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Author: Prabhith Prabhakaran

A journey through the commercial capital of Srilanka – ‘Colombo’

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“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.” – Anonymous

We visited Colombo in December 2016.

Srilanka was never in my radar. But I have read a lot of blogs where people have been comparing Srilanka with my native state Kerala. That was one of the major spark for this Srilankan trip.

After visiting, I could easily conclude that there are lot of things that are quite common to Sri Lanka with my native Kerala and there is no surprise that many of the foreign tourists are asking this question again and again – Srilanka or Kerala, Where to go?

Like Kerala, Colombo also have a lot of back waters, the green mountains, long costal line with umpteen number of wonderful beaches and so on. I would personally say that we as Keralite’s should learn a lot from Srilankan’s especially the way they are promoting tourism in their country. Kerala is indeed the ‘God’s own Country’ where god has gifted so many natural attractions, but we fail to maintain them. Cleanliness is a major thing that is to be implemented. The government should also concentrate on building proper infrastructure by constructing wider roads or widening the existing roads.

In Srilanka, it is so easy for me to navigate from one attraction to another where in Kerala if I need to cover 2 districts, I will have to spend so much time on the road.

Sri Lanka might be full of fascinating places to visit, but Colombo isn’t often listed as one of them. Eventhough Sri lanka has 2-3 International airports, Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport is the busiest airport in the country and one of the busiest airports in South Asia. So many tourists land at this airport in Colombo and move ahead to see the other wonders of the country. We also had spend very few hours in Colombo since we planned  more days in Kandy and Nuwara Eliya in our trip itinerary.

Its true that Colombo doesn’t offer a lot in terms of sights and I would say that Colombo lacks a must see place like we see in other capital cities of Asian countries.

Now a days, Colombo is experiencing quite a building boom of high skyscrapers, new roads, several posh hotels and so on.

English is widely spoken so you won’t find it difficult to get around. There are four main ways to get around Colombo – trains, buses, rickshaws (Tuk-Tuk) and taxis.

Major Attractions within 15 Kms from Colombo City Centre:

  1. Colombo Fort (2.5 Kms)
  2. Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple (2 Kms)
  3. Independence Memorial Hall/Independence Memorial square gardens (3.5 Kms)
  4. Mount Lavinia (12 Kms)
  5. Galle Face Green Promenade (4.5 Kms)
  6. Viharamadevi Park (3 kms)
  7. DiyathaUyana park (8 Kms)
  8. Pettah Market (4 Kms)
  9. Beira Lake (3 Kms)
  10. National Museum (3 kms)
  11. Wellawatte (7.8 Kms)

Following were some of the places that we saw on our way from Nuwara Eliya to Colombo:

Bentota Beach

I wouldn’t say that its in Colombo. Its around 80Kms from Colombo.

The beach is absolutely stunning! Very long and broad strip of sand with warm and beautiful ocean on the one side and beautiful green trees on the other. There are lots of water sports available in this beach.

Captain’s Deck Madu River Boat Cruise: (100 Kms)

If you are a nature lover, you will certainly enjoy this boat ride. Madu lagoon is a very wide and beautiful lagoon in SriLanka. The boat safari is for around 1.5-2 hours. You will also be provided with life jackets during this cruise. The boat ride is through the mangroves and is very pleasant and relaxing. Then you can go for the fish spa and visit cinnamon island, where you learn about how cinnamon sticks are made and the various benefits of cinnamon.

Many species of birds are found in many of the islands around the lagoon. We can also see many migrated birds. In most of these islands there are people who earn their living by peeling cinnamon.

There are around 64 islands in the Madu river.

Bally’s casino (2 Kms)

This is one of the largest Casino’s in Sri Lanka. Personally I have not visited this Casino and also have read a lot of negative comments about this casino in popular sites like Trip advisor.

We also witnessed the Xmas-New year celebration in Colombo:

The Xmas and New year is celebrated quite lavishly in the Colombo city. Almost all the buildings and streets are completely illuminated with lights. A lot of people visit the city to see these lightings and other related events.

Colombo Airport

Even if you are landing here during the early hours or late night, you don’t have to worry. Colombo Airport works in full speed at any hours of the clock.

The Beauty of ‘Little England’ – Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka

Posted on by Prabhith Prabhakaran

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”  – Augustine of Hippo

We travelled to Nuwara Eliya in December 2016. These hills were discovered by the British colonial officer John Davy back in 1819. Nuwara Eliya, which means “City of Light,” soon became a favourite cool-climate escape for the British as well as a “home away from home” where they could grow English vegetables and fruits. Due to its cooler climate, it is the most important area for tea production in Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya is known for her impressive lush green tea plantations.

