Wayanad Weekend getaway shotonredminote5pro familyvacation kerala

Day 1

Wayanad

Every year, my parents, brother and I take a short break in the month of May/June in the hopes of catching up with each other and satiating our wanderlust at the same time. This time, our busy schedules didn't permit us to get away for more than a weekend. Given the limited time, we decided to discover some place close to Bangalore. Since the last few vacations have all been by the beach, we chose Wayanad - also, making it our first trip to God's own country. We kept the trip short, with just a handful of stops.

We started from Bangalore at 4 am via bus and reached Kalpetta, Wayanad around 10 am. From there it was another 15 minutes in auto to our hotel - Vythiri Greens Resort.

The hotel helped arrange a cab and auto as per our requirements. The hotel staff was friendly and extremely cooperative. They made sure all our requirements were met. The manager went out of his way to arrange for transportation, for us to catch our bus back on time. While the food options are limited at the hotel, there are some good restaurants if you're willing to travel.

Photo of Wayanad, Kerala, India by Amulya Mahendra

Our first stop was Pookode Lake. The weather didn't allow for much to be explored here as it kept on raining every few minutes but there's a fresh water aquarium, recreation park, and boating in the lake. With high mountains serving as a backdrop, the lake is picturesque.

Our next stop for the day was Wayanad View Point. A small turn on the road connecting Wayanad to Calicut, this place allows you to have a conversation with the clouds while enjoying views of lush green stretches.

Day 2

First stop for the day - Banasura Sagar Dam. Made of massive stones, this dam is the second largest of its kind in Asia. It is India's first Solar Atop Dam. You can trek to the Banasura hill or enjoy boating too.

Second stop for the day - Karlad lake. This is a fresh water lake, with options for tourists to indulge in boating or other recreational activities like kayaking, archery, paintball etc. Just a few kilometres from the Banasura Sagar dam, this place also has options of tented camp accomodation.

We took a bus back from Vythiri at night and by morning, were back in Bangalore. If you're looking at a not-so-expensive, quick and short getaway from Bangalore, I suggest this highly!