Trip to Wayanad, A hill station in Western Ghats, Kerala.
Set high on the Western Ghats with altitudes ranging from 700 to 2100 metres, Wayanad is a hill station known for its greens, mountain peaks, dams, lakes, tea plantations and natural beauty.
It was September 2011, two years ago (before Trayaan was launched), when we went there on a short leisure trip.
Staying at Vythri, we took small excursions to Pookot (Pookode) lake, Soochipura falls (also known as Soochipara Waterfalls) and Karapuzha dam. Here's a brief account of that trip to Wayanad, along with some details about the place.
About Wayanad
Wayanad District, set high on the Western Ghats with altitudes ranging from 700 to 2100 m, is the least populated district in Kerala. The district was carved out of Kozhikode and Kannur districts on November 1 , 1980.
The name of this picturesque district is derived from Vayal (paddy) and Naad (land); meaning "the land of paddy fields"[1]. According to another source, the region was known as Mayakshetra (Maya's land) in the earliest records. Mayakshetra evolved into Mayanad and finally to Wayanad [2].
The major towns in Wayanad are, Sulthan Batheri (the largest town in Wayanad District), Kalpetta (head-quarters of Wayanad district and Vythri Taluk), and Mananthavady.
Our Trip to Vythri, and other places in Wayanad
August to September is when western and central areas of southern part of India typically experiences light showers add to the flavour of greenery in hill stations without playing spoilsport to your sightseeing, and this trip was around this time that year.
The travel to Vythri
Wayanad is 143 kilometres from Mysore in Karnataka, with the best path as in Google Maps, the route we took - Kozhikode-Mysore-Kollegal Highway, NH 212, (New Number: NH766).
We went past Mysore and reached Gundlupet at 10 am in the morning. And in no time, we were near the Kerala - Karnataka border where we spent a lot of time doing nothing. We had to pay the state entry tax and as it was the peak season we waited for an entire hour at the check post.
Those travelling by Taxi will have to pay the state tax at the check post. It cost us about Rs. 500 or 600 (this was in 2011, as I've already mentioned above).
Generally, this cost will not be included in the total cost if you are going on a hired vehicle, and you will have to pay this amount separately. So, better check this with the transport agency or your hired taxi, before commencing your travel.
At Vythri and Pookode Lake
We managed to reach Vythri Village resort, a five star luxury resort in Vythri, Wayanad by 2:30 pm (right at the time for lunch). Not to be confused with another resort called Vythri Resorts. The difference being just a word "Village" in between Vythri and Resort.
The cottage was perfectly located in the midst of greenery and serenity. All we could hear was the chirping of birds and a waterfall. The waterfall was probably artificial.
The lunch was an exotic buffet with 50 to 60 vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. The taste was excellent and the items covered all the aspects of a 7 course meal. No wonder the resort has been given a 5 star rating.
After a heavy meal and some time-off on the bed, we headed towards Pookode Lake (also spelt as Pookot Lake), and had to park the vehicle about half a km away due to the peak season crowd.
The lake was beautiful, clean, well maintained with boating facility and a walkway around the lake. They sell a lot of spices, seeds and other horticulture stuff next to the entrance.
When we were heading back to our car, Pradeep saved Shreenath from getting bit by a huge scorpion. So, please be aware of the crawling creatures. It is well known that tropical places are the home to poisonous snakes, scorpions and other creatures.
We went back to our room in the evening and, spent some time near the swimming pool with the Jacuzzi, went over the hanging bridge in the facility of the resort and at the man-made waterfall. After a fantastic dinner we went back to our cottage and tried sleeping.
One more thing – this place is infested with leeches, just like any other typical hilly place in the Western Ghats. One stowaway, quite a small one, made it into our room, on my footwear, but that was the only one we encountered over there.
Leeches are more during the rainy season. We hadn’t expected one in September, but as it was a bit rainy then anyway. Leeches thrive in humid conditions. Other than that, you will be bugged by the usual bugs like mosquitoes, which can be kept away with some effective mosquito repellent like Odomos, for example.
Soochipara Waterfall
The following day, we checked out of the resort in the afternoon and went to Soochipara falls (also called Soochipura Waterfalls). We had to drive through the scenic tea estates and then walk for about 2 kilometres to make it to the falls.
There is an entry fee to the falls, but the amount has escaped our memory. Parking your vehicle can be a problem, as there isn’t much place to park properly. Also, the day we visited was a crowded day.
The onward walk was pretty easy since we were going down the hill and the walk way is pretty well maintained with decently levelled steps and shade throughout the way.
The water at the falls hits the rocks with great momentum, adding to the ambience. However, we found the place a bit congested as there were too many people packed there. Also, there isn’t a lot of place around the falls to sit or stand around.
