Manchanabele Dam, Bangalore

About 40 Kms south of Bangalore is this beautiful dam built across river Akravati, off Mysore highway. It is a wonderful destination for nature lovers.

 The water body is safe and clean. You will enjoy boating, swimming or just wandering around in hills. Its a place where you can spend few hours, half day or have day visit. There are options to put a tent for overnight stay.

Nothing much beyond this, but I am sure if you need a break from hectic city life and do not wish to travel for more than an hour, than Manchanable Dam could be a good option for you.

Funtertainment:

Water and nature


Best time to visit:
Post rains as water is ample and nature at its best.


Cost per head:
Nothing apart from your travel cost. You may find few shops in neighboring villages but around dam, there is absolutely no shops, so carry your food along.


Overall rating: 4 on 5

Resort, Lake Forest @ Yercaud

INDeco’s The Lake Forest Hotel at Yercaud,Hill Station is one of the finest resorts I have stayed in Southern India.

located and crafted (as they say) among live coffee garden, on a hill slope, this resort has amazing  collections of antique articles which are decorated in each of the 40+ cottages they own.

Design for delight it is beautiful, unique to a great extend and if you happen to visit post Diwali time, you will enjoy company of clouds that will knock your cottage door.

What kills the fun though is below average services at room, and house keeping. Something that lacks both professionalism and promptness. Here they have a huge scope of improvement. Customer satisfaction cannot be ensured just by decorating rooms good but by providing quality services, something that is grossly missing at this resort.

Well that is the not end of this decade old resort. It some things are bad some are really good, I like the taste of food and courtesy of 'Club Mahindra' staff at hotel.

What I like here;

• Location
• Rooms
• Evenings
• Nature
• Food

What is not good;

• Service standards
• entertainment (nothing beyond a small club room & rare fun activities in evening)
• price (higher than average cost of stay)

Overall rating: 2.5 of 5

Prakruthi Club

Situated off NH-7, on way to Bangalore International Airport Prakruthi club is a good place to have your day trip/ outing. Prakruthi club is more of a sporting place where in you can find your teen-hood days love - Cricket and Cycling. Its a place you must visit if you like physical activities and not just for a day where you want to enjoy nature or stay in water for full day.

NOTE: Prakruthi Club DO NOT entertain in walk-ins. Please do prior booking before you visit. Ensure that there are not too many groups visiting club on same day as you.

How To Reach: Drive on NH7 till you hit ITC factor on your left (driving from Bangalore towards BIAL/ Hyderabad). There is a small drive way after ITC factory wall, take it and keep going for about 4.6 kms till you see 'Prakruti club' board. Drive is decent and road is ok.

So What you do: A long list of things that for sure will make you feel that you should have had 18 hour day to be here.

1. Dirt biking (cycling)

2. ATV (All terrine Vehicle, four wheels like you see in action scenes)

3. Paint-ball

4. Segway (boring for many)

5. Zorb (fun for all)

6. Shuttle (badminton for few)

7. Small ground to play cricket (love of all)

8. Snooker table (table with white, red, orange balls two sticks may be billiards)

9. Swimming pool (if its too hot)

10. Grass lawn to relax (for non sporty ones)

11. Table Tennis (not interested)

Food: most likely the package that you would opt for will include Breakfast, lunch & high tea. Nothing great but nothing bad too. you can rely on them for good food. They also have lounge that looks awesome and a small restaurant.

Rooms and cottages: In case you want to stay over night. Something that stand out from rest of the clubs in nearby area. Executive rooms start from 3000 + tax and cottages from 4000+ tax. These are simply awesome and well maintained rooms that sparkles luxury form the moment you walk in. 

What's not good: its an overall average place. Nothing that stands out in terms of activities but just another option in case you have tired our visiting popular destinations around Bangalore.

Funtertainment: it depends on what you prefer, I see many people enjoying Zorb a lot. 

Cost: package starts from 600 per head + taxes and goes all the way up 2000 per head. Check out latest packages at Prakruthi club website. Plan about 1000 per head (excluding travel)

Overall Rating: 3 on 5

Club Cabana

Situated close to Bangalore International Airport, Club Cabana is one of the most sorted out destinations over a weekend, office outings and family outing. Well maintained club which largely is a water park is easy to reach with good roads till last mile. Along with water park, Club Cabana also offers games like dart, archery, bowling, badminton, table tennis and hosts a open air amphitheater, spa and close hall of gatherings. In case you forget to carry swim suite, you can buy then at a store in club cabana at reasonable cost.

 

Resort has good dinning space, open and also at pool side, quality and taste will surely satisfy your expectations – though this is not something most of us will be so keen on. You go to Club Cabana to enjoy water like you would do in Wonderla but this is a miniature version of wonderla – with a difference though. Choosing between Wonderla and Club Cabana though will be tough, Wonderla scores above club cabana in water rides but reaching wonderla (crossing mysore road, kingare) is nightmare whereas reaching club cabana on NH-9 is butter smooth. So guess – if you don’t wana take all the driving pain then just head north of Bangalore and have fun.

Reaching: It’s pretty easy, as I said – head north, cross Hebal Flyover driver all the way (almost till new Toll Both before airport) till last signal before Airport Toll Both, take left and follow sign board.

Plan your day: As always, plan a trip on a sunny day – avoid rains and winter as I mentioned, it’s all about water. Reach early by pass (from variety of options). In first half prefer to stay on land, enjoy sports and facility. Walk through the various corners and then have early lunch (be at lunch table at 12:40). Post lunch book few pool side benches for yourself and group and then what?? Rush in to the water and be there till they whistle you out

What is NOT good: ok, too many good things I said. Here is something that will upset you the most. Toilets & change rooms of Indian railways are better than those at Club Cabana. I just could not enter that filthy change room.

Funtertainment: Most of the water bodies, yes Lazy river was little extra fun. Also, Archery since I enjoyed a lot hitting some 10s.

Cost: Ticket cost anywhere between 400 to 1200 based on what activities you wana play. For kids they charge 50% and yes they offer time to time discount on full ticket price (about 20%)

Overall Rating: 3 on 5