to similar properties? How did you find it? Let us know your thoughts on our review of The Pear County in comments section below. Feel free to share or pin this blog. Note: All opinions expressed in this blog are our own and not influenced by The Pear County in any manner #India #SouthIndia #TamilNadu #Bengaluruweekendoutings #Chennaiweekendoutings #Accommodation

Have you ever desired to live in an enchanted rainy forest? What if you discover a place in such a forest with luxurious tents and all amenities? Wouldn't it be a romantic paradise? Wouldn't time become immaterial taken over by your desire to stay there forever with your partner? This is what we felt during our 2 day stay at Fern Creek in Kodaikanal, India. The Fern Creek is a heavenly abode for those who are looking for lots of fresh air, for those who want to heal their souls and mind wounded by corporate pressure, automated routines and urban noise and pollution, for those who look for untouched, raw beauty and for those who just want to laze around, relax, refresh, revive and be pampered. The Fern Creek is located in the magical hills of Palani Mountains, in the heart of Kodaikanal, South India. Although it is situated on the Fern Hill road, just 2 km from the bustling Kodai Lake, it is far away from the crowded, noisy and touristy Kodai town. We visited the resort in September 2017. This season was funnily a mix of weathers – it was sunny, rainy with a few showers, misty and cold all at the same time. Though we had mapped the resort on GPS, it was still difficult to locate it while approaching which we later realised is good, as it keeps the touristy people away from this beautiful place. It is a camouflaged hidden gem which blends with the nature in a seamless way. We parked our two-wheeler in the well paved big parking area. The first thing we felt was like arriving in British era with classical exteriors and elaborate interiors, grouped windows, red clay roof tiles and whitewashed walls – all of these tucked in oasis of lush greenery. We were welcomed by Mr. Raj, the receptionist and Mr. Michael, the manager. Our check-in was greeted with the hot cup of coffee. The reception was cosy with ornate chimneys and wooden furniture enriched with climbing bougainvillea all around. The tranquil setting of the resort was a welcoming retreat. We were suddenly aware of the complete silence. We couldn't understand how come this place is so quiet! After a few check-in formalities, Michael escorted us to our tent. Descending through the paved garden, we felt like roaming in a mystical jungle. We were surrounded by flowering lilies, pine and eucalyptus trees, and a wonderful landscape full of greenery. The way to our tent felt more like stepping into an enchanted forest. The deeper we got, the more beautiful it became. The curving pathway takes you to lower levels through such thick flora that it eclipses the outside world. We were taken to our Swiss luxury tent and were briefed regarding all the amenities. The tent was indeed huge and luxurious with every small detail taken into account. It comprised of a large bedroom, an enormous washroom and a pleasant sit out area. The bedroom was built on a raised platform, had wooden flooring, a comfortable king size bed, side tables, a big couch, a full length mirror, a large wardrobe, a luggage cum shoe rack, a giant LCD TV and a room heater. The washroom was connected with the bedroom with a tent zip and was even more extravagant with partitioned wet and dry areas, luxurious fittings, clean linens, herbal toiletries, a large mirror, huge basin, a rack, a hair-dryer, a cloth hanger and a pest repeller. All furniture tastefully done using teak wood, gave a very different touch to the room from the regular concrete hotel rooms. The tent was even equipped with weather protection and a power back-up. Being eco-friendly, the tents were lowly lit with yellow lamps giving it a romantic european feel. The tent even had a roll-up window with net in case one needs more light. The sit-out area had a wooden bench and two chairs laid out in the front garden to just sit and relax. The whole set-up was clean and nicely maintained. As soon as we settled, we were curious to check the surroundings. There are a total of 6 tents spread distantly across a 2 acre area ensuring privacy to all guests. We loved the verandah and separate sit-outs provided for each tent. There’s a separate tent for honeymooners at the distant end of the property which seemed slightly bigger with a wooden bridge entrance, a tiny stream of water and a cozy sit-out area. Each tent is set apart through well lit paved rocks, narrow passages, manicured lawns, lush green gardens, tall trees and varieties of flowers that gave us a taste of nature. The creepers interspersed between the trees at places creating a dense green cover. Hats off to the gardeners, who in spite of the water problems in Kodaikanal, had done a terrific job with the maintenance as well as the pest control. There were no creepy insects or mosquitoes visible throughout. The gardens had lovely cylindrical wooden seats and hammocks to relax. There is also a fire pit area, a tiny temple, a gazebo with lounges and wooden sculptures placed randomly which gives a decorative touch to the property. The ambience is homely filled with fresh air and aroma of eucalyptus, lilies and pine. The place brought us close to nature without compromising on luxury and comfort. All the natural beauty was enhanced by the lovely weather. It rained heavily on the first day we arrived and we felt like being inside a mystical rainy forest. Sitting on the porch outside the tent, we enjoyed the rain under the vast green canopy. There was a bizarre silence, no sounds except the constant chirping of crickets, croaking of frogs, rustling of leaves, tweeting of playful birds, gurgling of water, thundering of clouds and pitter-patter of raindrops. Strangely, we felt extremely safe like being at home; even the tents had no leakage despite the heavy downpour. As the evening approached, hunger pangs started striking us. We walked to the reception to check if we could get some light snacks to munch on. Mr. Parthiban, the chef, offered us personalized service ensuring that he will cook whatever we wanted to eat. While our snacks were being prepared, we visited the recreation room which is opposite the reception area. It was equipped with a home theatre, a great collection of movie DVD’s and a lot of books. There was a fireplace and a few extremely comfortable sofas for one to just relax, watch movie or read books. It also had carrom and badminton as a few games to enjoy. They also have badminton racquets which can be used to play in the huge parking area. The moment we went back to our tent, our snacks were brought right there hot and properly covered. The French fries were crispy and finger-licking good. Parthiban also took our order for dinner where we had a menu of own choice and everything was to be prepared based on our inputs. We had our dinner in the dining hall located in the same house as reception. The dining hall was warm and very nicely decorated with large mirrors, paintings and wooden artifacts. The food served was fresh, homely and very tasty with the right amount of spices. Michael and Parthiban were around all time to ensure that we got what we needed and to enquire if we liked the food. Their hospitality made us overstuff ourselves. Parthiban prepared us the best Veg. Manchurian that we had ever had; it was so tasty that we ordered it again the next day. Michael also clicked us a few lovely photographs. After dinner, we sat for a while with Michael discussing about the resort, Kodaikanal and its life. We got to know that the resort was once a holiday home to the owners of this place; who then converted it into a boutique hotel. Also the food is always freshly prepared using bottled water and is free of any processed fat, artificial color, ajinomoto, MSG, or preservatives. We talked about Kodai people, their laid-back life and the weather. Michael was quite a generous, polite and knowledgeable person. He suggested us best shops to buy chocolates and essential oils. The night view of the resort was awesome. We did get some night photos of this place which had already captured our imaginations. The low yellow street lights lighted up our enchanted forest. We missed the campfire that night as it was too damp and rainy. While returning back to our tent, the security guard accompanied us with a torch which was very kind. The infectious smile, neat mannerisms and friendly and helpful nature of the staff touched our heart. The heater kept us warm throughout the night and we had a good sleep. We woke up to chirping birds in the morning. The sun had made its way out of the clouds and we sat on the chairs in our private garden enjoying the warmth of sun rays and lending our ears to the birdsongs that emerged from among the woods. The time and place felt ideal for one to introspect or to relax and bond with the nature as the time felt still. The hot water bath with fragrant herbal soap was quite refreshing. It was a lovely day to explore the green flora of fern creek. With dew still present on leaves, sun rays sneaking through the thick trees and flowers blooming, it felt simply magical. We soon left for sight-seeing trip for the day. In the evening on returning, we were surprised to find a lovely flower decoration on the bed. We felt great at this warm and sweet gesture. We ordered those great veg manchurian again, this time in our rooms itself as we relaxed while watching a movie in our room. The staff gave us royal treatment for the two nights we spent there and we were pampered to the highest level. Right from the manager to the gardener to the maintenance staff; everyone was so professional, friendly and kind enough to help us with all requirements be it food or other amenities. Everyone met us with a warm smile. The chef, Mr. Parthiban even suggested us a secret ingredient to prepare soft and crispy dosas and pooris. Mr.Raj for being present whenever needed and Mr.Michael for being so courteous & helpful deserves a special mention. Also Mrs. Aarthy who promptly changed our booking dates at the last minute upon our request. The only area of improvement we could identify was a minor inconvenience we felt while looking for plug points to charge our mobiles. We realized they were hidden on the floor as walls are tented. It was also difficult to reach them behind the furnitures and an extension cable would be very useful given everyone carries many electronics that need charging. We would like to thank the creators of Fern Creek for their wonderful vision, attention to detail, thoughtfulness, and top notch service. They all have worked hard to maintain the sanctity of the resort and have prevented it from becoming a commercial hotspot. We never felt an urge to kill time behind our mobiles or social media during our stay. We would recommend this mystical jungle to all those who happen to look out for tranquility, intimacy and natural setting. While leaving, we felt like leaving our hearts behind. PIN THIS IMAGE Would you love to experience the luxuries of the enchanted forest we discovered? Do let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. You can book them through any of the online travel portals or through their official site here. Note: All opinions expressed in this blog are our own and not influenced by The Fern Creek in any manner. The dress in the pictures is by SHEIN. Click below to check out their collection. #India #SouthIndia #TamilNadu #Bengaluruweekendoutings #Chennaiweekendoutings #Accommodation

Kodai lake is unanimously considered the heart of Kodaikanal, India. Not only is it at the center of this beautiful hill station, it is the most happening place in the town. The whole hill station is built around this beautiful lake and so it is quite obvious that most hotels are built as close to the lake as possible. But if you had to choose one hotel which would provide the best views of the lake, which would it be? What if we told you that there was an option to stay right on the edge of the lake in the most luxurious way possible, would you want to know more? And what if we added that this hotel is the only 5 star hotel in Kodaikanal with its own private boating facilities in the Kodai lake? Now we have your attention! So keep reading as we review our experience of indulging into the grandeur and splendour of The Carlton, Kodaikanal. Imagine staying in an ancient colonial era mansion right on the banks of a pristine lake! This is what we felt during our brief stay at The Carlton. It is a 110 year old property located right besides Kodai lake surrounded by virgin hills. It is biggest and the only 5-star hotel in Kodaikanal. In search of a good accomodation near the Kodai lake, we came across The Carlton as the only hotel to suit our tastes and offer an unobstructed lake view. The Kodai lake as such is encircled by a road so none of the properties touch the lake. The Carlton is located right on the edge of this road i.e. just 4-5 steps across the lake! We drove through the scenic path besides the lake that led us to The Carlton. We parked our vehicle in the huge parking bay and were helped by the bell-man with our luggage. We were warmly welcomed at the reception. The check-in was quick and smooth. The receptionist handed us the spa service and hotel amenities brochure. We were soon escorted to our room and helped with our luggage. On arriving at our room in Carlton, we were delighted to find it was extremely spacious having lots of natural light. The décor was modern yet had traditional touches from the area, which we really appreciated. It wasn’t cluttered and was tastefully decorated. The bed was king size with comfortable pillows and warm blankets. There is a separate seating area with the ancient furniture. Other amenities included an electronic safe, iron and iron board, room heater, tea/ coffee maker, refrigerator and bathrobes. The wardrobe offered considerable storage and there were sufficient power sockets to charge our multiple batteries. We loved the cookies, chocolates and fruit cake boxes provided complimentary in the room. The room of Carlton opened up to a private balcony which was huge; almost the size of a small room. The balcony offered a marvelous panoramic view of the Kodai Lake. We could look out straight into the woods surrounding the lake as the brisk air brushed against our arms. The freshness coerced us to take a deep breath and just stand there. The bathroom was fairly sized with a full mirror door. It had a bath tub with attached shower area partitioned from the rest of the space by a curtain. The large bath towels were plush and soft. Along with basic toiletries, a hair dryer and a telephone in the bathroom was thoughtful. Mr. Manu, the front office manager of Cartlon was a very kind and generous person who patiently helped us with all that we required. He even arranged for a staff person to show us around the huge property; who happily took us to each and every corner of the hotel explaining all the facilities and recreational activities that they offered. The hotel has an in-house all purpose shop, a meeting room, a business room, a 24 hour coffee shop, a multi cuisine restaurant, a bar and a terrace restaurant in its building. The club-house of Carlton was a separate building that included a spa and massage center, a beauty parlor, a state-of-art gymnasium and a health center with steam and Jacuzzi. Apart from this, the hotel staffs conduct some program in the evening to entertain the guests. This took place in the cafe area. The programme included games such as housie and a puppet show along with the bonfire in the center which provided relief from the cold climate outside. The entire design, decor and ambience spelled grand and exquisite. We loved the fact that the 5-floor building of the Carlton was designed in such a way that each room get a flawless view of the Kodai lake. The middle level of the hotel which is where you enter has reception and restaurants also have terrace gardens overlooking the vast expanse of the Lake. The whole setting is surrounded by hills on all sides which adds to the beauty. There are a total of 91 guest rooms out of which 84 are deluxe rooms, 4 are suites and the rest 3 are cottages. The 3 cottages were little more private in a villa type setup with separate gardens. We also learnt from the general manager, Mr. Raman, that The Carlton was once a guest house for parents who visited their kids in the adjacent Kodaikanal International School. The Chairman of Raheja hospitality group, it seems, bought or rather gifted the property to his wife in 1983 and it was later converted into the hotel which started being operational in 1986. It felt good to know the history and the love behind the hotel. We can imagine Kodaikanal has the power to do that. The club house of Cartlon comprised of an outdoor as well as indoor children play area. The indoor game room for adults included carrom, chess, ludo, snakes and ladders, pool table, foosball, table tennis, and air hockey. All the games were well spaced apart and had lots of seating area for people to just watch and relax. The first floor of the club house adorned a gigantic library with cozy sofas and lots of books and novels – again both for children and adults. Vast rangoli was prepared by the staff to celebrate Onam festival on that very day. The rangolis were made of flowers at the club-house as well as the reception of the hotel and were decorated with oil lamps on the sides. They were beautiful with varying colors. The outdoor activities at Carlton include badminton and complimentary cycling for 1 hour – both children and adult cycles were available. The security person at the back gate helped with