“റോഡിൽ കുഴിയുണ്ട്. ന്നാ താൻ കേസ് കൊട്! – ഇന്ത്യൻ യൂത്ത് കോൺഗ്രസ് (കോലാഹലമേട്).”
This is not a famous quote or a philosophical thought. This is what we saw on a roadside board in Vagamon. It translates to: “There are gutters on the road. Go ahead and file a case! – Indian Youth Congress (Kolahalamedu).”
Namaskaaram! (Hello!)
This was my 2nd trip to Vagamon, after a gap of 18 years. The last time I was there was in 2005 with my college buddies and flatmates, Joppan George and Aneesh James. We had gone to trek around Vagamon and visit the famous Pine Forest. I remember Joppan’s cousin had clicked a photo of ours in the Pine Forest. It looked like something straight out of a Swedish death metal band’s album cover. 😊 Unfortunately, we lost the photo to a sad laptop crash.
However, this time the trip was different. Govind and I were joined by our cousins Vishnu and Madhavan, who live and work in the United Kingdom and Qatar respectively. Since Onam was fast approaching, everyone was on vacation and already in a festive spirit. We started our journey on a warm and bright Sunday morning from Thiruvalla, and made our way up the hills via Ponkunnam, Pala, Bharananganam and Erattupetta. We took the longer route as we were apprehensive about the quality of the interior roads. That apprehension was laid to rest when we returned home from Vagamon using the interior roads, which were quite decent to be honest. We stopped on the way at a spot with ice cream trucks (autos actually!) and experienced the best of both worlds. Warm sun rays hitting our faces while we had very cold ice cream. The spot is located at the edge of the road and had a building which looked abandoned. We came to know that it was built to become a government-managed pitstop for travellers going up and coming down the hill to rest and rejuvenate. It was supposed to have washrooms and house a restaurant. Since the project has been put on-hold, ice cream and toy vendors have resurrected the place so that it doesn’t go unused.
We thought Kuttikkanam would be the ultimate beauty when it came to an untouched, pristine location in Kerala, but boy, were we in for a surprise! The climb up the hill seemed steep when compared to the drive to Kuttikkanam. We were presented with a photo opportunity with every turn we took, which is something we didn’t have in Kuttikkanam.
Since we reached Vagamon a bit earlier than we expected, we directly went to the Pine Forest. Even though I had visited the place 18 years ago, I didn’t know what to expect. We were all pleasantly surprised to see how well-maintained and organized the entire area was. I don’t remember the place being this organized when I was there the last time. Though the area was quite crowded (because of it being a Sunday during Onam holidays), we could walk around and enjoy the place. The walkway takes one down a winding path and the entire area around the Pine Forest can be seen once you are at the end of the path. A 360° view of the area is something one must be physically present to appreciate.
(Note: The dense forest you see in the top-most photo of the collage is the Pine Forest captured from a distance. Beautiful, isn’t it?)
After our time at the Pine Forest, we went to grab some lunch. We were given reference of a local restaurant frequented by tourists, but it was difficult for us to even get a parking spot there. Since food had to be had, we went out scouting for local eateries and we came across Hotel Roshni, a small but busy food joint which served Kerala meals, biriyani, porotta, chappathi, and curries. We had a really delicious lunch, and were getting slightly tired after the morning drive and the Pine Forest walk. It only seemed logical for us to head to our accommodation to check-in and rest for a bit. We didn’t opt for a hotel or a resort this time. We went ahead and booked an entire cottage/villa in the middle of a tea plantation. What a beautiful property!
Mr. Jijo, the Property Manager, is one person we’ll never forget in our lives. He became a part of the group instantly and was with us everywhere we went. He became our guide and took us to different places in Vagamon; places we wouldn’t have even known existed because they are so well hidden, especially Thurankam (Tunnel). Other places we checked out were Palozhukumpara Waterfall and Motta Kunnu. Along with visiting these places, we drove around a lot (like, a lot!) in Vagamon.
We found the trek to Thurankam the best. We went off-road for about 2-3 kilometres and then stopped at the edge of what looked like a small hairpin curve, which hadn’t been used by vehicles in a long time. We walked down a beaten down path through the forest for about 1 kilometre into a ravine, at the end of which there was a tunnel. Though the tunnel looked very old and spooky, Jijo informed us that the tunnel was built by the Kerala State’s Forest Department to allow for safe passage of animals during the monsoons. The place is so isolated that not many people know about it and hence is still pristine. During heavy rain, the ravine gets submerged to a great extent and the waterflow becomes so powerful that people cannot enter the stream.
(Note: This photo was taken from the spot where we parked our car. The stream in the ravine can be seen at the bottom of the photo. We had to go down a winding road to reach the place shown in the next collage.)
