20 Weekend Getaways from Bangalore

Bangalore has amazing weather and is blessed with amazing holiday destinations for weekends ranging from wild-life in forest reserves; pristine beaches; medieval era forts, palaces and temples; and hill tops which are excellent for trip ranging for a day to 4 days. Below are some of the options to plan for your next weekend trip:

1/2 Day

1. Makalidurga Fort

2. Ramadevara Betta Hill

3. Antara Ganga

4. Nandi One

5. Savandurga

6. Shiv Gange

7. Devarayana durga

1 Day

1. Chennagiri

2. Uttari Betta


2 Days:

1. Golden Temple (Bylekuppe), Nisargadhama, Madikeri & Nagarahole karnataka tourism package tour.

2. Jog Falls

3. Mysore Palace, Brindawan Garden, Chennakeshava temple, Hoysalehwara temple

4. Gokarna

5. Grand Canyon of India, Gandikota

6. Belum Caves


3 Days:

1. Munnar, Allepey, Kochi

2. Rameswaram

3. Madurai

Nanjing

Nanjing, was the old capital city of China. Given its proximity to Shanghai it can be a good destination for a day long outing from Shanghai. 

Waterway near the Confucius Templel

Fuji Mao Temple

Zhongshan Mountain National Park

The Mausoleum is part of the larger Zhongshan Mountain National Park Complex.

Getting There: The closest metro station is MUXUYUAN on Line 2. The monument is around 2 KM walk from the metro station and the walk is beautiful with ample greenery if you are a nature lover. The entrance to this monument is free. You could also take Bus #1 for RMB 1 to this monument but like any other place in China it will be extremely crowded. The third option is to take the battery operated vehicles which are more costly. Boarding places for both these are around 300 m from the subway station.

The main monument is a climb of around 400 steps with a series of gates and structures that you need to pass. The climb is not strenuous. If you would like a closer look of the statue of Dr. Yatsen then you could get into the queue once you reach the top. The queue is fast moving. All food items in the area are twice as costly and it tends to be very crowded so consider bring stuff along if that suits your type of travel.

Dr. Sun Yat Sen's Mausoleum

Dr. Sun Yat Sen's Mausoleum

Lingering Garden Suzhou

Lingering Garden Suzhou

Mesmerizing Bonsai Collection

Roadside Delicacies at Suzhou

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat

Bayon

Stay: Le Meridian Angkor

Food

Cambodian Cuisine

Durian Dessert

Weekend Getaway : Bangalore: Makali Durga Trek

View the Map of South America under the water body below :)

Difficulty: This one is slightly harder than the Nandi One and the Ramnagar betta treks.

Trivia: This is a Vijayanagar era fort as was used for training the soldiers. Post fall of Vijayanagar empire this was part of the Bijapur sultanate when it was captured by Shahji Maharaj (father of Shivaji Maharaj). The hill derives its name from the name of a feudral lord names Makaliraya who controlled it. 

Legend has it that Rishi Markandeya  performed penance at this place.

How to reach: The trek location is well connected by road and the Makalidurga railway station is very close to the trek. It is approx 60km from Bangalore and the road head is SH9. There is an entry fee of 250/- per head and NO NIGHT trekking is allowed anymore. You can pay for this online. If you forget to pay in advance you can do it at the venue. The network connectivity was good.

Season: Avoid during the rains as the ground and the rock can be a bit slippery. The best time should be between September to February. Also try to reach by 0600 to avoid the sun. You should start from Bangalore latest by 0430 hrs.

Plan: Carry water bottles and food (if you are planning to hang around on the top). There are no food shops at the top or nearby. Only a tender coconut vendor is there at the bottom but he too comes in at around 0900 am (only on Sat and Sun). There are Rhesus monkey troupes in the area so be careful. Normally they are busy with themselves.

The Trail:

Follow the directions from google. The road from SH9 to the base camp is dusty (kutcha road). Right before the railway tracks you might notice vehicles parked. You can park your vehicle there. Expect some local villagers trying to ask for a parking fee. Cross over the train tracks.

You may notice some forest rangers on the other side who will check for the entry tickets. Book online in case your forgot, they were cool about it. Follow the direction. It is straight ahead and then right. You will notice painted arrows which will lead you to the top. There are colored ribbons as well on the tree to mark the trail. 

As you come closer to the summit of the hill you will notice the first watch tower of the fort to your left.  