the cycles and gave us necessary directions. Cycling around the Kodai lake early in the morning was a great experience and gave us abundant joy. A complimentary boat ride for half an hour was included with the stay. The Carlton has a separate boat docking area and hence we did not have to wait for our chance even during the rush hours. The hotel has 10 pedal boats, 2 shikaras and a few rowing boats. We chose to experience boating in the evening in a pedal boat that offered privacy. The Carlton is visible while boating from any corner of the Lake and the balconies on each floor looked like plenty of white boxes were stacked in an ornamental manner. The gardens in The Carlton are massive and full of greenery. Tall pine and eucalyptus trees spaced in a few corners add charm to the natural beauty. The gardens have lovely sit-outs where one can spend time viewing the activities near the lake. The deep green bougainvilleas creep along entire exterior walls at few places; it looked like the wall is just made of climbers. Table and chairs with big umbrellas were laid out in the terrace garden on the middle level which served as outdoor dining option. The view of the building from the garden was that of a picture postcard. And they have some ducks too. The Carlton's main restaurant - Silver Oak is a classy colonial styled fine dining multi cuisine restaurant. The buffet spread is more than adequate to quench your taste buds. Since it was Onam, there were variety of authentic Kerala food items we had never heard of despite visiting Kerala many times. We enjoyed trying out all the varieties though we can hardly recall their names. The service quality is high class and we have absolutely no complaints as far as the appetite is concerned. The adjoining open terrace restaurant offers barbeque but we couldn't have a taste of it since it was raining. They have a 24 hours cafe called The Hearth and a bar called End of the road. They also offer the facility of providing customized cakes and getting it delivered at 12 in the mid night. How awesome is that!! As the night neared, The Carlton lighted up in romantic and soothing yellow. From the common lobbies and sit out areas to corridors and our rooms, the whole building was a wonderful warm yellow. We loved this aura and had to spend some time clicking this orchestrated music to eyes. As expected The Carlton was memorable experience and the staff ensured our every need was fulfilled. The only possible area where we felt they could work on was the WiFi experience. Since we received proper 4G signals in our mobiles, slow WiFi didn't really affect us but it can be irritating for some especially those who come here for business retreat. However, we hope if you are in Kodaikanal, you do not really care about internet and let the likes of The Carlton pamper you with all the luxuries. The Carlton is as such a place for all kinds of people with all kinds of purposes. Be it children who love to play or old aged who want calmness and serenity or corporates who want to host a business meeting with a retreat or a honeymoon couple who just wants to spend romantic time with each other. The Carlton offers something for everyone. Here is a video we found on their Facebook page which perfectly summarizes what we experienced. PIN THIS IMAGE Want to book The Carlton? You can find it in any of the travel portals seen in the blog above or directly book with them on their official website here. Have you been to Kodaikanal or are planning to? Would you enjoy living in a place like The Carlton? How did you find our review? Do let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. Note: All opinions expressed in this blog are our own and not influenced by The Carlton in any manner. #India #SouthIndia #TamilNadu #Bengaluruweekendoutings #Chennaiweekendoutings #Accommodation

Run a simple google search on the word “Escape” and you would most likely end up with a result that connotes “to slip or get away, as from confinement or restraint; gain or regain liberty”. Yet to many corporate city dwellers like me the word holds superlative value beyond the wisdom of a dictionary. It is a way for us to express the unsaid and live the uninhabited. A getaway that lets us explore the uncharted ourselves, to unwind and rejuvenate. Most often than not, this escape is not necessarily a far flung dream. Rather it could be something rudimentary right in your backyard awaiting its discovery. I found my backyard treasure when we planned a day’s outing at Sid’s Farm. Just 50 kms from Hyderabad, a fun filled evening, delicious food and deep discussions made Sids Farm a perfect escape within an arm’s reach. Though a farm does not sound like a place to escape, wait to read the complete travelogue and then decide for yourself. Weekend outing options from Hyderabad Nestled near the Chevella village, the journey from Hyderabad to Sids Farm itself was memorable. Taking Chevella road from Himayat sagar, the roads seemed to be better than most of Hyderabad, both in terms of traffic and potholes. Before Chevella, turning left to Shadnagar – Chevella road brought us on a wonderful patch of road with endless fields on both sides. You then turn right towards a narrow street and might require personal directions to reach the farm as the path is not properly available on google maps when we publish this. Upon reaching the farm around 5 PM on saturday evening, we were received by our host Shivam. In his twenties, Shivam answered his call and left his illustrious overseas career to work towards his ideology of sustainable future. Currently he overlooks the operations of the farm and double hats during the weekends welcoming guests with a smile. We also met Kishore who is the owner of the farm. Shivam showed us around the farm and we were divided into teams who would be taking up different tasks from fetching wood sticks and lighting up the charcoal fire to pitching tents, chopping veggies and skewing the barbeque. In the meanwhile along with evening high tea we were demonstrated how to pitch tents and the associated tips and tricks. We had biscuits and tea as everyone gathered again taking a break from their assigned activities. This whole idea of community living is new to us Indians who generally prefer comforts of a bed and room service if they happen to take a break on weekends and go out visiting some place. But here we were in an isolated farm learning and carrying out basic chores on a weekend which is usually spent in malls, movies or restaurants. It felt good, it felt different. And there was a unique joy that I sensed when everyone did their bits for the common purpose of cooking delicious food and having a good time. The kids especially were having fun seeing ducks and cows. The cycle, tractor and football added more fun to the evening. As the orange hues in the sky marked the advent of dusk, we all took a moment off from our assigned chores to appreciate the sublime environs of the isolated farm. Silence that is often subdued in the cacophony of the bustling metropolis was in abundance, only to be perturbed by chirping of the birds returning back to their nests. The darkness brought intermittent showers which played a borderline spoilsport. Hats off to the gutsy spirit of all who relentlessly kept up the barbeque and cooking hopping between the indoor kitchen and the outdoor charcoal pit. A rigorous effort to light up the damp wood sticks camp fire followed the dinner. It took considerable splashes of kerosene to beat the monsoons and then there was no stopping the blazing fire. Everyone was content with the efforts of the evening as they had a fulfilling dinner. Time always takes a back seat when you are engrossed in sharing life experiences, and we were no different to this. We engaged in interesting conversations through the night with Shivam and Kishore. We were so curious to know their past and what brought them here to this farm. Kishore, an IIT Kharagpur alumnus and PHD from University of Massachusetts worked for 6 years at Intel corp before realizing how difficult it was to get healthy, pesticide & chemical free food. He wanted his children (The farm is named after his son - Sid) to always get healthy and natural food. This desire made him leave his lucrative corporate job and move back to India to set up farms which fulfilled this need. They explained us how they feed natural grass to their cows and do not inject any hormones to boost milk production. They do not add any preservatives to their milk. They provide this natural milk to various parts of Hyderabad everyday. We enjoyed experimenting with night photography as the night grew darker. Being away from the city the skies are pretty clear and thus gives many opportunities to click the night sky. However as it rained, most of the sky was cloudy and we could not do astrophotography, so we settled for the next best thing. Long exposure shots of objects around us. We retired into our tents with satisfaction in our minds and tranquility in our souls. Surprisingly we couldn't find a single mosquito though we were quite prepared to handle them. The following morning we planted trees, helped in few of the farm chores and played football and frisbee. A quick bite of breakfast again made by us was followed by group photos and it was time to say goodbye but with an urge to come back again. We not only had a unique experience of spending a night in a farm and community living, we left being inspired by Shivam & Kishore. Their vision, risk taking appetite, boundless energy and humble nature inspired us to think beyond our routine day to day lives. By all means this weekend was an escape in its true sense. We would like to thank Sids Farm for hosting us. You can visit their website here or like their facebook page here to know more about them. You can contact Shivam here - +91 9030 184 960 or shivam@sidsfarm.com. They often host their events here where you can register if interested in participating (apply relevant filters of Hyderabad & Activity). PIN THIS IMAGE Have you experienced such farm and community living? Would you like to try it out? How did you find our blog? Let us know in comments section below. #India #SouthIndia #Telangana #Hyderabadweekendoutings #Guestpost

With a population of about 4000 people, Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) is a tiny gem hidden in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. With turquoise blue waters, pristine white sand beaches, laidback lifestyle and exotic underwater ecosystem, Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) is a must visit on your Andaman trip. We published ‘A complete travel guide to Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep)’ in our last blog post where we detailed everything about Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) with recommendations on how to reach, places to visit and activities to experience. We mentioned Summer Sands Beach Resort as our recommended option of stay at Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep). In this post, we review Summer Sands beach resort and provide a detailed account of our stay. The series of travel blogs - The Andaman Odyssey will serve as a one stop travel guide to you and give you all details along with recommendations to ensure you can plan your own trip.Our other blogs of the series - The Andaman Odyssey will help you understand and plan your trip to Andaman Islands and give you a good idea of Havelock (Swaraj Dweep) and Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) with recommendation on places to stay and activities to do. 1. Introduction to Emerald islands of India 2. Plan your own trip to Andamans 3. A complete travel guide to Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) 4. Review: Summer Sands Beach Resort at Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) - Current blog 5. A complete travel guide to Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) 6. Review: Symphony Palms Beach Resort at Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) 7. Review: Havelock Island Beach Resort at Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) 8. Review: Dive with Scuba Lov 9. Review: Makruzz - Cruising across Andamans As you would have understood from our last blog post, Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) is extremely secluded, minimalistic and simple place; hence there are a very few hotels or resorts that offer a lavish stay. Summer Sands Beach Resort located on Ramnagar beach offers one such luxurious stay option. Though we had seen some pictures on the internet, we were quiet skeptical before booking any place on Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep). The remote location of the island meant they have to transport almost everything from Port Blair, right from cement to most food items. So we were not sure if the services and facilities would be as claimed on internet. With our fingers crossed, we reached Summer Sands after onboarding Makruzz from Port Blair and hopping on rented scooter from Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) Jetty. The resort was easy to reach as it is right on the road as you go eastwards towards Sitapur beach. What followed next was such a pleasant surprise. Summer Sands Beach Resort: We parked our scooter near the gate of the resort. Summer Sands has sufficient parking area on both the sides of the road. We were quickly helped with our luggage and were welcomed in a traditional style with red tikka applied to our forehead. Open from 3 sides, the unique design of reception is welcoming. It is very well maintained, is open, airy, bright and spacious. The lounge in front of the reception is huge with comfortable sofas, table fans and magazines to read. The reception’s backdrop is beautifully decorated with old wooden logs. It just took 5 minutes for doing all formalities while we had our welcome drink and then we were taken to our rooms. Heading to our rooms, we loved the layout of the resort. It is extremely well planned with garden in the middle and rooms at two edges forming a right angle. Water canal meanders through the gardens and ground floor rooms. Small bridges are placed to cross over from one end of the canal to other. The canal joins the aesthetically designed pool at one corner. Everything at Summer Sands felt new, fresh and well maintained which gave us a very positive feeling of our stay from the very beginning. Casa Air Room - Summer Sands Beach Resort: We had opted to stay in Casa Air rooms on the first floor at Summer Sands. The Casa Air rooms are big, neat and clean. As the property is new, we felt that the room hasn’t been used at all. The rooms are air-conditioned with sufficient lighting. The bed is big and very comfortable. In-room amenities included a TV, a mini-fridge, two mineral water bottles, tea/ coffee maker, bedside lamps, mosquito repellent, luggage rack with hangers and lounge chair. The bathroom was spacious with separate bath area and basin area. It had high quality fittings and included a geyser, hair dryer and sufficient toiletries. Two chairs were laid in the room balcony which offered a beautiful view of the canals and garden below. The resort spelled much more luxury than what we expected. Amenities - Summer Sands Beach Resort: After resting for a while, we decided to explore the property. The balconies of all rooms face the resort gardens and reception while the common corridor faces farms and trees. The ground floor rooms were called Casa Aqua. They were similar in design to our Casa Air rooms the only difference being their balconies opened to a small canal. The balconies have steps that directly lead you to canal where you can swim or dip your feet to relax. The canals run all across the property through the gardens and eventually meets the swimming pool at one end. There is a poolside bar which offers variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. A few balls are kept across the canal and main pool for one to play and enjoy. It seems that Summer Sands beach resort is one among very few properties in Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) with a pool. We learnt that Summer Sands beach resort is spread across two sides of the road. The land side of the resort is where the main reception, restaurant, canals, pool etc. is and where we were staying while the beach side of the resort opens up to Ramnagar beach. Towards the beach side, Summer Sands has two rows of one storeyed houses facing each other with a garden in middle. They have planted a number of coconut trees in rows that give a very lovely look to the property. The layout is very well planned and aesthetically pleasing. Due to government restrictions, there is some gap between the rooms and beach but one can easily walk to the water whenever one feels like. Ramnagar beach is much more rocky compared to other beaches in Neil (Shaheed Dweep) but relaxing on private beach lounge chairs close to your room can have its own charm and advantages. We soon left to explore Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep). We arrived back to Summer Sands once it was dark and were delighted to see how the beauty of the resort was enhanced by tactfully placed yellow lights. The canals, the pool, the trees and the rooms, all lit in chorus gave a wonderful vibe. We felt silly recalling our doubts of booking Summer Sands and at the same time felt captivated by the beauty around us. Types of Rooms - Summer Sands Beach Resort: On our request, the manager of Summer Sands, Mr. Roy was courteous enough to show us various types of rooms in the property. Summer Sands has 62 rooms spread across 5 categories of rooms. We were already staying in first floor rooms of Casa Air and were familiar with Casa Aqua which were right below us opening to canals. Both of these were lined as 2 edges