Adaaran Prestige Vaddo - Maldives

A Perfect Vacation

Where are the Maldives and how to reach them? Maldives is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean. With crystal clear turquoise water, it is a bucket-list destination for many travelers. The closest major city is Colombo, Srilanka. However, we planned a 4-day trip to Maldives during one of our trips to India. You can find reasonable packages at websites like makemytrip.com, and yatra.com. We took a short 2.5 hr flight ride from Bengaluru to Malé Velana International Airport, the only international airport located at Malé, the capital city of Maldives. After reaching the international airport and clearing immigration, the smaller islands can be reached via seaplane or speed boat. 

Take Nothing but Pictures, Leave Nothing but Footprints, Kill Nothing but Time

What to Book? For a first-time traveler, the best and easiest option is to book a resort with an all-inclusive package. This generally includes flight tickets, pick up and drop off from the resort, resort stay, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and beverages. Paying for drinks/food onsite can get very expensive compared to an all-inclusive package. We booked our vacation package from India as it was way cheaper and accessible compared to other locations. There are similar packages available from many Middle Eastern and South Asian countries. 

For most travelers, this is once in a lifetime experience. For an all-inclusive off-season trip, expect to pay upwards of 5000 USD. Most of the resorts quote everything in USD.

Sunrise Villas

What to look for? Look for a package that includes transfers from and to the airport. Most resorts offer complimentary pickup and drop-off to and from the airport. If you want to spend time away from people, opt for an island resort. For a good snorkeling/diving experience, check if the resort has a house reef.

A Stormy Afternoon!

When to Visit? The best time to visit is definitely during the winter months. However, we took a risk and visited the islands from June - July. Our stay was at a small island resort Adaaran Prestige Vadoo. Even though June - July was monsoon season, there were clear days when we could cover most of the activities we wanted to do.

Clouded - Still A Perfect Beach

Adaaran Vadoo - This is a nice little island resort in south Male Atoll approximately 30 mins boat ride away from Malé airport. The resort has 3 types of villas available - Sunrise water villas - facing the beach, Sunset water villas, and Honeymoon villas. All the villas have a dip pool, private jacuzzi, and direct access to the Ocean. With an all-inclusive package, breakfast, lunch, and dinner were covered at the Farivalhu restaurant. This includes an unlimited beverage of your choice at the bar as well. You can pick up snorkeling gear free of charge at the dive center. Each villa can easily accommodate a family of 4 and has life vests, a small fridge, a mini bar (alcoholic beverages are not included in All-inclusive), and ponchos- considering the weather. 

All-Inclusive Package

Maldives is a popular honeymoon destination. But don't let that stop you from visiting with family. I love that we waited to visit the Maldives until the kids were a little bit older. They thoroughly enjoyed the trip and it has become their all-time favorite destination. With crystal clear water, and white sand beaches who wouldn't love a holiday here. 

Sunset Villas

What to pack? Apart from all the regular stuff, there are a few essentials to pack. 

• Reef-safe sunscreen - ditch the regular sunscreen and opt for reef-safe sunscreen.
• Water shoes - The sand is essentially coarse coral. So bring water shoes to save your feet.
• Hat and swim coverup
• GoPro or similar camera with a waterproof cover
• Snorkeling gear (Generally the resort provides complimentary snorkeling gear)

Honeymoon Villas

What to do? You can do a whole lot of nothing and still enjoy the vacation.

• Snorkeling - Even if you are scared and do not know how to swim, strap on a life vest, put on the snorkeling mask, and take a dip. You will not regret it
• Diving - The resort has a house reef and you can enjoy diving trips with an experienced diver
• Malé Tour  - If this is your first visit to an Asian country, take a tour of Malé city. It might not be very interesting to people from Asian countries.
• Sunset - Take a sunset cruise or just watch it from the convenience of your own villa. The sunset over clear water is magnificent and should not be missed.
• Window seat in the airplane - It will be amazing if you include a seaplane ride. If not, pay for a window seat away from the wings. Especially during take-off, the views are amazing. 

What not to do/bring? Maldives is essentially an Islamic country. 

• Do not bring alcoholic beverages (Hence the all-inclusive package)
• Do not remove coral/ shells/ sand from the country.
• Do not step on / break live coral

Where 2 Next???

