5 Places to Avoid Near Bangalore!

by travelmynation
Places to avoid near Bangalore
The Tourist Trap

Yes, the title is what we intended it to be! Haven’t you read a gazillion articles titled “10-weekend getaways from Bangalore”, “5 vacation spots near Bangalore” and the list goes on and on. Every single blogger, or so they are called talk about homestays around Bangalore that maybe a billion people know about. I often wonder why would they even write about it. Is it just a content creation exercise or they actually believe that Indians don’t know about Ooty? As if we haven’t got a fair share of viewing Mithun dancing around locations in Ooty.
Places to avoid near BangaloreAnyways our article is a little different and we will tell you where you shouldn’t travel to and why. We will also give you some alternatives, not all since it’s left to you to find vacation spots near Bangalore.

Suggested Read - 10 Bangalore Destinations you can cover without a car!
OOTY

Probably the first destination people go to when they come to Bangalore. Not their fault though since this is the most publicized destination. We’ve seen Ooty in numerous movies, with tea estates, green hills, romantic walks and what not. But reality hits you hard even before you reach Ooty. The route is full of traffic. From bikers to locals to buses and trucks. You reach the ghats and its a mad frenzy, something out of an F1 race. You reach Ooty expecting to touch the clouds and glide through the heavenly beauty but instead are welcomed by crowded streets, incessant honking, people jam-packed everywhere and garbage was strewn all over.


We recently had to cross Ooty during the rains and were shocked to see a river flowing through the city (literally). Ooty is in bad shape due to overcommercialization and poor infrastructure. The green cover is reducing significantly and the increasing population has taken a toll on water supply. If you stay in the city you won’t find the peace and quiet you’re looking for. Parking is a nightmare and walking around in the heavily crowded roads is just not an option. Food is often expensive and highly mediocre.

What we recommend is that you head over to Kotagiri, Lovedale, Conoor, Kavaratty, Ketti, Wellington or Kurumbadi. They are quaint little towns and don’t see heavy footfalls like Ooty. Most of them are on hillocks and offer panoramic views of the Nilgiri Mountains. You can read some hotel reviews here and here.


Suggested Read - The most off beat beaches in South India that you never heard about!!
COORG

Coorg is massive and has several places to visit. However, the tourists generally close in on the central part of Madikeri which is packed with accommodation. If you are looking at shopping at the markets or good connectivity then that’s a great place to be.

If you are looking for some exclusivity and peace, we would recommend you try places like Kaginahare, Brahmagiri, Kadanur, Virajpet, and Kutta. We were recently in Kutta and stayed at Turtle Pond. It’s an Estonian styled homestay and very close to Nagarhole National Park. You can check out their review here.

CHIKMAGALUR

The birthplace of CCD is a well-known destination in the South. Located just 250kms from Bangalore, it houses several popular spots such as Baba Budangiri and Mullayanagiri. Scores of hotels, homestays, and resorts dot the span of the entire city leaving out the natural beauty this city once had. Most accommodation is generally very crowded and you don’t know what you’re kind of neighbors you are gonna get. We once had an encounter with a noisy bunch of young professionals who got drunk and keep shouting throughout the night. We ended up moving to another location to avoid the constant screaming and drunken brawls.

In Chikmagalur district, we would recommend Aldur. It’s far away from the crowd of the city, has some pretty homestays, a waterfall and great places for off-roading. You can also try Arasinoguppe or Hirekolale.

NANDI HILLS

I think more people are in Nandi Hills on a weekend than all the metro cities in India. Just kidding but that’s how crowded it can get especially on a Saturday! I still remember visiting Nandi hills in 2010. There wasn’t any fencing around the hills, no decks for the viewpoints and hardly anybody around. We would stay there for hours and every person there would manage to find their own quiet space on the hill. Fast forward to 2017, and you see idiots carrying out stunts on the hill road, some drinking and driving and then a long line at the ticketing counter.

The whole point of visiting Nandi hills back in my day was to escape Bangalore and experience the natural beauty along with some peace and quiet. But now its a hellish experience going there. Traffic is crazy and then when u reach there, you engage in a treasure hunt to find parking spots. Then the hill is crawling with people and there’s no space for you to sit and spend time.

Alternatively, if you need a short break from Bangalore, head to Avalabetta, Kandavara Lake or Thimmasandara Lake on the same route.

PONDICHERRY

One of the cleanest places in India, Pondicherry is a great beach destination. Famous for its French architecture, Auroville and ocean views it makes for the perfect weekend getaway from Bangalore. However, if you visit the beaches you will soon realize things are not so rosy. Auroville beach is littered with garbage and cows walk all over the walkways. Parking is also a nightmare with signs posted warning drivers of carjacking. The rock beach is also super crowded during weekends due to its close proximity to Chennai.