The most scenic way to get to Nuwara Eliya is by train. Nuwara Eliya is located between Kandy and Ella. The nearest railway station is ‘Nanu-Oya’. From there you can take a 3 wheeler vehicle (like Indian Autorickshaws)

However we had taken a car from Kandy to this place. You can include 2-3 days in your itinerary for Nuwara Eliya.

Some places that we visited:

Glenloch Tea Factory:

You get a chance to see the various process involved in the production of tea powder. You can also buy different varieties/grades of tea powder from this factory. Obviously, there are many other tea factories in this area.

Devon Falls:

Devon Falls, known as the ‘Veil of the Valley’, is situated 6 km west of Talawakele (Nuwara Eliya District) on the A7 highway. The falls is named after a pioneer English coffee planter called Devon, whose plantation was situated nearby the falls

Tea Castle, St. Clair:

The tea castle is a beautiful tea shop and a view point at St Clair. It’s built like a castle and you can climb up to the terrace for a nice view.

Pass through Kotagala Tunnel:

Shri Bhakta Hanuman Temple:

Sri Bhakta Hanuman Temple is one of the important Hanuman Temples in Sri Lanka located on summit of the very beautiful picturesque mountain in Ramboda 30 KM north to Nuwara Eliya.

Visitors can witness the 18 feet Hanuman statue which is the tallest Hanuman statue in Sri Lanka established inside the Shri Bhakta Hanuman Temple in Ramboda.

Trip to Horton Plains and World’s End:

The Horton Plains National Park is bigger and more famous than Moon Plains and offers some great hiking opportunities over plateaus covered with grass, areas of thick forest, rock landscape, waterfalls, and lakes. The end of the plain, called World`s End, is an 880 m deep ravine and an excellent viewpoint overlooking tea plantation villages down below in the valley. However we couldn’t reach till the World’s end, as there were some restrictions. World’s End is located in the Horton Plains National Park which has a UNESCO status.

Ambewela farm:

The Ambewela farm was started by the British about 80 years ago, while the New Zealand farm was started in 1960. Both farms are managed by Ambewela Farm. In order to maintain the quality of milk from the cows, the farm management takes great concern towards them in order to provide them with a balanced diet and sterilized water. This is becoming a popular destination for visitors of Nuwara Eliya, especially those who love an unusual experience away from frequently-visited tourist destinations.

Seetha Amman Temple, Nuwara Eliya:

Located just 1 km from the Hakgala is the Seetha Amman kovil. This is the only Seetha Amman kovil in the world and is built according to South Indian architecture. Legend has it that Seetha was held captive and hidden in this spot by king Rama to protect her from the demon king Ravana according to the Epic Ramayana.

Some other places worth mentioning here:

  • Victoria Park
  • Gregory Lake
  • Moon Plains

We had stayed in Villa Cassandra. I would personally suggest this place for a stay. It has 4-5 rooms and is very clean. However the Breakfast spread is very limited.

Home of the Sacred Tooth Relic , Kandy, SrilLanka

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“To Travel is to Live” – Hans Christian Andersen

We visited Kandy in December 2016. When we were preparing an itinerary for SriLanka, many people suggested to visit the beautiful old town “ Kandy”. So, we decided to include this place in our trip. Personally, I liked Nuwara Eliya than Kandy or Colombo. Kandy is a very busy city and its true that it’s a city of rich heritage and culture. It’s around 3 hours drive from Colombo.

After the capital Colombo, Kandy is the next big city in SriLanka. Today, it’s a UNESCO world heritage site and one of the most important places of Buddhist worship in the world due to the Temple of the Tooth.

Places that we visited:

Millennium Elephant Foundation

There are lot of different elephant camps like ‘Millennium Elephant Foundation’ in Kandy. Your driver will no doubt take you to his favourite (or where he has a business tie up). These places works rather as a touristic attraction where the elephants are kept in chains.

Note: If you are from South India (especially from Kerala), please avoid such camps. There is nothing special here that you had not seen in Kerala. You can save some money here, by avoiding such places.

Kandy Lake

This is the main hangout place for the Locals and the tourists and its in the heart of the Kandy City. Seems it was created by the last ruler of Kandy in 1807. The lake also has a bad history where people who opposed the lake development was thrown to death in this same lake. It is good to stroll around the lake at any point of the day. There’s even an island in the lake, with palm trees! Try to avoid people who come near you with some ticket sale and so on.

Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa)

North of the Kandy Lake is the famous temple that houses Sri Lanka`s most important Buddhist relic – a tooth of the Buddha himself. You don’t, however, get to see the real tooth in the temple, as it is hidden in a golden casket shaped like a dagoba. A lot of Buddhists visit this temple throughout the year. Pilgrims gather every morning in the temple to pray and bring offerings of flowers and it’s a beautiful sight to behold. Frangipani, lotus and jasmine flowers are placed in tribute to the relic.

Photography is not allowed in the inner line (the line closest to the tooth) but you can take photographs just behind it.

Shoes must be taken off before entering the temple.

Big Buddha Statue(Bahiravokanda Vihara Buddha Statue)

A beautiful statue which towers over the city is the big white Buddha or locally known as Bahiravokanda Vihara. You can climb up the stairs and get the amazing panoramic views of the whole city!

Some tips while taking photos in front of Buddha Statue:

  1. Do not take photo with your back side facing the statue.
  2. Try to avoid wearing shoes and hats, when you want to go near the statue.
  3. Don’t pose inappropriate ways in front of the statue.

In General, another point to note here is that some(not all) Tuk-Tuk(Autorickshaws) drivers might charge you very high fares. So check with your hotel/resort and have a fair idea about the fares.

New Lucky Land Spice Garden

Sri Lanka is famous for its spices and spice gardens and there are so many in and around Kandy. Your driver will no doubt take you to his favourite (or where he has a business tie up). We went to ‘New Lucky Land Spice garden’ for a short period of time and sampled cinnamon, aloevera and a variety of oils.

Note: If you are from South India (especially from Kerala), please avoid such spice gardens. There is nothing special here that you had not seen in Kerala.

Rajanima Craft

Rajanima Craft make high quality wood products with the help of Kandyan craftsmanship. A nice place to visit if you are around Kandy. We have not purchased anything from here, So not sure about the price and the formalities to take the crafts to the Home country.

Prasanna Gem Centre

Prasanna Gem Center offers you world class exotic Gem and Jewellery with their expertise from generations. You can buy ‘Stones’ from here. If you are planning  to buy your birth stone , you can try this place. You can watch a short video about the evolution of certain stones and then see the workshop where the jewellery is made.

Kandy Dance (Drum and Fire Show)

There are three venues for dance/drum shows in Kandy, all located around Kandy lake. You can choose one, according to your wish. Lot of people visit these venues. So, try to reach the venue on time.

  1. Kandyan Art Association & Cultural Centre (Show starts around 5 PM)
  2. Kandy Lake Club (Show starts around 5 PM)
  3. Mahanuwara YMBA (Show starts around 5.30 PM)

This is an nice program, which brings to life ancient heritage through music, drumming, magic and fire walking!

Food: Try out some Sea food.

There are lot of small local vendors in and around the city, so try out some street food aswell.

Other Places worth mentioning here:

  1. Peradeniya/Royal Botanic Gardens (5.5 Kms)
  2. Gadaladeniya temple (13 Kms)
  3. Udawatta Kelle Sanctuary (2.2 Kms)
  4. Kandy Museums
  5. Helga’s Folly

Accommodation:

We stayed in Earl’s Regent Hotel:

Located about 15-20 minutes’ drive from Kandy centre is the Earl’s Regent hotel. This hotel has a nice swimming pool and the friendly staff makes you feel right at home. The stay was comfortable and the service was really good. Our room was in the building which is on the left side of the main reception. Didn’t have an escalator. During checkout, we had to use the steps to bring down the heavy luggage. So if you have any old people in the group, please request for a room in the new building.

A trip to Singapore

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Hello! I traveled here, a long time ago. Never in my wildest dreams, did I think that someday I’d be a travel blogger! Apologies for the quality of the contents (AND/OR) pictures might not meet your expectations.  I assure you detailed contents / pictures in the latest and the upcoming blogs. 
Hope you can understand.  Enjoy reading and stay connected!!!!

“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” – IBN Battuta

My family and I visited Singapore in December 2008.

Singapore is an amazing country. One of the cleanest country that I had ever visited.