Visiting North West Coast of Michigan

Empire Bluff Trail Lookout

We are totally in love with Michigan. It is becoming a frequent beach vacation spot for our family. This time, we visited the northwest coast of Michigan. Famous for its national park Sleeping Bear Dunes. It is one of the four National Lakeshore areas managed and protected by the federal government. I am not at all surprised to see all four National Lakeshore areas in and around the great lakes. Thanks to NPS, visitors can enjoy these beautiful areas for years to come. I love the crystal clear water, fine sand, and beaches filled with interesting and colorful stones. It is a perfect vacation spot for young families. The town of Empire is the closest to this national park and Traverse City is the major city nearby. The best place to start the journey is at Philip A Hart visitor center. We picked our entry passes from here before starting the trip. Entry is 25$ per vehicle and can be picked up from either the visitor center or can be paid at entry (only in summer months). Cell service here is not very reliable. Having a physical map or an offline map would come in handy.

Empire Bluff Trail

Empire Bluff Trail: Empire Bluff Trail is only 1.5 miles south of the visitor center. This is probably the shortest and the easiest of all trails with spectacular views at the end. The major part of the trail is through a shaded path. Even though parts of the trail are hilly, it is not terribly difficult. If you are short on time or traveling with young kids and pets, this is a good trail to hike.

Stop 9 & 10: Lake Michigan & Sleeping Bear Overlook

Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive: Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive was named after Pierce Stocking. A lumberman who spent his spare time in nature and wanted to share Michigan's beauty with the rest of the world. He conceived the idea of building roads to the top of the dunes. Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive entrance is 7 miles north of the Philip A Hart visitor center. The scenic drive loop is 7.4 miles long and it is a one-way road. There are several vista points touching the most beautiful places in the dunes. We found ourselves spending a good amount of time at Lake Michigan Lookout. The beautiful lake views were spectacular and we got our first taste of hiking the steep sand dunes at stops 9 and 10 in Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive.

Stop 2: Glen Lake View from the Scenic Drive

Hiking Trails: There are several trails in and around the Sleeping Bear dunes area. The Dune Trail is the most strenuous trail in this National Park. If you think climbing one sand dune will get you to the lake, you are mistaken. To reach the beach one needs to climb a series of dunes and the full climb to the lake and back to the parking lot for the dune trail is almost 3.5 miles long. We visited the park in late spring where the temperatures were around 65-70ºF. The water was too cold for a swim but it was perfect for the dune climb. The Sleeping Bear Point trail is my favorite trail so far. I prefer looking at the beautiful lake and dipping my toes in the water to the strenuous dune climb. This trail has a perfect combination of dune climb and easy access to the lake. You can make a choice of doing either one or both. Pyramid Point Overlook is 20 miles north of the sleeping bear point. The trail is .5 miles long from the parking lot to the overlook. A good stop for beautiful views.

Dune Overlook

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore & Glen Lake: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore has a perfect beach with crystal clear shallow water. Even though the water was freezing cold, we enjoyed spending time on the beach. Skipping rocks, collecting stones, playing in the sand, and running away from bugs 😝. Make sure to pack bug repellant along with sunscreen. The one thing I regret not doing is not spending more time at Glen lake. Rent a pontoon at the marina and spend a lazy afternoon on the lake with family. We will be coming back to this place again for sure. 

Traverse City and Torch Lake: Traverse City is best known for its beaches and cherries. Driving in and around Traverse City, you will find plenty of cherry farms. Mid-summer is the best time to visit cherry farms for cherry-picking. Another growing popularity is vineyards. Traverse City gives out a relaxed town vibe with plenty of lake-side parks to relax and play with easy access to water. For this visit, we skipped all indoor activities. But, we will be back in Traverse City to finish exploring. 40 minutes northeast of Traverse City is the beautiful Torch lake. This lake is one of the clearest lakes in the world. Its water changes from Deep blue to turquoise hence known as the mid-western Caribbean. The lakeshore is mostly occupied by private properties. However, there is a good number of public access points to the lake. the sand bar is famous for its crystal clear shallow waters.

Beautiful Sunset - Petoskey Harbor Breakwater

Petoskey: I visited Petoskey State Park solely to hunt for the Petoskey stone, the official stone of Michigan state. According to rocktumbler.com, 'Petoskey stone is a fossil of a colonial coral. These corals lived in a shallow sea that covered what is now the great lakes area during the Devonian time, about 350 million years ago. When the corals died, the calcium carbide exoskeleton of the coral colony has become Petoskey Stone'. The stone is over picked and is not found easily in the state park. There is no guaranty, but might be a slight chance of finding Petoskey stone in one of the beaches with stones like Solanus mission beach or Petoskey harbor breakwater. Despite the stones, Petoskey has beautiful parks and beaches.

The Best of Kentucky, KY, USA

Natural Bridge

If you never thought of Kentucky as a tourist destination, now is the time to add it to your list. Apart from bourbon and derby, Kentucky is home to famous national parks, national landmarks, and state parks.

