Chachagua Rainforest Hotel and Hot Springs located between the Children’s Eternal Rainforest and the Arenal Volcano National Park and is off the beaten path but still an amazing place to stay. We spent 4 nights during Christmas break and loved the room, the grounds, and over all ambience of the place.
Only con is that it is about 20 min from La Fortuna town and if you don’t have your own car, you are stuck eating in-house restaurant food for the length of your stay. The food is not bad but limited as they try to do as much farm to table type with the fresh fruits and vegetables grown in their farm. Unlike the hotels in the town, you can’t walk or Uber to a local Soda/ restaurant and taking a cab is bit on expensive side( $50-80).
The property has 28 bungalows and feels like a mix of rainforest and tropical garden, and I could not stop taking pictures of beautiful flowers and birds that fed on them. There is a river running through the middle of the property which adds to the serenity of the hotel. The hotel has about 3-4 small thermal pools fed by volcanic hot water an additional plus for the place. The thermal pools are not as hot as the pools near the volcano but warm enough to relax after a long day of hiking.
Welcome cocktailShampoo Ginger
The hotel sits on 94 hectares of rainforest, and it is isolated and unspoiled. This hotel was featured in 1000 places to see before you die by Patricia Shultz, and we felt like it was one the best hotel we stayed. The hotel also has its own waterfall, and I spent every morning just admiring the calmness and setting of this waterfall. There are tons of hiking paths, and you can watch birds, monkeys, and sloths on the property.
The Bungalows: Most of the rooms are 1-bedroom bungalows with the porch in the front. The individual bungalows are surrounded by trees and bushes and connected by walking paths and are very private. The porch has a hammock, a sofa with coffee table, and built in wooden table and stools. If you decide to get a massage or facial, they bring the massage table to the porch, and you can get a massage in the tranquility of rain forest. We stayed in room 107 and felt like we were cocooned in our own rainforest. Some of the bigger bungalows have plunge pool and jacuzzi tubs.
Massage set up on the porchMassage on the porch with real rainforest sounds Walkways connecting bungalows.
Night walk and Bullet ants– We did nigh walk on the property where we were able to see various kinds of frogs, toads, turtles, sleeping hummingbird, but what we didn’t expect to see was Bullet ants. Bullet ants are named after its powerful and potent sting that feels like being shot, and they are also called “hormiga veinticuatro” or “24 (hour) ant” by the locals, referring to the 24 hours of pain that follow being stung by one of these ants. There were tons of these ants roaming around lake, on fences and our guide warned us not to lean on anything. Thankfully nobody was bit, but presence of these ants added to mystery of the night. Bullet ants are 4 times the size of regular ant and are nocturnal.
Night walk ToadBullet antSleeping butterfly
Birds and working farm – One of my favorite memories of this hotel is waking up in the morning and looking out of the window to see a hummingbird feeding on heliconia flower. This happened pretty much every day and the hotels has tons of hummingbirds that feed on the tropical flowers on the property. On my morning hike every day, I would spend some time watching birds including Toucans. The last day, we decided to check out the cocoa and coffee farm where they teach how to make coffee and cocoa. I wish I had ventured out to this place earlier on our stay. Since this is a working farm, there are tons of fruit trees and Toucans and Aracari’s hanging out here feeding on the fruits. It is few steps from the waterfall and definitely worth checking out both for the cooking class as well as for birds.
Toucan in flightFarm on the Chachagua hotelSugar Cane juice maker
Ceiba Tree– Hiking within the property, there are signs for Ceiba tree which is well worth the visit. It’s a giant tree that stands tall among the rainforest trees and after visiting the tree, I did some research and found out that this tree is the national tree of Guatemala and has significant place in both Mayan and African cultures.
Ceiba Tree on Chachagua Ceiba Tree on Chachagua
Called as the First Tree or Green Tree in Mayan language (Yax Che), according to Maya mythology, Ceiba tree the symbol of the universe. The tree signified a route of communication between the three levels of earth. Its roots were said to reach down into the underworld, its trunk represented the middle world where the humans live, and its canopy of branches arched high in the sky symbolized the upper world and the thirteen levels in which the Maya heaven was divided (Source: https://www.thoughtco.com/ceiba-pentandra-sacred-tree-maya-171615).