The small fort at the top is in ruins now. However you can see the 3-4 watch towers. Take a left from the stone with a marking as below (Durg stands for fort). There are 3 watch towers in succession.

You can also view the lake below which resembles the map of South America.

The is a  natural rain water reservoir used for drinking water supply especially during a siege.

And then there is temple.

There is a Shiv ling and a Nandi statue inside as well.

Athens of the East

Madurai

Meenaksi Temple:

Things to Know: Footwear need to be taken off and the pavement inside can get quite hot so early morning/evening may be a good time for a visit. You can avail for the golf cart if you like. Also avoid visiting during the time of festivities. Sept in that sense happened to be a decent time to visit.

Fee: To entire the first enclosure there is no fee. Then you need to walk quite a bit to enter the second enclosure which is covered. Here you may see ticket counters. There are two main shrines one for goddess Meenakshi (Parvati) and second for god Sundereshwar (Shiva). You can take the free line or pay Rs50 per deity per person for the other line. My obervation is that on lean days you could pay to save 30 mins per deity on busy days it may not make much of a difference. The ticket counters are available inside also so you can take a call once you are inside as well.

You could download the Pinakin app to learn about the details of the different attractions in the temple complex.

The Gopurams which have a fractals design are an excellent example of the level of excellence in architecture and design of the time. Remember to notice the large Nataraja statue which is unique because of the leg lifted in pose. Remember to visit the thousand pillar mandapam as well. There are a number of very beautiful statue inside the mandapam which doubles up as a museum now.

Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal

Rameswaram: Adam's Bridge, Char Dham, Jyotirlinga, Ghost Town, Old Rail Bridge on Sea

Rameswaram 

One of 12 Jyotirling, One of 4 Dham, Hometown of The People's President Dr. Kalam

Pamban bridge: The Oldest sea bridge and one of the most dangerous railway bridges in India

The bridge is a sight to behold and an experience as the train slowly chugs along the stretch of 2.065 kms. It is located in the second most corrosive environment in the world after Florida. There is double-leaf bascule section midway which can be opened to allow ships and barges to pass through when required.

Ramanathaswamy Temple

This is the southern most Jyotirlinga and the one where Ram (incarnation) of Vishnu prayed. The temple can be entered via two gates either from the gate facing Agni teertham or from the West Gate.

There are 23 water bodies inside and they charge you even to enter those areas. Only few of the kunds you can see for free which I feel was a bit too much commercialization. If you are not very keen on the rituals then go straight for the temple. Also an important call out. If you are planning to perform any Abhishek like Rudra Abhishek you will not be allowed to do it inside the main temple unlike some of the other Jyotirlinga's so please have your expectation set accordingly.

Dhanushkodi Beach:

This is not just another beach because of the layout of the place. The last 3km of the road runs with visible and sea on both sides. The sea on one side (Bay of Bengal side) is completely calm while the one on the Indian Ocean side is windy with waves eating on the land. The area is quite dynamic and is out of sync with what Google map shows.
Google shows the strip on the Indian Ocean side to be wider and the one on Bay of Bengal side as narrow in reality it is the reverse now. In fact they have to dump stones and are building an embankment to protect the road which takes you to the end point of Dhanush Kondi. The tip is between 13-20 km far from Sri Lankan mainland. You may actually get a Welcome to Airtel Sri Lanka message in the area.

Reaching there:
The most economical option is to take Bus #3 from the bus stop near Agni Theetham. Cost just Rs30 one way. Usually bus operate once in a hour.  The only problem is that you cannot stop on the way to explore other places en-route like Kothandaramar Temple, Ghost town (Dhanushkondi was destroyed during the cycle in 1964 I think), there are ruins of a Church and the old railway station that you can still see. The whole trip takes about 2 hours ( 1 hr in each direction) plus the time you would like to spend on the beach and its best to go in the evening or early morning to avoid the scorching sun. 


There are shops serving freshly cooked sea food and ATV rides.
Another option is to take an auto or taxi. Autos were asking for Rs700 both ways. The best option is perhaps to take a bike if you can find a place in Rameshwaram who rents it out. 


The Indian national emblem replica (Ashok Stambh) is installed at the point where the road ends. The beach and sea is pristine.

