Wonderla Kochi - Trip Report

Wonderla (Kochi, Kerala, India) is located 7KM from Collectrate Junction, Kakkanad toward Pallikara. It is an amusement park that offers both dry and wet-rides.The park was setup in 2000 as Veegaland and got rebranded in 2011 as Wonderla. The theme-park is best known for its environment friendliness: 2000+ trees planted throughout the park, a multi-faceted rain-harvesting system with a combined storage capacity of 20-million liters, and solar water heaters for the pools in the water theme park form the core of this initiative. For visitors, there are a couple of clear positives: a) Despite Kochi heat, the park can be a very pleasant experience as the trees provide plenty of shade, and b) The water throughout the park is lukewarm and so even during the monsoon rains, getting into the water is not a problem.

The location of Wonderla, Kochi can’t be beat as it captures the beauty of Kerala’s green landscape and rustic beauty: the park is atop a hillock that overlooks the surrounding farm-land with a tributary of Kadamrayar river running through. In overall acreage, Wonderla, Kochi is smallish at 32 acres compared to over 80 acres for their flagship themepark near Bangalore - the number of rides in both parks are however comparable at well over 50 each. The park is open all days (11AM to 6PM weekdays, 11AM to 7PM weekends and holidays). Regular ticket pricing is between Rs 720 and Rs 990 depending on whether it is a weekday, weekend, or peak season. There is a fastrack ticket for double the regular ticket prices that allows you to skip the queues at the attractions. A number of offers can significantly reduce the regular ticket pricing: a) college students up to 22 years of age are eligible for a 20% discount, b) student groups of 20 or more can avail a discount up to 35%, and c) there is a privilege card that allow purchase of tickets at 10-20% discount: buy 4 tickets at regular price to get a privilege card (5-year validity - the card becomes void if not used for more than 12 months at a stretch).

Below is a look at the main rides on offer at Wonderla, Kochi with a short description and our rating on the overall experience:

Dry Rides:

•  Maverick, Twin Flip Monster, and Space Gun: These three are the top rides for thrill seekers. Maverick and the Twin Flip Monster both specialize in churning your insides pretty well by flipping you around in every possible way while tied up on seats that allow very limited movement. The Space Gun is an indigenous variation of the “slow-killing” aspect of thrill rides pioneered by “the boat”.
• Wonderla Bamba, Super Jumper, and Vintage Tornado: These are a notch below the top thrill rides. Wonderla Bamba is similar in design to the Maverick in that the whole seating area moves rather than individual capsules. But unlike the Maverick, the movement is one-dimensional. Super Jumper is a variation on the carousal whereby the carousal spins and the capsules at the end of spokes move up/down and also jerks as when an airplane falls in an air-pocket. The Vintage Tornado is like the old classic roller-coasters: rather than on wooden rails, the trains run on all-metal railing constructed inside a water-tank like enclosure.
• XD Max, Cinemagic Ride, and Musical Fountain and Laser Show: XD Max is a 4D experience (the fourth dimension includes water/steam, air pressure, hydraulic seat movements, and lighting effects). Cinemagic Ride is similar but instead of 3D effects, it uses an HD video with hydraulic seating for special effects. The Musical Fountain and Laser Show uses lighting, laser beams and smoke - it is an underwhelming show compared to the others - the sound system is below-par and the show itself is below par.
• Dashing Cars, Dancing Cars, Balarama Cave, Caterpillar Village, and Balloon Tower: These rides are fit for most everyone but the thrill factor is obviously not as much. Of these rides, Balarama Cave was a disappointment - in spite if the special effects, it was a fairly boring overall experience. In addition, there are many other regular rides including some that are for  kids only.