Food and Drinks – Since we didn’t rent a car, we ended up eating at the Colibri restaurant on site which was pretty decent albeit limited selection. There was live music every day and we enjoyed ordering Tikki drinks just to see how many different kinds of cups we get.
Final Thoughts:
All in all, staying at Chachagua Rainforest Hotel and Spa was an amazing experience. I loved the cozy, private bungalows, and numerous hiking trails as well as the river and waterfall. The staff was very pleasant and helpful, and organized all the acuities including ziplining, hike to Rio Celeste, and white-water rafting through the hotel and had a great time.
Some more random pictures taken from the hike on the property:
We spent 9 days in Costa Rica dividing our time between La Fortuna rainforest/volcano area and Manuel Antonio-pacific beach town. We got to see tons of animals during our stay and on our guided hikes to National parks and night walks. I was amazed by the variety of birds, lizards, flowers, and monkeys you can see as well as the way Costa Ricans have preserved the nature and its diversity. Costa Rica is one country where I found my iPhone camera isn’t enough to capture all the colors and vibrancy of nature.
These are some of the things that fascinated me during our stay:
Leaf Cutter Ants- Nature’s farmers that grow Fungai
First time I saw these little ants carrying the leaves was on a zip lining trip in La Fortuna and someone pointed them out to me. I was amazed by these ants carrying as much 50 times their weight in leaves as if to prepare an amazing salad. I read about them after coming back to hotel and spent next couples of hikes actively looking for them. Next to the human society, leaf cutter ants have most complex society with caste system and are the best farmers after us.
Leafcutter ants don’t eat the leaves they carry but use leaves as their fertilizer to grow their fungal gardens. These ants act as true gardeners by providing the fungus with freshly cut leaves, protecting them from pests and molds, and clearing them of decayed material and garbage. In return, the fungus acts as a food source for the ants’ larvae. Ants are very sensitive to the needs of these fungi and change up the leaf if the Fungai don’t like it as a food source. This symbiotic relationship also benefits from a bacterium that grows on the ant’s bodies and secretes antimicrobials, which the ants use to protect their fungi. You can read more about these amazing insects here .
Leaf Cutter ants
Sloth and its symbiotic relationship with algae and moth
Most people who go to Costa Rica want to see sloths which are the national animal and symbol of Costa Rica. We were able to see Sloths in a few places both in La Fortuna and in the Parador resort at Manuel Antonio which had a resident sloth named Valentina that hung out by the pool on the mango tree with her baby.
Valentina-the 2 toed sloth and her baby at Parador Resort in Manuel AntonioRandom 3-toed sloth on the way to hanging bridge
Although pretty common in Costa Rica, Sloths are not easy to spot. We were able to see 3-toed sloths in La Fortuna area during daytime while we saw nocturnal 2 t0ed sloths in Manuel Antonio Park. We weren’t able to spot first few until the guides pointed out but after a week, we got pretty good at spotting them especially on certain tress where they inhabit. As a slow-moving animal, sloths have developed a good camouflage technique that makes them hard to find. Sloths have a specialized fur coat that is covered in tiny grooves, providing the perfect environment for green algae to grow. This green alga acts as a natural camouflage, allowing the sloth to blend seamlessly with the surrounding green leaves of rain forest. This camouflage not only helps sloths hide but also provides a source of nutrients as these sloths often lick their fur, eating the algae, which provides them with essential vitamins and minerals.
Spot the slothSpot the sloth
Hermit hummingbird and false bird of paradise/ Heliconiaflower
One of my favorite memories from Costa Rica was waking up on day 1 in the rain forest bungalow and looking out of the window to see a hummingbird feeding on a flower. The Chachagua Rainforest hotel where we stayed had beautiful gardens and tons of hummingbirds but every morning, the one hummingbird came back to feed on the same flower. Until we went on hike to Rio Celeste and Naturalist guide explained relationship between the hummingbird and this particular flower, I finally understood the reason.
The false bird of paradise is called Heliconia and Green hermit hummingbirds have a symbiotic relationship, and this relationship is a great example of the fine tuning of coevolution between plants and its pollinators. The green hermit hummingbirds have curved bill that mimics the shape of the flower of Heliconia. Only after being pollinated by these long-billed birds, the Heliconia plant begins to reproduce. The plant accepts pollen only from birds with bills that match the shape of its flowers. It seems like the long-billed birds and long-flowered plants evolved to fit each other. Isn’t nature full of surprises? You want to read more about this symbiotic relationship, you can check out this article.