Red River Gorge & Natural Bridge: The Red River Gorge, located in eastern Kentucky, is a part of the Daniel Boone National Forest. It features several sandstone cliffs, arches, waterfalls. Red River Gorge is a well-known destination for rock climbing, hiking, and ziplining. The Gorge is at its best in fall. Camping in the wilderness is the best way to experience it. Cabins and treehouses are available for overnight stays. Spending a day or two in a treehouse with family is an amazing way to create lifelong memories.

Sky Bridge to the Natural Bridge

Natural Bridge State Park is adjacent to The Red River Gorge. Visitors can hike or take a skylift to the famous landmark natural bridge. Skylift is the easiest way to reach the top of the bridge. You can take the skylift to the Natural Bridge and hike down to the parking lot. It gives the experience of both skylift and hiking the trails. Gorge Underground is a couple of miles away from the Natural Bridge. Gorge Underground has kayak and SUP tours of a 100-year-old flooded limestone mine.

Cumberland Falls

Cumberland Falls: Cumberland falls is one of the few places in the US to see a moonbow or a lunar rainbow. A relatively rare phenomenon that occurs under special conditions. To capture the moonbow, see the park schedule before planning a trip. The hike to the falls is easy. Even if you miss the moonbow, Cumberland Falls is still a beautiful state park to visit and the entrance is free. When we visited, the water level was high due to tot the rains. The park has a huge parking area, multiple picnic spots,  beautiful trails, and a gift shop. During the summer months, there are guided raft tours to the falls.

Mammoth Cave Tour

Mammoth Cave National Park: Mammoth Caves - true to its name, these caves are humongous and runs around 390 miles. By far, these caves are the longest caves known to man in the world. Unlike caverns, these are caves and are hollow by nature and there are no rock formations inside. All tours of the cave are guided. There was a long walk to the cave entrance accompanied by a descent of stairs. The tour was around one and a half-hour long and the pathways were mostly gravel and sand but the caves were well lit. This cave tour was the easiest of all the cave/cavern tours we went on till now. The typical tour size is around 20 people and based on the difficulty, there are several tour options to choose from. 

Mammoth Cave National Park

Dinosaur World: You cannot miss a big Dinosaur statue visible from I-65 near Mammoth Caves. Welcome to the Dinosaur World where kids and dinosaur enthusiasts can enjoy the exhibits equally. Regular children's admission ticket includes fossil digging. Kids can grab a sifter and start their fossil digging. Most of the time they will end up finding shark teeth. This 20-acre park has paved walkways with life-size dinosaurs on both sides of the pathway. Most of the pathway is shaded by the huge trees making this park a good place to visit during hot summer days. Regular children's admission ticket includes fossil digging. Kids can grab a sifter and start their fossil digging. Most of the time they will end up finding shark teeth.

Dinosaur World

Newport Aquarium

Newport on the Levee: Any time is a good time to visit the levee. It is one of the best places to hang out in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky with numerous shops and theaters. Concerts attract a lot of people in the evening times. Newport Aquarium is one of the biggest attractions. Take a Ride on duck or take an hour and a half sightseeing cruise on BB River Boats. The Halloween hunt at USS Nightmare is also a good visit. If nothing interests you, consider taking a walk along Purple People  Bridge across the Ohio River. This is dedicated to pedestrians alone and is the only bridge in the country to connect two states. Happy Exploring!

Purple Bridge

West Virginia Fall Road Trip 2020 Edition, West Virginia, USA

Blackwater Falls

Fall in the USA is beautiful. This year we visited West Virginia and camped at Huntington /Fox Fire KOA. With rolling hills, beautiful valleys, numerous waterfalls, and bridges, WV was marvelous, especially in the fall.

Day 1: First day we drove to North-East WV from Huntington. Blackwater Falls State Park is one of the many state parks in WV. Even though the drive was 3 hrs long, it was one of the best drives in the midwest in the fall. Nestled between the mountains, the Blackwater Falls is best seen during peak fall colors. There are multiple observatory decks to view the falls. The main observatory deck is a short hike from the parking lot and the hike is not too difficult. For good views of the falls, we took a short drive to Blackwater Falls viewpoint. Another notable place for beautiful views of the mountains and gorge is the Pendleton Overlook. Lindy Point Observation deck is another beautiful spot for panoramic views of the Blackwater River and the gorge. 

