Drive to the little quaint village of Biruga in Coorg

Coorg is an easy weekend destination if you are anywhere in the south of India. The beauty of Western ghats and the aroma of coffee plantations are those which you can expect minimum from Coorg ( or Kodagu). Situated in Karnataka state, this region has a unique culture that distinguishes it from other part. The people of Coorg are called Kodavas. Food, language, folklore are all different. So more than the geography it offers, if you try to explore the cultural aspects of this region, the journey of yours will be more meaningful and memorable.

Its been very long since I wrote something on this website. Reasons are many. Like me, you would also be observing the changes in the digital space these days. We lost our ability to concentrate for a longer time span and short video contents are the most selling item in the market now. Somewhere, I also thought writing (genuine) is dead on the internet. But then one day, I was like: there will be people looking for experiences like me and I have to share with them mine. 

Drive to the Biruga village in Coorg

This post is about my drive from Bangalore to a village called Biruga in Coorg.

This is not my first time in Coorg, also I have seen most of the must visit places around. So I choose a village where I can experience the unspoiled side of Coorg.

Me and Ankita started early in the morning from Bangalore. It was a 250km journey. First Mysore, then Gonikuppal and Biruga. The route was simple and straight. If you have been to Sakleshpur or Coorg before, you can expect what you see on the way. Roads are so scenic.

Once we crossed Gonikoppal, we entered the rural side. Driving through the roads was beautiful. We reached Biruga and entered the property of our home stay. The monsoons have given the place an extra shade of green. The mountains of Western ghats were standing tall in the backdrop.

Options to stay in Biruga

As I said, Biruga is a small village. You can find a few homestays here.  Our homestay was located in a very scenic location. There was a stream going through the property. A small hike through the forest from the homestay, we will reach a beautiful waterfall. You can see lot of birds including hornbills around the property.

Good thing about homestays are the food, you will get a taste of the Coorg cuisine.

One way to understand a culture is to understand the food they eat. 

The owner of the stay told us many things about the Kodava culture and the cuisine. They were very peculiar about introducing their cuisine to the guests. The pork preparations of the Kodavas are very famous. Never miss this when you are in Coorg.

There is not much things to do here. I know if you are reading this, you will be a person who needs to find some peace wherever you go. You can put a chair outside and look at the mountains, you can walk upto the edge of forest and observe the flora and fauna, you can have a dip in the stream, that’s all the things to do here.

Coorg food is a never miss

The next day in Madikeri, we were still searching for food and ended up in the famous “Coorg cuisine” restaurant. Also tried some more dishes from the restaurant “ Taste of Coorg”

I can give you an idea of what dishes to try when you are in Coorg. Go for Kadambuttu, Neer Dosa and Akki roti. And try all the pork preparations they offer. Vegetarians can look for dishes made with Bamboo shoots.

The local coffee here is worth a try.

Coming to the tourism perspective, I saw boards mentioning about the over-tourism and asking tourists not to visit Coorg often. I am no one to say anything about what people are facing there because of over tourism. Coorg also became like every other tourist place, just like how we say the world is turning into a single global village. The uniqueness of every place is under threat by this mass commercialisation. And I hate this.

What if I tell you that the property which we stayed at doesn’t have any online booking facility. The homestay doesn’t have electricity either. I saw the owner himself picking a plastic cover from the forest while we were hiking up to a waterfall. That is the kind of business model which I like to choose as a consumer. 

What all you can do in Coorg?

There are many waterfalls and trekking trails in Coorg.  I don’t think it is necessary to put it here since internet is full of such contents. Choose those which satisfies your need and plan your day.

Coorg can be your next easy destination if you are in Banglore. A drive of 6 hrs is enough to reach there. Never hesitate to go again if you have already visited this place before. You will find many unique places like Biruga. Even the drive through the region is something worth trying. I would suggest you to put some effort to know about the Kodava culture.

During monsoons, this region will be more beautiful. Coorg is definitely a place if you enjoy rain.