Red eyed tree frog
Red eye tree frog is the most iconic symbol of Costa Rica and you will see on any books or items related to Costa Rica. I thought it would be easy to see these frogs as everyone posts beautiful pictures of them but our first night walk in La Fortuna, we didn’t see any red eyed tree frogs. I was determined to see them before we left Costa Rica and we did another night walk at the Parador nature resort. As soon as we reached the pond area, the guide said you are in luck as he can hear the mating call of the frog but after 30 minutes searching, we didn’t find any even though we knew they were close by but well hidden in the trees.
As much as you can easily recognize these frogs with their large red eyes and bright green skin, they are hard to spot. The bright green color of the skin easily blends with the surrounding and when frightened they close their eyes and perfectly blend on the green rain forest leaves and surface. The large red eyes of these frogs also help them to see in low light conditions. Additionally, the red eyes can help to startle predators and give these frogs a chance to escape. Our guide was finally able to spot one on our way back from the night walk and I was able to finally capture the picture of this iconic frog.
Halloween Crabs
These crabs go by various names including red land crab, white spot crab, moon crab etc and usually have some combination of red, orange, purple, black, and or blue. When every animal in rainforest is trying to blend with its environment and hide from predators, these crabs seem have taken opposite approach and gone as colorful as possible. As you walk through Manuel Antionio National Park or kayak in Mangroves, you will see hundreds of these crabs. When I asked guide why they are so brightly colored, I was told that the crabs have poor vision and bright colors is how they see each other. According to this article, these crabs are also ecosystem engineers and create habitats with deep dug borrows. “These burrows then serve as homes for a host of other creatures after the crab has moved on or become something’s dinner. They also participate in the nutrient cycle. They eat seeds, seedlings, and leaf matter, which they carry down to their burrows returning nutrients to the soil. Their diet affects their environment in another way. The seeds and seedlings that they decide to eat or not eat ultimately help to shape the plant populations in the areas where they live” (from https://guanacastewildlifemonitoring.com/)
White tailed deer- National Symbol of Costa Rica wildlife
One of the first animal we saw in Manuel Antonio National Park was a white-tailed deer and its baby and our guide spent 10 minutes talking about the animal. Living in Northeast and South of US, where these deer are everywhere and not so special and they usually they run into roads causing accidents. But sometimes, when you travel, you realize that your ordinary is someone’s extraordinary. In Costa Rica, these deer sightings are rare and it’s an accomplishment to see these animals. They are a protected species facing extinction and penalty for killing these animals is huge and our guide joking said that ” he would rather be caught selling drugs and other petty crimes than to kill this deer”. White tailed dee is declared national symbol, by President José María Figueres Olsen, on May 2nd, 1995.
We were able to see couple of different kinds of venomous snakes in Costa Rica. We saw the eyelash viper both in Mistico hanging bridges as well as in Rio Celste hike. One of the most prominent features of the eyelash viper is its scales, which are responsible for its rough and bumpy appearance, providing a unique texture to its skin. The color of the snake usually shades of green or yellow and it seamlessly blends into its surrounding. Both times, the guides were able to spot them, but we struggled spot them even after we knew they were there. The name of these snakes comes from extensions of scales above the eyes resemble eyelashes.
Fer-de-lance – Another venomous snake we saw in Manuel Antonio ( scientifically known as Bothrops asper). Fer-de-lance means “spearhead” in French, this venomous pit viper is known for its triangular-shaped head and deadly venom and are masters of camouflage. Again, even after the guide pointed out, it took us a little while see this snake. On the flip side, the coral snake we saw on our hike to Rio Celeste is as bright as possible.
We were able to see several types of birds both in La Fortuna and in Manuel Antonio. Humming birds and Toucans were abundant in Chachagua Nature resort that we stayed in La Fortuna. We saw couple of Scarlet Macaws in Manuel Antonio but weren’t able to capture their photo. One of the crown jewels of Costa Rican bird is the Quetzal, we didn’t get to see it, but we will see them in our next trip to Costa Rica.
