[Surge]

This is my first travelogue on Team BHP forum from one of our travels from Pre-pandemic days, i would like to thank the administrators to approve my membership in this esteemed forum which i got it in my second attempt. I am male 37 years old married, working in one of the Insurtechs in Bangalore. I had a Honda Brio Manual for 10 years which i sold and got myself a Toyota Yaris J CVT given the Bangalore traffic.

It was December of 2018 our 4th wedding anniversary and we decided on celebrating this special day away from the city. Apart from planning the where’s and how’s of the trip, the first impediment in front of us was to get our leaves sanctioned! Yeah, our anniversary fell on a “Monday”. That meant requesting our managers to grant us a day (or two) off from our lives so that we get the official permission to celebrate the Monday blues elsewhere!

Our leaves were approved (with a constipated look) and we were both so ecstatic, more so because we will get to spend a Monday in leisure!
Next began our research on selecting the place where we would want to go. We looked for places around Bangalore (Southern part of India) and while there are innumerable travel options here, we stumbled upon a place called “Valparai”.Valparai is the hidden gem in South India (not many know about it) and if you are looking for a peaceful getaway, this place is a must, must visit!

How did we reach?
Valparai is a hill station in the Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu and approx. 462 Kms from Bangalore. One can go via road or fly to Coimbatore and then hire a cab to Valparai. Looking at the no. of days we had at our disposal, the latter seemed a better option. We wanted to relax and not spend a lot of our time on the road. So basically, it took us a 45 minutes flight from Bangalore (reaching Bangalore airport is another expedition though!) and 3 and a half hours drive from Coimbatore to reach to this tiny, magical town of Valparai.

We rented a zoom car from the Coimbatore airport and the experience was seamless! We opted for a i20 diesel because we knew it takes almost 40 sharp hairpin curves to reach our destination. And boy! Was this journey adventurous? I almost had my heart in my mouth each time our vehicle moved uphill. And the view all around? BREATHTAKING! We managed most of the turns in 2nd gear thanks to the 1.4 crdi engine

A small break on the road to absorb this impeccable beauty!



Valparai, also known as the seventh heaven!



Where did we stay?

While there are a lot of options in Valparai, we booked our stay in one of the Briar Tea Bungalows located 4 kms away from the main town. Nestled in the Injiparai tea estate, Stanmore Bungalow offers a panoramic view of tea plantation stretching as far as your eyesight could behold! They had a lush green lawn and gigantic trees in the campus. I almost felt I am in the “Jumanji” world for a second! Our wooden chalet overlooking the enormous sprawl of tea plantation was like living a dream.


room with a view


Food

We are foodies and gastronomy was one of the major factors why we decided on making Stanmore Bungalow our abode for 3 days! Made with so much love, warmth and sincerity, the food here tasted GREAT! My taste buds jumped with joy when “shahi tukda” was served as a dessert. It’s been more than couple of years we are back from this place and our hunt for a similar kind of shahi tukda continues.


Things to do

Nothing really! If you are a kind of traveller who wants to roam around more than staying in the property, probably this place isn’t for you. This place is about sipping countless no. of cups of tea, inflating your lungs with the best air quality, and treating your eyes with a view straight out of a movie! Of course, the staffs arrange for activities like, nature’s walk in the morning, bird sighting, trip to their other tea bungalows etc. However, if u still want to step out and see what’s around, paying visit to a picturesque church made our day.


Karamalai Annai Velankanni church

On our way back

This was one of the best anniversaries we ever planned so far. We were so grateful to God (and our managers) to be living and celebrating this day in the lap of nature away from the WiFi infestation (too poor connectivity here and thank God for that!). We drove in our car and headed to Coimbatore, again crossing the hairpin bends but this time it was even worse. The fog and the mist over the hilltop made it difficult to drive but we made it. What an incredible road trip this was!


nth hairpin bend

At reaching Coimbatore, we planned on visiting the famous colossal Adiyogi Shiva statue before boarding our flight back to Bangalore. This is 34 meters tall and based in the foothills of Velliangiri mountains. After driving all the way from Valparai, here’s where hunger pangs kicked in and there were no restaurants around. However, we spotted a small food truck selling tomato rice and pickle by the locals. The food was so satiating that this recipe has become a frequent for my lunch!
There can’t be a better end to an anniversary trip by seeking blessings from the Lord Shiva.

[M-Roc]

Originally Posted by Surge

Valparai is the hidden gem in South India (not many know about it) and if you are looking for a peaceful getaway, this place is a must, must visit!

Absolutely True!

It's an excellent destination to relax.

[Jaisalmeriya]

Place looks magical. Happy Anniversary!

[fawad0222]

Surge, welcome to the forum. thanks for the post. the place really looks an ideal location to relax and enjoy the beautful nature.

regards

[rubicon]

The Soul Bungalow Cottage in Valparai. It is owned by The Peria Karamalai Tea and Produce Company Limited.

An excellent place for having a relaxed vacation time with family.

The cottage is surrounded by Picturesque and Serene Hills, Stunning scenery and also offers a guided tour of our Tea Gardens and Factory


https://www.periatea.com/tourism/

https://the-soul-bungalow.business.site/

https://www.facebook.com/soulbungalow/

[ramnath_77]

Nice travelogue on Valparai with some good pictures to go with.
Definitely on my "Must visit" list.

Thank you for sharing

[Innysta]

Originally Posted by Surge

Where did we stay?

While there are a lot of options in Valparai, we booked our stay in one of the Briar Tea Bungalows located 4 kms away from the main town. Nestled in the Injiparai tea estate, Stanmore Bungalow offers a panoramic view of tea plantation stretching as far as your eyesight could behold!

The location was very beautiful. How is the road access to the property? Can you share us the cost of accomodation, food per day?