Things to do in Mangalore!!

Mangalore  was named after the goddess Mangaladevi. The story behind goes a long way in enriching the cultural heritage of Mangalore.  It is also one of the major ports in India. Lying on the backwaters formed by the Netravati and Gurpur rivers, it has long been a roadstead along the Malabar Coast.Here are a few things to do in Mangalore.

Marvanthe Beach-It is considered one of Karnataka's most beautiful beaches. It is about 55 kilometres from Udupi and .One hour ride from Udupi will take you to this spectacular sight.Mangalore is at a distance of 110 km. You can take a bus or hire a taxi to reach the beach.

  NH-66 runs right next to the beach and the Suparnika River flows on the other side of the road, creating a spectacular scenery and considered only one of its kind in India.

 The river Souparnika, almost touches Arabian Sea here, makes a U turn and goes westward to join the Sea only after a journey of more than 10 kilometres.The sunset here is one of the best we have ever seen.

 Surathkal beach-It is located 12 km from Mangalore city. 

The beach is close to the NIT college.  The nearest airport to Surathkal beach is Mangalore..

  It is a rocky beach.The smooth sand and the rocks make an amazing combination.The sunset is one of its kind.

 There is an added attraction to historical Sadashiva Temple near the beach  due to mythology.When Lord Ganesha kept Ravana's shivalinga on the ground, Ravana tried to pick it up forcefully and some pieces were scattered. One such piece from the linga is said to have fallen in Suratkal.

 There is a temple and lighthouse which give amazing views of the beach.

 There are no water sports on the beach.But walking bare feet on the soft sand is one experience.

Tannirbhavi Beach is located near Panambur, 10 km to the north of the city, near the New Mangalore Port and along the confluence of the Gurupur river and the Arabian Sea.

It can only be reached by land via Panambur or by ferry via Gurupura river from Sultan Battery.We spotted jelly fishes in huge numbers in the river.The river is full of jelly fishes.It was a sight which we had never seen before.

You can see the remains of a ship which sank 15 years ago near the beach.

 This beach is comparatively deserted and is a great spot for safe swimming.There are a few water activities as well.

Someshwar Beach located near Ullal Railway Station.It is famous for clean & white sands. It is also known for the large rocks called 'Rudra Shile' situated near the beach.

Panambur beach is very close to Mnagalore and attracts a lot of visitors . It gets vey crowded during weekends.So its best to visit it on weekdays.It can be easily reched by bus.

There are numerous places to eat in Mangalore.Cherry sqaure famous for the desserts.Dosa camp for MDC and cheese dosas.Jimmys in falnir for Bonda.If you like chinese then Hao Ming is the place for you.Chicken Shawarma is the yummiest her,Chicken tikka halal MFC are few outlets which serve shawarma.Dino's is famous fo its cheese paprika sandwiche& desserts.Kudla,Kadal,Maharaja,Mughal Treat serve the juiciest chicken.Pabbas and Idle are known for their sundaes,parfait,gadbad,choclate dad are few of the famous ones.

Some like it hot @cherry square

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Langkawi-Rebak Marina resort(Staycation)

After spending 2 days on foot in KL(read the blog here),it was time for some relaxation and white sandy beaches.It takes 45min from KL by air.Langkawi is an archipelago made up of 99 islands on Malaysia’s west coast.Langkawi means reddish brown eagle in Malay.

Airport

Langkawi is famous for its crystal clear water,beautiful beaches,diving,duty free alcohol etc.Rich in flora and fauna surrounded by picturesque beaches,this is a place for the romantics,no wonder this place attracts a lot of honeymooners and couples.

Port Langkasuka

We stayed at the Rebak Marina Resort,which is an island itself.It takes around 15 min from the Port Langkasuka to the island by jetty.The port is hardly 5 min from the airport.The hotel gives the  airport pick up and drop off service complimentary.A Taj jetty from the port would pick you up and take to the island.

Lobby

Our room was huge with a walk in wardrobe and a big enough washroom.The cottages are made of wooden which give you a feeling of being in the middle of a forest.

The island has a marina and this resort.Away from the crowd,it has got everything you need.This unspoiled gem is rich in fauna and flora.You are amidst a forest.The beauty and hospitality of Taj made us choose this hotel.In case you want to explore Langkawi,you can stay on Land,instead of an island.There are bikes and cars available on rent.