Flowers of Costa Rica
Just like the birds, Costa Rica has abundant flowers of various colors and sizes including a variety of Orchids, Birds of Paradise, False Bird Paradise (Heliconia), and ornamental bananas. One of the most beautiful and best smelling flower/ plant I saw is the shampoo ginger which smells like ginger and is used for making shampoos as well as Ilan-Ilan that smelled like Channel No. 5 perfume.
Shampoo Ginger Ilan-Ilan
Colorful carts of Costa Rica
When you travel in Costa Rica, you will see these bright colored carts displayed in parks, hotels, and miniature versions in gift and souvenir shops. These bright colored and intricate patterned carts are unique to Costa Rica and were essential to Costa Rica’s growth, enabling the transport of coffee from the mountains to the coasts for export. Costa Ricans improved the cart design using a solid construction based on Aztec wheels that helped them to get through unique landscape of Costa Rica. In 2005, UNESCO inscribed Costa Rican oxcarts onto its list of intangible cultural heritage, and these carts the country’s official symbol of labor.
Even though Ox Carts are no longer used in Costa Rica for transportation, instead of fading away, ox cart become a symbol of Costa Rica and a testament to the old way of doing things. The painted carts were symbol of economic status in their time and craftsman that made the carts started painting bright colors and intricate designs that included flowers, stars, faces, landscapes. Each town/area developed its own unique designs. Also, carts were added with bells and whistles, so each cart played a signature song whenever it moved. Today, Sarchí a small town near San Jose (a good stop on the way from La Fortuna to Manuel Antonio), is only place left that produces these colorful, hand-painted works of art. Eloy Alfaro, who founded the factory in 1923 in Sarchí and is operational till today and you can visit and see the factory in operation. (https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/colorful-oxcarts-costa-rica)
Costa Rican Rainforest mask or Boruca Masks
Boruca Mask
One of my regrets after visiting Costa Rica is not buying one of these colorful masks made by Boruca community. The origin of these masks’ dates back to 500 years during the Spanish conquest of Costa Rica. These masks were created by Borucan indigenous people with the intent to scare the unwelcome Spinrads. These diablito masks or little devil masks were created as homage to the animal spirts that guided the tribe to successfully fight Spinrads. Usually carved in a single piece of Cedar or balsa wood, these intricate masks are carved and painted to represent the spirits, fierce animals, devils, and also images of the local flora and fauna. The carvers use a technique called relief carving that creates three dimensional images with unbelievable depth. There are 3 different kinds of mask – the ‘diablito’ or ‘devil’ mask are the traditional masks used for ceremonial purpose, ‘ecologica’, featuring animals and plants of the rainforest such as Toucan or sloth and are considered more modern and ‘combinados’, are the combination of both the ‘diablitos’ and the ‘ecologica’, as they represent the blending of the traditional and contemporary styles. (Check out here for more information). These masks can be bought in gift shops and other artisanal stores (not sure how authentic), but the authentic ones can be bought directly by Boruca Community or from this place in San Jose. The tradition and history behind these masks are amazing.
Most common ones we saw are the white-faced cappuccino monkeys and our guide called them mafia monkey as they roam in groups and steal food and other items from people. These monkeys are aggressive and not afraid of people. Parador nature resort had a bunch of them that would hang out by the pool and come near rooms and take anything they can. People staying next to us had left their backpack out in the night, and these monkeys tore it open, and took the chips bag and opened a Tupper ware container and ate whatever was in it.
Mayhem caused by MonkeysWhite faced monkey
Howler monkeys
More than seeing these monkeys, you can’t escape their howl which sounds like a roar. We saw few these monkeys in Manuel Antonio but heard them pretty much every morning in the hotel. when we were at Manuel Antonio park it started raining, we heard bunch of angry howler monkeys and were told by the guide that they hate rain which led to teenager asking, ” then why do they live in rainforest where it rains everyday?”
Spider monkeys
We were lucky to see a family of spider monkeys hanging around in Mistico Hanging bridges and gave us show from jumping from tree to tree and showing off their agility. Our guide was able to hear these monkeys before spotting them as they make lot of noise on the tree branches, and it is good practice to pay attention to sounds as you go through rain forests as it is much better way to spot different animals. After 9 days in Costa Rica, I got better at spotting monkeys by paying attention to twigs breaking, rustling leaves and branches. Spider monkeys are one of the most agile species in Costa Rica and their name comes from the disproportionately long limbs and a long tail. We were able to take some good videos of these monkeys (Watch it full screen or pic-in-pic to see the whole video)
Spider Monkey
Squirrel monkeys
These are only type of monkeys we didn’t see in Costa Rica even though our hotel in Manuel Antonio and the national park had these monkeys but unlike the white-faced monkeys they weren’t roaming around in groups when we were there. These monkeys have very distinct type black facial mask and red-backed fur and pretty small compared to other monkeys found in Costa Rica.
