Friday, January 22, 2010

Travel> Hotels in Ooty

Here is a list of hotels that you can consider on your trip to Ooty.

1) Hotel Khems - http://www.hotelkhems.com/
Address: Shoreham Palace Road, Off Ettines Road, Ooty - 643001. South India Phone: 0423-2444188, 2441635 Fax: 0423-2442461

2) Willow Hill - http://www.willowhill.in/
Address: 58/1, Havelock Road, Ooty – 643 001. Phone: 0423 222 3123 / 222 4123 / 244 4037 / 244 4758 Tele-Fax: 0423 244 4037

3) King's Cliff - http://www.kingscliff-ooty.com/ Address: King's Cliff, Havelock Road, Ooty - 643001. Phone: +91 9487000111/ +91-423 2452888/9. Email: kingscliff@littlearth.in

4) Savoy Hotel (A part of Taj Hotels)
Address:
77, Sylks Road, Ooty-643001, Tamil Nadu, India. Tel:(91-423) 2444142 Fax:(91-423) 2443318 Email:savoy.ooty@tajhotels.com

5) Sullivan Court - http://fortunehotels.in
Address:
Fortune Hotel Sullivan Court, Ooty 123, Selbourne Road, Opp. Rose Garden, Ooty - 643001 Tel: 0423-2441415/16 Fax: 0423-2441417 e-mail: sullivancourt@fortunehotels.in

Friday, January 15, 2010

Travel> Mangalore to Velankanni

There may not be direct bus/ train services that ply from Mangalore to Velankanni. You'll have to take a train from Mangalore to Chennai – Mangalore (MAQ) - Chennai (MS) Express (Train No. 6108).

Check - http://indiarailinfo.com/train/1981

Once you reach Chennai station, you can take a direct bus from there to Velankanni. You can go through sites like - http://www.ixigo.com, www.ticketvala.com to book bus tickets from Chennai to Velankanni.

You can also check with RathiMeena Travels. Foe more information go to: http://www.onlinebustickets.in/bus-from/chennai-to-velankanni/ All the details of travel agencies, departure and arrival timings, boarding point are all mentioned here.

You can check bus/ train/ pvt. taxi from Velankanni for the route to go back to Bangalore.

List of Hotels in Velankanni:
1) Golden Sand Hotel
2) Picnic Hotel
3) Bethesda Inn MGM
4) Sea Gate Hotel

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Travel> Aurangabad to Mahabaleshwar

Image: Map of Maharashtra
Image courtesy: mapsofindia

If you are planning to drive down from Aurangabad to Mahabaleshwar, then firstly I suggest you start by going through this map of Maharashtra that will show you how far Aurangabad and Mahabaleshwar are:
http://nandurbar.nic.in/Images/maharashtra.gif

There may not be any direct buses that ply between Mahabaleshwar and Aurangabad.

Aurangabad-Mahabaleshwar Route:
http://www.maps-india.com/maharashtra/maharashtra-tourist-map.html

Private Taxi/ Bus Service:
You can hire private taxis from Mahabaleshwar to drive you down to Aurangabad. You can check this site with all the details regarding different types of bus services:
http://www.chembur.com/travel.htm

This link has rent-a-car details, you can contact kijiji for the same:
http://mumbai.kijiji.in/c-Cars-Bikes-Rent-A-Car-Taxi-Services-Volvo-Bus-Services-Pune-Shirdi-Nashik-Aurangabad-W0QQAdIdZ37854618

There's also a 'Shirdi Shani Shingnapur Aurangabad Mahabaleshwar Nashik Darshan'
http://mysore.kijiji.in/c-Services-Travel-Services-Hotels-Ticketing-Shirdi-Shani-Shingnapur-Aurangabad-Mahabaleshwar-Nashik-Darshan-W0QQAdIdZ25865412

As another option if you like, you can look up this travel package which covers Aurangabad and Mahabaleshwar:
http://www.india-wildlife-tours.com/travel-packages/india-maharashtra-tour.html

Monday, January 4, 2010

Travel> Trekking Options in Munnar

Here are a few options for those who want to do something different and off-beat on their trip to Munnar. If you're looking at trekking options, then these inputs maybe of help.

1) Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary - a 25sq km park, has inspection bungalows and watch towers. For this, you can contact the Assistant Wildlife Warden at Kothamangalam on 0485-2588302.

2) Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary - located 60kms north-east of Munnar and 10km from Marayoor. Trekking, hut stays and tree-house available. Contact the Forest Information Centre at 04865-231587

3) The Hornbill Camp - Contact at 0485-2310324. For more information, go to: http://lemongrassecolodges.blogspot.com/2009/03/hornbill-camp-thattekkad.html

4) Kalypso Adventures - organize trekking camps at Munnar. Website: http://www.kalypsoadventures.com

5) Coimbatore to Munnar by road - There are direct buses that ply from Coimbatore to Munnar - one early morning at 7:30am and the other at 3:30pm. You can also take a bus from Coimbatore to Udumalpet and from there hire a private vehicle to go to Munnar and enjoy the scenic drive. It should take around 4 hours approx to reach Munnar. Please check the fare for private taxis, remember it should be per km rate or per hour rate or whichever is higher.

Otherwise, a direct trip from Coimbatore to Munnar by a private vehicle could cost around Rs.2,400/- INR (one way) which should include all their toll tax, parking fee etc. Since there are two check posts and a hefty fee that Tamil Nadu registered cabs have to pay when they cross the border to enter Kerala, the taxi fare maybe on the higher side. It’s relatively safe to travel at night, but try and leave early afternoon so that you can enjoy the scenic beauty.

Travel> Hyderabad to Ooty by Train

You can take the train from Hyderabad to Mettupalayam, from there, to reach Ooty (Udhagamandalam ) you have to travel by Meter gauge train running between Mettupalayam and Udhagamandalam.

For that you need to take the Chennai - Mettupalayam Nilgiri Super fast Exp (Daily). More details check: http://www.coimbatore.com/travel/trains.htm

Hotels:
Mid-range affordable hotels in Ooty:
  • Hotel Khems - www.hotelkhems.com
  • Willow Hill - www.willowhill.in
  • Nilgiri Woodlands - www.nilgiris.nic.in
  • King’s Cliff - http://www.kingscliff-ooty.com
SIGHT SEEING:
1 ) Botanical Gardens
2) St. Stephen’s Church, Church Hill Road – an 1829 church, one of the oldest in the Nilgiris
3.) Tribal Research Centre
4.) Thread Garden
5.) Centenary Rose Park
6.) Boating – you can rent rowboats from the boat house.
7.) Jolly World – amusement park
8.) Contact the tourist office for a trip to Mudumalai National Park through the Pykhara Dam. The trip starts at 9:30 am and ends at 7pm.
9.) Also contact the Ooty Tourist Guides Association 0423-24444449 to hire a local guide. You can go for hill and forest walks.
10.) Contact Camtrek on 0423-2451809 run by Mike Dawson an experience local guide. You can contact him for jungle treks and jeep safaris and visit the Toda Village for campfire and lunch.
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