of a right angle. Casa Earth were located on intersection points of the right angled lines. They did not open to canals and had restricted views. All these 3 rooms are otherwise similar from inside and have basic luxuries one would need. We were most eager to see the rooms towards beach side and like everything else at Summer Sands, they succeeded in surprising us. The beach side of the property has Neil ocean suites which are extremely spacious, have mini-bar and a swing inside the room offering a luxurious stay. The bathroom too is as big as you can imagine with two basins. At the very end of the property and very close to the beach are 4 Beach mansions which take luxury to another level. They have a private pool and provide lots of personal space. All the rooms at Summer Sands have wonderful wooden interiors and exteriors with high quality furnishings. We got to know that rose wood is used for all the woodwork. Apart from the well thought of design, the tastefully done lighting adds a lovely charm to all the rooms. After taking yet another round of the property, it was dinner time. It is extremely difficult to find a decent restaurant in Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep). Summer Sands beach resort has a restaurant named Organickhaa above their reception which offers mouth-watering delicacies. The restaurant uses organic ingredients in all its food preparation. Grills and barbecues are also served in the restaurant. There is also one coffee shop in the lounge area between the reception and pool that serves high-tea and refreshing coffee throughout the day. Both the restaurant and coffee shop have adequate seating capacities and provide a pleasant ambience. Music is being played at all times giving a relaxed feel. They also have a second floor above their reception which serves as a diner for parties or events. The menu covers a wide variety of different cuisines and serves both veg and non-veg food. There are many tempting food items that one can order, all at a very reasonable cost. We had opted for a room+meal plan with breakfast and dinner included; hence we did not get a chance to try ala-carte. However, the buffet breakfast as well as the dinner was delicious and the spread was exorbitant, neatly arranged and had many choices. The food was light on stomach and gave a homely feel. The restaurant staffs were kind and welcoming. All the meals stood out well for the price we paid. The next morning we went to Sitapur beach to watch the sunrise. That is yet another advantage of being in Summer Sands. You just have to drive 5 minutes early in the morning dark (Around 4:45 AM) to reach the sunrise point. Once back, we had quite a few interesting conversations with Mr. Roy about Neil Islands (Shaheed Dweep), the locals, their main occupation and many more. He very politely answered all the questions that we had with the best of his knowledge. Overall, the whole hotel staff was friendly and offered very good hospitality. We felt extremely well pampered having stayed with them. We also learnt that water activities like scuba diving, snorkelling or others can be arranged by the resort on request right from their help desk. They also arrange for a two-wheeler or a four-wheeler or jetty pick-up or drop on request. They also have laundry services and a back-up generator. Arrangements for a candle light romantic dinner can be made right on the beach on request. Summer Sands beach resort also provides spa services in their separate spa centre located at the very end of the property near the beach. Though we did not try it, we are sure a spa/ massage would be extremely relaxing after several beach hoppings. Overall, we had a wonderful stay with Summer Sands beach resort and we would recommend everyone visiting Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) to stay with them. They do not have good Wi-fi just like every other hotels / resort in Neil island (Shaheed Dweep) but the management can hardly do anything about it. Also if you want wi-fi at Neil for usual emails and social media checking or posting, you are clearly missing the point of even visiting the emerald islands of India. We loved the entire setup of Summer Sands. The gardens and canal bridges are wonderfully maintained. The wooden roofs, bridges and stairs all blended seamlessly with nature. The open spaces all around from reception and cafe to the ground floor balconies made the place more lively. Some of the rooms were extravagantly luxurious. Add great service and food and Summer Sands becomes one of those places where staying one day just wasn’t enough. We would want to go back there for sure. PIN THIS IMAGE Summer Sands beach resort at Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) is a brand new property of Sing hotel group. Their chain of luxury properties include Symphony Palms at Havelock (Swaraj Dweep) and Hotel Shompen at Port Blair. We also stayed at Symphony Palms on our visit to Havelock (Swaraj Dweep) and will write a detailed blog in due course. Hope you are as impressed by Summer Sands as we are and would like to stay there during your trip to Neil Islands (Shaheed Dweep). You can also book Summer Sands beach resort through online travel portals here. What do you think of our review of Summer Sands? Do let us know in comment section below. Note: All opinions expressed in this blog are our own and not influenced by Summer Sands beach resort in any manner. #India #Andamans #UnionTerritories #Accommodation

Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep is the most visited of 572 islands of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. It is popular for blue water and white sand beaches, the laid back atmosphere and ample scuba diving sites. Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) is a must visit on your Andaman trip. We published ‘A complete travel guide to Havelock Island’ in our last blog post where we detailed everything about Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) with recommendations on how to reach, places to visit, where to eat and activities to experience. We mentioned Symphony Palms Beach Resort as one of our recommended option of stay at Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep). Gorgeous, luxurious and located not too far from Havelock Island jetty! In this blog we review Symphony Palms Beach Resort and will make you believe that it is one of the best places to stay on Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep). If you are looking for a relaxed getaway on Andaman’s most visited Island - Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep); then Symphony Palms Beach Resort is the top contender. Be it a family vacation, a fun trip with friends or a honeymoon trip, they have rooms that suit each of these travellers. The series of travel blogs - The Andaman Odyssey will serve as a one stop travel guide to you and give you all details along with recommendations to ensure you can plan your own trip. Our other blogs of the series - The Andaman Odyssey will help you understand and plan your trip to Andaman Islands and give you a good idea of Havelock (Swaraj Dweep) and Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) with recommendation on places to stay and activities to do. 1. Introduction to Emerald islands of India 2. Plan your own trip to Andamans 3. A complete travel guide to Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) 4. Review: Summer Sands Beach Resort at Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) 5. A complete travel guide to Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) 6. Review: Symphony Palms Beach Resort at Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) - Current blog 7. Review: Havelock Island Beach Resort at Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) 8. Review: Dive with Scuba Lov 9. Review: Makruzz - Cruising across Andamans Symphony Palms Beach Resort: Located bang on the Govind Nagar beach, Symphony Palms Beach resort is hardly 3 km away from the Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) Jetty and located on both sides of main road. As we arrived at the resort after about an hour long catamaran ride through Makruzz that brought us from Neil Islands (Shaheed Dweep), we were welcomed in traditional Indian style with the trademark aarti, red tikka on forehead and a refreshing welcome drink. The check-in time is intently scheduled to be 9 AM as most ferries arrive around this time. With the formalities out of the way, we were lead to our room. When we walked through the property towards our room, we were left speechless. The place was huge and beautiful. There was greenery all around, lots of tall palm and coconut trees, straight pathway through the well manicured gardens and the spacious cottage rooms on both sides! The Lagoon Suite - Symphony Palms Beach Resort: We stayed in the Symphony Palms Beach Resort’s nicest rooms – The Lagoon Suite, which was within a hop from the Govind nagar beach. The beach was so close that if we weren’t in mood to go out towards it, we can view and hear the sound of waves sitting right on the porch of our Suite cottage. We also loved the fact that guest of lagoon suites can get their rented two wheelers right up to their rooms. This made our stay so convenient. Inside the air-conditioned Suite cottage, we had all the modern amenities like tea/coffee maker and attached bathroom with running hot and cold water. Even a cloth drying rack was very thoughtfully placed in the porch of our cottage. The bedroom was beautifully decorated and spacious. When we sank into the soft mattress and pillows we were left with desire to have a bed this nice for our home. Everything smelled incredibly fresh and good– the towels, the pillows, the blankets, the shower gel! The bathrooms did not feel as lavish as everything else probably because the resort is relatively older, but it had all the basic amenities one would need including a hair dryer. We soon headed out to explore the rest of the resort. Symphony Palms Beach Resort is owned by The Sing Hotel group who also have similar properties in Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) and Port Blair. Symphony Palms Beach resort is one among the very first few properties to get constructed in Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep). The resort has 3 categories of rooms – 20 Lagoon Suites, 50 Havelock Cottages and 24 Havelock Casa rooms. Similar to its Neil counterpart (Summer Sands Beach Resort), the resort is built across two sides of the road. The Govind nagar beach side property only has the 20 Lagoon Suites facing each other, 10 on each side. The land side property has the reception, the Havelock Cottages, the Havelock Casa rooms, the famous bar – ‘Venom bar’ and the restaurant – ‘Charcoal’ (Asian Kitchen and Buddha garden). Amenities - Symphony Palms Beach Resort: A well manicured big garden adorned with coconut and palm trees runs in between the Havelock Cottages, 25 cottages lined on each side of the garden; whereas the Havelock Casa rooms are located in a One storeyed building at one end. We did not see other rooms from inside but the architecture of all rooms seems very well planned and includes use of wood and bamboo material. What impressed us was that each cottage is separate and there is no wall shared between 2 cottages making the stay absolutely private. The garden separating two rows of cottages is enormous and we were glad to here the management had some plans of using this by building a swimming pool and play area. Note that since the paths are narrower, they do not allow bringing your two wheelers inside and parking them beside your havelock cottages unlike lagoon suites. Behind the Casa rooms is the happening Venom bar where varieties of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are served. Music is played at all times in the bar and there is also one small dance floor for people to just dance and chill out. Venom bar happens to be one of the very few places in Havelock (Swaraj Dweep) having license to sell alcohol through the year. They had to move the bar from main road towards the end of the resort in compliance with a new Indian government rule banning serving of alcohol within certain distance from highways. We felt this was a boon in disguise as the party goers and people who want alcohol are kept at one end of the resort, allowing the rest of the resort to be peaceful and quiet. Just behind the Casa rooms is a big garden with several mango, papaya and banana trees; also home to a few caged birds and cute rabbits and hamsters with which the kids can enjoy playing. We learnt that the layout of the resort as well as the gardens is personally designed and planned by mother of Mr. Tanveer, the owner of Sing Hotel group, as she wanted to create a homely atmosphere for all the guests staying at this heavenly Island. In-house gardeners, plumbers and house-keeping staff have cottages to stay at the end of the property. Everything is so clean, fresh and nicely maintained and very well managed by the staff. The property is 10 acres big and just taking a tour of it took us an hour. The reception is big and the furniture is made of eco-friendly natural material like wood, bamboo and straw. A small gathering area built right above the reception has some indoor games and low seating sofas to sit and relax. Right in front of the reception is a big smiling Buddha statue who seems to be meditating and radiating peace all across the property. A small dinghy (boat) decorated with sand and flowers serves as the resort’s name plate which we think is something very innovative and cute. Even at the beach end of the property, there is a decorated dinghy which many tourists use as a photo prop. We spent our next two days ticking off the places to visit in Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) and always returned exhausted and hungry. At times like this, the Charcoal restaurant satiated our hunger pangs with its delicious food. The restaurant hosts a huge buffet dinner every evening. Indian, Continental, and ala-carte meals are served at the restaurant’s first floor. The restaurant’s menu offers a balance of unique dishes that embodies the authenticity and creativity of the chefs with a spotlight on local, fresh and seasonal produce. We even loved the morning breakfast buffet spread – they serve everything from fresh fruit juice to South Indian delicacies. In-fact the small bananas that they serve every morning grows in their very own property behind the Havelock Casa rooms which is impressive. We even tried a delicacy of coconut laddus which were very good. Both the restaurant (Charcoal) and the bar (Venom Bar) of Symphony Palms Beach Resort are pretty famous and are flocked by many tourists. The restaurant is designed with Indo-Chinese architecture with dragons and fishes carved on the pillars’ woodwork that adds to the ambience of the whole atmosphere. There is even a big garden restaurant right outside the main restaurant with patio umbrella tables and comfy chairs that looks very beautiful when the resort is lit up at the night time. All the palm and coconut trees are decorated with colorful lights giving a vibrant feel to the resort and its surroundings. A café named The Kookie Baba on the beach side of the resort is also famous for light snacks and drinks but was not functional during our visit. It however looked very cute in the shape of a hut with lots of space, natural ventilation and low-seating cushions. For one of the night we were there, we had a candle light beach side dinner. The 5 course meal we were offered was delicious and very fulfilling. The tables of the different guests opting for candle light dinner as spaced apart to provide adequate privacy. We enjoyed our succulent meal in peace at the private beach side lit only by the moonlight and candle lights. The echo of the waves and the glittering evening sky made the perfect setting for a romance. We appreciate the resort staff to have brought all the furniture and food for a perfect setup at the beach, yet ensuring that the food is served hot. On one of the other nights there were 21 requests for candle light dinner and the staff was working extremely hard through the night to ensure all guests have a good time. As professional photographers, we always carry some form of lights when we travel. Our fairy lights proved very useful making the entire setting magical. Late in the night after our dinner we used to go for long romantic walks on the beach and would lie down on the beach chairs counting the numerous stars. We also used to enjoy watching the sun rise at the beach with the sky changing color from jet black to dark blue to orange to sky blue. The resort has hung a very comfortable swing on one of the trees right on the beach side, where we used to laze around. One fine afternoon, we also spotted a man climbing up a tall coconut tree to pluck the coconut that fell down one by one with a loud thud. Just observing his skills plucking coconuts from each tree one after the other was entertaining in itself. The Hospitality - Symphony Palms Beach Resort Mr. Faraz, the manager of the resort took great care of us. We had quite a few interesting conversations with him and he was ever so friendly and helpful. He seemed to enjoy his work and was always highly energetic. He guided us on the things to do and places to visit on the Island and gave suggestions on how to make the most of the limited time we had. The hotel staff was very friendly, always smiling and welcoming and they offered top-notch services. Room cleaning staff even cleaned our room untimely on request. Symphony Palms beach resort also has a help desk from where one can book all the adventure activities like scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking or the like. The two-wheeler/ four-wheeler rental agency is right outside the property making it very easy for the guests to arrange for conveyance. They also have tie-ups with a few dive centers in case one wants to book it directly via the resort. The only glitch we faced was that no wi-fi facilities were existent at the resort and it was partly troublesome as we had to make a few urgent bookings. Also, the door knob of our cottage was a bit antique and we faced little difficulty every time we had to lock the door as the mechanism required both hands to be used and one would have to keep aside anything they might be carrying. However this is a minor thing and the antique locking mechanism does blend with the overall design. We would request the management if it is possible to add more swinging chairs on the beach as they were fun, relaxing and very popular with tourists. Luxurious stay, private beach, exceptional hospitality, well planned layout and good food - we loved everything about Symphony Palms Beach Resort. The property is way bigger than its Neil Island counterpart - Summer Sands Beach Resort. All in all we were extremely happy with our stay at the Symphony Palms Beach resort and would recommend it as a stay option to everyone visiting Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep). PIN THIS IMAGE Hope you liked Symphony Palms Beach Resort as much as we did and plan to stay here during your trip to Havelock Islands (Swaraj Dweep). You can book them through any banner of e-commerce site on this page or from their official website here. You can also book Symphony Palms Beach Resort on any of the online travel portals. What do you think of our review of Symphony Palms Beach Resort? Do let us know in comment section below. Note: All opinions expressed in this blog are our own and not influenced by Symphony Palms Beach Resort in any manner. #India #Andamans #UnionTerritories #Accommodation

