This Cozy WoodHouse Will Make You Choose Wayanad As Your Perfect Monsoon Getaway Under 5000

Monsoon is one of the best seasons to witness the nature come alive. Kerala as we all know is called the 'God's Own Country' and here I sit reminiscing the beautiful memories from my trip back in last July to Wayanad. It was peak monsoon season and my friends and I badly wanted to plan a quick weekend getaway somewhere close to Bangalore. After the usual discussions and agreements, we finally decided to visit Wayanad for the weekend. It was my responsibility to look for the stay. I quickly started surfing through different websites, and finally there was this one homestay that really caught my eye. A WOODHOUSE! YES.

Rippon Eco Woods in Kalpetta, Wayanad looked like a great deal for our weekend stay. A stay in a wooden house has always been on my list since forever and the moment I saw this, I just couldn't skip through. Though we were a little skeptical if the place would turn out to be as displayed on the website, we still decided to go ahead and book it.

How to Reach ?

Travelling by road is definitely the best option if you are in Bangalore and planning this trip. We booked a late night KSRTC bus from Bangalore to Wayanad. One can also drive down to Wayanad if familiar with the roads. Kalpetta was the closest bus stop from our stay that the bus could take us to. We boarded the bus from Bangalore at 11pm and reached Kalpetta at around 5am in the morning. Our stay was located at around 30km approx from the bus stop. Now, it is easy to find many auto-rickshaws near the bus stop even during the early hours. We hired two autos and reached our stay at 6am, only to realize that we were too early as our check-in time was 11am.

In and Around the Property

Rippon Eco Woods is located very close to the luxury hotel Hilton Cloud Resorts. For those of you looking for a luxurious stay, can definitely opt for this. Since we arrived way early, the caretaker of our property was kind enough to take us to Hilton Resorts, where we got to witness the most breath-taking view from their rooftop. The entire sky was covered with mist and the weather was so calm and soothing. We refreshed ourselves and headed out to have some breakfast. The hotel serves delicious food too, but we did not want to spend 3 hours waiting there. We wanted to feast on some local food. You will find no autos or transport near your stay. But, the caretakers of the stay will help you with that as they have the contacts of some local auto drivers who can take you around. Our driver was so friendly and took us to a normal hotel for breakfast, where we sat relishing our hot and yummy Parottas with some chicken curry. If you are a beef lover, then Kerala is definitely the best place to try your hands on some mouth watering beef curry. I personally feel, whenever you are out there exploring a new place, always ask the local people for recommendations, be it food or places to visit, trust me, you will not regret it.

Our Perfect Stay - The Wood House

When we came back after our breakfast, the caretaker had our rooms cleaned, ready to be checked-in. And, I must stay, we did not expect it to be so beautiful. A perfect vintage vibe, birds chirping and surrounded by lush greenery, my heart was screaming in happiness. It was a 1BHK wood house tastefully decorated with wooden furniture, which can easily accommodate 4 people. Though the bathroom was very small, it would not be of much concern. They also provide extra mattresses if required. Covered in a dark brown texture,the cottage blends in perfectly with the nature. The interiors were so well done, and the stay also comes with a parking space, if you have taken your own car. Food can either be ordered from the hotels nearby or you can request the caretaker to cook some delicious local food.

Ideal For

Couples, owing to the privacy and coziness. Although, the wood house can cater to the needs of all types of travelers, families or friends.

How to book this place?

You can book the entire house, consisting of one bedroom with an attached washroom and a hall with a couch, on Booking.com or even contact the property directly. It would cost you around 7k for two nights. YES! Now that's a deal right? It was a lot cheaper on our pockets considering the number of people.

Things to do around Wayanad

Day 1

Wayanad has been derived from Vayal Nadu, which in regional language means Paddy fields. When we headed out for our breakfast, we were welcomed by the beautiful coffee and tea plantations, and to add on the rich fertile land in full display was a pleasure to our eyes. As we were too lazy to head out for sight seeing, we decided to spend the rest of our day in or lovely, cozy cottage gazing at the mesmerizing views. If you do not plan to visit any places around, one can request the owner of the Hilton Cloud Resorts, and spend your time at their rooftop from where you will be promised the most amazing views of the Soochipara Waterfalls. Sip on some hot chai and get lost in the beauty of nature.

Day 2

Wayanad has quite a few beautiful places to look around. We hired a cab, which also the hotel arranged for us. The weather was too rough, but we still managed to strike a few places off our list. We visited the Banasura Sagara Dam, Kanthapara Waterfalls and the Lakkidi View Point. The other major places of attractions are the Edakkal Caves, Chembra Peak and the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.

How much does the entire trip cost?

Let me break down the expenses incurred for one person during our entire two day stay.

-Transport (Bus to and from Bangalore - 1ooo rupees)

-Cab and auto-rickshaws (1000 rupees)

-Food (1000 rupees)

-Stay (1500 rupees)

- Other leisure expenses (1000 rupees)

On the whole, each of us ended up spending a maximum of 5000 bucks during our two day trip.

Hope the world becomes a better place and safe for travel soon. Remember to keep all the safety instructions and precautions in mind even after travel resumes post lockdown!

Do checkout my instagram handle @onthegowithnushey for more travel stories and itineraries.

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