[jeevmenon]

sami316: Just calculated Renigunta to Anna-Nagar (from reserve indication to another reserve indication) 8.7 ltrs for 147km. So, approx 17 kmpl.

[aargee]

You could've avoided the bad roads & that was my point. I always prefer long good roads than bad short routes no matter what time it is. But you keep the travelogue continuing.

PS - Avoid posting a new post within 20 minutes of first posting & avoid mods attention.

[laluks]

Originally Posted by jeevmenon

laluks: Oh! Pulicat. .......Things could have changed though, but our experience was not that great. Maybe other approaches to Pulicat (from the northern end) could be better. Dunno! One more thing I remember, shampooing my stiff hair that night and the dirt that was washed away.

However,

Oh no! I was seeing it in the maps and I thought it could be a nice little place green and clean waters. Too bad...

Let us see if any recent travellors have anything to add.

[jeevmenon]

On the way we saw lots of monkeys and we were safe-guarding our plastic bag. There were local people with sticks driving them away, some were feeding them and as a result it was quite disturbing. On reaching the falls, unlike what we thought we saw a huge crowd at all the vantage locations under the various outpourings. It was a different kind of fall with rock cuttings and greenery interspersed. Interesting! Our mind went back to the gushing Charpa falls we had seen on our Valparai-Chalakudy trip last month. What a contrast!!!

Almost all people spoke Telugu and on every query/statement from them we were just smiling back Most of them middle-aged and mottas all excited. They were police folks undergoing training at the Kalyani Dam Police Training College nearby. It was Sunday and they were on a picnic.

Snaps: Waterfall-5 and 7 shows the big pool (Pool-1) at the bottom which was not used by anyone. Waterfall-6 shows the mat which is used by people not to slip while bathing. The last snap below shows the pool (Pool-2) which was used by a couple and their kid. So there were just 2 pools and various standing locations for bathing.

[MX6]

Wow. These rocks look cute. And the water doesn't seem to fall. It seems to climb down stairs! Would love to see the cascades when the falls are full.

[laluks]

The falls reminds me of some fammous English Movie. Cant figure out the name.

It surely looks attractive, What'd be the scenario if there was more water

[jeevmenon]

I thought the same that there would be times of the year when it would be full. But I get a feeling from the advertisement at the checkpost (click on the snap in page 1 for a good view of the first image in that assortment) that thats the max or close to max it gets. However, there is a different sort of soothing affect in the environs around. There was a gentle cool breeze, even though enroute from Bhakrapet till the base it was hot.

[jeevmenon]

We did not take bath as it was so congested, no place to walk around and so many trying to get to vantage positions, some just trying to touch the water. Actually there was a path further up which would take us closer to the sources. I could see a couple of people up there as well. I wanted to go but with the clothes and the monkey around wifey just wanted to get back to the car. And so our descent started. Couple of snaps from the climb down:




As we reached the base we saw a big college crowd and couple of folks in the pool below. So, at the car-park area at the base there is a man-made catchment area with water more than the pools close to the water-falls. The couple in the pool - smart guys - they had just landed and jumped in. We envied them but I am not sure if it was legal as on our way up we had seen 3-4 officials there inspecting something in the water. Anyway, we reached the car park and into the car, evading all the monkeys at the car park. During the up/dn wifey asked me if I had known that there were monkeys in the area and had she known it she would not have joined us





As we were driving back to hit the Jungle Hut (a park by AP tourism with some acco in huts,) which is close by, we were stopped by a tough looking (no wonder he worked in the AP police dept.) He asked if we could give him a lift to the entrance (a distance of a km or so.) All this I gathered just by body language though he was talking in full speed in Telugu. We could not make head/tail of it. I repeatedly told him that I cannot understand him, but the point was how would he understand that too. Anyway, he mentioned about the Kalyani Dam (our next destination,) and said if we could get a lift till the dam. However, we declined as we were heading to the Jungle Hut. We departed with smiles, thanks and he thanked each one of us. Nice guy!

[jeevmenon]

Next destination: Jungle Huts: This is where we notice the elephant arch and when I saw it I was reminded of the comment by kittgadu "Either the elephant or the artist were on dope when this was done"



Its a very short distance/walkable from this arch to the gate of the Eco tourism setup.





