Nest in Vagamon Homestay: Simple Home for your Mountain Holiday

Vagamon is that offbeat hill station of Kerala where rolling hills meet tea estates. It is that mountain holiday destination where things are quiet, laidback and pristine and hence perfect for that truly unwinding holiday. In such a place, you do not want to stay in hotels or guest houses, but in homestays. During my visit there, I stayed at this newly opened homestay called Nest in Vagamon and it was simple, hospitable, a little bit away from the city center and blessed with great mountain views. Here is my detailed review of this property based on my recent experience.

1) The Nest in Vagamon homestay is your Kerala home where the family lives on the ground floor and there are a couple of rooms on the first floor with their own private balconies looking at the lush mountain landscape. One of the rooms, which is slightly larger than the other costs INR 1200 per night, while the other marginally smaller room costs INR 1000 per night. Each room comes with a double bed, some space for an extra bed, a few chairs, a fan and an attached bathroom with hot shower. The facilities are basic, but the atmosphere is fresh and is good value for the money we spend.

2) If informed beforehand, the Kerala family running this homestay can prepare hot beverages and traditional meals at an additional cost. The town center with all the restaurants is just a 10 minute walk away in case you wish for more options.



3) One of my favorite things to do at this homestay is to sit on the stone sills in the balcony with a hot cup of tea and watch the mountain life go by. This place is also great during the night to look at the star lit sky. This is also a great place to indulge in some reading.

4) If you like quiet mountain walks, Nest in Vagamon homestay offers quite a few options. As it is closer to the village than to the town, you can explore the various village trails. There is a small peak nearby that you can walk to for those early morning misty sunrise views. And then there is a lake about 10 minutes away for a quiet getaway. You can also embark on those long hikes over the rolling hills and through the pine forests, valley and streams.

5) If you hire a cycle or a motorcycle or even a local autorickshaw, you can head to the different view points and tourist attractions, which are about 6 to 10 kms from the homestay.



6) Phone connectivity is a bit poor at this place. BSNL works well, but Airtel is patchy. There is no wi-fi here, which is a blessing in disguise.

If you are looking for a simple budget home for your offbeat mountain holiday to Vagamon, look up Nest in Vagamon. Its charm lies in its simplicity. For booking the rooms, please call them at 94962 22796 or 94464 89459.

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Vagamon: That off beat hill station of Kerala where rolling hills and tea estates meet

I have always felt blessed to be living close to the Western Ghats. My ancestral town of Kallidaikurichi is just 10 kms away from the Western Ghats and the city of Bangalore where I live is also only about 4 hours away from this biodiversity hotspot. This proximity has allowed me to do countless trips (treks, road trips and other vacations) to the world’s longest UNESCO world heritage site. Even then, every now and then, I discover amazing places in the Western Ghats that blow my mind away. Kerala’s Vagamon is one such place.



This hill station, which is a local’s favorite, is way quieter and off the beaten trail than the other popular hill stations in the Western Ghats like Munnar, Valparai, Ooty, Kodaikanal and Madikeri. Located close to Periyar tiger reserve and Idukki reservoir, Vagamon has all the ingredients of a gorgeous hill station. It has tea estates, rolling hills, view points, sunrise and sunset points, super cosy weather and a truly laidback Kerala lifestyle.



Vagamon, at 1,100 meters above sea level is not that high,  hence it does not get very cold. Instead, it enjoys the perfect combination of bright warm sunny days and cool evenings, making it the perfect place for those relaxed nature vacations that include nothing, but lots of sunshine, lots of walking, good food, rich nature and a supremely quiet environment.



Vagamon is not the kind of place where you have a lot to see and do. In my mind, that is the charm of this destination, but if you wish to see and do something, there are the famous rolling hills of Vagamon that are surrounded by pine forests and tea estates. These rolling hills, which are similar to Nagaland’s Dzukou valley and Philippines’ Bohol, pretty much sets the tone for this mountain landscape.



Pine forest and view point, Ayyampara sunset point, Maramala waterfalls, thangalpara sunset view point, Kurishumala church and a few lakes in the vicinity are places worth visiting in and around Vagamon. One can either drive to these places or opt for a more scenic walking route. This is for people who feel like seeing or doing things while holidaying at Vagamon. But, if you ask me, this is the place that you can make your mountain home and just go about your daily life.



Vagamon does not have a lot of infrastructure like other hill stations, but it does have a small number of resorts, hotels and home stays. If you are not eating where you are staying, there is a main road in Vagamon town that offers a choice of a few restaurants. The food at these places is simple and good, but do not expect anything out of the ordinary. In overall, Vagamon is your poor man’s hill station, that is insanely beautiful, but still very much off the beaten trail. If Kerala, mountains and pure relaxation is on your mind, I would recommend Vagamon in a jiffy!

Nearest Airport: Kochi, about 100 kms or 3 hours away.

Nearest Railway station: Kottayam, about 64 kms away or Erattupetta, about 26 kms away.

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