Wet Rides:

• Snake Glides, Fun Glides, and Wavy and the Vertical Fall: For thrill seekers, these are the best rides among the water rides. The Snake Glides and Fun Glides are similar in that you go down water slides on a rubber mat while lying on your tummy. The former has curves and loops while the latter has bumps. Wavy Fall & Vertical Fall are similar in that you go down a water-slide while sitting as in a regular slide - the path is steeper with the Vertical Fall while it is wavy for the Wavy Fall.
• Rapid Pool, Family Slide, and Water Coasters: Rapid Pool is the best water ride and it is suitable for all ages - you wade through water on a raft (floater tube) and make your way down ten different pools by going down water-slides. Family Slide and Water Coaster are similar in that you slide down a raft through a water slide. The difference is that the raft used in the family slide can accommodate 4 people while the water coaster raft is for two people. Also, the Water Coaster ride is shorter and steeper while the family ride is longer and follows a more zig-zag pattern.
• Wave Pool: This is a pool designed like a seashore. It is open to everyone at all times. But, at certain set times lasting fifteen minutes (around 40 minutes apart - the first one starts at around 1PM), artificial waves are created that makes the experience mimic a beach scene.
• Boomerang and Water Pendulum: These two are similar rides in that you are on a two-person raft that goes down a water-slide. Boomerang first travels through a tunnel and then goes through a U-shaped structure. Gravity then takes over and moves your raft back-and-forth like a pendulum. With Water Pendulum there is no tunnel to go through first but instead you are going down a longer and steeper U-shaped structure from the start point. There are several other water rides including the Rain Disco and many smaller rides that are suitable for kids and older folks.

The popular rides can get very crowded, especially during weekends - waiting times upwards of 40 minutes is not uncommon on some of the rides. One strategy that really works and reduces time spent in queues significantly is to organize your visit so as to go for the water-rides first. Most do it the other way (dry rides first - parks personnel also encourage this) as there is a logistical problem with going for the water rides first: once wet, you are not allowed in the dry rides, as it is unsafe. Make sure you carry spare clothes and change after the water rides (changing rooms are aplenty and locker is Rs 80).

Our Take:

Last year (2014), TripAdvisor recognized Wonderla, Kochi as among the top twenty-five theme parks in Asia. It is yet to make an appearance among the top theme parks of the world. From our perspective, there are a few things that make the experience in Wonderla, Kochi even better than many top theme parks in the world:

• The stunningly beautiful location along with the environmental friendly initiatives makes Wonderla, Kochi a distinctly different experience compared to visiting any other theme park.
• The ticketing, locker, parking, etc. areas are organized extremely well and that helps minimize time wastage.
• Outside food is not permitted inside Wonderla. But unlike other top theme-parks, there is no park-premium on food purchased inside.There are many restaurants, food counters, etc. spread through-out the park and they are run very efficiently. This helps minimize time spent waiting in line for food.
• Parking is free and the tickets are good for all rides. This is unlike many top parks were it is quite common to fleece customers by charging exorbitant fees for such things.

Some things that are holding back Wonderla, Kochi include:

• Wonderla, Kochi is very much a locally focused theme park. Most visitors are from within or neighboring states. For it to be world-class, the promotors need to invest on attracting a more metropolitan crowd.
• Although there are seven restaurants and numerous other food outlets, variety is very limited. For lunch, rice meals, biriyani, and Chappathi were the only options - the restaurants all seemed to serve the same thing. Some outlets have burgers, fried chicken and other fast-food items. Although the restaurant spots are at great locations, the view at most spots are hidden by half-walls and such for some unknown reason.
• There is a dress-code but it is not enforced at all.

Overall, we feel extremely fortunate to have such a good theme-park near our house.

Related Posts:

1. Wonderla, Kochi
2. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Vallejo
3. Great America Santa Clara
4. Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
5. Trip Report to Genting

Last Updated: 10/2015. 

HAL Aerospace Museum, Bangalore Review

HAL Aerospace Museum (aka Heritage Center and Aerospace Museum) is located on Airport Road, 8KM from MG Road and just 1.5KM from Airport. Hours are 9AM to 5PM, Saturday & Sunday Closed. The location is within Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) premises and it was inaugurated in 2001 as India’s first aerospace museum. Adult (over 12) ticket pricing is Rs 55 and children are fee. There is limited parking in front of the facility.

The main hall (Hall-1) has a good photo exhibition  of HAL’s growth from the 1940s in chronological order at the entrance.. During World War II, allied air-crafts were serviced here and that marked the start of present-day HAL. The hall has a circular design with several rooms highlighting HAL’s achievements by decade, starting from the 1940s. B&W photographs of the assembly lines of Vampire and the GNAT fighter aircraft, the mainstays of Indian Air Force during the early wars that did India proud are very special.