Known for its clear blue seas and astonishing beaches, Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) is a haven for everyone visiting Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. If sun, sand and sea are your idea of perfect vacation, then Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) is the place for you. You look around and it is natural beauty everywhere. We published ‘A complete travel guide to Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep)’ in one of our last blog posts where we detailed everything about Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) with recommendations on how to reach, places to visit, where to eat and activities to experience. We mentioned Havelock Island Beach Resort as one of our recommended option of stay at Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep). Opting to stay in Havelock Island Beach Resort turned out to be a wise decision and in this review of the beach side property will make you believe the same. The series of travel blogs - The Andaman Odyssey will serve as a one stop travel guide to you and give you all details along with recommendations to ensure you can plan your own trip. Our other blogs of the series - The Andaman Odyssey will help you understand and plan your trip to Andaman Islands and give you a good idea of Havelock (Swaraj Dweep) and Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) with recommendation on places to stay and activities to do. 1. Introduction to Emerald islands of India 2. Plan your own trip to Andamans 3. A complete travel guide to Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) 4. Review: Summer Sands Beach Resort at Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) 5. A complete travel guide to Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) 6. Review: Symphony Palms Beach Resort at Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) 7. Review: Havelock Island Beach Resort at Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) - Current blog 8. Review: Dive with Scuba Lov 9. Review: Makruzz - Cruising across Andamans Havelock Island Beach Resort: If you are looking for a perfect balance between a relaxing beach holiday and wild party nights, then Havelock Island Beach resort is the place to be. The Resort is located quite close to Havelock Island jetty right at the banks of Govind nagar beach, on the eastern side of the Island. We reached the property on our rented two-wheeler. Once there, we were ushered to the parking space by the security guard and were quickly helped with the luggage. As we entered the resort premises, we realized that every nook and corner of the resort had an essence that spelled beach party. Even the staff uniforms were as if they are just going to host a beach side party – full of color, energy and vibe. That itself was a warm welcome. Types of rooms - Havelock Island Beach Resort: Havelock Island beach resort offers beautifully designed cottages with high end furnishings and modern amenities. A few rooms also have a beach view and furnished porch overlooking the resort grounds filled with palm and coconut trees. There are 4 different accommodations on offer to suit the needs of different types of guests – 36 Deluxe cottages, 12 Suite cottages, 4 Premium Cottages and 2 Family Cottages. The Suite cottages facing the private beach are the popular choice for the honeymooners and couples whereas Family cottages offer comfortable accommodation to four guests with two double beds. All the rooms are contemporarily designed with wood and bamboo in line with the theme of the resort and ensures comfort for its guests. Family Cottage - Havelock Island Beach Resort: As the resort was fully booked when we were to stay there, the management offered us a Family Cottage. Our room was huge with two double beds, a big sofa and a gigantic bathroom. We fell in love with the place just by looking at the vast expanse of the room. In-room amenities included a flat screen TV, tea/ coffee maker, room slippers, small refrigerator, and ample charging points. Hair dryer and magnified makeup mirror in the bathroom were the extra additions over and above the toiletries and clean and fluffy linen. A mirror serving as dressing room could be an easy addition which would be helpful. Since all other rooms were occupied, we could not see interiors of any other types of rooms but they seemed spacious enough from the outset. Amenities - Havelock Island Beach Resort: The grounds of Havelock Island Beach Resort are clean and well maintained despite numerous coconut trees growing in the garden. The passageways through the gardens are also surrounded by flowerpot plants overflowing with greenery. And we were delighted to see some blooming lotus' floating on small water ponds built for them. Havelock Island Beach Resort also has a small swimming pool offering privacy though being located in the heart of the resort. The pool is framed by tall wooden logs obstructing the view of the outsiders. The blue lights in the pool during the evening time provide a perfect ambiance and acts like an antidote for the tired limbs after a hectic day of leisure. The relaxing chairs surrounding the pool work as a cozy sit-out. The private beach of the Havelock Island Beach Resort (a stretch of Govind nagar beach) was accessible for all the guests and was complete with lounge chairs to sunbathe and relax. The beach view is good but one couldn’t get deep in the water or swim as it is rocky. Just dipping feet in the water was quite refreshing. We enjoyed the privacy the curved beach offered partially fencing off other adjoining resorts. It felt great absorbing the peace listening to the sound of the waves and swishing of the trees. Restaurants - Havelock Island Beach Resort: Havelock Island Beach Resort offers various dining options. The resort is a food lover’s paradise. The most popular is their restaurant named ‘Sea Dragon’ which specializes in seafood but also offers multi-cuisine spread throughout the day. The restaurant again has wooden décor and it was good to find many small plants were growing inside the restaurant. The vegetarian sizzler that we ordered was one of the best we had ever had. The chef seemed to have magic in his fingers. The bar at Havelock Island beach resort named ‘Nemo Café’ offers a sip of refreshing cocktails and mocktails along with light snacks to delve into Havelock’s buzzy vibe. The beach side bar is also popular for the varieties of alcoholic drinks that they serve whenever they have a party. The dance floor in the middle of the café is decorated with studio-primed neon lights and flowing silk cloth material. A garden restaurant alongside the cafe is for walk-in guests as well as in-house guests who want to enjoy the beach side dining while tapping their feet to lively songs. During night exclusive beach barbecues are offered in this garden restaurant which could be enjoyed right at beach side with sandy feet and starry sky. While they seemed to have plenty of sea food options, we wish they offered more vegetarian options in barbecue. The resort hosts the best beach parties on the Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) in its garden restaurant and even if you are not staying with them, we would recommend visiting Havelock Island Beach Resort if they are hosting a party. Havelock Island Beach Resort also specializes in offering a private romantic beach side candle light dinner. The candle light tables are decorated with candle lanterns and innovative napkin folding arts in the shape of swans with unique presentation. They can set up as many as 15-20 beach side candle light dinner tables in one evening. The ambiance is very romantic and they make you feel extremely pampered and special with delicious meals and drinks. The resort had Wi-fi in the reception area though it was extremely slow like rest of the island. Apart from this, the entire staff of Havelock Island Beach Resort is welcoming and friendly. We could see Ms. Priyanka, General manager of the resort giving personal attention to each of her guests especially during the party. Mr. Anupam, the manager, spent some time with us asking how our stay was and if he could arrange anything for us to make our stay better. The staff never failed to greet us whenever we crossed paths. Because of such friendly atmosphere, they made our stay extremely comfortable and special. All in all, we had a lovely time staying with Havelock Island Beach Resort. The resort adds a different flavour to what Andamans offer. We chose to spend our day time relaxing on the beach and then enjoy the night time at the happening club that hosted parties every evening. It is a must go to place for party lovers. However, we would also recommend people who are ‘peace lovers’ to call the resort beforehand and ask for a room away from the dance floor as the loud music might bother them during the evenings. The resort management would surely take care of such requests. We would recommend everyone visiting Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) to consider booking with Havelock Island Beach Resort. PIN THIS IMAGE Hope you liked Havelock Island Beach Resort as much as we did and plan to stay here during your trip to Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep). You can book them through their official website here. You can also book Havelock Island Beach Resort through online travel portals. What do you think of our review of Havelock Island Beach Resort? Do let us know in comment section below. Note: All opinions expressed in this blog are our own and not influenced by Havelock Island Beach Resort in any manner. #India #Andamans #UnionTerritories #Accommodation

We undertook a journey into a world free of caste, creed, race, politics and pollution; far away from Homo sapiens. The existence of that world revived us and left us awestruck. The life under water is like a dream; it’s silent yet speaks so many words. As the sea creatures meandered across us, we took a break to admire the colorful world beneath us. The eerie silence was welcoming and securing. We tried to see all around and take in as much as possible. But we started returning as the time was running out and the air pressure was dropping. No matter how much we wished to stay we had to return! The moment we were out, things had changed. We were no more what we were before. We left the world wanting more. And we still crave to return back and relive those moments. Even the most extensive vocabulary cannot describe our experience underwater and you will always be incapable of understanding our feelings till you dive yourself! This is the story of our first Scuba dive we did in Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep), Andamans, India with Scuba Lov. The series of travel blogs - The Andaman Odyssey will serve as a one stop travel guide to you and give you all details along with recommendations to ensure you can plan your own trip. Our other blogs of the series - The Andaman Odyssey will help you understand and plan your trip to Andaman Islands and give you a good idea of Havelock (Swaraj Dweep) and Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) with recommendation on places to stay and activities to do. 1. Introduction to Emerald islands of India 2. Plan your own trip to Andamans 3. A complete travel guide to Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) 4. Review: Summer Sands Beach Resort at Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) 5. A complete travel guide to Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) 6. Review: Symphony Palms Beach Resort at Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) 7. Review: Havelock Island Beach Resort at Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) 8. Review: Dive with Scuba Lov - Current blog 9. Review: Makruzz - Cruising across Andamans ​ Our first scuba diving experience was in the turquoise blue waters of Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) – the biggest Island of the Ritchie’s Archipelago of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. We signed up with Scuba Lov for a ‘Boat Discover Scuba Dive’ session a few days before we reached the Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep). The beginners can only opt for one from the three dives that they offered for starters - Try Scuba (6 meter, 30 minutes dive), Discover Scuba Dive - DSD (12 meter, 45 minutes dive) and Boat Discover Scuba Dive – BDSD (12 meter, 45 minutes dive). Since, BDSD ensured we stayed underwater for the maximum time and dive at a site away from the main Island, we opted for that. Dive Center - Scuba Lov: Scuba Lov’s dive center is located in the Sea Shell Resort, a beach side resort of Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep). The first thing that we noted there was their tagline – ‘Life is more than just a surface interval’ along with a cute dolphin as their logo and that was all to trigger excitement within us. We met our instructors and it was a delight to know them personally. We took a walk around their premises and realized what makes Scuba diving a costly affair. They need to keep stock of so many diving gears in proper condition along with number of lined up oxygen cylinders, diving apparatus etc. For someone walking into such a place for the first time, it was quiet an experience just watching these gears, knowing what they are called and realizing it was an industry in itself who make all these cool equipment. Our experience - Scuba Lov: We were made to fill and sign a lot of ‘It’s not your fault if I die’ forms. There are numerous health conditions that prevent a person from diving and we feel lucky to not have any of those. A quick change into the wet suits, heavyweight belts put around our waist and we were ready to start our journey to our dive site – The Turtle Beach. We helped our instructors carry the cylinders and other safety devices through the waters to the boat named Whale song which was parked off the Sea Shell resort in the sea. Turtle beach is around 30 minute boat ride from Scuba Lov. In the boat we were served samosas (Indian snack) and energy drinks to prepare us for the dive. We enjoyed a great conversation with our dive masters. Each of them had a personal PADI/ SSI certified dive master who was to accompany us for the dive. Along with them, there was a underwater photographer and boat captain who accompanied us. On reaching Turtle Beach, we were trained for the dive on the shore. We learnt that ‘Scuba’ is the abbreviated form for Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. We were also introduced to our Scuba diving apparatus - The wet suits that we were wearing is meant to provide thermal insulation, abrasion resistance and buoyancy; the BCD jacket stood for Buoyancy Control Device and gives us stability both on surface and underwater, the weight around the waist helps in descending deep, the mask allows us to see clearly, it also blocks our nose as we had to breath from mouth; the Octopus regulator has to be placed in the mouth and helps in breathing; the gas cylinder at the back is filled with nitrogen and oxygen (pure oxygen can be poisonous) and provides the air that we need; and the fins helps us in swimming efficiently. We also learnt various hand signals to communicate with our dive master underwater. Very patiently our dive masters answered all the crazy questions that we had. After a 20 minute training session and a quick test by our dive master, we were declared ready for diving. We were made to float on the surface of water facing the sky, our BCD jackets were inflated and slowly we were dragged into the deep blue water. Our feelings were a mixture of excitement, nervousness, uncertainty and uneasiness all mashed together in varied degrees. A few meters into the water, we were asked to put the regulator in our mouth and were turned upside down with face inside water. Slowly we adjusted our breathing with the regulator releasing bubbles throughout the dive. Our dive masters controlled our buoyancy and decided how much amount we ascend or descend underwater. Our dive masters held our hands and slowly started pulling us deep; we were descending. It was easy to trust them. Each time we panicked, our dive master would come over and signal to take deep breaths or certain other techniques they had taught us to make ourselves comfortable. ​​​​​Under water with Scuba Lov: We were immediately treated to an exceptionally clear view of coral reefs. Corals are marine invertebrates and they form reefs by secreting calcium carbonate. A quarter of all ocean species depend on coral reefs for food and shelter. We saw corals of varied shapes, form and vibrant colors; no two corals looked alike. In sometime we started cruising along a gigantic cliff that went down a few feet deep. The wall of the cliff was lined with numerous corals while small colorful fishes pecking on them. There were so many schools of fishes playing around us that we actually felt out of place in this underwater world. We chanced upon glittering fishes, colorful sea anemones, octopus, brightly colored clamps, yellow, white, blue, green, orange, silver – all colors of big and small fishes going criss-cross performing their daily chores. Gliding all around, our dive masters pointed to us various corals, rocks, fishes and shells. At one point of time, we were almost touching the sea bed. We were hypnotized by what all we saw and the colors that we never imagined existed. The deeper we went the sunlight became less, the water became colder and the marine life richer. One of the dive masters was clicking our underwater photographs with the marine life throughout. We stayed at the sea bed for a while and again were pulled by our dive masters to the other end. We felt minuscule in the infinite underwater forest. Still lost in the amazing world, our 45 minutes of scuba was over and without our knowledge we started ascending acclimatizing at specified depths. After a while we were signaled to go up. We turned around for one more look. It was like a moving canvas. We swam up slowly and in no time we were at the surface. They told us we had been down there for 45 minutes. 