There is a big pool with excellent view and a bar.

Beach recliners are all over the beach.

The private beach has a lot of crabs and fishes.It's fun to watch them running around.

The restaurant,bars and study are quite good.Brekakfast buffet is for 44RM per person and dinner buffet is priced at 85RM per person.The spread is mouth watering and extensive.Lot of vegetarian Indian options as well.The staff and the chef would  make sure you have a hearty meal.The chef spoke personally to us and made sure we liked the food.

This was our fav spot in the resort,we sat here for hours watching the birds,speed boats go by or simply staring at the sea.It was bliss.

Cottages

There are jetties running to and fro from the resort to the mainland.The staff would give you the timings when you check in.

The Marina

Helluva good time

You can spot some exotic birds flying around the island.There are numerous activities on the resort,nature walk being one of them,where you would learn a lot about the flora and fauna on this beautiful island.Make sure you don't miss it.

Hornbill

 Bookings can be made online.We booked all our tickets and hotels online.Check out the hotel websites for some great deals.

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Rapid KL

Kuala Lampur, capital of Malaysia,is a center of economic and business activity. No surprises that you would find this most populous city in Malaysia quite vibrant.  Much recognized by the Towering twin buildings called the Petrona Towers; the city has much to offer from monuments to night life. 

Our stay in KL was short and if you have limited time much to see in any place, the location of your stay becomes really important.We spent considerable time in choosing the hotel and went with Le Meridian. It is located right next to KL Sentral, a hub for metro lines to many parts of the city. Living in the heart of the city made our travel quite easy.The hotel offers you style and comfort.

Room had a great view from the 22nd floor.

Lobby of Le Meridien

The Petroans are synonymous with KL.This was the first place we visited after landing in KL.We had no idea that the KLCC station's exit was right in front of the towers.It was quite a surprise when we stepped out of the station and 2 huge building were towering us.There are a couple of cafes and restaurants around the tower.People just hang out in the open area which has a view of the Petronas and fountains.

For the shopaholics,there's a mall with all the major brands.

The towers look breathtaking in the night with all the lights.

Next up on our list was Skybar.Well they say if you have not been to the skybar you have not been to KL.It is on the top 10 things to do in KL.Located on the 33rd floor of Trader's Hotel,it gives amazing view of the towers.

There is a pool right in the middle with cabanas on one side and chairs on the other.It gets quite crowded in the night and a seat with a good view might be difficult to get.

We were lucky to get a good seat with a good view of the towers.We tried the mocktails and some onion rings and nachos.Drinks were quite good.The music was super cool and the atmosphere amazing.It is open till 3 in the morning on weekends.

**Reservations are only done till 8PM.

We had a fun night and did not want to go back.

Shopping is quite a thing in KL.There are huge malls and then there is Petaling street(Chinatown) for some thrift shopping.Pavilion mall being one of the most famous is at a walking distance from KLCC.There is a sky-walk which connects KLCC to Pavilion.

A day is not enough for exploring this area.

The mall houses some high end brands like Armani,Diesel,Gap,Topshop,Chanel,Prada,Fendi to name a few.H&M is just around the corner too.

There are numerous eating options as well in and around the mall,not many for vegetarians though.

The other bar we visited was Marini's on 57.As the name suggests it is on the 57th floor on Menara 3 of the KL Twin towers.

It opens at 4 PM till the wee hours of night.You would be greeted by the receptionist at the entrance who will walk you up to the lift and then to the bar.It has a glass enclosed lounge and al fresco dining as well.We spent an hour inside and an hour outside.

The staff is professional yet friendly.They would be around incase you need anything.A good seat would be the one with a close proximity of the towers.We had the towers literally in front of our eyes.

 The mocktail and orange juice was pretty good and the pizzas amazing.

The view was amazing on all the sides.We loved the place and had a relaxed evening after all the running around we did.

It is quite a thing to enjoy a meal overlooking the towers from the 57th floor.

The easiest and cheapest way to travel is by monorails.The city is well connected and it is very easy to locate the stations.People are helpful and you would not find it difficult to travel on your own.