Weekend off from Bangalore - should I go to Mysore or Chennai / Mamallapuram ?

cm2k1 · Aug 30th, 2009, 06:38

Hullo all - I'm in Bangalore for work (from Canada), and I have the weekend off Sept 12/13.

Question for the masses: should I take the bus & spend the weekend in Mysore, or should I take the overnight train to Chennai & spend some time there & in Mamallapuram ?

Just looking to do the touristy thing. Any opinions appreciated

Bonus marks for one over the other if there's a great place to pick up bronze statues / souvenir shopping in general.

Note that I'm also spending 2 weeks in northern India (trying to get to Jaipur, Ajmer/Pushkar, Haridwar/Rishikesh, Delhi & Varanasi - we'll see when I run out of time), so if the shopping is known better 'up there' then lemme know.

Thanks all - appreciated

n kumar · Aug 30th, 2009, 08:44

Hi cm2,
I would take a bus/train to mysore to spend my weekend and you can pick up a lot of bronze statue at karnataka handicrafts @ mg road or tamilnadu handicrafts @ brigade road, bangalore.

capt_mahajan · Aug 30th, 2009, 11:57

For a weekend, Mysore. Stop at Srirangapatnam bird sanctuary - early morning is better. Also Tipu's stuff.

If you want to be particularly hectic, add Ooty.

cm2k1 · Aug 31st, 2009, 03:04

Huh - Chennai / Mamallapuram is 0 for 2. I though the match would be more even

Is this because Mysore is more interesting, or Chennai / Mamallapuram is too much for just 2 days, or combinations thereof ?

Also, thanks for flagging Srirangapatnam bird sanctuary - this looks very cool.

Also thx for flaffing karnataka handicrafts @ mg road & tamilnadu handicrafts @ brigade road. Question - are the prices @ either of these places seen as reasonable ? I've seen other threads recommend http://www.tn.gov.in/hhtk/handicrafts/handi-contact.htm - how does this compare ?

Thanks for all your insight - much appreciated.

nigelg · Aug 31st, 2009, 04:05

Mysore is a good weekend trip. You can go early Sat morning, and it is best if you can come back on Mon morning so you can see the palace illuminated on Sun evening, 7-8. For souvenirs in Mysore, the Karnataka state emporium by the zoo is much better than the one in Sayyaji Rao road, or the MG Rd one in Bangalore. The Tamil Nadu emporium in Brigade Road is good for bronzes and cheap.
Alternatively, you could take the Friday night train (22:30) to Hospet and have a weekend in Hampi, returning Sun night at 19:50. Stay at the Malligi in Hospet. See the great Hampi thread on this forum for all the info you need.
On my 3-week business visit to Bangalore in 2007 I did both these trips in the two weekends I was there.
Another option is a trip to Madurai. The trains are very convenient for a weekend in a working visit; 6732 SBC 21:20 -> MDU 07:20, 6731 MDU 19:40 -> SBC 06:40.

capt_mahajan · Aug 31st, 2009, 09:19

Quote:

or Chennai / Mamallapuram is too much for just 2 days?

Mainly this

n kumar · Aug 31st, 2009, 17:36

Quote:

Also thx for flaffing karnataka handicrafts @ mg road & tamilnadu handicrafts @ brigade road. Question - are the prices @ either of these places seen as reasonable ? I've seen other threads recommend http://www.tn.gov.in/hhtk/handicrafts/handi-contact.htm - how does this compare ?

Karnataka handicrafts and tamilnadur handicrafts are government run shops and their prices are fixed and no bargaining, they might be little expensive but your will be sure about the products.

mpoojak · Aug 31st, 2009, 19:31

You can spend more than two days in Mysore. You will get to buy a lot of souvenirs from Mysore. There are huge number of places to visit around Mysore too. check out some here: http://trailofview.com/trail/mysore

Aug 30th, 2009, 06:38	#1
cm2k1 Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Toronto Posts: 17	Weekend off from Bangalore - should I go to Mysore or Chennai / Mamallapuram ? Hullo all - I'm in Bangalore for work (from Canada), and I have the weekend off Sept 12/13. Question for the masses: should I take the bus & spend the weekend in Mysore, or should I take the overnight train to Chennai & spend some time there & in Mamallapuram ? Just looking to do the touristy thing. Any opinions appreciated Bonus marks for one over the other if there's a great place to pick up bronze statues / souvenir shopping in general. Note that I'm also spending 2 weeks in northern India (trying to get to Jaipur, Ajmer/Pushkar, Haridwar/Rishikesh, Delhi & Varanasi - we'll see when I run out of time), so if the shopping is known better 'up there' then lemme know. Thanks all - appreciated

Aug 30th, 2009, 11:57	#3
capt_mahajan Infidel Sufi Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: styx Posts: 13,607	For a weekend, Mysore. Stop at Srirangapatnam bird sanctuary - early morning is better. Also Tipu's stuff. If you want to be particularly hectic, add Ooty. __________________ . Outside the machine

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Aug 30th, 2009, 08:44	#2
n kumar Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: bangalore Posts: 975	Hi cm2, I would take a bus/train to mysore to spend my weekend and you can pick up a lot of bronze statue at karnataka handicrafts @ mg road or tamilnadu handicrafts @ brigade road, bangalore.

Aug 31st, 2009, 03:04	#4
cm2k1 Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Toronto Posts: 17	Huh - Chennai / Mamallapuram is 0 for 2. I though the match would be more even Is this because Mysore is more interesting, or Chennai / Mamallapuram is too much for just 2 days, or combinations thereof ? Also, thanks for flagging Srirangapatnam bird sanctuary - this looks very cool. Also thx for flaffing karnataka handicrafts @ mg road & tamilnadu handicrafts @ brigade road. Question - are the prices @ either of these places seen as reasonable ? I've seen other threads recommend http://www.tn.gov.in/hhtk/handicrafts/handi-contact.htm - how does this compare ? Thanks for all your insight - much appreciated.

Aug 31st, 2009, 04:05	#5
nigelg Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: UK Posts: 28	Mysore is a good weekend trip. You can go early Sat morning, and it is best if you can come back on Mon morning so you can see the palace illuminated on Sun evening, 7-8. For souvenirs in Mysore, the Karnataka state emporium by the zoo is much better than the one in Sayyaji Rao road, or the MG Rd one in Bangalore. The Tamil Nadu emporium in Brigade Road is good for bronzes and cheap. Alternatively, you could take the Friday night train (22:30) to Hospet and have a weekend in Hampi, returning Sun night at 19:50. Stay at the Malligi in Hospet. See the great Hampi thread on this forum for all the info you need. On my 3-week business visit to Bangalore in 2007 I did both these trips in the two weekends I was there. Another option is a trip to Madurai. The trains are very convenient for a weekend in a working visit; 6732 SBC 21:20 -> MDU 07:20, 6731 MDU 19:40 -> SBC 06:40.

Aug 31st, 2009, 19:31	#8
mpoojak Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Pune Posts: 3	You can spend more than two days in Mysore. You will get to buy a lot of souvenirs from Mysore. There are huge number of places to visit around Mysore too. check out some here: http://trailofview.com/trail/mysore