45 MINUTES! We felt it’s just been 10 minutes; the time ceased underwater. Lying afloat there, we fell into a meditative state, saving and storing as much memory as we can in our brain. Back to the shore of Turtle Beach, we were speechless; overwhelmed with joy and happiness. As if the world under water was not beautiful enough, God decided to show his above water magic and painted the sky in gorgeous colors. It was time to leave but the show was not over as we witnessed the most beautiful sunset from the boat while returning back. We were even rewarded with a certificate from Scuba Lov to successfully complete the scuba dive. This will be a life long cherished memory. By the end of it, we had all become great buddies, pulling each other and laughing at each other’s photographs and videos. We cannot thank them enough to have given us such a wonderful experience. We would really like to thank our dive masters Ashley, Akshay and Donald without whom our experience might not have been as awesome as it was. Also Jaideep who manages the Havelock center who patiently enlightened us about so many facts and titbits about diving and under water life. Last but not the least Jurgen who is the founder of Scuba Lov and was very cordial and humble during our interactions with him. Each of their stories are extremely interesting and inspiring and we could chat with them for hours getting to know them better. In a nutshell, we had a splendid experience with Scuba Lov and would recommend everyone visiting Andamans to dive with them. They can arrange dives in both Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) and Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep). They also offer other activities like snorkeling and Island hopping around Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep). And they are soon to introduce ‘A dive with Marine biologist’ to better understand the marine life down there. They also have centers in Mumbai were one can learn basics of diving in a pool. Scuba Lov also sells snorkeling and diving equipment and souvenirs like t-shirts in their site offices which one can buy if interested. To be frank, the moment we were first overturned during our dive and had our first glance at the what lied beneath us, we were blown away. It felt like entering a different world all together. A world which was present right below us but we had no idea about, A world that is so rich and beautiful that God probably decided to create water and cover it up in an effort to protect its treasures. Its a world we would want to go back to again and again and has forced us to contemplate getting an advanced certification in Scuba which enables us to go deeper into this world we were completely oblivious to. PIN THIS IMAGE Hope you liked our experience with Scuba Lov as much as we did and plan to experience your under water activities with them during your trip to Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) or Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep). You can book your scuba dive with Scuba Lov from their official website here. What do you think of our experience doing scuba dive or service offered by Scuba Lov? Have you dived before or could our article encourage you to try it? Do let us know in comment section below. Note: All opinions expressed in this blog are our own and not influenced by Scuba Lov in any manner. #India #Andamans #UnionTerritories #Activities

Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India are a perfect travel destination for all kinds of people – the sea lovers, the adventure lovers and the nature lovers. It is an ideal destination for solo travelers, honeymooners, couples, friends and family as well. The most popular tourist destinations in Andaman Islands are Port Blair, Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) and Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep). Inter-island travel is hence very critical for islanders and tourists. Makruzz plays a critical role in not just providing fast inter-island connectivity, it does so in the most comfortable and reliable way possible. In our opinion, it is the heart of Andamans. The series of travel blogs - The Andaman Odyssey will serve as a one stop travel guide to you and give you all details along with recommendations to ensure you can plan your own trip. Our other blogs of the series - The Andaman Odyssey will help you understand and plan your trip to Andaman Islands and give you a good idea of Havelock (Swaraj Dweep) and Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) with recommendation on places to stay and activities to do. 1. Introduction to Emerald islands of India 2. Plan your own trip to Andamans 3. A complete travel guide to Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) 4. Review: Summer Sands Beach Resort at Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) 5. A complete travel guide to Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) 6. Review: Symphony Palms Beach Resort at Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) 7. Review: Havelock Island Beach Resort at Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) 8. Review: Dive with Scuba Lov 9. Review: Makruzz - Cruising across Andamans - Current blog We happened to travel in M.V. Makruzz and Makruzz Gold during our trip to Andamans in Nov-Dec 2017. Thanks to their management, we got special access to some areas of the vessel and an opportunity to talk to some of their staff and crew. In this article, we will be briefing you about these high speed vessels. In the later part, we will also guide you on how to book your trip, the boarding process and what to expect once on-board. Little bit of background of Ferries in Andaman: Till 2009, the only means for inter-island travel were the Government ships. These are heavy ships ferrying passengers from one island to another. However, the Government ships run at achingly slow speed, carrying less than 100 passengers in a single run, no advance booking is possible, and are devoid of any comfort and facilities for the passengers. It is best not to comment on cleanliness of these ferries. In November 2009, MAK Logistics introduced one passenger ship for inter-island travel named M.V. Makruzz and that changed the whole scenario of island hopping in the Andaman Islands. It was the first private ferry service plying in Port Blair – Havelock (Swaraj Dweep)/ Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) sector. Starting with one ship, MAK Logistics currently runs three passenger ships namely – M.V. Makruzz, Makruzz Gold and Coastal Cruise; owning the first 2 and leasing the 3rd. Both the Makruzz are designed for comfort; offering many amenities to its passengers, the seats can be booked in advance through their online portal and they run at a very high speed thus saving travel time to a great extent. About Makruzz MAK Logistics is the Company that takes care of all the matters related to the ships; right from reservations to on-board and off-board operations to technical and catering tasks. Makruzz ships are state-of-art crafts made of aluminum that provide utmost comfort to its ferrying passengers. Both M.V. Makruzz and Makruzz Gold are twin hull Catamaran vessels. What this means is there are 2 hulls instead of one and there is open gap between the 2 hulls as seen in picture below. This enables high speed, better stability and more space. Interesting fact – MAK Logistics is co-owned by three members – Mr. Mohammed H. Jadwet, Mr. Ashok and Mr. Kundu – hence the name MAK Logistics. The name ‘Makruzz’ not only manages to get their company name MAK in the start, but ‘Maqrooz’ in urdu also means ‘Indebted’. Makruzz ships have white exteriors and look similar to a huge aircraft. Makruzz Gold is a slightly bigger ship and has a shining golden strip on its exteriors. The Makruzz vessels have two decks – an upper deck and a lower deck, both of which are closed as the whole vessel is centrally air conditioned. Huge transparent glass windows run throughout the entire length of the ship’s upper deck and lower deck offering all the passengers a personalized view of the panorama. There are three different seating classes for its passengers – Premium, Deluxe and Royal: The Premium seats are located in the lower deck The Deluxe seats are located in the upper deck The Royal seats are again located in the upper deck in a small cabin – these seats are bigger and more comfortable just like cushioned sofas and offer more privacy. Both M.V. Makruzz and Makruzz Gold had only 8 Royal seats. Our experience of travelling in Makruzz: We happened to travel in M.V. Makruzz and M.V. Makruzz Gold during our trip to Andamans. After quick check in process at the port, as we headed towards the ship, just the first glimpse of the Makruzz took our breaths away. It seemed like a large white and blue sea plane sailing on water at high speed. The onboard staff guided us to our seats. The seats, even the premium ones, were comparable to those on flights. They also had life jackets under each seat just like flights did. The similarities did not end there. As the ship started disembarking the port, an announcement was made requesting all passengers to be seated and the TV screens started screening a safety video film along with onboard staff giving a safety demonstration. After the safety video, a complimentary vegetarian snacks box is distributed to all Royal passengers along with tea/coffee and a bottle of water. Makruzz went one step beyond aircrafts when the TV screens continued entertaining the passengers with documentaries around Andamans or popular video songs through the entire trip. Interesting fact – Slogan of Makruzz ships is something we felt was so true to what we experienced – “FLY BY SEA”. Their logo – a dolphin signifies beauty and friendliness, again something which we felt was true. After the safety demonstration, passengers are allowed to move around. We found it difficult to walk as we were cruising at around 18 knots towards our destination and the sea was a bit rough that day. The onboard staff was kind enough to give us some important tips which made it easier for us to move around. One should walk with feet apart allowing the body to be fluid enough so that the motion of sea slowly gets synchronized with one’s body. The staff was highly skilled at it as they were able to carry cups of tea without spilling when we were struggling just to stand. Moving around, we were delighted to see many amenities such as ample space, clean lavatories on both upper and lower decks and a Makruzz café on the lower deck which was well stocked to cater to eating needs of all types of passengers. Since we had special access, we got the opportunity to visit - The Bridge. It is similar to cockpit of aircrafts where Captain, Chief Officer and Chief Engineer sit and navigate the vessel safely with the help of integrated operation systems. We learnt that Makruzz vessels meet the global standards of safety in terms of life saving, fire-fighting, navigational and communication systems. Maintaining such high standards was one of the primary reasons government allowed a private company to operate on choppy waters of Andaman Sea. Interesting fact – M.V. Makruzz Gold happens to be the most technologically advanced vessel in the Andaman Sea with features such as satellite communications, infrared radar and autopilot modes. Commissioned in Feb 2017, M.V. Makruzz Gold is also one of the biggest & fastest passenger ships with capacity of 322 passengers and speed upto 22 knots. M.V. Makruzz on the other hand can carry upto 264 passengers. Inside the ship, while hopping islands, we had a great time and believe us, time just flew off. We chatted with few English citizens who were visiting Neil islands (Shaheed Dweep) and they told us that Makruzz vessels were at par with other such ships they had traveled in globally. They did not expect such comfort and services especially the Royal seats of M.V. Makruzz Gold which were pushback with footrest. The ocean was quite choppy during one of our trips to Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) causing sea sickness and we could see some passengers getting very uncomfortable. The AC and soothing music did help and the crew and onboard staff were always on their toes to assist such passengers with sea sickness bags. However we felt like being in an hour long roller coaster ride enjoying the panoramic views of the emerald sea. Travel through Makruzz – The complete process Here is a short guide that will help you through the entire process of traveling through Makruzz. Booking Makruzz: As timings and charges are subject to change every now and then, it is advisable to check them at their website www.makruzz.com. The online booking system on their website shows live availability status and lets you book tickets for any route. Note the abbreviations you might find on their site are – PB for Port Blair, HL for Havelock (Swaraj Dweep) and NL for Neil Islands (Shaheed Dweep). Makruzz Routes Makruzz ships cover both directions Port Blair-Havelock (Swaraj Dweep)-Neil (Shaheed Dweep)-Port Blair and Port Blair-Neil (Shaheed Dweep)-Havelock (Swaraj Dweep)-Port Blair. Since the first route is more popular among tourists, 2 ships – M.V. Makruzz Gold and Coastal Cruise operates on this route. M.V. Makruzz Gold currently operates twice in a day, one circle in morning and one circle in evening. Makruzz Jetty The Makruzz ships sail to and from Phoenix Bay Jetty at Port Blair. There is only one Jetty at Havelock (Swaraj Dweep) and Neil (Shaheed Dweep) so that’s where they sail from. Process of ferrying in Makruzz Reservations – If your travel dates are planned, book your tickets online at www.makruzz.com. The online ticket windows open 1 month in advance. You can also just walk into Makruzz office present at all the 3 locations (Port Blair, Havelock Island and Neil Island) and get your tickets booked subject to availability. Once you have reserved tickets, print it and carry your government ID cards with you when you travel Security check – This is done by CISF personnel (Police) while entering the Port Blair jetty (i.e. the Phoenix Bay jetty). The entire luggage also has to go through the security checks just like in airports. This is not done in Havelock (Swaraj Dweep) and Neil (Shaheed Dweep). At Port Blair, you can board a bus after this to reach the jetty in case you don’t want to walk Check-in – Near the jetty, all the passengers have to go to Makruzz office and check-in by displaying their photo ID cards and printed tickets. The check-in closes 15 minutes prior to departure Luggage hand over – Just like in aircrafts, the check-in luggage has to be handed over to Makruzz staff. The hand-luggage can be carried with oneself Boarding – The gates open a short while after the Makruzz arrives at the jetty or 30 minutes prior to departure. The Boarding closes 10 minutes prior to departure Seat Allocation – Though the seats are already allocated during reservation, the cabin crew members help in identifying the seats Arrival – On arrival, the check-in luggage is handed over to you at the jetty outside the ship Few tips for the passengers travelling in Makruzz: Arrive 1 hour prior to your ship’s departure as it takes time to go through security checks and check-ins especially at Port Blair Do not forget to carry your valid photo ID proofs – it is a must while checking-in Make sure you carry a print out of your reserved tickets. If forgotten, you can get them printed at the Makruzz office present at the jetty for additional charge of INR 50 Children or infants above 1 year are charged a full ticket. Infants below 1 year of age can travel free of charge Correction of name is not permitted in ticket once booked. So please ensure the correct name of each passenger While handing over your check-in luggage, ensure that you inform the personnel your destination point. The ships run from Port Blair to Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) via Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) or the other way round and to avoid your luggage getting off-boarded at the intermittent island, it is advisable to inform them first hand PIN THIS IMAGE Hope you liked our experience with Makruzz as much as we did and plan to sail with them during your trip to Andaman Islands. What do you think of our sailing experience or services offered by Makruzz? Have you traveled in a catamaran before or could our article encourage you to try it? Do let us know in comment section below. Note: All opinions expressed in this blog are our own and not influenced by Makruzz or MAK Logistics in any manner. #India #Andamans #UnionTerritories #Transportation

