Moving on from Mysore

Well if you must move on….. 😉

We’ve received a few recommendations from local friends and previous guests about where to go.

National Parks

We’re often asked which is the best national park to visit (there are so many) our good friend Tanu suggests that Kabini is often considered the best in terms of sighting wild animals. Here’s a selection of places to stay, we’ll provide more info as we receive it from guests. Prices vary widely but it’s not cheap!

Kannur Beach House

We’re just back from there for our fourth visit (so must be good!) we’ll do a posting soon on this great place to stay and local things to do. In the meantime any questions email Stephen tours@mycycle.co

Wayanad, Kerala

Here are two suggestions from Dennis and Katja, originally from Germany and currently living in Bangalore.

Both places are in Kerala. The first is in the countryside of Wayanad

Tranquil Resort

Kuppamudi Estate, District Wayanad, Kolagapara, Kerala 673591, India

“Lovely Homestay thanks to Ajay and Nisha and their wonderful staff. It really feels like home every time we visit, great place for hiking, amazing accommodation even tree houses, cute dogs, our paradise in India 🙂 “

Web site is here

Check where it is here

Kerala coast

and the second is further north and offers a combination of sea, sand and backwaters. It’s away from the hustle and bustle associated with the backwaters further south near Cochin.

Neeleshwar Hermitage

“Excellent place to relax and make the world around you disappear. They have beach and garden cottages, which are very well maintained and equipped. The vegetarian restaurant serves amazing food, there is also a seafood restaurant which we did not try. Staff are very attentive and friendly. It feels like heaven 🙂 “

Kerala 671314, India

+91 467 228 7510

Check it out here

Check where it is here

The Guardian Newspaper an addtional suggestion for cruising the northern backwaters here

Silvia from Germany via the Canaries has now visited India once a year for three years. She’s got the bug! Sylvia’s recommendation in one of the closest national parks is Jungle Retreat. “ every person who likes nature must make this trip at least once in your life “ Sylvia stayed in the tree house.

Check it here

25/09/2017 2

So why choose a homestay?

and why choose ours?

Its sharing our home……

which is clean, comfortable, with a great atmosphere, home cooking, continental or Indian breakfasts, an outdoor sit out and roof sun terrace with lots of plants, two lounges, small library, fast WIFI, in a quiet residential area with super amenities next door and which is just ten minutes from the action in the city, such as the Palace and Market.

we provide insights into India with information and advice on what to see and do, from the perspective of Manjula (from Mysore) and Stephen (from the UK) to help you make the best of your time here.

we have a lovely dog, Lucie

a series of over ten parks starting opposite our house

a house with wonderful art from around the country

MYCycle tours, scrumptious meals and cookery lessons

oh, and we’ve been no 1 in Mysore on Trip Advisor for five years

according to India today these are the ten top reasons to choose a Homestay here

20/09/2017 1

Our gardens.

Opposite our house is one of a series of parks offering flower displays, places to walk and hang-out and relax, children’s climbing equipment, badminton and even roller blading. The one’s opposite are especially good at the moment as we approach Dasra.

17/09/2017 0

Top Tips

The first of our tips focus on how to deal with some of the challenges you might face, particularly if you’re a first time visitor to India.

So if you’re aware, take your time, and follow the simplest traveller rules you’ll find India the richest of experiences where you’ll wish to return for more.

Number One: Everything, always takes longer than you expect.

Check here

Number Two: India will change you, so be prepared.

Check here

Number Three: one night stands aren’t all they’re cracked up to be

Check here

Number four: is about tipping.

check here

More top tips will follow.

17/09/2017 0

Top Tips

Number Two

India will change you. It’ll take you out of your comfort zone and you’ll not want to find your way back. Maybe 😉

Most people love India and it’s people, and admittedly a very small number find it a step too far.

Whatever you feel it’s unforgettable.

You just need to be aware that it will seem contradictory, and unfathomable but it’s a good thing.

It helps to find somewhere extra easy for the first few days while you find your feet.

If we’re from the west. We often wish to experience, analyse and understand. We try to place things in boxes and stick on a label. India by contrast is consistently inconsistent, so to put it mildly you need to expect the unexpected.

It can’t really be boxed.

It’s important that you ‘go with the flow’ you might be the equivalent of bobbing about in the river, shooting the rapids or on the ups and downs of the rollercoaster.

But whilst it’s exhilarating just follow the basic traveller rules and it’s safe with mostly helpful people that want you to love their country.

At times it can feel a bit full-on and in-your-face, so you may need to build in places to stay or find hangouts that provide some respite so you can just switch it off.

