Tag Archives: retreat

Candolim Beach, Goa

Candolim Beach, Goa

Posted on by

When we were planning a family trip to Goa last year, we kept searching for the right place to stay and finally we arrived at a decision to stay at the Santana Beach Resort at the Candolim Beach looking at the reviews and ratings in Trip Advisor.

I have to say that we were not disappointed.  We did have a fantastic time!  The resort was right on the beach and we could just stroll down to the beach after our lunch and spend as much time, strolling and lazing around at the beach, picking up shells and just being in the water and enjoying the waves to our hearts content.  It gave us an opportunity to really enjoy and feel the essence of being in Goa!

    

The service was decent, the breakfast was varied and had a good spread of continental and Indian. We had Goan fish curry at lunch which tasted good.  The rooms were clean and bathrooms tidy with clean towels when we checked in.  We were lucky to get a room with a kitchen attached, though we did not use it as we were out most of the time.  It has a separate swimming pool for adults and children with beautiful lawns, properly trimmed and maintained with lots of coconut trees and other plants.   It looked beautiful even at night.

Another thing that we really liked about this place was that it was really close to Fort Aguada and we could take a tour of the Fort by taking a short walk through the beach.  We saw people indulge in para sailing and other evening sports at this beach.  It has a great beach shack too.  This place is also very close to the famous Kingfisher villa and  Vivantaby Taj – Fort Aguada.

The price is very decent for the facilities that are on offer.  We would definitely like to go back and stay there once more if we get a chance!!

How to get there

We can take a taxi either from the Goa airport located at Dabolim which is 46 km from Fort Aguada or any of the two Railway Stations – Margao and Vasco Da Gama.

Santana Beach Resort on Google Maps

Munnar, Kerala

The Hill Station of Kerala – Munnar

Posted on by

A visit to Kerala is incomplete without visiting the famous hill station of Kerala called Munnar.  It is part of the Western Ghats falls in the Idukki district.  The name Munnar actually means three rivers.   This is a place where 3 rivers (Mudhirapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundaly river) come and join together.

During one of our annual vacations to Kerala, we made this journey to Munnar by renting a car.  It takes about 3.5 hours from Kochi via Adimali.   It is an uphill drive through a natural forest with a view of the most picturesque valleys and waterfalls.

 

 

 As you climb up, you can see the clouds on top of the mountains enveloping the peak and then slowly as you keep going up, you can feel the clouds kind of settling in on you as well.  It is a wonderful feeling when you realize that you now are part of the clouds that you saw when you were down.   As you come closer to Munnar, you can see the landscape has changed into smooth slopey mountains, trimmed and parted in columns and squares.  The tea gardens are spread wide across mountains and as you inch closer to Munnar, the temperature dips and you start feeling a little cold.

Munnar is a very small town with houses scattered across the mountains.   You can have a good look at the entire town from one of these mountains.   We stayed at the Mar Thoma Retreat Centre on the Mattupetty Road.   It was a very comfortable cozy place and once we had freshened up, we were on our way to see the Mattupetty Dam, or as some call it, the Madupetty Dam. The dam is nearly 13 Kms from Munnar town. Further ahead is a beautiful tourist spot called the Echo Point. The river enveloped by mountains all around was a beautiful sight to behold.

 

Munnar on Google Maps

If you are making the trip from Kerala, the nearest airport is Nedumbassery at Kochi.  The nearest railway station would be Ernakulam or Aluva.  And then take a taxi or cab.  It is about 110 Kms from airport.

Interesting tidbits on Munnar

  • The blooming of Neelakurinji. This tiny blue flower (Strobilanthes kunthianum) blooms every 12 years and spreads the entire mountainscape of Munnar and is a phenomenon worth clapping ones eyes on. The flower with 40 odd varieties bloom mostly in shades of blue, and thus the name. Neela in the local language stands for the colour blue and Kurinji the local name for the flower. The blooming of Neelakurinji usually starts from August and would last up to October. After 2006, we can expect another blooming in 2018. Book your tickets!