Meghalaya literally meaning 'An abode of clouds' is one of the few states in India that still remains untouched by the harshness of the modern day vulnerabilities. Meghalaya is one of the ‘Seven Sisters’ of the Northeast India and nurtures the gift of nature in all its glory. The capital city of Meghalaya state, Shillong, is truly a nature’s paradise and should be in everyone's itinerary. Due to its resemblance the British rulers famously named Shillong as the ‘Scotland of the East’. Shillong is the hub of all the commercial activities in Meghalaya and is also by far the biggest city of the state. Shillong also has some magnificent sight seeing spots, interesting places and provides a good insight into how Meghalaya is slowly embracing modernisation. All of these make Shillong a must visit in your trip to Meghalaya. In this third blog of the series – The Meghalaya Odyssey, we present a detailed travel guide covering everything about Shillong with recommendations from how to reach, where to stay, what places to visit in Shillong and your ideal itinerary. In case you have missed out on our earlier blogs in the series, we suggest you read them to get a better understanding of Meghalaya as a whole and plan your trip broadly before you dive into planning your days in Shillong through this blog. 'The Meghalaya Odyssey' is a series of 10 travel blogs and 2 photo blogs. Check out other blogs in the series by clicking on the below mentioned links or photographs: 1. Introduction to Meghalaya 2. Plan your trip to Meghalaya 3. ​Shillong Travel guide - This article 4. Mawphlang Travel guide 5. Sohra (Cherrapunjee) Travel guide 6. Sa-I-Mika Resort @ Cherrapunjee 7. Mawlynnong - A Photostory 8. Mawlynnong (Asia's cleanest village) Travel guide 9. Experience Dawki, Shnongpdeng and adventure sports on Umngot river 10. Amazing Dawki, Shnongpdeng and the river Umngot in Meghalaya - A Photo blog 11. A Complete Travel Guide to Jaintia Hills 12. Mawsynram & Mawlyngbna Shillong is the highest place in Meghalaya with Shillong peak being the highest point. Being the capital city, Shillong makes everyone feel like being a part of the place. Before Meghalaya was formed as a separate state, Shillong also used to be the capital of undivided Assam. The people here are welcoming and their genuine smiles and gestures gives everyone a feeling of home. Shillong is a hill city dominated by local tribes of Khasi and is a part of Khasi hills (refer our first blog Introduction to Meghalaya to understand who Khasis are and different parts of Meghalaya) How to Reach Shillong Shillong can be easily reached from Guwahati, the nearest airport in Assam, by the well-connected highway roads. Guwahati to Shillong is a road that can be called as a melody of nature – every turn of the road, and every bend and curve presents one with unpredictable natural beauty. The route is picturesque and it takes less than about 3 hours to reach the destination. Shillong too has an airport which has too few flights and are costlier and hence reaching Guwahati is the best option. There is no rail connectivity to Shillong. Best Time to visit Shillong Now, this topic is debatable! According to us, visiting any place in Meghalaya is incomplete if you just visit once. There are 2 best seasons and each of these have something new to offer you. In the months of October-November, you can visit its many lakes and waterfalls and enjoy seeing the greenery and orchids and flowers in full bloom. In the months of February-April, you can go for the multiple treks that the diverse region has to offer, go for cave explorations, shopping or just a vacation to beat the rising summer heat of the other parts of India. Duration of stay in Shillong All the major places to visit in Shillong can be covered in 2 nights and 3 days. However, it will be good to have 3 nights in hand to ensure you truly soak in the essence of Shillong rather than rushing through your much deserved vacation. Also the road trip from Guwahati to Shillong will use up half of your days each side. So in case you spend just one night in Shillong, frankly you will be wasting your hard earned money. Conveyance in and around Shillong Several tour operators in Guwahati offer four wheeler for self drive. A few operators also provide two wheeler on rent if you wish to explore the places on your own. Rented cabs can be hired at Guwahati or at Shillong for local sightseeing. Ideally one should hire a four wheeler from Guwahati airport that stay with you throughout the duration of your trip. In case you are short on budget, government buses and shared cabs can be easily found from Guwahati. The same applies for local sightseeing. Itinerary and places to visit in Shillong Day 1: Guwahati airport – Umiam Lake (on the route) Umiam Lake lies on the way from Guwahati to Shillong. It is some 20 kilometers away from the main city of Shillong. Generally tourists visit Umiam Lake as a stopover on their road trip from Guwahati to Shillong, but we recommend spending one night here to delve in the essence of this beautiful lake. Tip: Break for lunch at Jiva Pure Veg restaurant on your way to Umiam Lake from Guwahati and satisfy your hunger pangs with their mouth watering delicacies especially momos. Places to visit in Shillong - Umiam Lake Umiam lake is popularly known as the Barapani Lake. It is located 15-20 kilometers north of Shillong and is a part of the dam built as first Hydel Power Project by the Assam State Electricity Board in Meghalaya. Umiam lake is a very important source of water for irrigation, fishery as well as for drinking. The approach road to Umiam Lake is full of curves, twists and bends and the lake is visible far off from the road itself. Stopping vehicle on the road or photographing on the road is prohibited as the area falls under armed forces surveillance. From the parking, the lake is a 2 minute walk through lush green gardens. Just the very first glimpse of Umiam lake, took our breaths away. It was huge and beautiful beyond words. The crystal water stretched as far as one could see and was surrounded by hills on all sides. A wooden viewing point has been erected just at the banks of the lake. There is a water sports complex from where one can hire speed boats or bus boats at applicable charges. The lake makes a very nice picnic spot and is best for viewing sunsets. Note: Entry to Umiam Lake closes at 5 PM. The entrance ticket charge is INR 20 per person and INR 20 per vehicle. Boating can be done in lake but people generally avoid it due to higher costs. Speed boat can cost around Rs.400 for 5 mins accommodating 3 people and boating for 10 mins costs around Rs.1200 accommodating 10 people. One can also get a good glimpse of Umiam lake from Umiam lake view point which is further up on the road towards Shillong. Also note it is possible to stay at lumpongdeng island, the only island in Umiam lake which has a stationary boat house. The place is ideal for those looking for privacy, love nature and do not mind basic accommodation for lovely views. Here is a shot of the place from Umiam lake view point. Interesting fact - Myths mixed with local history say – Long ago two sisters went out for sightseeing. One of them got lost and other returned home alone, weeping and wailing and there was a lake of tears. This lake was later named as Umiam Lake literally meaning water of the eyes Day 2: Umiam Lake – Shillong (local sightseeing) If you read our earlier blog in the series where we help plan your complete itinerary for Meghalaya, you would know we recommend going directly from Umiam lake towards Mawphlang and visit Shillong while returning. However since article only focuses on Shillong, we are directly taking you from Umiam to Shillong. On day 2, we list various interesting sightseeing places in Shillong Places to visit in Shillong - Don Bosco Centre of Indigenous Cultures Don Bosco centre of Indigenous cultures or more commonly known as Don Bosco museum is a the perfect introduction to people and culture of North East India. 3-4 hours spent here are highly informative as you get to know rituals, customs, attire, occupation, food etc. of various tribes of North East India. Replicas built make it easy to understand and children too enjoy a visit here. The skywalk on top also gives an amazing view of Shillong city. Don Bosco museum is highly recommended for all. Note: Don Bosco centre remains closed on all Sundays and public holidays. It can be visited from 9 AM - 5:30 PM except for Dec-Jan when it closes at 4:30 PM. Entry fees is Rs.100 + camera fees. We would recommend going to top floor first through lift and walk down each floor. Places to visit in Shillong - Ward’s Lake This lake is located right in the heart of Shillong. The lake is shaped like a horse-shoe. The garden around the lake is beautiful and well maintained. Paved walkways surround the lake and a wooden bridge in the center, like an inverted rainbow, connects one side to the other. The water gives a shimmery reflection as light falls on it while several ducks playfully enjoy doing their daily chores – some swimming while others relaxing on the banks. The trees bear yellow, red and purple flowers making the whole setting very colorful and bright. Even the lake water is decorated with lotus flowers. Several orchids and other flowers are also planted around the lake. Small benches are placed surrounding the lake where one can sit peacefully, listen to the birds chirping and enjoy the tranquility in the atmosphere. Visitors can also enjoy paddle boat rides in the lake. Note: The lake timings are 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM; but it closes earlier at 4:30 PM in winter (from Nov-Feb). The entrance fee is INR 10 per person. The lake remains closed on Tuesdays. Places to visit in Shillong - Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians Being a Christian dominated state (refer first article in the series to know more), Meghalaya is ought to have several churches. Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians in Shillong is the largest and one of the ancient churches built by the Britishers in 1913. It is known for its marvellous architecture and is a worship place for several inhabitants from the Khasi and Jaintia tribes. The Cathedral is located on a hill and overlooks the main road. It is painted blue, has high arches and glass painted windows. People of other faiths also come here to worship and seek blessings. We happened to visit the Cathedral on Sunday; hence it was full of people worshiping, singing carols and offering prayers. Note: The Church remains open only till 5 PM Places to visit in Shillong - Golf Course The Golf Course of Shillong looked like a scene out of movies to us. It is the largest golf course in Asia and is located at an altitude of 5200 feet. It is compared with the Glen-eagle course of the US because of its beauty and unique location. It is a 18 hole course that are carved out among several pine and rhododendron trees. Families along with children were seen running and playing around together with a cheerful heart and happy laughs. The fresh air and greenery mesmerised us in the short visit that we had. Note: As a tourist who just wants to stroll in the green golf course, you can do it anytime and for free. Common public road cuts through the golf course and you will find green grass on both sides which can easily be accessed. In case you want to play Golf, you can check with Shillong Golf club for specific details Places to visit in Shillong - Elephant falls PM Narendra Modi’s picture greets you right at the entrance of the Elephant falls and thus conveys how beautiful it might be. The British named this waterfall as ‘Elephant falls’ as a rock besides the falls resembled an elephant; but it got destroyed in an earthquake in 1897. While most of the waterfalls in the Meghalayan region are rain fed and dry down a few months after monsoon, Elephant falls never dries up. Though you will find it best during monsoon (June - Sep) or soon after monsoon (Oct - Dec) as the flow of water is reduced in other months. Elephant falls is also called as a ‘Three step fall’ as the water falls into 3 different steps and there are 3 different viewpoints as you go down hill. At the first point, a big stream of water falls down a steep flat plateau. This is the only point one can see in case one is old and finds it difficult to climb stairs. The other 2 tiers requires one to walk downwards on stairs. The second tier seems to be an extension of the first fall and the final tier is the most beautiful one with crystal clear water falling over the rocks creating a foam effect. Faint sound of the falls could be heard as one descends to the third tier. Everything including the falls, the dense vegetation surrounding it and the souvenir shopping area outside the entrance was well maintained and clean. Note: Entry to falls is from 9 AM - 5 PM. Places to visit in Shillong - Airforce Museum The Air Force Museum is a great place to gain knowledge regarding India's defence forces, the defence history and the warriors. It has photographs as well as replicas of the fighter planes and aircrafts used in Indo-Pak and Indo-Bangladesh war. It also depicts a little bit of North-east culture through their costumes and jewellery. Full size retired planes, copters and IAF jets are parked right outside the museum and you can click photos with them too. Note: The museum timings are from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM but closes at 1:00 PM on Sundays. The museum remains closed on Mondays and public holidays. Places to visit in Shillong - Shillong Peak This is the highest point in Shillong (about 2000 meters). The approach road passes through Air Force Base station. Lot of security checks and identity checks are conducted before one is allowed to visit the peak, hence as the peak lies in the Air Force property, you will have to provide a valid photo ID. However, after all this hassle, the Shillong Peak offers breathtaking, panoramic, 360 degree views of the Shillong town. A huge binocular is housed in one corner of the Shillong Peak through which the visitors can view the distant hills, waterfalls and the plains of Bangladesh. A store at the peak rents out traditional clothes and accessories for photography purpose. Note: The best time to visit is afternoon as the visibility of the skyline is at it's best. The entrance opens at 9 AM and closes at 3:30 PM Places to visit in Shillong - Market and Cafes Music is extremely important to Shillong and house parties or celebrations over bonfire and jam sessions are quite common. The city of Shillong is a café hub for people who enjoy coffee and music. Several unique coffee shops can be found in the entire city and Shillong sightseeing is incomplete without exploring a few cafes and food joints. Police Bazaar and Bada Bazaar are Shillong’s main markets where merchants from different parts of Meghalaya gather to sell everything from Khasi artefacts and jewellery to clothing and footwear. Note: Markets in Meghalaya remain closed on Sundays Day 3: Shillong (Far-away sightseeing) There are some points which are little away from Shillong which can be of interest. Places to visit in Shillong - Sweet Falls This waterfall is located some 10-12 kilometers away from the main town of Shillong. It is termed as one of the ‘most beautiful’ waterfalls in Meghalaya. Sweet Falls is not as popular as the other waterfalls and that’s what makes it more offbeat and scenic. It is however labelled as one of the most dangerous waterfall in Meghalaya due to several incidents of drowning and death. It is quite steep and the sound of the gurgling water can be heard from a distance. The gorgeous view point is located in Happy Valley and it is advisable not to go beyond that point. Just sitting at the view point and watching the falls as the strong wind tries to change its pace with the birds chirping around is quite a peaceful experience. You can also visit Ever living museum on your way to Sweet falls. Note: The entrance closes at 5 PM in summer and 4 PM in winter. The entrance ticket charge is INR 10 per person. Places to visit in Shillong - Laitlum Canyon To get a bird’s eye view of the magnificent surroundings of Shillong, there is no better place than Laitlum Canyons. It is an hour’s drive away (25 kilometers) from the town of Shillong. Laitlum meaning – End of Hills give justice to the name of the Canyon as it opens up to an expansive valleys, golden meadows and breathtaking green path. A trek down to the village involves descending about 3000 steps. It takes about 4-5 hours for the round trip trek. From the village, you can get amazing views of the gorges with lush greenery, hugging mountains and tiny streams flowing here and