Sai Vishram Byndoor (Mookambika Rd) Trip

We did this Train trip to Sai Vishram Beach Resort located at about 75 KM from Udupi, over ~3 days and 2 nights. It was in the middle of a monsoon rainy season, but we had a good trip.

This Resort is part of the Sai Vishram Hotel (previously called E-Inn) near Electronic City on Hosur Road in Bangalore. We had finalized this travel date very early, more than 2 months in advance, in the month of May; but we got worried after seeing the weather news from there in the preceding 3-4 weeks, as rain was pouring in that area, and that train route was even closed for a few days for restoration of damages caused by landslides along the tracks. So we were not sure how our trip would pan out, in case the rains affect the route again along the tracks and tunnels, or if heavy rains pour down while we were there.

Fortunately, the rains completed pouring a few days before our travel date, and hence the trains to ply normally well on time for us. Actually, however, a fury of heavy rains started again soon after our trip, with heavy floods bashing up that Byndoor area just a couple of days right after we came back!

So luckily for us when we went there, weather was good, while also we enjoyed the periodic short 5-10 minute drizzle spells which passed by once every few hours!

We traveled from Bangalore on 31Jul evening to reach Byndoor on 1Aug morning. And after two nights' stay there, we started back from Byndoor on 3Aug evening, and reached Bangalore on 4Aug morning.

Sai Vishram Beach Resort

Located near the beach, about 4.5 KM from the Byndoor / Mookambika Road railway station, along the coastal line, and in the vicinity of 30-35 KM to places like Kollur Mookambika temple and Murudeshwar temple. This train route on the Konkan railway line is popular also for the ride passing through dense forests and quite a lot of tunnels, especially between Sakleshpur and Mangalore. A day travel train would have been quite exciting. But we traveled at night. Also, Byndoor is where people alight to go to Kollur Mookambika temple that is about 30 KM from there, and rightly, the railway station is also called as Mookambika Road. This train station itself is quite scenic with quite a broad platform to alight, and with another highlight of a tunnel seen right in front on the route... into which the train disappears after we get down!

Our stay at the resort was very good. Their practice of no security guard and gate to the property, but just a net curtain at the entrance was amusing (see picture). The Karavali Road to the nearby town splits the resort into two parts, one closer to the beach and the other on the other side of the road, on an elevated and sloped hilly part. They have a few cottages close to the beach side and more of them up on the slopes. Of the wide variety of rooms and cottages they have, we stayed in what they call as a Water Cottage, located on the other side of the road, up the slope, that has a distant view of the ocean from the balcony. Small firewood boilers supply the hot water required for the bathrooms (see picture). Stone chess sculptures add to the landscape around the cottages (see picture).

Lot of greenery, trees, walkways around that we enjoyed. The dining hall, located on the beach side part of the resort, is a nice compact thatched roof setup that gave us a rural touch. The menu in each meal was good, with Kerala red rice making its presence every day, and also some dish like Uppittu and Godhi Payasam were outstanding (see pictures). We had booked all our meals with them at a package rate, including a special consideration package of early check-in, with arrival breakfast included for the starting day, and a late checkout on the departing day, including the lunch on that day. Plus, they picked us up, at about 10 am, on arrival from Byndoor railway station, and also dropped us back there at about 3:45 pm on the departing evening.

The man-made pond pit filled with natural rain water setup amidst the dense mini forest and hillock backdrop where they had a kayaking arrangement was fun (see picture). Apparently guests are allowed to get into the water there and have a good time swimming. Considering the passing rain showers and chillness in the air and water, we did not consider it.

When we went for a 7:30 am morning walk on Karavali road, we were stunned to see a wide variety of birds amidst a few big trees around the fields along the road. A tiny water stream bridge on that route was exciting and we took a walk down to the stream as well (see picture).

They have a nice little open stage amphitheater and also a covered mini hall with stage, probably for Yakshagana programs (see picture); appears like they conduct cultural events once in a while; there were none during our visit. Also they had a few water adventure sport kits in their storage, but they were  suspended during our visit, owing to the rough sea and sudden inclement weather conditions that show up unforeseen around this time. Their lawn volleyball court along the beach side with a green clad hillock backdrop on the other side was an attractive setup as well (again, see picture!).

Highlights of our trip

• The long walk on the beach, looking at the frequent rains coming from far away and passing by
• A small backwater stream, at a few hundred meters walk on the beach towards northern direction
• A hike on the hillock to the Sunset view point; a great elevated view of the river estuary
• Someshwara beach (by the temple of the same name, Someshwara temple)
• Sumana river estuary where it merges / flows into the Arabian sea, a beautiful spot
• Kollur Mookambika temple visit, a half-day trip by a cab
• Mock kayaking in their tiny little water body within the resort
• Mr Ratnakar's support and coordination at the resort was superb!
• We also spoke to the chef a couple of times to appreciate his cooking!