Hall-2 has two floors. The ground floor has a video program that highlights HAL’s contribution to the country’s aerospace programs - it is being continuously shown.  It also has photo exhibitions showing:

• the evolution of Research, Design, and Development at HAL,
• the evolution of world aviation, and
• benefits to society from aeronautical science & technology.

The second floor has two flight simulators. Our kids tried it but were disappointed - it is a lame video game not comparable to what is now available in Nintendo and Xbox consoles. The ground floor also has some air-crafts/models on display. They include the Basant HA-31 indigenous aircraft of the 1970s (agricultural use), the Pushpak indigenous aircraft of the late 1950s (for flying clubs), models of Vampire and Light Observation Helicopter (LOH), and a parachute ejection system.

The grounds of HAL Aerospace Museum has a couple of interactive exhibits and several air-crafts and rockets on display:

• The ATC (Air Traffic Control) tower shows the history of navigation. The tower also has sweeping views of the surrounding including the airport runway.
• The Sea King MK 42 Indian Naval workhorse helicopter from 1969 till date: Visitors are allowed to enter this helicopter and sit on the cockpit. Manufactured by GKN Westland Helicopters, UK, the roles include anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue missions, casualty evacuation, search and strike, and cargo carrying and troop transport.

Highlights from the outdoor exhibits include the Lakshya pilotless target drone, Ajeet fighter aircraft (variation of the British Gnat built under license), the Canberra bomber, Advanced Light Helicopter, the De Havilland Devon HW-201, the Hansa indigenous training/sport/hobby composite light aircraft designed and developed by National Aerospace Laboratories of Bangalore, the Kiran trainer aircraft (basic jet liner with the Rolls Royce Mk11 engine), the PSLV heat-shield, and a GSLV (Geo Satellite Launch Vehicle) 1:10 model.

The premises also a canteen but there is very limited fare on offer here - chocolates, soda, and a small selection of other snacks. A gift shop that existed before has since been closed. Overall, the museum is a nice place to spend a few hours while in Bangalore. The place is not very popular for some reason and so is usually not crowded - an added bonus!

Related Posts:

1. Bannerghatta National Park, Bangalore. 
2. Lalbagh Gardens & Viswesarayya Museum, Bangalore - Review. 
3. HAL Aerospace Museum, Bangalore Review. 

Last Updated: 02/2015.

Kodaikanal Trip Report

Our plan called for a three-night stay in Kodaikanal that included a day-trip to Berijam Lake. As it turned out, we had to skip the trip to Berijam Lake, as they were not giving permits to enter the area due to reconstruction of the road - normally, for a visit to Berijam Lake, one has to get a permit the previous day from the Forest Department Office (location - on the left as you approach Kodaikanal on Laws Ghat Road around 3KM before 7-roads junction) - some travel agents and hotel front desks can arrange this for you as well.

We had reservations at the Kodai Resort Hotel next to Coaker’s Walk. It is a good choice for families with children - there are play areas for kids (both indoors and outdoors) and the cottages have plenty of space and a huge balcony. They have around fifty cottages designed in such a way that all of them have good views on to their private garden area. Access to the balcony is from the living room by climbing a few stairs at the farthest corner. The cottages have a refrigerator, TV, and coffee maker along with hot water service from 6-11 AM and 6-11 PM. They do not have other amenities such as room-heater, AC, and lockers. They smoke the cottage at night-fall to deter mosquitoes and also offer a huge campfire in the private garden area (between 7:15 PM and 8:30 PM), weather permitting. The reception area in front is a heritage building dating back to 1888 with the rest of the cottages constructed in 1984. The included BF has a very good spread and variety every day. The restaurant is also good for lunch/dinner although there are better options within walkable distance, both in terms of quality and price. The location is good although it is not a lake-facing property: it is on the other side of a hill that faces the lake. For good lake view, one option is to go with the Carlton property which is a five-star facility - they have more amenities as well including a swimming pool. 