there. The rope trolley that the villagers still use to transport food and other necessary items is antique and quite interesting to see. Note: Laitlum Canyon should be visited before 5 PM after which it starts getting quite dark. Apart from these, Lady Hydari park is popular among kids though adults might not find it interesting. A relatively new trekking trail - Rhododendron Trek is slowly gaining popularity. And there are some more seasonal waterfalls and few other museums which you can visit in case you have more time. Accommodation in Shillong Many budget as well as luxury hotels/ resorts are available for stay in Shillong. Prices can range from INR 500 per night for backpackers choosing to stay longer to upwards of INR 10,000 per night for the most luxurious rooms in high end resorts. We would recommend 3 properties all away from city crowds in more peaceful areas each having its own charm. A Guest house nestled in nature near Umiam Lake, a homestay with lovely views in Upper Shillong and an old world charm boutique holiday home near Shillong city center. Ri Kanaan Guest House - Nestled in nature near Umiam Lake ‘Ri Kanaan’ meaning ‘Country blessed by Jesus with constant flow of milk’, truly stands to its words when we visited the guest house. Calling it a guest house is like belittling its standards as it is no less than a beautiful small resort. Located very close to Shillong airport and Umiam Lake as well, Ri Kanaan Guest House is an offbeat property and offers relief from the hustle-bustle and maddening crowd of Shillong City. There is a small natural waterfall and stream within the premises of the property which has running water through the year. It is an ideal stopover for those coming from Guwahati airport and going towards Shillong-Mawphlang or Jowai side. Varied well furnished room types (Riverfront deluxe and executive rooms, waterfall view rooms, standard double rooms and family rooms) offer something to each kind of traveller – be it a solo backpacker, a honeymoon couple, people on business trips, families and elderly people who seek to spend time with nature in peace and silence. The property houses a very cozy restaurant that serves home cooked food, a 200-300 pax conference hall, children’s park and lots of small gardens and space to move around. You can book Ri Kanaan through Booking.com or Agoda. Dew Drop In - Homestay with lovely views at upper Shillong Dew Drop In is a family-run homestay situated in the Upper Shillong area. Due to cold weather, dew drops are formed on the outside of the windows which falls drop by drop every morning and hence the name – ‘Dew Dropping’ which was cut short to Dew Drop In. The location of the home stay is perfect and offers a panoramic view of the city of Shillong. The owners and caretakers are very polite and courteous ensuring you never feel away from home. The home stay is ideal for guests who seek to stay away from noisy city areas, relax and would love to interact with welcoming locals. Dew Drop In has 3 rooms to offer – 1 Family room and 2 Double rooms which are extremely clean and well maintained with latest facilities like geyser, LCD TV, Wi-Fi and electric kettle. Though an in-house Chinese restaurant serves guests, they also offer home cooked local cuisine freshly made on request. The open-terrace on the first floor is decorated with several plant pots that bear colorful flowers. One can also request for meals served on the terrace. They also arrange for cabs for airport pickup-drop or local sightseeing in Meghalaya. The only Buddhist monastery in Meghalaya is at a walking distance from Dew Drop In. You can book Dew Drop In from Booking.com or Agoda. Aerodene Cottage - Boutique holiday home closer to city center Geographically not very far from Police bazaar but eons away from the city madness, Aerodene cottage is a unique holiday home that would capture your heart through its old world charm and peace. Aerodene cottage is almost 70 year old Assam style house built on wooden panels and walls which has been renovated to provide modern touch. There is an old colonial feel in the style and decor fused with contemporary features and amenities that tends to teleports you into a different reality. The open garden spaces, ornamental plants and cosy sit outs blend well with the aura created. Aerodene cottage is ideal for those looking for a stay closer to center of city and yet does not want to compromise on tranquility or amenities. It is also highly recommended for those looking to stay longer in a reclusive environment. The interiors of Aerodene cottage stand out as white wooden walls match with white linen and couch covers, peach coloured curtains go well with the dim yellow lighting and the folds and drapes all around gracefully adds a delicate charisma to the room. Every piece of furniture including light fittings plays a role in adding harmony to the place. While there is clearly lot of thought put into the concept and details, comfort is given its due importance as the room houses LCD TV, electric heater, kettle, enough toiletries and each bed gets its own electric heating pad. Even the cutlery is chosen carefully to prevent even the slightest deviation from the style and theme. The in house kitchen offers delicious freshly cooked food. You can book Aerodene cottage by contacting them on their website only. Shillong thus is a must visit during your trip to Meghalaya. Ensure you have woollens as Shillong tends to be the coldest place in state. Shillong seems to be struggling to keep up its infrastructure with rising population and traffic on roads. Traffic jams or slow moving traffic is common due to narrow roads and hardly any flyovers in place. It is hence recommended you start early in morning to get in or out of city. If you start after 9AM, it can take you an hour or so (depending on where you start from) to get out of the city on your way to your next destination. The people of Shillong are just like those in any other city of India - embracing development and keeping pace with rest of the world with unique style and spirit borne out of their history and culture. Do interact with them whenever you get a chance and you will love how humble they can be. PIN THIS IMAGE Hope this in depth guide to Shillong would help you chart a detailed itinerary and make your bookings for stay. Do you feel we have missed out any specific place to visit in Shillong? Would you like us to add any other detail? Do let us know your thoughts in comment section below. You can check out the next blog, a detailed guide about Mawphlang, Cherrapunjee and Mawlynnong. #India #EastIndia #Meghalaya

The magical charm of the Northeast India still remains a best kept secret. Known as the land of living root bridges and natural swimming pools, Meghalaya is a heavenly state filled with life in woods, spectacular waterfalls and wonderful trekking trails. It keeps surprising you at every step of the way. Mawphlang is one such small village in Meghalaya which left us in awe. Just a short trip from Shillong, enroute towards Cherrapunjee or Mawsynram, we thought Mawphlang was a small halt with just 4 attractions. But these 4 attractions, especially Mawphlang sacred grove made us regret our decision of not spending a night here. Read our travel guide to know what is so special about Mawphlang in Meghalaya and why you should definitely visit it. In this fourth blog of the series – The Meghalaya Odyssey, we present a detailed travel guide to a village named Mawphlang pronounced Maw - phlang (Maw rhymes with Law), which is a small village located about 25 kilometers from the capital city of Meghalaya, Shillong. 'The Meghalaya Odyssey' is a series of 10 travel blogs and 2 photo blogs. Check out other blogs in the series by clicking on the below mentioned links or photographs: 1. Introduction to Meghalaya 2. Plan your trip to Meghalaya 3. ​Shillong Travel guide 4. Mawphlang Travel guide - This article 5. Sohra (Cherrapunjee) Travel guide 6. Sa-I-Mika Resort @ Cherrapunjee 7. Mawlynnong - A Photostory 8. Mawlynnong (Asia's cleanest village) Travel guide 9. Experience Dawki, Shnongpdeng and adventure sports on Umngot river 10. Amazing Dawki, Shnongpdeng and the river Umngot in Meghalaya - A Photo blog 11. A Complete Travel Guide to Jaintia Hills 12. Mawsynram & Mawlyngbna In this blog we proceed from Shillong towards Cherrapunjee where enroute you will find a small village named Mawphlang. You might recall from our first article in series where we introduce you to Meghalaya that Khasi is the biggest tribe in Meghalaya, others being Garos and Jaitias. The Khasi tribe in Meghalaya worship the beauty that nature has bestowed on them and the spirit of conservation is deeply embedded in the people probably rooted in several religious beliefs. The tribes are quite sentimental when it comes to preserving the natural environment. As per their belief, every village is incomplete and has no identity without its own sacred forest. One of the most popular sacred forest of Meghalaya lies in a village named Mawphlang. Apart from the sacred forest, Mawphlang also flaunts a some great landscapes thanks to beautiful river and dam, Khasi Heritage village and the very famous David Scott's trail. Read on to know more about all these places and download an interactive map to see the exact locations of all places including the complete trail. In Khasi language, ‘Maw’ means stone and ‘Phlang’ means grass – hence Mawphlang is known as the land of endless grassy stones. Mawphlang gave us feel of a fictional story and everything we saw and experienced was just like we were in the movies. How to Reach Mawphlang Mawphlang is just 25 kilometers from Shillong, the capital city of Meghalaya state. It is advisable to hire a car from Shillong to reach Mawphlang. If you are on a full week Meghalaya trip, we hope you have hired a self drive or cab from Guwahati. In case you are short on budget, any shared vehicle starting from Shillong or government buses going towards Cherrapunji and Mawsynram will pass through Mawphlang. You will then have to walk a bit to cover the various sightseeing spots. Best Time to visit Mawphlang The places to see in Mawphlang is the village, a sacred forest, dam and David Scott's trail. Each of these involves walking and easy trekking. Hence, it is advisable to visit in the months of Oct-Apr when the weather is pleasant and it does not rain. Duration of stay in Mawphlang All the places to visit in Mawphlang can be covered while moving from Shillong to Cherrapunji. However, we would recommend spending one night in Mawphlang if you are into Yoga or natural beauty. Experiencing the beauty of sacred forest early in the morning would definitely appeal to you. Others can visit the sacred forest during day in 2-3 hours and move on to other places. If you stay in Mawphlang for a night, you will also be able to do a complete trek of the sacred forest. Read on to know more. Places to visit in Mawphlang Mawphlang Dam Mawphlang Dam is built over Umiew River and is the main source of water supply to Shillong. The dam can be viewed from the viewing point at the top of a hill after descending a few steps from the parking area. The dam is huge and is covered by greenery all around and the sight of the shining blue-green water of the Umiew river from the top is breathtaking. One can also climb down or drive to the river. This viewpoint is located just 1-2 kilometres off road and hence could be reached easily. There is also another great view point which shows the complete valley and the Umiew river (refer first picture in this article). There is no name for this location but we call it Umiew river view point and you can find the exact location in downloadable maps (details at end of article). Note: The viewing point is not covered by railings and is dangerous. It is advisable not to visit it with kids. In case you have more time, you could also climb or drive down to the river. Mawphlang Sacred Forest There are several sacred forests in Jaintia hills part of Meghalaya but Mawphlang sacred forest is the most well-known. It is also famously known as Mawphlang Sacred Grove. Once you park your vehicles near Khasi heritage village gate, you can hire a guide who will take you to the forest. We would definitely recommend hiring a guide as they will provide many interesting information such as significance of the forest, traditions, rare plants and their uses etc. and would readily answer any query you might have. For those who do not take a guide, this whole place is just a plain forest with trees. There are two options for forest trek – Half trek which takes around 1-1.5 hours and Full trek which takes around 4 hours (if you choose to go deeper in the forest). Half trek is adequate for those who are visiting Mawphlang as a halt and have shortage of time. You do not miss out much by doing a half trek. The terrain is flat with hardly any slope and is pretty easy even for elderly. Our guide McDuff, was a local English speaking boy probably in his early 20s. McDuff unveiled the history of the forest to us. He was like a living library of knowledge and talked confidently about the folktales, history and legends of the sacred grove. Standing right outside the grove, he explained that the sacred forest is protected by a local deity named Labasa, who is believed to protect their village and the community. In times of need, such as illness, flood or drought, animal sacrifices were performed for the deity at the stone temples built inside the forest. When the deity is happy, it appears in the form of a leopard and when it is angry, it appears as a snake. If anyone enters the forest with bad intention, they face dreadful consequences. We realized through all these stories how important this forest was for McDuff's community. They worshipped and protected it just like religions do for their gods. They charge an entrance fee so that they can maintain the forest and plant saplings. Even when Indian prime minister Narendra Modi visited Mawphlang sacred forest, the community ensured he pays the entrance fee. They said - no one is above the forest, no one is above nature. As McDuff pointed towards the entrance of the sacred grove, all we could see was a thick green frame surrounded by plain grass slopes on the outside. The entrance seemed like a tunnel full of foliage and as we entered, we were hit by lots and lots of greenery. Our eyes took a while to adjust to the dim light and as soon as we were fine-tuned, we felt like being in a movie – similar to Jurassic Park or rather Avatar. We were in the Pandora forest! The grove is like Nature’s own museum - full of varied varieties of plants, ferns, flowering trees, orchids, butterflies and wildflowers. We slowly walked on the carpet of leaves, ferns and twigs as McDuff started narrating another story. He said – ‘You cannot take anything out of this sacred forest; not even a leaf’. The one who disrespects this rule, faces the wrath of local deity. Whoever has attempted to break this rule have been punished physically or psychologically by illness or death. This explains how the forest has survived unharmed since 1000’s of years. Anything that is killed, picked or taken from inside the forest is to be eaten, consumed or used within the forest. In other words, what happens in the Mawphlang forest stays in the forest! We realized these stories and beliefs are deeply rooted in people of Khasi tribe's heart. Though these may sound superstition to outsiders, every culture or religion has some such stories and beliefs inculcated into the very DNA of its people. Importance of nature and leading a life in harmony with it was clearly one such belief Khasi kids seem to grow up with. We wish rest of the world could took inspiration from such beliefs and did more for the mother earth. Innumerous trees stood proudly inside the forest, having had no amputation from man. The trees were heavily covered with lichens, ferns, orchids, mushrooms and mosses. Some varieties are not found anywhere else in the world. Some trees, believed to be 1000 years old, are said to have cure for diseases like cancer, tuberculosis, etc. A giant tree of Rudraksh, seed of which is used for religious ceremony, is held very sacred and it is believed that if you wish something with a pure heart touching the tree, the wish will be fulfilled. Covering 80 hectares of land, as many as 450 species of trees and plants inhabits the Mawphlang forest. As we moved deeper in the forest, we saw monoliths, which represented places of sacrifice. The fallen trunks of trees, gurgling streams of water and hidden spaces among the trees made us realize that there is no trace of outside world in the forest. Even the Sun had to face difficulty peeping through the complex roof of the intertwined branches. McDuff pointed to a kind of algae saying that it glows in night and we were compelled to think about a glowing magical forest similar to the one in the movie – Life of Pie. You see, the forest reminded us of so many movies! It is indeed an amazing visual spectacle that all the nature lovers would certainly love. Note: As the Sacred forest is all about culture, history and local stories, we recommend hiring a forest guide. The English speaking locals of the village serve as guides who charge around INR 300 or more if you wish to go deeper into the forest. Entrance to the forest is open from 9:00 AM till 4:30 PM daily. However you can get permission to enter early in the morning with guides to do Yoga or meditate. Entrance fee to the forest is INR 20 per person and INR 20 for camera. Khasi / Mawphlang Heritage Village Right opposite to the Mawphlang Sacred forest, near the parking, lies a small village area called as the Khasi Heritage village. This village has been set up by the Khasi Hills Autonomous District council. Various types of traditionally