Singapore is a small country, and it’s easy to get around. Thanks to its well-connected network of transportation, ‘The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT)’

1. Sentosa Island (Dolphin Show / S.E.A Aquarium)

Sentosa is an island resort located off the coast of Singapore (around 15 min from City Center).  It can be easily reached from Singapore city center. There are three main options to get to Sentosa Island apart from driving over in a car or taxi. These are to take the cable car, the monorail or walk over. The Singapore cable car takes you from Mt Faber or Harbour Front on Singapore across to Sentosa Island.

S.E.A. Aquarium  – This is one of the largest aquariums in the world which has many tunnels and touch tanks that all will absolutely love.

2. Singapore Zoo

The Singapore Zoo opened in 1973 , is one of Singapore’s biggest attraction. The nice thing about Singapore Zoo is that most of the animals are in “open” exhibits. The zoo takes about 4 to 5 hours to get through.

White Tiger is the major attraction in the zoo. The white tiger is a rare pigmentation variant of the Bengal tiger, which is reported in the wild from time to time in Assam, Bengal, Bihar (states in India).

3. China Town

Singapore’s historic Chinatown is a busy place, filled with a mixture of old and new shops and markets.

4. Mustafa center @ Little India

This is one of the Shops (located in Little India) where you could do a lot of shopping (comparatively cheaper)

5. Merlion

If you are in Singapore, You cannot avoid a photo with this background. Afterall, it’s the evidence that you have visited this beautiful country.

6. Changi Airport

Changi Airport itself is a major attraction.

One Line Summary: This country should always be there in your bucket list and never miss an opportunity to visit this small and beautiful country.

A college tour to Kathmandu, Nepal

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Hello! I traveled here, a long time ago. Never in my wildest dreams, did I think that someday I’d be a travel blogger! Apologies for the quality of the contents (AND/OR) pictures might not meet your expectations.  I assure you, detailed contents / pictures in the latest and the upcoming blogs. 
Hope you can understand.  Enjoy reading and stay connected!!!!

I visited Nepal as a part of the final year tour from my college in 2003.

Nepal, those days were not safe at all, with Curfew (during night time) and explosions around.

Leaving those things apart, Nepal was a beautiful place with lot of greenery.

It was a sweet memory during those college days.

We took a private bus to reach Kathmandu from New Jalpaiguri (Nepal Border). The Roads were really bad and dangerous. Only an experienced Driver can drive through that road.

A trip to Kaula Lumpur, Malaysia

Posted on by Prabhith Prabhakaran 
Hello! I traveled here, a long time ago. Never in my wildest dreams, did I think that someday I’d be a travel blogger! Apologies for the quality of the contents (AND/OR) pictures might not meet your expectations.  I assure you detailed contents / pictures in the latest and the upcoming blogs. 
Hope you can understand.  Enjoy reading and stay connected!!!!

“I’m in love with cities I’ve never been to and people I’ve never met” – John Green

We visited Kaula Lumpur in 2008. We stayed there for 2 days. We went to Kaula Lumpur from Singapore By Bus. Kuala Lumpur is a great destination for budget travel, with cheap food and accommodations, and cheap airfare.

Petronas Tower: The main reason we visited Kuala Lumpur was to see the Petronas Towers. The Petronas Twin Towers here in Kuala Lumpur was once the world’s tallest buildings (1998 to 2004). These towers remain the world’s tallest twin towers as of today. Two different companies built each tower, they had a race between them. The company who started over a month later actually finished first! Tower One is fully occupied by the Petronas Company which is Malaysia’s national oil company and a number of its subsidiaries and partners. Tower Two is been leased to other companies which includes some of the Top Software firms aswell.

It was so nice to see the Petronas Towers from this angle..

You can also visit the Menara KL tower. Its very near to the Petronas Towers. KL Tower has a Mini Zoo too..

Batu Caves: 

This cave is deep inside a Lime stone Mountain, just outside Kaula Lumpur City. Batu Caves is one of the most important Hindu temple outside of India, dedicated to Lord Murugan, an Indian deity. We had to climb around 250-300 Steps to reach the main temple. It is indeed a tough one. To one side of the stairs is the world`s tallest statue of Lord Murugan (43 meter high), a Hindu god.

Till date, we never drank such a tasty Tender coconut water, which we had in front of the Batu Caves. That wont be a waste of money.

One Line Summary: If you get a chance to visit Kaula Lumpur anytime, please don’t miss the 2 places. Its worth Visiting..