The Lake, Coaker’s Walk, and Bryant Park are all located very close to the hotel. Coaker’s Walk is a 1KM paved scenic walkway with sweeping views of the valley below. The one catch is that the area may get covered with fog obstructing the view - the best time to avoid the fog is between 5 and 6PM. There are street vendors and monkeys on the walkway. A word of caution - the monkeys are known to snatch food from visitors.  Bryant Park is adjacent to the Lake and you can enter the park from either the lake side or from just outside the entrance to Coaker’s Walk. It is a flower park with a large open area running through the middle - they have a large variety of roses and lilies - entrance is Rs 30.

The Lake is the main center of activity in Kodaikanal. There are three boat-houses (Kodaikanal Boat Club, Tamil Nadu Tourism Boat Club, and the Carlton Boat Club) spread around the 5.5KM Lake Road. The road is shared by city traffic, horses, and bicycles and so can get quite messy when crowded. The activities available at the lake include boating, horse riding, bicycling, jogging, and pea-shooting. A four-person pedal boat can be rented from the main boat house for around Rs 100/- for half-an-hour. Single-bike rentals go for as low as Rs 20 per hour to around Rs 40 per half-hour based on the condition of the bicycle. Also, duo-cycles are available starting at around Rs 50 - they are good fun, if you are going as a couple. Walking around the lake and jogging are also good options and there is a paved pathway covering the lake - although using the pathway is ideal for walking/jogging, it is sometimes more practical to just use Lake Road instead, as there are too many “obstacles” along the pathway. There are several street vendors around the lake and some of them offer games. The most popular option among them is “shooting” - the idea is to shoot balloons using an air-gun that use peas in-lieu-of pellets - pricing varies between Rs 10 for five rounds and Rs 30 for ten rounds - it is great fun, especially for kids.

Kodai is famous for home-made chocolates and that is a good shopping option to consider. The best, if pricey option is to go with Chocolate Factory (Anna Salai just off 7-roads junction a little up from Domino’s Pizza). They have a number of premium chocolates and also the ever-popular hot-chocolate (Rs 75) - they are melted chocolate served in a small cup - excellent dessert option. For authentic Indian handicrafts, Danish Display (Bazar Road off 7-Roads Junction) is a very good option - they have a good selection of jewellery and specialize in handmade craft made from Jute, Brass, Bronze, and Terracotta.

As far as moderately priced restaurants, the best options are Tava at 7-Roads Junction (below ground level) and Royal Tibet (Tibetan Bread and Honey Ginger Tea are not be missed) on the other side of the same road (PT Road). More uppity options include Cloud Street and Pot Luck, both on PT Road - they are both European style café’s that serve pastas, pizzas, and such. Astoria Vegetarian Restaurant (PT Road) and Rasoi (Annasalai) are other good options in the main city-center.

Related Posts:

1. Kodaikanal Trip Report. 
2. Short Trips From Kodaikanal. 

Last Updated: 01/2014. 

Mysore Trip Report - Chamundi Hills, Brindavan Gardens, St. Philomena Church

Chamundi Hills is around 12KM from the Mysore city center. One could either use public transportation from Mysore bus stand or use your own transportation - buses to Chamundi Hills are very frequent. The hills are at an elevation of around 1,000 meters affording panoramic views of Mysore City and vicinity from several spots. Getting there by car is fairly straight-forward and there are plenty of direction markers to guide you. We had an early Breakfast at Parklane (mainly South Indian options - Masala Tea is an indigenous version of regular tea served across the country - it has a lot more milk and is spicy - we found it OK although it is definitely an acquired taste) and left for Chamundi hills by around 8AM  - the roads were practically empty once we were out of the city area. On approaching the hills, there are directions for Nandi Bull - the road is narrow but the marker clearly seems to indicate the road is accessible - but, a guy at the diversion said it was one-way and so we opted to visit the temple first and took a diversion (one mile) to Nandi Bull on the way back.