constructed Khasi style huts have been showcased in the village. The huts are authentically made by the local tribes using bamboo and thatch. A huge platform resembling an auditorium has also been constructed. The slopes are connected with metal bridges. A few monolith stones placed in the big campus seemed to be used as place for worship or public gatherings. People of Khasi tribe gather each year at this Heritage village to celebrate nature. Each year a two day Monolith festival is organised here that showcases their traditional food, dances and folk music. The festival showcases the tribal heritage and culture and is a platform for everyone to reunite. Many tourists flock this area during the festival time which takes place around March-April, however the festival didn't take place in 2018. David Scott's Trail If you are into trekking, David Scott's trail is the best Meghalaya can offer you. A British administrator David Scott had discovered a 100 kms route leading from Assam to Bangladesh in 1800s which was then a mule track spanning 5 days. Today the original trail is separate into many shorter routes but this 16 kms stretch between 2 villages - Mawphlang and Ladmawphlang is the most famous one and called David Scott's trail. Though the trail can be covered from either direction, Mawphlang is considered the starting point and you would find many guides here. There are many sign boards along the trail and you would come across few villages, however it is preferable to hire a guide as there have been cases of people getting lost or taking a much longer route and finding it all the more difficult. David Scott's trail is mainly popular because of scenic views. The trail includes walking on mud paths in forest and meadows, crossing river streams on foot and on wooden bridge, passing by lovely villages and smiling locals, cascading waterfalls and serene valleys. It is highly suggested you do not go for David Scott's trail in monsoon as the path is too slushy and the river may have too much water for you to cross. Leeches too would play havoc with you. Once monsoon recedes in October-November, the trek would be much more enjoyable. Winter from December to early April is also preferred though most waterfalls would have dried up. Do ensure you take water, offline google maps of this area and good sports or trekking shoes for this trail. You would not find any internet connectivity on the trail. David Scott trail can be covered in 4-6 hours depending on how fit you are. Note - Scroll to the end of the article to download complete map of David Scott's trail which will be extremely useful to see offline in absence of internet. Accommodation in Mawphlang There are not many options to stay in Mawphlang as most tourist visit Mawphlang only for few hours. But as we mentioned earlier, if you are interested in Yoga or meditating inside Mawphlang sacred grove forest, you might want to visit the forest early in the morning and a night stay at Mawphlang might be preferable. There are just few homestays where you can stay namely Maple Pine farm and The misty meadows which one can book. Mawphlang was thus a mix of interesting culture, nature and beautiful landscapes. If you are short of time, you can skip David Scott's trail and finish the rest in few hours. You might be able to cover the trail to and reach Cherrapunji but you would be too exhausted. But if you are staying for the night, visiting Sacred grove forest early in morning and David Scott's trail would make your day. In the end after visiting Mawphlang, we wished the world was more like this village where people cared for the nature around them. PIN THIS IMAGE How did you find our blog on Mawphlang? Have you ever visited any place that reminded you of any movies? Did you find Mawphlang interesting enough to include in your itinerary? Do let us know in the comment section below. Also, stay tuned to read and know about many such interesting places in Meghalaya in our blogs of the series – The Meghalaya Odyssey where you can find travel guides to Cherrapunjee and Mawlynnong. Click here to sign up for our newsletter (3-4 mails per month) and access an interactive version or download a PDF version of map containing exact locations of each of all sightseeing spots mentioned including complete trail of David Scott which will be extremely useful due to lack of internet during the trek. #India #EastIndia #Meghalaya

Meghalaya has an exotic hold over the imagination, coalescing up a land of swanky rainforests, countless waterfalls, pristine rivers with fascinating culture and friendly people. Sohra, more popularly known as Cherrapunjee (also spelled Cherrapunji) in Meghalaya holds unique attractions because of its abundant natural beauty, package of valleys and evergreen misty landscapes. Though the status of rainiest place on Earth has changed from Cherrapunjee to Mawsynram, Cherrapunjee still dominates its supremacy in terms of tourist attractions and infrastructure compared to Mawsynram. We published ‘A complete travel guide to Cherrapunjee’ in our previous article in the series The Meghalaya Odyssey, where we detailed everything about Cherrapunjee with recommendations on how to reach, best time to visit and places to visit. We mentioned Sa-I-Mika Resort as our recommended option of stay at Cherrapunjee. In our search for an authentic local accommodation without sacrificing our comforts, opting to stay in Sa-I-Mika Resort turned out to be a wise decision and this review of the stunning property will make you believe the same. 'The Meghalaya Odyssey' is a series of 10 travel blogs and 2 photo blogs. Check out other blogs in the series by clicking on the below mentioned links or photographs: 1. Introduction to Meghalaya - This article 2. Plan your trip to Meghalaya 3. ​Shillong Travel guide 4. Mawphlang Travel guide 5. Sohra (Cherrapunjee) Travel guide 6. Sa-I-Mika Resort @ Cherrapunjee - This article 7. Mawlynnong - A Photostory 8. Mawlynnong (Asia's cleanest village) Travel guide 9. Experience Dawki, Shnongpdeng and adventure sports on Umngot river 10. Amazing Dawki, Shnongpdeng and the river Umngot in Meghalaya - A Photo blog 11. A Complete Travel Guide to Jaintia Hills 12. Mawsynram & Mawlyngbna Cherrapunjee is filled with beautiful valleys, undulating hills and stunning canyons. Our place of stay in Cherrapunjee, Sa-I-Mika resort, is located on one such very attractive hilly valley. The resort is set up in an offbeat location surrounded by valleys on all the sides and even a river stream at one end. The location of Sa-I-Mika is such that it is pretty much close to center of Cherrapunjee, and yet it is away from hustle and bustle of the town. The map here shows Cherrapunjee in brown surrounded by green valleys and as you can see Sa-I-Mika resort is close to centre of the town. Sa-I-Mika Park: The story of how Sa-I-Mika came into existence is as interesting what we have known about Khasi culture. Mr. Ken and his wife Twill were involved in community service in Sohra district for decades. When Mr. Ken passed away, the Khasi tribe donated a 69 acre land to Ms. Twill as a token of gratitude with a hope that she will make good use of the land and will continue serving the community. Ms. Twill created a beautiful children’s park out of this barren land in 2005, with huge gardens and play areas ideal for a family picnic. The park was named after the initials of her 3 daughters, Sa-I-Mika. Sa-I-Mika Park was an instant success and was a top tourist spot for a long span of time. Slowly its charm started fading away and to pull through, a few cottages were constructed for tourist stay besides the park and since then there is no looking back. Sa-I-Mika Resort: Today, Sa-I-Mika Park has transformed into a full-fledged resort with 12 cottages in the older property overlooking the valley and 8 cottages in the newly constructed property overlooking the small river stream. Both the old and newly constructed property are about 400 meters apart with a bridge connecting both the sides. The 20 cottages in total are each different from the other in terms of design as well as name. Note that we visited Sa-I-Mika resort in February which is a dry season in Meghalaya. The lush green foliage had started turning yellow which has its own earthy feel. But if you go during or right after rains, the landscapes would have much greener vegetation. Our Experience: We reached Sa-I-Mika resort at night after a tiring day of sightseeing in Cherrapunjee. We were warmly welcomed by the manager, Rabjit and some pet dogs of the caretakers – Oh yes! An added bonus; they are a pet friendly resort! We were assigned an Assamese style cottage towards the newly constructed side with a small back door that opened up to the top of a boulder overlooking the small river and the grasslands. Our cottage’s name was ‘Rymphang’ which means ‘Windy’ in Assamese and as the name goes, wind used to blow softly from the front door to the back door towards the river. Our cottage was right besides the reception cum restaurant which was very convenient. We were flabbergasted by just the first look of our cottage. It was huge and completely wooden furnished; with two double beds, a low flat sofa bed, two comfortable seating sofas, a table, a dresser with 4 drawers and big mirror, a small shelf and an attached bath with geyser. The floor was wood too whereas the walls were made of rocks. The ceiling of our cottage was covered with a bamboo mat. A fireplace in one corner was covered with white curtains. The soft wind would leave the white curtains on the door dancing. White lights were used to give a touch of peacefulness. Absence of TVs was a welcome change. A small chandelier adorned the centre of the room. With wooden floor, thatched roofs, rough-hewn walls and plenty of space, the cottage’s communal areas had a pleasingly laid back ambience with an emphasis on understated elegance and luxury. Soon someone was at our door to light up the fireplace and serve dinner that we had ordered in our room. We were surprised to get an insulated tiffin and plates. We were delighted to have the dinner served in hot Milton tiffin boxes so that we could take our own sweet time and still get hot food. Such small gestures made us feel extremely hospitable. The mind-blowingly delicious meals made us feel at home. We were instantly in love with our cottage and couldn't wait to explore the surroundings in the morning. In the morning, we were happy to walk around and see different designs of cottages. Every streamview side cottage had front doors facing the open verandah and a back door balcony opening outside towards the stream. All cottages of Sa-I-Mika were built in a traditional manner and all of them have been made minimal and rustic to provide an experience of the local north eastern culture with all modern amenities one would expect. Yet each of these cottages are different from each other and unique in nature. One might wonder when all these cottages are different from each other, how do guests choose which cottage to stay in? A very interesting concept being followed by Sa-I-Mika caretakers – they are not listed on any of the hotel / resort booking websites such as booking.com or makemytrip, hence you cannot book a cottage directly. You have to drop them a mail or just give them a call specifying your requirements (like no. of people, purpose of visit, what view would you prefer, etc.) and based on your choice they assign a cottage to you – Isn’t that very interesting!! And believe us, if you exactly specify what you want beforehand, you will never be disappointed. The manager, Mr. Rabjit, took immense care of us and was extremely hospitable. All the resort staff were always smiling and greeting. They all stood on one feet to make us feel at home. One morning, Mr. Rabjit took us on a small trek towards the back of the property near the river stream and waterfalls. The ponds and the small waterfalls created by the river water adds to the beauty of the nature besides the resort. The Sa-I-Mika resort-cum-park also offers various sports and games pitches like a basketball court, a volleyball court, a badminton court, a skating rink, a playground with swings and slides for young children and a huge swimming pool with slides as seen in water parks to cool off and have fun during the summer season. Sa-I-Mika resort also has a small all-purpose-shop at its entrance which serves cold-drinks and packaged snacks. While on the tour of the resort, we were happily surprised to see such huge lawns full of freshly mowed green grass where a music festival organised annually. We learnt that ‘Shine-A-Light’ is an annual music festival organised and held by Sa-I-Mika in its premises, where local music talents from around the Seven Sisters’ states of North east India are invited to sing and play. Highly popular, this festival is attended by music lovers all over the world. We already knew about rock music culture in North east being popular, but we realized how passionate people are about rock music during our stay at Sa-I-Mika resort when we observed every other staff member even chefs in kitchen singing along the likes of Bob Marley being played on loudspeaker. Besides the music festival, these huge grounds on the valley side of the resort are used as camping grounds by group travellers and solo travellers, who are permitted to pitch their tents and use the common washrooms that are constructed especially for them in one corner. A dormitory adorned with 10 beds, a common bath and attached seating area is also popular as a cheap stay option by the backpackers. The resort also features a conference room for corporate meetings right in the middle of nature. Sa-I-Mika restaurant is very popular in Cherrapunjee for meals, snacks and light drinks. Even locals from the town flock here to enjoy a cup of coffee and the lively music that plays non-stop. The restaurant is beautifully decorated with pictures of the famous music bands around the world. They also invite local artists to play and sing in the restaurant every weekend. We realised that music is a lifestyle that is embedded into the soul of each Meghalayan and is like a religion to them. The restaurant has a small fireplace too where one could just lie down and enjoy the rainy weather with a book and a blanket. A new restaurant has recently opened towards the new property with similar décor and ambience. The food that Sa-I-Mika serves is freshly made with locally grown vegetables and is to die-for. The menu is a mix of Indian, Chinese and local Khasi cuisine which is served in more than expected quantities. We loved every meal we ordered during our stay. Another uniqueness of Sa-I-Mika resort is that they try to be as eco-friendly as possible. The electricity is generated from the solar panels and they discourage lighting fire in the fire places just for fun. They have even used locally made mats, waste wood barks, and stones in the room décor. Sa-I-Mika resort is against surplus usage of natural resources. Sa-I-Mika resort is an ideal place of stay for travellers who seek peace and tranquillity. People who desire to be one with nature leaving behind the hustle bustle of the city life would love to stay there. Sa-I-Mika resort offers the guests much more than what a typical resort or a guest house could. Guests can embrace a laid-back life, rejuvenate at the green lawns, lounge on the resort’s private river stream, splash in the small waterfalls, or settle in for the sunset with an innovative custom-made juice or drink from the resort’s spectacular cafe. The green grassy landscape that surrounds the resort provides bouts of freshness that one craves for from the nature. No television and internet ensures that you spend time with nature, oneself and with your loved ones. The sky gazers could have an amazing time at Sa-I-Mika resort and if the nature is supportive and the sky isn’t cloudy, one can even spot the Milky Way. The amalgamation of the green grassy garden, the rocky hill, the starry sky and the stream of river is a gift that Sa-I-Mika provides its guests to introspect, rethink, rest, rejuvenate and open the gates to their minds. We used to enjoy the cold mornings in the balcony/ verandah towards the back of our cottage, sun-bathing and having a cup of tea while watching the river flow by. Our evenings were spent in the grasslands watching the sun set and then chatting and relaxing at the little seating area next to the fireplace in our cottage. All in all, we had a wonderful time having stayed with Sa-I-Mika resort and honestly we have left a piece of our heart in the valleys there. We would love to return to Sa-I-Mika again and again and explore more about this paradise land. Sa-I-Mika resort is a place for all – be it solo traveller, honeymoon couple, children, elderly or large groups. Sa-I-Mika has an open heart for everyone right from music lovers, peace lovers or pet lovers. It proudly serves and entertains people from different parts and from different lifestyles. However if you are one of those who cannot live without TV, wifi and extravagant luxuries, Sa-I-Mika resort is not for you. One needs to understand this is not the usual hotel. Sa-I-Mika resort has its own concept which needs to be respected. PIN THIS IMAGE We would like to thank Mr. Rabjit for his hospitality and time he spared for us having long chats with us. We would also like to thank Ms. Ainame for hosting us at Sa-I-Mika. Hope you liked Sa-I-Mika Resort as much as we did and plan to stay here during your trip to Cherrapunjee. You can book them through from their official website here. What do you think of our review of Sa-I-Mika Resort? Do let us know in comment section below. Note: All opinions expressed in this blog are our own and not influenced by Sa-I-Mika resort in any manner. #India #EastIndia #Meghalaya #Accommodation