Honeymoon in Karnataka – Beyond the glass and concrete structures of its capital city Bangalore, there is a world of highly ornamental palaces, deep, dense forests, waterfalls, beaches, sprawling ruins of a medieval city, fortresses and temples to visit in Karnataka. A tour of Karnataka starts with the silicon city Bangalore, from where you can drive to Mysore. The majestic Mysore Palace is the city’s most famous landmark. 13 km from the city, and 100 steps from the base is the gigantic statue of Nandi, the vehicle of Lord Shiva. The Brindavan Garden around the Krishna Raja Sagar Dam is an ornamental garden which requires a dekko for its fairytale ambience.
If you’re a history buff, the fortress of Tipu Sultan at Srirangapatnam, and his summer palace, the Daria Daulat Bagh would interest you, located 13 km from Mysore. The colossal statue of Bahubali at Sravanbelagola is a Jain shrine dating back to 938 AD.
At Hampi, the ruins of the stunning monuments will leave you spell-bound and amazed at the craftsmanship of medieval India. Spread over an area of 25 sq. km, the ruins of the Vijayanagar kingdom include temples that are functioning since they were built between the 14th to the 16th century.
A three hour drive North West from Mysore will take you to the coffee plantations of Coorg, rightly called the Scotland of India. You can put up at Madikeri and explore the fabulous countryside around it. Trek up to the Abbey falls, and explore the little hamlets that lie scattered across the terraced slopes of the Western Ghats. The warm and hospitable Coorgis will welcome you into their homes – you can be sure they’re some of the best kept homes you would have ever visited.
Angling and white water rafting are activities you can take up on the robust Cauvery River. For a feel of the wild, drive to the Nagarhole National Park on the gentle terrain of the thickly forested Brahmagiri hills. The state’s other national parks include Dandeli and Bandipur. India’s best known falls are located here – the Jog Falls on the Sharavati leap forward 292 metres, while the high volume Shivasamudram on the Cauvery thunders down from a height of 90 metres. As for beaches, Karnataka’s 320 km coastline is part of the captivating Konkan coast, and the Gokarn, Malpe and Kaup are some of the quiet retreats you can take to.