If you live in South India and want to get away for a weekend, or live in North India but have gone through all the hill stations close by (lucky you!) and want something different, Coorg is a very interesting option. Budget or luxury, you’ll have plenty of options if you want to spend a weekend in Coorg. So we did a test run for you, as it were, and here are the top tips to keep in mind.

First of all, if you like a road trip and don’t live too far away, drive down to Coorg. Be warned, though – it might seem very easy on Google maps, but it can get confusing and convoluted. Also, you have absolutely no sense of direction but a knack for planting the seeds of doubt in those who do, like yours truly, you should definitely keep quiet as you try to find your way to the highway exit from Bangalore. Your companion will thank you later, instead of fuming for hours.

If you live too far away for that, fly or take a train to Bangalore and hire a car for the weekend. Apart from the really nice drive, with conveniently located fast food places for rest room breaks and snacks, you’ll be glad to have your own transportation once you are in Coorg.

Now, for the luxurious among you, there are a few resorts in Coorg, the loveliest of which is probably the Taj Vivanta. It is quite steep, though, so it is much cheaper to opt for a home stay, then drive to the property for a day trip and enjoy the view from the lobby. It’s an excellent drive there, with countryside just begging to be described as ‘idyllic’, and the lobby deck will make you feel as if you’re standing on a cloud on a slightly overcast day. If you decide to splurge and stay there, you don’t need our help at all. They will take care of everything, and you will need a stupendous amount of will power to leave the property at all.

If you are more the home stay kind, there are plenty of really nice ones to choose from. Silver Brook Estate is one of the nicest, though you will have to book in advance. They’re one of the first choices for everybody, for a reason. Gowri Nivas is another one with most basic amenities, and Honey Pot Homes is set in a nice property and will give you some kind of a keepsake when you leave. We got a coffee mug with a nice honey bee logo on it. Whichever you choose, you can be assured that they will give you as much information as they have and help you with whatever they can.

Our top tip for packing if you’re a budget traveller: Take a few thin cotton towels that dry quickly. You will not get unlimited supply of linen, and with the humidity in Coorg, the lovely, fluffy ones will not dry in a day. Using damp towels for your evening shower when it gets quite bracing is not fun.

There are lots of places to see, most of which involve driving uphill and, in our case, deciding that taking our shoes off and getting our socks damp was too high a price to pay for a look inside a temple that, let’s face it, is probably not that different from the last temple you saw. But the tea and instant noodles at the little shops once you do reach these temples are quite worth the drive, not to mention the views. If you like touching clouds and walking through them, it’s quite the experience. Tala Cauveri and Raja’s Seat were our picks.

Abbi’s Falls is a popular attraction, but if you have to choose, we’d recommend you pick another one. A park that gets extremely crowded has been built around it. Ask at the home stay for the waterfall that will be the nicest spot at the time you’re there. They will be glad to tell you. Make sure you get a map and follow it carefully, though. You won’t find anybody to ask the way after a while, and when you do, they’re likely to be lost tourists too. Yes, that happened.

Pencil Bylekuppe, near Kushalanagar, into your itinerary. It’s one of the largest Tibetan settlements in the country and it’s absolutely gorgeous. Spend a few hours at the monasteries and the temples to find some real inner peace. If you like fake football junk, you’ll find plenty of shops around that sell them (unless you support Fulham or something, then you’d have to be very lucky to find anything). If you like cute clothes, you’ll be thrilled with the selections there, too – you can get a boutique look at a slight fraction of the price.

For the non-vegetarians, we recommend making time for a second trip to get a second helping of the food. Momos, authentic Chinese food, steamed buns – in fact, go on a diet before you set off. You’ll pile on a few pounds in a couple of days and they’ll be worth it. Stop at the market there and ask for some erma – you’ll get some potent, flavourful Sichuan pepper.

Before you leave Coorg, buy spices, honey and vanilla, and some coffee if you’re a caffiend (caffeine fiend, you know it if you are one). They’re of excellent quality, and as long as you store them properly, they’ll last you ages. Our last tip: on the drive back, don’t get lost again. Maps are your friends. Don’t judge us, you can benefit from our mistakes!

source: http://www.theindianrepublic.com / The Indian Republic / Home> The Indian Republic> Lifestyle> Travel / by Sarah Abraham / Thursday – April 17th, 2014