The name Chamundi comes from Goddess Chamundeswari who according to legend killed demon Mahshasura, the king of the area covering present-day Mysore. Chamundeshawari Temple in the same area is dedicated to Goddess Chamundeswari. The main attraction for tourists is the 1,008-step stone stairway that leads to the top of the hill. The statue of Nandi the bull is enroute - the steps and the bull were first constructed and erected around the mid-seventeenth century by Dodda Devaraja Wodeyar, the Monarch. Rather than climbing all the steps in one go, an alternate path is to climb till Nandi statue and then go down the road from there to the other side of the hill and climb to the top from that side. The Chamundeswari Temple and Mahabaleshvara Temple are at the top of the hill. There is also a humungous statue of Mahishasura at the entrance to Chamundeswari Temple - it features Mahishasura holding a sword in his right hand and a cobra in the left. Rajendra Vilas, the summer palace of the royal family is nearby although it is currently out-of-bounds to tourists.

We got back in the city around noon and had lunch at RRR, a low-key restaurant next to Parklane Hotel - their Thali lunch is pretty good. Brindavan Gardens is around 20KM North-East of Mysore on a lake and dam area across the Cauvery River. There are plenty of buses running that route from Mysore city - get in any KSRTC bus that go via KRS. Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) reservoir is next to Brindavan Gardens and the name KRS is more familiar to locals - so, for directions when visiting by car, it is best to ask for KRS rather than Brindavan Gardens. Our childhood memories of visiting Brindavan Gardens had etched an image of experiencing the most beautiful garden we had ever seen. In this regard, the experience this time around was rather disappointing. The picturesque setting is just as we imagined, but upkeep is sorely lacking. Also, there is a lot of local crowd that make it a very loud public play area. The park is open from 6:30AM to 9:00PM and the gardens are lit M-F 7:00-8:00PM and S-S 7:00-9:00PM. Curiously, video recording is prohibited in the gardens, definitely a legacy restriction that is still sticking due to slow government action. Cauvery Irrigation Department, a Government of Karnataka enterprise is responsible for maintaining the place. The main garden area is spread on 60 acres and is designed in a Mughal style in a terraced fashion. The distinct features of the garden include topiaries (mainly animal designs created from clipping shrubs), musical fountains and the lake with limited boating facilities. The gardens also feature 75 acres of fruit orchards and two horticultural farms on an additional 35 acres. The Arabithittu Wildlife Sanctuary area adjoins the gardens and it attracts a large variety of local and migrant birds. One option when visiting Brindavan Gardens is to go for an  overnight stay at Royal Orchid Heritage Hotel that overlooks the garden - the rooms have a balcony with stunning views of the garden. The hotel rates are fairly high (Rs 6,500 onwards) and service and upkeep are not up to the mark, but overall, the location makes up for a lot of the shortcomings.

St. Philomena Church is located within the city and is on Asoka Road.  It is around 2KM from Parklane Hotel on Harsha Road. We stopped by Mahalaxmi Sweets on the way (Asoka Road) to load up on Mysore sweets - it is a great gift item. The church constructed in 1936 has an impressive Neo Gothic style that was inspired by the Cologne Cathedral in Germany. It honors Saint Philomena, a martyr of the Roman Catholic Church. The church hosts a relic of the saint in a catacomb below the main altar. A distinct feature of the church compared to the Cologne Cathedral on which it was based is the incorporation of local culture into the designs - female statues are dressed in saris! The Neo Gothic design is well represented in the main structure with twin spires, each reaching a height of 175ft and the main hall featuring stained glass windows depicting scenes from the birth, Last Supper, Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ. The church is open to visitors from 8AM to 5PM.

Related Posts:

1. Mysore Trip Report - Palace and Zoo.
2. Mysore Trip Report - Chamundi Hills, Brindavan Gardens, St. Philomena Church.

Last Updated: 04/2013. 