Entry fee Rs 10/- for adults. As soon as you enter the gate the only way to go deep in is via a lengthy suspended bridge. Nice area for kids. Luckily the waterfall crowd had'nt come over as yet and we could have a nice quite walk.







There were a few log huts and a bunch of guys in their late 20s having fun in the swing/slide. We were hoping to get some lunch or some snack at this place and were hoping that the dal-wada being fried (in the open just outside the cafeteria log hut) by the care-takers was for sale. But they refused saying that one had to order these well in advance. Disheartened we drove back hoping to get something to eat at the next stop. Would it be Bhakarapet/KalyaniDam/Chandragiri?

[ampere]

Wow good one Jeev. The place looks perfect for a weekend jaunt.
How was the stay at the place?

[Venom_rider]

Originally Posted by laluks

Oh no! I was seeing it in the maps and I thought it could be a nice little place green and clean waters. Too bad...

Let us see if any recent travellors have anything to add.

We had been there in the month of May. As jeev mentioned the fishing villages while approaching Pulicat does throw up a stench, but there are couple of really nice places once you pass through it. Here are your options:

1) Hire a boat for a few hours & they take you to a remote beach, pine (?) forest, light house etc., The beach is good for lazing around for a while. My 4 yrs old daughter & I, built sand castles, played in the ocean... Nice father-daughter moments! The place that they usually stop is on the backwaters side, you'd need to walk all the way towards the other side to enter the beach. It is isolated, not accessible by land. I would be wary of "mischief mongers" but not too worried. The boat guys from the village are usually very friendly & will keep these guys in check if need be.

2) There is a new bridge there now, near the village... if you cross the bridge and drive down a few kilometers through narrow(& bad) roads, you will find yourself driving parallel to the ocean. There are a lot places where you could stop and chill out at the beach. I know a lot of people with families go there but I would be very very cautious & will go only if I am in a large group.

The place, the boat ride in the backwaters, pine forests etc., are all good. You will certainly need to put up with the stench for a little while though.

Hope it helps!

Originally Posted by jeevmenon

Actually there was a path further up which would take us closer to the sources. I could see a couple of people up there as well.

We've been to Talakona sometime in June... Nice place.

You should'nt have given it a miss. The water falls from almost 300 - 400ft, though it looks like a trickle it feels amazing to stand underneath it. The best massage I've had .

Originally Posted by jeevmenon

As we reached the base we saw a big college crowd and couple of folks in the pool below. So, at the car-park area at the base there is a man-made catchment area with water more than the pools close to the water-falls. The couple in the pool - smart guys - they had just landed and jumped in. We envied them but I am not sure if it was legal as on our way up we had seen 3-4 officials there inspecting something in the water.

That pool is not worth it, its just too dirty. We saw the water & decided to run away from it as quickly as possible.

Originally Posted by jeevmenon

Next destination: Jungle Huts: This is where we notice the elephant arch and when I saw it I was reminded of the comment by kittgadu "Either the elephant or the artist were on dope when this was done"

Did you by any chance get the number from the guys there to book the log huts? I am not able to find it online... would love to stay there just after the rains.

Cheers!
Goutham

[aargee]

Place looks real good, would like to stay in one of those huts, but for the insects; mosquitoes are quite OK, should be under control with Good Knight. Any idea, if we could stay there?

Originally Posted by venom_rider

would love to stay there just after the rains.

Prepare youself for different types of bugs & other creatures ; may be off rainy season would be ideal.

[jeevmenon]

We did not stay there. It was just a one-day trip from Chennai. Kittigadu in his post had clicked the signboard images which has the numbers - I am posting them here as well. I tried a couple of them before leaving but it just rang and no one picked up. Maybe you should try them during office hours.



@Argee: Not very sure there is anything called rainy season in these parts. Though there is lot of greenery and it looks like a rain-forest from the snaps, its actually a dry/hot place when you come out of the gates and hit the road 200 m away. This region might also be falling in the "rain-shadow" region of the s/w monsoon and receives minimal rain as in Chennai, unlike the wet western ghats/arabian-sea areas.

[jeevmenon]

I do not know how Mamandur would be. Thats more unknown. Maybe worth a try. Btw the cell number of Mamandur got cut because of the team-bhp logo. The number is 9440810303.

[aargee]

There goes the name "Harini" for one of those restaurants
@Jeev - any clicks on the rooms or facilities? May be we'll do it by two-wheeler some day & stay over there. The place looks very inviting.