Blackwater Falls Lookout

Day 2: Second day, we drove from Huntington KOA to South-East WV. US Route 60 runs parallel to Kanawha river from Charleston to Hico and there are several scenic spots in between. Kanawha Falls and Cathedral Falls are beautiful after heavy rain. Hawk's Nest Overlook is a good place for a small picnic. This place is almost heaven-like with its colorful mountains and floating clouds. Babcock State Park is 15 minutes drive from Hico. The infamous Glade Creek Grist Mill in Babcock State Park is next to the beautiful waterfall is a photographer's dream come true.

Hawk's Nest Overlook

WV is famous for Whitewater rafting and bridges. There are numerous bridges throughout the state and the New River Gorge Bridge is one of the most photographed bridges in WV.  This 3030 ft bridge is best viewed from Fayette Station Bridge. Rafting below the bridge in the New River Gorge would be an amazing experience. Another way to see the bridge would be to take a guided tour of the catwalk 25' beneath the bridge. Even though the participants are securely tethered, walking a 24" wide catwalk at 850 feet above the New River would be a great adventure. Due to COVID, we skipped both river rafting and bridge walk.  

New River Gorge Bridge

Day 3: On the third day, we decided to explore the nearby towns. By now, we realized that exploring nearby towns to be extremely rewarding. Blenko Glass Company in Milton, WV is famous for its glass blowing tours. The factory tour is closed due to COVID. But, the visitor center is still open and has a good collection of hand-blown glass for purchase. Kenova's Pumpkin House in Kenova, WV is famous for its carved pumpkin display during the Halloween season. Every year, around 3000 pumpkins are displayed in this family home. Unfortunately, it was canceled in 2020. 

Memorial Fountain - Marshall University

We decided to visit Harris Riverfront Park in Huntington, WV. On the way to the park, we saw Steel of West Virginia and suddenly realized that this was the University on which the 2006 movie 'We are Marshalls' was based. After visiting the park, we took a quick visit to Marshall University Memorial Fountain. A fabulous find in Huntington was Kustom Kreams. A rolled ice cream shop with a fabulous selection of flavors. It was fun to watch the staff make rolled ice cream.

Overall, West Virginia is an awesome fall destination.

Upper Peninsula Road Trip, Michigan, USA

Arch Rock - Mackinaw Island

Sunset - Mackinaw Mill Creek Campgrounds

Michigan is one of the beautiful states in the USA.  Michigan's Upper Peninsula is beautiful at any time of the year and there is no better place than Michigan to spend a relaxing summer. Fall is even more impressive with hues of reds, oranges, and yellows. This was our first time RVing ever and we stayed at the Mackinaw Mill Creek Campgrounds. The campgrounds were beautiful with quick access to the beach and upper peninsula. Since this was the first time with our RV, we had to work out a few kinks. 

Bridge Views - Mackinaw Cruise

Bridge View Park:

A great park for beautiful views of the bridge. A quick stop at bridge view park to capture beautiful pictures would be a great start for your trip.

Mackinaw Island:

A trip to Michigan will never be complete without visiting Mackinaw island. Numerous boat companies provide transportation to and from Mackinaw Island. Boat tours start from both sides of the Mackinaw bridge. Generally, a short tour under the bridge is included in the tour. A day trip to the island would be sufficient. But if one would want to stay overnight, there are plenty of cottages on the island. No outside vehicles are allowed on the island. No golf carts are available for rental either. The only way to get around the island is by bicycle, horse carriage, or on foot. Horse carriage guided tours are available. But, due to COVID, we decided to keep our distance from other people and opted for the bike rides.

There is no better way to see the island than a trip on a bike around the island. If you like to explore the island at your own pace, a bicycle is by far the best means of transport.  There are many points of interest along the way. Fort Mackinaw, Skull Cave. The famous of all is Arch rock, a limestone arch overlooking the lake. 

Ice cream from Joann's Fudge

All the biking around the island needs a sweet ending. Mackinaw island is also known for its tasty fudge and there are numerous fudge shops to visit. We visited Joann's Fudge. It was enjoyable to watch them making fudge on the marble slab. Keeping up with the expectations, they had delectable flavor choices and the fudge was undoubtedly delicious.

The Raft on Kitch-iti-kipi

Kitch-iti-kipi: A true hidden gem of Michigan. With increasing popularity, there is a huge influx of visitors recently. The park is open throughout the year. Visit during the winter months if you crave a one-of-a-kind experience. Kitch-iti-kipi is the largest freshwater spring in Michigan. The pool is 40 feet deep and the water is at 45 F throughout the year. The fissure at the bottom feeds the pool with 1000 Gallons/min of spring water. Ride the raft to get a good view of the lake. The fish and the bottom of the lake are clearly visible from the raft. Go the extra mile and visit Kitch-iti-kipi.