And yes, we had our eyes open for any leeches, but we did not encounter any. While returning, walking uphill, you may plan for some pit stops for refreshments. There are a couple of shops on the way that sell eatables, fruits and lime soda.
The majestic Western Ghats tower in the background of the picturesque tea plantations.
The splendid tea plantations here present a beautiful scenery for your pictures.
A serene stream
On our way back, we passed by a beautiful stream over a bridge on the road. Had some time off there and took a couple of snaps. However, I don't remember where exactly was this bridge over this stream.
It is always worth the while to stop and relish the beauties of Mother Nature.
We just stopped here only for a few moments and we had some time constraints and had to be on our way back.
Karapuzha Dam
On our way back, we only had enough time to visit Karapuzha dam, which was about 7 kilometres inside from the main road.
The dam wasn’t that fascinating, as there wasn’t much water in the catchment area. But it was quite scenic, as you can see in the pictures here.
After spending a while here, and a bit disappointed about not able to cover more places this time, we headed back towards Karnataka, with relishing delicious Kerala Parota in Sulthan Batthery.
Unfortunately, due to some inevitable time constraints and commitments, we had to cut short our Wayanad trip and head back. We could not see much of the main attractions like the Banasura Sagar dam, which is the largest earthen dam in India and the second largest in Asia; and the Edakkal Caves, which are two of the main attractions of Wayanad.
Other places we missed out are Meenmutty falls and Kuruva Island, a unique and fragile delta system on the Kabini River to list a couple of them.
Well, at least that gives us a reason to go back there once again!
"What I find is that you can do almost anything or go almost anywhere, if you are not in a hurry."
- Paul Theroux
Other places worth visiting in Wayanad
Wayanad has a lot of places worth visiting. There's Chembra Peak (tallest peak in Wayanad - 2,100 metres (6,890 ft) above sea level), Banasura Peak (2,073 metres (6,801 ft) above sea level), Brahmagiri (1,608 metres (5,276 ft) above sea level), Neelimala, and Pakshipathalam - for the trekking enthusiasts.
Map of Wayanad - Some places worth visiting
View Wayanad, Kerala in a larger map
We have added the places we know about and we'll update it whenever we get to know of any other places worth visiting around there.
Tips for Travellers
Getting there:
- From Karnataka side: Wayanad is 143 kms from Mysore in Karnataka, with the best path as in Google Maps, the route we took (Kozhikode-Mysore-Kollegal Highway, NH 212, (New Number: NH766))
(Night travel not allowed in this route as it passes through the Bandipur National Park) Alternatively, one can take Karnataka State Highway 33. (Night travel may not be allowed in this route as it passes through the Nagarahole National Park) - From Coastal Kerala side: Wayanad is 67 kms from Koilandy (a place on the cost passed by NH17 (New Number: NH66),
and 68 kms from Kozhikode, along Kozhikode-Mysore-Kollegal Hwy/NH 212 (New Number: NH766) - From Tamil Nadu Side: 118 kms from Ooty to Kalpetta, and about 93 kms from Ooty to Sultan Bathery in Wayanad.(Ooty is also called Udhagamandalam or Ootacamund, is a hill station in Tamil Nadu.)
NOTE: The Kozhikode–Mysore National Highway 212 (NH 212)(New number: NH766) passes through Wayanad district. Wayanad is well connected by road to various parts of Kerala and other neighbouring states.
If you are coming from Mysore side, then NH 212(New number: NH766) passes through Bandipur National Park and then through the Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary which is on the Kerala–Karnataka state border.
Some roads, especially the one to Soochipura waterfalls wasn’t in a good condition. This was a couple of years ago in 2011, and the current road condition is unknown to us.
If going via own or hired vehicle, it is always better to take a vehicle with good ground clearance and power, like a Sumo or Qualis for example, while going to hilly areas.
Transportation, Food and Accomodation:
There are a lot of buses that ply through Wayanad, especially through Sultan Bathery, as it is on the main national highway between Mysore and Kozikode. However, one might have to hire a taxi or some sort of transport to get in and around Wayanad. We had booked a hired vehicle for our entire trip, including our journey.
There are some good places of food in Sulthan Bathery, the largest town in Wayanad. In other interior places other than the main towns of Mananthavady, Kalpetta, there are only small joints of food.
There are a number of good resorts, home-stays and other places of accommodation available in Wayanad district. All you have to do is make a nice search on the internet.
References:
[2] Wayanad Rekhakal by O. K. Johnny, Mathrubhumi Books
Some Useful External Links:
[2] Important Tourist Places in Wayanad and Distances from Kalpetta - on the Official Website of Wayanad District, maintained by the National Informatics Centre, Government of India.
[3] About Wayanad on the Kerala Tourism website
[4] Kozhikode-Mysore-Kollegal Highway, Old Number: NH 212, New Number: NH766 - on Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Retrieved 15:54, December 25, 2013.