A trip to Batam Islands, Indonesia

Posted on by Prabhith Prabhakaran 
Hello! I traveled here, a long time ago. Never in my wildest dreams, did I think that someday I’d be a travel blogger! Apologies for the quality of the contents (AND/OR) pictures might not meet your expectations. I assure you detailed contents / pictures in the latest and the upcoming blogs. Hope you can understand.  Enjoy reading and stay connected!!!!

“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” –Gustav Flaubert

We visited Batam Islands, Indonesia in 2008.

We went  from Singapore to Batam Islands in a ferry through the sea (45 min)

Enroute, we could also see a lot of huge Cargo ships.

Other than Malaysia, Batam is probably the next easiest place for you to take a quick getaway from Singapore without flying, and is immensely popular with Singaporeans who want a cheap, easy holiday with minimal travelling required.   For Indians, the Visa can be received on arrival, which is quite convenient.

We stayed there at a family friend’s house, for 2 days.

The Sun Rise and Sun Set view from this island is amazing.

In my personal opinion, Batam islands doesn’t have much to see. But People in Singapore and Malaysia come in large numbers to enjoy Batamian food (price is also low).

Explored the Unexplored –> Agumbe Rainforest, Karnataka, India

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We travelled to Agumbe in November 2015. My friend and his family accompanied us for this entire trip.

The route that we followed was : Bangalore –> Agumbe –> Jog Falls –> Mookambika Temple (Kudajadri) –> Murudeshwar –> Gokarna Om Beach –> Shimoga –> Bangalore.

My fellow travellers in Bangalore: This is one of the best trips that you can plan from Bangalore. You can cover some beautiful places in this entire road trip. Our’s was a 4N/5D trip; 1 night in Agumbe, 1 night in Gokarna , 2 nights in Shimoga

Agumbe is one of the least explored tourist destinations in Karnataka. It is a small village located in Shimoga district, in the Malnad region of Karnataka, India. Its also known as the place of origin of Malgudy. If you grew up in the 90s and have never heard of Malgudi Days, there’s something missing in your life. Malgudi — a fictitious town from R.K. Narayan’s novel — is actually Agumbe Village.

(Doddamane house below)

Agumbe is popular for 3 things:

1) Snakes especially King Cobra (the most venomous snake in the world)

2) Heavy Rainfall (also known as ‘The Cherrapunji of the South’)

3) Sunset (there is a sunset point 10 minutes away from town)

Agumbe has very limited visitor accommodation (1 hotel and 3-4 Home stays only). So book your stay in advance.

Best part of Agumbe is its location, which is surrounded by lush greenery with no signs & sounds of traffic.

Some places worth visiting:

Agumbe Rain forest
Research Station (ARRS)
Barkana falls
Jogi and Gundi falls
Koodlu Falls

Kundadri Hills (Jain Temple) : It is a hill (826 mt) with dense forests in the Wastern Ghats. This hill is known for 17th century Jain temple. Two small ponds formed by the rock on one side of this temple provided water to earlier sages.

Government of Karnataka joined hands with a philanthropist from Mumbai to construct an all-weather road to the top of the hill.

We stayed at Naveen’s Belachikatte Home stay. We were one of the first families who stayed in that new homestay and infact I was the first person to review this homestay on Trip advisor.

We got a chance to try some really nice Malnad cuisine from this homestay. Thanks to Naveen and his family for making our trip a memorable one.

Note: Please ensure to fill your vehicle’s fuel tank before reaching here. We missed to do so and had to go down the 18 hair pin bends to reach down the ghat section just to fill the petrol in our car. We did not see any petrol pumps on the main town. May be over a period of time, things might have changed.

A Weekend trip to the Wild: Kabini, Karnataka, India

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The gladdest moment in human life, me thinks, is a departure into unknown lands – Sir Richard Burton

We visited Kabini in June 2017. Kabini has been in my bucket list for a long time and I had to wait for a couple of years to make it happen.

Route Map from Bangalore:

Kabini is a wildlife reserve near Mysore and is a part of the Nagarhole forest range. Nagarhole national park is popularly known as Rajiv Gandhi National park. These were once a private hunting ground for the royal family of Mysore. Kabini is a smaller part in this park, named after the Kabini river that flows through it. Kabini river originates in Kerala, flows eastwards to join the much larger River Cauvery, eventually discharging into Bay of Bengal at end of its journey, after passing though most of Tamil Nadu and Southern Karnataka.

We went for the Jungle safari. it is organized under the supervision and control of the government officials (Forest Department).

