07 January,2010 11:06 AM IST | | L Romal M Singh
Coffee and everything associated with it, from plant to brew, is no layman's game, as this traveller discovers...
Coffee or Kaapi is as much a part of any South Indian household as it is now a global culture representation.
The humble bean with more than 1200 volatiles (and counting) is now a drink to reckon with. The Trip takes you to the home of the coffee bean in India.
The Baba Budangiri Hills, Chikmagalur and the surrounding areas to review one of the best resorts, a coffee trail and probably one of Karnataka's prettiest ghat sections, all in the name of Coffee worship. Chikmagalur is no new town to the traveller with a purpose, and often more than not, in search for a quick weekend getaway, I've found myself heading to these lush low lying ghats, where rooms and reservations always seem available.
When Cafu00c3u00a9 Coffee Day decided to announce the opening of The Serai, a year ago, most avid coffee people, like myself, sniggered and decided to play ignorance till it was probably forgotten.
I instead decided to challenge myself on the next trip to CKM (popular abbreviation for Chikmagalur) and try the nature reserve trails in and around the Bhadra. They were fantastic and challenging indeed and several leech bites later, I was back in Bangalore, blissfully dreaming of my next trip to these hills.
Destiny decided to slap me in due time and I was invited to check out The Serai a month ago. My ego ridiculed me, yet my mind sought logic and so there I was, a few kilometers from Chikmagalur town in a sprawling near-perfect estate, designed and maintained to suit anyone's aesthetic appeal, however diverse. What worked at first glance was the clean distribution of the cottages, the ergonomic design of the residences and the well-chosen interiors.
This of course, apart from the fact that the resort is built on a gently sloping face of a hill with a view (all around) that could make anyone envious.
The stay was more than comfortable, almost indulging to a certain extent.
The presence of a spa and several more added benefits like a personal swimming pool and a 24/7 coffee bar, however added immensely to the experience. If you are the work-obsessed type and just need to stay in touch, the resort is also WiFi enabled and has quite a few workspaces available for use.
The resort was fine, the food good and the climate, well; CKM is after all a hill station too, so a pleasant chill was expected (the chill is all year through).
The experience that made all the difference however was the coffee trail organized by Serai. Being a property owned by the Cafu00c3u00a9 Coffee Day group, the resort obviously has access to several coffee factories and estates.u00a0
As a part of the available itinerary, one can choose from the Serai Coffee Estate Walk or the Kudregundi (22 kms from The Serai) Estate Walk or even a visit to the CCD owned Coffee Museum (12 kms away).
If that doesn't sound exciting enough, CKM is also the central access point to most adventure, trek and holiday destinations in the Malnad area.
Plan for a whole weekend trip and I can assure you, you'll have the perfect mix of relaxing and fun. If you aren't too sure of what you'd want to do, the resort also allows you to make your own itinerary and they're glad to make your plans a reality. Lesson learnt, I relaxed for my two days at the resort, visited the nearby coffee plantations and took in the clean fresh air as my lungs joyfully expanded.
I also learnt to appreciate my favorite drink and went beyond the simple filter technique of making a good cuppa that I was used to.
Coffee is now a five-sense experience to me. It demanded all my attention while I watched how the plant and berry grew and brewing a good cup (which you can also learn) also involved each of my senses.
The touch of a coffee bean, the smell of coffee powder, the taste of the coffee brew, the judging of a roast by sight, and the sound of the bean popping are all essential for that final cup of heaven. I am now a good coffee addict and believe me there's more joy than fear in uttering this endearing self-description. Here's to coffee and coffee holidays!
How to get there: Chikmagalur is well connected by NH 48 that connects it to all the major cities in Karnataka. The route via Hassan is the fastest and Bangalore is at a distance of 240 Km. There are regular KSRTC bus services between Bangalore and Chikmagalur.
Address: The Serai, Coffee Day Hotels and Resorts Private Limited, Mugthihalli Post, K M Road, Chikmagalur
Rates per night: Rs 10,000 to Rs 40,000 plus tax
Call:+91 08262 224903
Also See
Beluru and Halebeedu
The two Hoysala temple towns are en-route Chikmagalur from Bangalore. Beluru is 28 kms from Chikmagalur and 222 kms from Bangalore. Halebeedu is 48 kms from Chikmagalur and 238 kms from Bangalore. Halebeedu is 16 kms from Beluru. The two towns are world-famous for their main temples Chennakeshava (Beluru) and Hoysaleshwara (Halebeedu) and are UNESCO heritage sites.u00a0
You can stay at:
Hoysala Village Resort, Hassan (30 kms to Beluru and 40 kms to Halebeedu).
Rates per night: 4,800 to 9,000 on double occupancy
Call: +91 93438 66101
K-gundi and Mullayangiri
Kemmanagundi is a popular trekking spot 55 kms from Chikmagalur while Mullayangiri is the highest peak in Karnataka, 6,317 feet above sea level, 18 kms from Chikmagalur town.
You can stay at:
Rangers Camp, Ballavara (24 kms from Kemmanagundi and 25 kms from Chikmagalur)
Rates per night: Rs 800 to Rs 1,600 (double or more occupancy)
Call: +91 98802 96167