What we spotted

• Among trees and plants, we walked around many almond, cashew, fig, jack fruit, star fruit, and coconut trees, in and around the resort. 
• It was also cool to see a variety of flowers around in their rain-drenched freshness. 
• Other highlights in the resort were their friendly dogs in their office cum club house, cows in their Goshala, and pea hens and peacocks said to be coming regularly to eat near their dining hall (we missed them, though a couple flashed by momentarily across the cottage when we were walking towards the dining hall, see picture below). 
• We also spotted fire-flies flashing at night in the room and a lot outside the balconies, nice butterflies around the cottages and trees, a mongoose crossing the footpath in the resort, and a few playful monkeys (see pictures).
• And then of course we spotted a few insects including snails, slugs, crabs, giant pill millipedes, frogs, etc. all around (see pictures).
• We saw only some (very few) birds inside the resort. But we were stunned by a variety of and in some numbers during the morning walk along the Karavali Road, including woodpeckers, golden orioles, purple sun birds, egrets, etc. There were quite a few brahminy kites with their white heads always floating above the beach side. We were also treated by a lot of sparrows in the Byndoor railway station itself and also at the Mookambika Temple. 
• A lot of double-decked terracotta roofed houses and mostly green moss clad walls all around were the other interesting sights on most of the roads here.

Overall a very good beach stay experience, good cuisine, wonderful drizzles, calm and serene surroundings for 3 days out of Bangalore.

Routes

Our train routes from Bangalore to Byndoor Resort and back:

Look for our itinerary summary and the trip review scores later below. Scroll down to see the travel pictures.

A big miss in my plan... and I regretted... having forgotten to carry my Camera! I had to make do with my mobile phone camera all the time! Sorry for bad pictures.

On the train and at the train station

At the Resort and during the stay

 

Food at the resort

Please also see my Caught Special - 120 posting with some special pictures from our Byndoor trip, here.

Itinerary Summary

Here is a short itinerary of the entire trip, with a little more information, in case you are looking for.

     - Day0, Wed, Started from Bangalore at 7:15 pm by Karwar Express (#16513)
     - Arrived at Sai Vishram Beach Resort, Byndoor by 10:30 am the next day
     - All meals, including an additional breakfast on early arrival, and a lunch for late check-out in package
     - Day1, Thu, relaxed around, with a long beach walk and looking around their cottages and facilities
     - Day2, Fri, 7 AM morning walk up to the sunset point to view the wonderful estuary of Sumana River
     - 9:30 AM to 1 PM trip to Kollur Mookambika temple by a cab arranged by the resort
     - On the way back from Kollur, a 30 min. stop at the Someshwara beach
     - The estuary view was wonderful amidst roaring inverted-V waves from two directions
     - 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM, kayaking in the resort's own setup adjoining the resort, and beach walks
     - Day3, Sat, 7:30 AM to 8:30 AM, nice rural walk, watching the fields, water streams, houses, birds
     - The vast agriculture fields, while still hearing the sound of the sea, and lots of birds we spotted
     - Later we relaxed around the amphitheater, peek at the beach, their library in the indoor club, and so on
     - Checked out around 1 pm and started to the railway station by about 3:30 pm
     - Departed from Byndoor by (Karwar) Bangalore Express (#16524)
     - Day4, Sun, Reached Bangalore around 8 am 

Trip Tips

• We planned this travel date about 2.25 months in advance; the direct booking package was attractive, with a lot of add-ins the person offered us; any online booking would not have given those free.
• The beach has so much of diesel deposits in black condensed form (see picture); on the first day we stepped on a few of those and had a hard time removing them from our feet, ankles and shins!
• The morning walk along the rural road is a calm and bird-chirpy experience.
• People typically visit Kollur, Murudeshwar, etc. from here.
• Our cottage was located up on the ramp, and so for each meal, we walked down to the dining hall crossing the rural road in between. It was nice to do this mini trek each time.
• The monsoon season kept us busy with umbrellas! And the resort was generous in giving a few to use any time. Rain kept surprising us with sudden short pours... but most of the times it stopped within a matter of 3-5 min., so much so that on the 2nd and 3rd days, we were predicting the stoppage time every time when rain started suddenly with no sign of coming!
• The train ride from Bangalore to Byndoor is via Mangalore, and the return train covers Mysore too in the early morning hours before reaching back to Bangalore. The central part of that travel is on the scenic ghat section, between Sakhleshpur and Mangalore, though we missed the view as the travel was in the night. However, the travel after Mangalore, via Udupi, up to Byndoor happens in the morning, had great views of vast agricultural farms and several water bodies along the way.

Verdict

Our ratings on a scale of 5 (1 is low, 5 is high).

• Scenic views on the train from Mangalore to Byndoor: 4/5 
• Sai Vishram Beach Resort: 4.25/5
• Water cottage accommodation: 4.5/5  
• Food at the Resort: 4/5  
• Uppittu at breakfast: 4.5/5
• Morning hike up to sunset view point: 4.5/5
• Kollur Mookambika temple trip: 3.5/5 
• The estuary view at Someshwara beach and the roaring inverted-V waves: 4.5/5
• Kayaking in the man-made pond with natural water: 3.5/5
• Morning walk and bird watching: 4.5/5

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