CHENNAI - MADURAI - VARKALA - KANYAKUMARI road trip with the most beautiful highways covered in 5 days.
The open road has always called to me and my partner, and this trip was no exception. Join me as I relive the memories of my recent adventure. Whether you're a seasoned traveler or just starting to explore this side of India, I hope this travelogue inspires you to pack your bags and hit the road.
Our Independence day weekend getaway in the Hyundai Creta Diesel (Manual) was nothing short of a fun adventure. The SUV's cozy interior, and powerful engine made the journey a breeze.
Day 1: Madurai
On the loveliest morning of 14th August, we packed our bags, filled up the tank, and hit the road at 5:30am from ECR, Chennai. Our first stop was at Madurai and we were particular on trying out their renowned Amma Mess for lunch. And so we did. After witnessing some light drizzles and a double rainbow magic on a blue sky, we reached Amma mess at around 12:30pm. We tried their biryani, nalli kalaki, prawn thokku, all of which were amazing and delicious. My mouth is watering even as I recall this memory. We had set aside the evening to visit the Meenakshi Amman temple but to our dismay the rain played spoil sport. We still took a short drive around the temple roads, enjoyed the heavy rains from inside the car and returned for dinner.
Day 2: En route Varkala
Woke up on Independence Day, munched on the thoughtfully planned tri-coloured theme food in the breakfast buffet and hit the road at 9am. We drove through Kovilpatti - Tirunelveli - Nagercoil - Trivandrum and voila we got to Varkala at 2:30pm. Now the views on this trip was nothing short of gobsmacking. The greenery, the roads, the 4 lane highways - this was totally a traveller's dream. What makes a road trip most exciting is the ability to come across such views that leaves us feeling so grateful for this beautiful planet. This route is safe to say one of India's best kept secrets. We drove through South India's largest wind farm near aralvaimozhi. The views were straight out of a dream!
Image 1: The beautiful 4 lane highway with the views. Trivandrum - Neyyanttikara Highway
Image 2: The highway near Panagudi, Tirunelveli overlooking a wind farm.
The views from Trivandrum - Varkala route.
Although there was a shorter route from Madurai to Varkala, we wanted to stick to the 4 lane highway for a smoother journey. And man are we glad we did that! It was the most beautiful route ever and definitely LESS TIRING. Have to mention that this also helped us cover more miles in lesser time compared to
the 2 lane route.
And so after we reached Varkala, we went for lunch at their famous Trip is life cafe situated at the south cliff. While we were still trying to soak in all the beauty we had just witnessed along the way, the sweeping views of the beach this cafe brought to us was still very relaxing. We savoured the views as well as their yummy food.
Post lunch we decided to climb down from the cliff to reach the beach. Now just as we stepped on the beach, it started raining. That might sound like a bummer but it really wasn't. The whole experience was quite magical. The vast ocean, chill breeze, two happy humans and rains! Sounds like quite the perfect evening, doesn't it? It doesn't end there however. I have to mention the gorgeous sunset views from atop the cliff that we got to witness. And just like that night came, we had dinner and hit the bed early. We had quite a fun morning planned for the next day. Read along to find out what we did.
Image 3: The resort we stayed at in Varkala
Image 4: Path to the beach from the cliff top.
Image 5: View of the beach from Trip is Life cafe
Image 6: Views from Trip is Life cafe
Image 7: Sunset in Varkala, South Cliff.
Day 3: Varkala (Kayak and en route Kaliel Village, Kanyakumari)
We were so excited for our morning kayaking itinerary that we were up before dawn. The kayak spot (Nova Kayak) was a 25 min drive from the place we were staying at. An early morning drive meant empty roads and so this drive too was very pleasant. We reached the location, got briefed on Kayaking 101 before we started. Now I have quite an intense fear of the water but I knew that I'll be missing out on being awestruck if I didn't go for it. So I gave it a shot and I am so glad I did (as I always am when I allow myself to try something new). Since it was early in the morning, the wind hadn't yet quite set in and so we got to kayak in calmer waters. The whole experience of Kayaking in the vastness of the river surrounded by trees and distant hills was nothing short of surreal! I was speechless, to say the least! I just wanted to take in the beauty of this experience. Everything felt dreamlike.
Image 8: Nova Kayak Spot - Mungottu Kayal, near South Cliff, Varkala
Image 9: Pitstop during our Kayak to visit a temple on the island.
The kayaking adventure left my partner and I feeling incredibly content and we were so ready to take on what the rest of the day had in store for us. We returned to our hotel, had breakfast, got ready and got back into our lovely car.
We were ready for our next destination! Kanyakumari
We drove through the beautiful roads of interior Kerala, surrounded by coconut tree farms and caught the Trivandrum highway. We did a quick pit stop to check out LuLu mall for about an hour before we resumed our journey. Reached the resort at Kaliel village at about 2:30pm. The roads leading to the resort truly offer a visual treat!
Image 10: Beautiful roads leading to Anantya By The Lake.
Anantya by the lake: The lush resort is nestled within 1000 acres of rubber plantations and it created almost an immediate sense of tranquility and seclusion almost as soon as we arrived. We checked in and went straight to their restaurant that over looks the chitaar lake. As we enjoyed their delicious kerala parottas and kerala chicken curry, the breathtaking views of the serene lake and misty mountains filled us up with a profound sense of gratitude for this moment that we were getting to experience. It was truly like nothing before.
This is TRULY A HIDDEN GEM and I hope it stays that way for some more years! Although me writing about it is contradictory, haha!
Image 11: The villas nestled within the rubber plantations.
Image 12: The restaurant strategically placed with the most beautiful backdrop.
We lazed around the resort, played some indoor boardgames, went for a short drive around kaliel village and wrapped up for the night after some really yumm dinner.
Image 13: Anantya at night.
Day 4: Anantya by the lake, Kaliel village
We got up nice and early to experience the serenity of the morning views.
Image 14: Soaking it all in.
Had breakfast amidst the sounds of birds chirping and gentle drizzle across the vast lake. Since the resort is famous for their Ayurvedic massages, we booked that experience and we really enjoyed it. The massages made us quite sleepy and so we had a nice lunch buffet and hit the bed that afternoon. After a short nap, we did some activities around the resort like fishing and lazed around for the rest of the evening thoroughly enjoying the ambience. The ambience was truly special!
Day 5: En route Chennai
We got up nice and early to enjoy a scrumptious breakfast before our drive home. We were thoroughly content with the stunning sights and unforgettable experiences we had. And now, we were looking forward to the return journey. The return trip too was smooth and peaceful. We took a relaxed pace and managed some good mileage. Safe to say diesel cars reign supreme considering the torque and efficient engines.
The Hyundai Creta SX(O) exceeded our expectations in terms of comfort, safety as well as fuel efficiency. Hoping to go on many more trips in this beautiful vehicle and I must say, she's a great travel buddy to have!
Alrighty then. Time to plan my next trip.
Catch you all soon. Bon Voyage.
29th August 2024, 11:02
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