Ghost Town: 

The Ghost town of Dhanushkodi lies on the way to the Dhanushkodi beach about 20km from the Ramanathswamy temple. This was a bustling village until with a railway station until the 1964 cyclone when it was completely devastated. 
Plan for a visit if you like such places as the only thing are the ruined buildings like the Church, the old railway station etc. Ideally you should come here via a bike or a hired vehicle.
There is connectivity via the public transport bus but the frequency is about every hour.

Stay in Rameswaram:Agrasen Bhawan

Please understand that this is a charitable institution and not a hotel although they provide excellent facilities for the price they charge and is excellent if you are a north Indian visiting with parents.

They have a lift so even a second or third floor room should not be a problem. They have both AC, Non-AC and dormitories. The charge for a AC room for three people (mattress for the third person) was Rs 800 with a 23 hr checkout policy. The rooms are also equipped with Tata Sky cable connection.

The food is also very economical with an all you can eat (unlimited thali) for Rs 70. The food is homely and simple and will cater well to North Indian taste: Dal, two curries, phulka, papad, pickle and curd. 


It is barely 200 mtrs from the east gate of the temple. Auto from station will not drop you here as vehicles are not allowed on this road. So you will have to carry your luggage for about 100 mtrs from the auto stand. 

Luxembourg

The city has a number of historical, religious and artistic attractions. A lot of these can be covered on foot. In fact you should seriously consider covering them on foot if you have sometime and do not mind walking.

Grand Duke Jean Museum of Modern Art

Fortress Museum

International Travel on Indian Passport: Visa not required or Visa on Arrival

International Travel on Indian Passport: Visa not required or Visa on Arrival

Visa is the most important thing the moment you consider international travel not just from a cost perspective but also from a process perspective. There are three four level categories when it comes to the visa process. The easiest one is countries which do not require a Visa. The comes the countries requiring an e-Visa and countries issuing visa on arrival. 

*The cost of the visa and other requirements keep changing from country to country and also depend on the diplomatic relations at that point of time so double check on the exact requirements and applicability on the consulate website of the country you plan to visit. The blog is written from an informative purposes and should not be a basis for an of you travel decisions. You can refer to this very informative blog for more details.

Thailand 

Visa Required: Yes 

Visa on Arrival: Yes. A fee of 2000 THB is charged. Visa on arrival grants you 14 days to stay in Thailand. This visa is not extensible and to avail this visa one needs to have a return ticket out of Thailand within 14 days from day of landing. Valid only if you fly into Thailand and entry from some of the land borders in Laos. 

Can Visa on Arrival be extended: No 

Cambodia Visa Required: Yes 

Visa on Arrival: Yes. Available at both land and air immigration checkpoints. Cost is USD 30 for a 1 month visa. 

Is e-Visa possible: Yes.  

Weekend Getaway from Hyderabad: Medak

Medak is an adjoining district to Hyderabad and has two major attractions: the Medak fort and the Medak church. 

Medak Fort: You could spend an hour if you are in Medak. There is not much of the fort left other than 3 gates and a cannon but it provides a good view of the entire Medak town. You may play the cannon hunt with friends as well as the location of the cannon is not marked and you will need to find it. As of Nov 5 2017 it was there. I will not take away the fun by revealing the location :). 

There is no entry fee and you can take up your vehicle right up to the Haritha hotel which is a state tourism hotel chain. There are not many rooms so it is advisable to check on availability if you are planning to stay.

The view may be more interesting during the sun rise or sun set I guess.

You could also stay at the heritage hotel "Haritha Hotel" . The Mubarak Mahal which was the residential structure on the fort premise has been converted into a hotel and a restaurant. 

It can be a good place to unwind for a couple of days especially given its location and given that not many visit the place. Could give the sense of being the King of the Fort :) !!

Medak Fort

Back side of Mubarak Mahal

Elephant Gate

Elephant Carvings

Water reservoir in the fort

Medak Town

Mosque and Police Check Post at the Top of the Fort

Cannon in the fort

Cannon in the fort: Treasure Hunt Opportunity :)

Medak Cathedral: The cathedral is quite large and built has a Gothic architecture. There is some beautiful stained glass work in the church. Take a walk around the church building to get a close view of the work from the three sides as the church may be crowded on Sundays.

There is ample parking space around the church. A good time to visit Medak would be in the winter months however between October to February as you do not need t face scorching Telangana heat.

Back View

Entrance to right of Spire

Right view of the Cathedral

Temple: On the way between Hyderabad and Medak you have this temple which has a river flowing in its backdrop. The temple is quite popular among the locals.

Medak City