Pictured Rock National Lakeshore and Twelvemile Beach: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is the crown jewel of the Upper Peninsula.  The national lakeshore stretches from Grand Marais to Munising. There are plenty of walking trails, waterfalls, and beaches to explore. The longest of all beaches is the Twelvemile beach. The beaches are filled with colorful stones unique to this area.

Twelvemile Beach

Pictured Rock Cruises: The best way to see Pictured Rocks are from Lake Superior. Pictured Rock Cruises is a popular choice. However, few other options like Kayaking, SUP, boat rentals are also available. There are no bounds to how much I regret not prebooking the cruise tickets for Pictured Rocks. Little did I expect that cruise cancellations were possible due to water levels. 

Tahquamenon Falls: Michigan's UP has numerous beautiful waterfalls. If time permits, take a trip to Tahquamenon Falls (both upper and lower falls). The upper and lower falls are connected by a 10-mile walking trail. Both upper and lower falls are accessible by road too.

Visit the upper peninsular to enjoy Michigan's rugged beauty.

First-time Visitor to Palace of Versailles, Versailles, France

Where is the Palace of Versailles? : Palace of Versaille (Château de Versailles) is one of the highly visited palaces in the World. The palace is in Île-de-France region in the city of Versailles, 20 km West of Paris. Every year, millions of tourists visit the palace to witness its splendor. It had been a UNESCO World Heritage site for the past 30 years.

What is the Historical Significance of the Palace? : The palace was built to impress. It started as a hunting lodge for the royal family outside of their primary residence in Paris. It has undergone many changes and emerged into the present-day palace under the reign of Louis XIII, Louis XIV, Lous XV, and Louis XVI. It became the symbol of grandeur and an expression of the monarchy. Later during the french revolution, the palace experienced a duration of neglect. However, enough attention was paid to the painting to conserve them. By the end of the Fench revolution, the royal residence was transformed into the Special Museum of the French School dedicated to French painters. Louis-Philippe, the last king of France returned the palace to its former glory. Many important events were held in the Palace throughout history like the declaration of the German Empire, the birth of the Third Republic, the Treaty of Versailles after the First World War.

Royal Chapel

Where to Buy Tickets?: The best option is to buy timed entry tickets from the palace website. Sometimes, for unknown reasons, the timed-entry tickets might not be available on the website. If that is the case, readjust your trip dates and look for 'Passport With Timed Entry' tickets. Another option would be to go with a day trip package from Paris. The day trip package would include transportation from Paris and the entry. Without a timed-entry ticket, the wait time can be 5 hours outside the palace. 

Salon d'Hercule

Hall of Mirrors

Visiting With Kids? : Unlike other museums in Paris, families with kids will not gain a priority entrance to the palace. It is sad to see people waiting in line with young kids for hours just to gain entry into the palace. No food is allowed in the palace for good reasons. Only young kids are allowed baby food and bottle inside the palace. Strollers and backpacks will be inspected and checked-in at the free left luggage counter. They can be collected later at the end of the palace tour. 

Feast in the House of Simon

How to Reach? : There are multiple transportation options to reach the Palace. The cheapest would be to take public transportation from Paris. RER C starts from Gare D'Austerlitz and has multips stops at famous tourist sights like Notre Dame, Muse d'Orsay, Champ de Mars. The closest station to the Palace of Versailles is Versailles Château River Gauche. Almost all the passengers in RER C get off at this stop. So the chance of missing the stop is very slim. Palace's main entrance is about a 1km walk from the train station. Multiple tour operators offer transportation from Paris along with the Palace tour. Though expensive, this might be a better option during busy months.
Tip: If using public transportation, buy a two-way ticket before boarding the RER C. 

What to See? : The Palace of Versailles is the popular attraction in Versailles. The Palace tour covers the Royal Chapel, Hall of Mirrors, hundreds of beautiful paintings, and notable status. The Palace Gardens with its beautiful fountains and marvelous status is also home for Grand Trinion, Le Petit Trianon, Marie-Antoinette's Estate. Visiting the palace and the 800 hectares of gardens can take up the whole day. Even though The Palace, the Palace Gardens, the Estate of Trianon, and the Park are far apart, little train in the place grounds can help visitors with the commute. Tickets can be purchased on the train or at Palace's North Terrace.

The ceiling in The Venus Room

Palace Gardens

Useful Tips:

• Buy a two-way train ticket before starting your journey.
• Buy timed entry tickets and all necessary tickets before starting your journey and print them out.
• Pack dry snacks
• Be prepared to stand in lengthy queues and walk very long distances.
• Have extra cash (Euro) to pay for snacks