There’s a great article on the BBC that might help, check:

Here

Any questions?

17/09/2017 3

Minor’s Mysore

things to do for children and the ‘young at heart’

this is just a quick list as its occurred to me, I’ll add links and images, in due course,

Parrot rescue centre and Bonsai gardens. Ask for details

Karanji Lake: birds, butterflies, walk, play area, boats (not up to standard), 20 mins walk from the MysoreBnB

Sand Museum, sculptures of sand, located on the road to Chamundi Hill, where there’s a few other attractions for the tourists. 15-20 minutes walk

Lalith Mahal Hotel: check out the entrance hall, the restaurant decor (what style?) is also amazing, after 7.00 there’s a Raj bar and restaurant. It’s 20- 30 minutes walk from MysoreBnB. The swimming pool might not be accessible as it’s been renovated for ever. It’s possible to visit the bar and get street food on the way home.

Zoo, its a zoo after all but reputedly one of the best in India. Ten minutes away in Auto Rickshaw

Ransoms (its a shop opposite the zoo) where they often have exhibitions in the basement of dolls and board games (of course they are also for sale)

Parks, immediately outside the Mysore BnB is the first of a series of twelve small parks, each with a slightly different focus, that offer places to sit and relax, play on climbing frames, even roller blading ….. is that what it’s called?

Natural History Museum, need to go check that one out myself as when I first went years ago I was not impressed.

Wax Museum: bit basic but some have liked it. There’s even a blog entry from previous guests ten minutes walk

Festivals, depends, on the time of year but there’s Dasara around october time, Ganesh september/october, Diwali (mainly in people’s homes) and many many more throughout the year.

and of course there’s all the regular stuff which are also great for we younger ones: Mysore Palace (looks splendid in the photos), Devaraj Market, so atmospheric with its smells and colours of fruit, veg and flowers; Chamundi Hill for Nandi the giant bull and wonderful views of the city, museums and art galleries; Silk Mill, fab food, artisan’s workshops (stone and wood) or just wandering around the streets to stumble across the hidden gems, like the yak man….. it’s a drama!

and of course… shopping!

and of course tara tara. our Mycycle tours of Srirangaptnam are all geared up for children with small cycles, tag-a-long and child seat for ‘toddlers.’

SF/17Sept2017

17/09/2017 0

Local Tourist Spots

Mysore is a city that feels like a town (although the traffic is getting busier) there are many places to visit that reflect its heritage, religious or other cultural aspects of this warm welcoming community. We’ll always help you ‘get under its skin’ and can arrange safe, reliable, fairly priced transport. Here’s a few examples of places to visit close to Mysore Bed and Breakfast and the distances:

Transport Hubs

Mysore Bus Stand 3.6 kms 09 mins, prepay auto rickshaw available

Mysore Train station, 4.9 kms 16 mins, prepay auro rickshaw available and pick-up

Bangalore Airport 154 Kms, four hours, pick up can be arranged

Mysore Airport 12 kms, when its working

Tourist Attractions

Mysore Palace 4 kms 10 mins

Devaraja Urs Market 4 kms 12 mins

Srirangapatnam 24 kms, 30 mins

Chamundi Hill 9.4 kms, 19 mins

Indira Ghandi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya 3.4 kms, 9 mins

Somnathpur Temple 30 kms 42 mins

Karanji Lake 2.7 kms, 7 mins

Government Silk Mill 6.4 kms 16 mins

Zoo, 2.9 kms, 8 mins

there are many many more places to visit…. check elsewhere on the web site or send us and email to tours@mycycle.co

14/09/2017 0

BHS update

Accommodation.

Do check back to main page for more info here

If you're thinking of visiting Belur , Halebid, Sravanabelagola here are a few suggestions for accommodation from one of our regular guests, Stephen Fleming who also knows a thing or two about bees!

A message from Stephen… to another guest, the MysoreBnB community growing :)

I have stayed in Belur in 2014 here

It's OK, very conveniently located and with a restaurant. It has a spacious courtyard, but my room was so big I just brought the bike inside.

I also stayed in Hassan (city is a bit grim) here

It's a modern hotel — with all that that entails — but the food in the restaurant, which is very popular with locals, was great. It has an underground garage for bikes.

In Mandagere there was tree-house accommodation on an organic farm with a very friendly family. It's not easy to find, but worth the search. Ask me if you need an accurate map (gold dust in India!) check the link here

Feel free to ask about other places in and around.

Stephen the elder (yes there are older Stephens-SF)

Interested in bees? Check Stephen's recent article on one of his trips to South India

11/09/2017 1

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