Palozhukumpara (milk-flowing rock) Waterfall is again off the main road. We had to go downhill from the main road for about 5 kilometres before we could catch a glimpse of the famed rock. During heavy rain, the entire rock (which is visible now) gets covered by gushing water and it looks as if milk is flowing down the rock, and hence the name Palozhukumpara.
Motta Kunnu (bald mound) is an area which encompasses a set of mounds quite close to a tourist attraction known as Vagamon Meadows, a spot which has typical tourist attractions and as such is quite a crowded place. Motta Kunnu, on the other hand, is located at a higher altitude, provides better views all around, and the best part – it is a free spot which anyone can reach by climbing a few steps. We felt the only thing missing on the Motta Kunnu was a tea shop, which could rake in thousands of Rupees in an evening just by selling tea and short eats.
(Note: All the cars parked on road sides belong either to the visitors on the Motta Kunnu or those who couldn’t find a parking spot at the Vagamon Meadows parking ground.)
By the time we were done with Motta Kunnu, we were famished. All we wanted to do was have some tea and get back to the cottage/villa. We rushed back and by the time we reached the property, the weather was becoming pleasant. Though we did sweat a lot during the treks, the relaxing dusk breeze knocked the tiredness off us and we were prepared for an evening of fun.
Since the cottage/villa doesn’t have a kitchen, Jijo arranged for our dinner from a local family’s catering business and got us the dinner delivered. Porotta, Beef Curry, Chicken Fry and Beef Fry were delicious and filling.
The property has a living room with a comfortable couch, 2 bedrooms with bath attached and 3 balconies. Each bedroom has an extra mattress placed in it so that guests may use them, if required. There is a dining-out option as well with a large table and chairs for the guests to sit in the nature and have food. The rooms are spacious and the owner of the place, Mr. Udaya Kumar, has spared no expense when it comes to the furniture and other fixtures in the property. Everything is of top-notch quality and the class is evident. There is a lot of woodwork inside the property and the wooden staircase makes one feel as if they’re in a heritage property. If Jijo is contacted in advance, the property also arranges for jeep rides and other fun activities. They also have a spot for bonfire/campfire with very comfortable seating around the fire area.
Tariff for the entire cottage/villa are as below:
During peak season (October to March): Rs. 15,000 per night
During Off-season (April to September): Rs. 12,000 per night
Maximum occupancy: 8 persons
They are now constructing a new cottage/villa which will house 5 bedrooms. You can see the ongoing construction adjacent to the cottage/villa we stayed at. Once the new cottage is ready, this will be an ideal spot for a large group of people who wish to have an entire property to themselves. The views from anywhere in the property are breathtaking. We were especially blown away when we saw the hills in the distance the next morning covered by a thick blanket of fog.
We had complimentary breakfast at the property which included Dosa, Idiyappam (String Hoppers) and Kadala Curry (a flavourful curry made with black chickpeas, onions, herbs and coconut).
We were told by the local people that we should visit the Glass Bridge in Vagamon. On our way back, we went in search of this spot and had a lovely drive-through inside the Adventure Park. The park had not been opened to the public in full capacity and the Glass Bridge had not been inaugurated yet (or so we were told). It would be fair to say that anyone planning to visit the Adventure Park should ideally keep aside an entire day to enjoy the activities there. The park houses zip-lining, boating, Glass Bridge (apparently the longest cantilever glass bridge in India), and many other fun activities for the entire family to spend time on. This park is sure to be a hit from the next school vacation onwards.
We seriously wished we could stay at Udaya Hills Cottages for another day, but we all had to get back home as it was Onam the next day. We have decided that we’ll travel together every time Vishnu and Madhavan come back home. The next trip with them could be after a while, but we’ll make sure that it is worth the wait.
Appo kaanam! (See you!)
Love,
Vlogabonds
Reservations
For Reservations, call +91-9895900044 (Mr. Jijo – Property Manager). It is advisable to reserve property in advance as it can be quite difficult to get a booking, especially on weekends and during vacations. We were very lucky to get the spot for a night during Onam holidays.
Their website is under construction and should be ready soon.
You may also use Booking.com, which may give you some good information on what to expect.
Booking.com Link: https://www.booking.com/Share-N0UqNZ
Location of Udaya Hills Cottages
Udaya Hills Cottages is located near Motta Kunnu on the Vagamon-4th Mile Road. There is a steep climb from the main gate and then a gradual dip before you reach the property. The drive inside the property, though short, is itself a visual treat.
Google Map Link: https://goo.gl/maps/VgiLGaubG4oH26PbA
Distance to Udaya Hills Cottages (via road in a car)
Cochin International Airport – Approximately 110 kilometres (3 hours’ drive)
Ernakulam Railway Station – Approximately 105 kilometres (3 hours’ drive)
Kottayam Railway Station – Approximately 70 kilometres (2 hours’ drive)
Please note that the distances marked are according to Google Maps for the best option (road facilities and traffic).
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