Mysore Trip Report - Palace and Zoo

There are a couple of ways to reach Mysore from Ooty - a longer (25KM more) and more scenic route via Gudalur and a shorter but tougher (for the driver) route via Masinagudi with  36 hairpin bends. From Coimbatore, the best bet is to go via Sathyamangalam as the traffic is far less that way. Although the Gudalur route is scenic and easier to drive, it takes quite a bit more time as the road has several potholes and speed-bumps. Pykara Reservoir and Falls (open 10AM to 5PM) and Shooting Hill are both on the way within the first 15KM from Ooty. Gudalur-Madumalai Tiger Reserve on the Tamil Nadu side and Bandipur Tiger Reserve on the Karnataka side are both on this route as well. Several Safari Lodges dot the area. It is common to see all kinds of wildlife on this drive. Deer and monkeys are the most common but we also saw several peacocks and wild-boar. Good restaurants are rare in the 150KM stretch although once you get near Mysore there are options - for basic vegetarian fare, Kamath Madhuvan around 3KM before reaching the city limits is a good option. Pugmark Restaurant at Bandipur Safari Lodge and other similar options also exist.

Our reservation was at Parklane Hotel at Sri Harsha Road. It is an off-road in the area around Mysore Palace. The traffic is terrible within Mysore city but both Sri Harsha Road and Parklane Hotel are well known and so it is fairly easy to get guidance from locals - the only caution is that a lot of the people on the road are travel guides over-eager to “help” any tourist asking for directions. Parklane Hotel is a very good option when touring Mysore because of its location, and excellent overall service. There is plenty of parking on the street in front but the vehicle needs to be moved in the night to avoid ticketing - limited parking in the front of the building is available to guests and we had no trouble getting a slot there. Check-in was a breeze - they collect the full payment upfront and provide a complementary toiletry pouche along with the keys. There is a smallish indoor pool on the fifth floor - the shower area is not well maintained. The hotel has an excellent restaurant with a nice seating area on the terrace in the 2nd floor.

It is walkable distance to the South Entrance of Mysore Palace from Parklane Hotel. We chose to take an Otto(tuk-tuk) instead for around Rs 50. The palace is open all days between 10AM and 5:30PM. As the most popular tourist destination in Mysore, the place gets crowded very quickly and so your best bet is to arrive early. Ticket pricing is Rs 40 for Indians and Rs 200 for others. One has to go in bare-foot and photographing inside the palace is not allowed although you can click to your hearts content in the palace grounds. A palace was first constructed in the area in the 14th century and the current palace was built in the late 19th century and expanded up till around 1940. The palace is popular due to the vast opulence seen through-out, its wonderful murals, other paintings, and overall architecture. The design of the main building is described as Indo-Saracenic: a combination of Hindu, Gothic, Muslim and Rajput styles of architecture. The royal wedding hall and the Public Durbar are the most impressive areas of the main building. The palace grounds also houses twelve temples. A not-to-be-missed experience of Mysore Palace is illumination - the whole palace is illuminated for an hour on Sundays and government holidays between 7PM and 8PM. A good way to experience this to the fullest is to hire a taxi/otto for an hour to go around the palace  - the fare runs upwards of Rs 200.  

Mysore Zoo is an outstanding but underrated facility. The setup and maintenance are comparable to other great zoos of the world. It was established in 1892 on just 10 acres and opened to public in 1902. Over the years, the zoo was expanded several times with the most significant one being the 150 acre acquisition of Karanji reservoir in which a sanctuary for birds was set up. The Zoo Authority of Karnataka, an autonomous organization has managed the zoo since 1979 and they do a wonderful job - funding mostly comes from the meager entrance fees: Rs 25 for adults and Rs 10 for kids. The hours are 8:30 to 5:30PM (Tuesday holiday). It is around 3.5KM of leisurely walk around the zoo - another option is to go with a group in a battery operated vehicle for Rs 100. It took us around two hours to cover the zoo on foot. The facility hosts around 1500 animals and has the distinction of being the first zoo in the country to host gorillas and penguins. Captive breeding of many rare species is an area of expertize at the zoo - they have successfully bred the white tiger and many elephants.

It can be fairly exhausting to cover these two attractions the same day but with good planning it is very doable. We returned back to the hotel by early evening, took an early dinner, and then hired an otto (tuk-tuk) to experience the illumination - a fitting finale!

Related Posts:

1. Mysore Trip Report - Palace and Zoo.
2. Mysore Trip Report - Chamundi Hills, Brindavan Gardens, St. Philomena Church.

Last Updated: 04/2013.