If you want to visit Pondicherry, we recommend you book a nice B&B in Auroville or try some of the resorts on ECR such as The Ashoka. The advantage of these resorts is that you get a limited crowd there and a private clean beach. Else if you don’t mind traveling a bit, you can head over to Mahabalipuram and try your hand at surfing at Cove Long beach. If you are looking at quieter beaches, head over to Kannur or Trasi (Udupi).

Suggested Read - The best hill stations in South India!


Liked this article? Don’t forget to leave your comment below and share it with your friends! If you would like to travel the way we do, then join us on our tours through our boutique travel company, Moto Overlanders.  

We also recommend our section on FoodReviews, and International destinations in our blog. If you like our pictures, do check out our Instagram and Facebook page as well.

This article and the pictures in it belong to Travelmynation and usage without prior permission is prohibited. If you would like to use any of our content, pls feel free to reach out to us.

You may also like

15 comments

Life on Tarmac October 27, 2017 - 11:54 AM

This is different, good and useful info for the travelling enthusiast. Thank you

Reply
travelmynation October 27, 2017 - 11:56 AM

Thank you. That was the idea. Hope the article helps people find alternative places away from the crowd

Reply
10 Bangalore Destinations You Don’t Need a Car to Visit - Travelmynation October 4, 2018 - 1:23 PM

[…] POPULAR 10 Off Beat Places to Visit Near Mumbai Adventure Activities in India – The Ultimate Thrill 10 Bangalore Destinations You Don’t Need a Car… Paragliding in India – Complete List 20 Best Hill Stations In South India 20 Best Hill Stations in North India Off Beat South India Beaches 5 Places to Avoid Near Bangalore! […]

Reply
A place to visit in Himachal that you haven't explored! - Travelmynation December 5, 2019 - 3:10 PM

[…] Karnataka […]

Reply
delhifundos2014 September 14, 2020 - 12:21 PM

Some of the places which you mentioned are generally regarded as a places that most visitors like to chill out in for example Ooty and Coorg. But you really gave the genuine reason to avoid such places. We are planning to visit Pondicherry next year we will definitely going to book the resort which you mentioned above. I am bookmarking this post for future. Thanks for sharing this article

Reply
Mrinal Kiran September 14, 2020 - 5:13 PM

This is really an amazing and helpful post! Thank you for sharing what not to do! I will share this with my friends!

Reply
Afreen Ansari September 14, 2020 - 6:09 PM

Now thats really helpful.. Never knew of places such as Kaginahare, Brahmagiri, Kadanur, Virajpet, and Kutta. Will definitely explore these as recommended and avoid the ones mentioned

Reply
karthiko75 September 14, 2020 - 7:17 PM

I completely disagree with what’s written here. Ooty, Coorg or Pondy will have crowds. So is every tourist place in the world. Trick is to go on a day where there’s lesser crowd. Just cos u see some garbage in a beach doesnt mean the city is to be avoided.. This post is anything but helpful or actually gives out incorrect information to the readers. Sorry that’s my honest opinion

Reply
Michelle Tirkey September 14, 2020 - 7:39 PM

This was one of the most honest articles I’ve come across in a while. In have not been to most of the places in the list but I did feel the same about Pondicherry when I was there on a weekend. The rock beach was so crowded that there was hardly any place ‘to chill’. Next, I dropped in at Mahabalipuram and also Cove Long beach and had a great time.
Thanks for bringing out this article.

Reply
Sanjay Thampy September 14, 2020 - 8:00 PM

That’s a very interesting take, loved the way you started it and how you took it forward.
Loved the detailed explanation of each of the places.

Reply
DiaryOfAnInsaneWriter September 14, 2020 - 10:45 PM

Intriguing title and equally interesting read! Clever way to grab attention. I will share the blog post with friends who travel and/or live in Bangalore. Thank you!

Reply
mominprocessnow September 15, 2020 - 12:34 AM

I visited Ooty and Mandi hills way back in 2008. At that time Ooty was quite beautiful and nothing like you described but yes Mandi hills was crowded

Reply
Avantika Chaturvedi September 15, 2020 - 12:43 AM

Thanks for such honesty – it’s so hard to come by on the world wide web these days. I’ve seen very little of the south so had no idea that Coorg and Chikmagalur could be such packed places. Will be cautious when I do get to visit and will keep your recommendations in mind. Thanks for sharing!

Reply
pamela September 15, 2020 - 1:03 AM

Well a few places are bad due to tourists and over crowd. I guess , if the government and locals take some extra precautions or provide sustainable living option the concept can be changed. I will surely check offbeat options too.

Reply
Roshni Hegde September 16, 2020 - 2:05 PM

Y native is in mangalore.but couldn’t manage to take a visit in Bangalore since 20 years! I thank you for getting such informative blog .it will help me

Reply

Leave your thoughts

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More

Verified by MonsterInsights