We took the Morning Safari in the Bus arranged by the Forest Department. I was told that many people visited this place mainly to see the Black Panther(BP). Across the whole safari, we were also eagerly waiting to see a Black Panther(BP). But unfortunately, we couldn’t see one. But we were indeed happy that we saw a lot of another wild animals. Don’t forget to take binoculars and camera while going for safaris.

I think the safari at this region happens in different zones. If you are planning multiple safaris, make sure you go to different zones each time.

The river plays an important role in attracting the wild animals to this region. Elephants, tiger, deer and so on are a regular sight in this region.

For all the nature lovers, this is definitely a must-see place. It has everything a wild life enthusiast aspire for. Once we pass Mysore, we can feel the change in temperature.

Accomodation:

We stayed in Red Earth Resort. Would certainly recommend this resort to all my fellow travellers. I have also read and heard wonderful reviews about some other resorts in this region like Serai, Orange County, Jungle Lodge, Waterwoods, The Bison and so on.

All the accommodation options available in Kabini are quite costly. There is no way that you can find a cheaper option. But all are definitely worth the money that you pay. Many of the resorts are nearby the Kaveri river.

As it’s a wildlife reserve area, you might not see any restaurants nearby. So, you will have to eat your food at the resort itself.

A Mahindra 4 wheel drive Jeep Safari to Kodachadri (Kudajadri), Mookambika, Karnataka, India

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A good traveller has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving

– Lao Tzu

ROUTE MAP

We visited Kollur Mookambika temple in November 2015. We decided to include Kodachadri in this trip and I feel that inclusion was a great decision. I would certainly recommend Kudajadri to my fellow travellers here. The Mahindra 4 wheel jeep safari to Kudajaadri is a great experience. You get the jeep to Kodachadri from the entrance of the Mookambika temple itself.

The route that we followed was : Bangalore –> Agumbe –> Jog Falls –> Mookambika Temple (Kudajadri) –> Murudeshwar –> Gokarna Om Beach –> Shimoga –> Bangalore.

My fellow travellers in Bangalore: This is one of the best trips that you can plan from Bangalore. You can cover some beautiful places in this entire road trip. Our’s was a 4N/5D trip; 1 night in Agumbe, 1 night in Gokarna , 2 nights in Shimoga

Mookambika temple is an ancient temple located at Kollur in Karnataka. Kollur is about 125 kms away from Mangalore and around 400 Kms away from Bangalore. And is easily accessed from Tamilnadu, Kerala and Karnataka by train and road. Kudajaadri is 25+ Km (1.5-2 Hrs by jeep) away from Kollur temple.

Kudajadri/ Kodachadri is a mountain peak with dense forests (altitude – 1343 meters above sea level) in the Western Ghats in South India (Karnataka State). Kodachadri forms a background to the famous temple of Mookambika in Kollur. Situated in the middle of the Mookambika National Park, it is home to several endemic and endangered species of flora and fauna. This tourism spot is a secret hill station of Karnataka State popular for amazing beauty and natural scenery. This is a also a trekking spot and many people come in their Bikes aswell.

You can also visit the ‘Kodachadri Moola Mookambika Temple‘ at the top of the hills (The jeep takes you till this point)

There are 2 Waterfalls nearby (Trekking Spots)(We couldn’t visit these waterfalls)

Hidlumane Waterfalls:

If you are at Kodachadri then you have cover the distance of just 5 kms to reach the waterfall area. Hidlumane Waterfalls is basically a trekking site.

Arasinagundi Waterfalls:

The distance between waterfall and town is only 6 kms. Go to down area of Dhalli village of Kudajadri to enjoy this Properly.

How to reach Mookambika (courtesy:wikipedia)

By Air: Mangalore International Airport (IATA: IXE) (ICAO: VOML), at Bajpe, about 20 km from the city centre. Currently there are daily flights to Mumbai, Bangalore, Goa, Kochi and Calicut in the domestic segment and weekly/bi-weekly flights to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat (Oman), Doha (Qatar), Kuwait and Bahrain in the international segment. Kollur is two hours drive from Mangalore.

By Train/Road: Byndoor (Mookambika Road Station – BYNR) is the nearest stations to Kollur, road distance is ~28km to temple from Byndoor. From railway station to Byndoor city, catch rickshaw & from Byndoor to Kollur private bus facility is there. Other option is private taxi from Byndoor or from the railway station. Big disadvantage of Byndoor station is its located remote border area of Kundapura taluk and there is risk of getting facilities during night hour.