Monkeys and Green rope way – One of things I noticed in the Manuel Antonio area and in the Parador hotel was the green ropes/bridges hanging from tree to tree. These are constructed for sloths and monkeys cross from tree to tree and to buildings without coming down to the road thus avoiding potential threats from cars, dogs, and other predators. Its quite neat to see and I caught a Cappachino money using one in the hotel
Monkey on Sky bridge
Best places to see monkeys in Costa Rica
Manuel Antonio National Park– This is park where you are guaranteed to see both monkeys and sloths. All four species are supposed to live this National park and we were able to see Howler and White-faced monkeys here. The Parador nature hotel in Manuel Antonio has abundance of these monkeys in their grounds and roam around the hotel. One of the guests was even able to see squirrel money in this hotel during our stay when it jumped on the balcony to get food as they were eating their lunch.
Corcovado National Park This is another national park best suited to see all 4 species of monkeys and 2 species of sloth. Hiring a guide would improve the experience.
Arenal volcano and mistico hanging bridges – We were able to see both spider monkeys and howler monkeys here.
Río Celeste (Sky-Blue River) in Tenorio National Park (Costa Rica), a river that forms from the mixing of two colorless or normal streams—Río Buenavista (Buenavista River) and Quebrada Agria (Sour Creek). The combined river has striking blue color that seems almost unnatural while the tributary rivers have no color at all. There are several theories as to why this river turns blue after the confluence including the legend that god dipped his pain brush here after painting sky blue. Unlike glacier fed lakes like Lake Moraine in Banff that have bright blue color due to fine particles of rock flour suspended in water, resulting from glacial erosion, Rio Celeste is not a glacial fed river.
Rio Celeste in Tenorio National Park
El Teñidero-Dye point -Nature’s chemistry lab
The nerd in me was very happy when I found out why the 2 colorless rivers merge to form such brightly colored river. It’s pure chemistry! The last stop on the hike in Tenorio national park is called “El Teñidero” (dye point). The sky-blue color appears immediately after the dye point and the river maintains its bright blue coloration over a distance more than 14 km including at the waterfall Río Celeste.
Mixing of 2 colorless streams to form Blue Rio Celeste
The scientific explanation for this color change is that both rivers contain aluminosilicate particles, but the size and concentration of these particles are too small to scatter light to get the blue color on their own. Here is where science does its magic. Quebrada Agria or Sour creek as it is aptly called is fairly acidic (pH of 3.1), and Río Buenavista was rather neutral with a pH of 6.8-7. When the acidic and neutral waters of the two rivers meet, their aluminosilicate particles clump together, resulting in enough particle concentration and size to scatter light and the vivid blue color appears!
Other noteworthy points to stop on this hike are the laguna Azul and the borbollones as well as the view point to see the volcano. Laguna Azul is very peaceful, and we saw a turtle hanging out on a log here.
Laguna Azul
Borbollones or the boiling point reminds you that you are in an active volcano area and you smell the sulphur gases before you see the bubbling river.
Borbollones in Rio Celeste
Rio Celeste waterfall
The main attraction in this park is the Rio celeste waterfall and most people tend to turn back after seeing the waterfall but the hike from the waterfall to the end point is only 1 km and it is worth the hike.
Rio Celste waterfall
The waterfall has an amazing blue color and you need to get down few steps before you can reach the viewpoint. We spent lot of time here appreciating the beautiful color as well as the setting in the middle of lush green rainforest. The contrast of colors is absolutely gorgeous.
Rio Celeste waterfall
Practical Information on how to get to Rio Celeste:
Rio Celeste opens at 8:30 am, but you can arrive at 8 am to get tickets. The park allows 1200 visitors per day and pre-purchasing the tickets is not possible. The latest admission to the park is 2 pm, and everyone has to exit by 4 pm. Here is a good blog on information about visiting the Rio Celeste.
Word of Caution : Water won’t have the bright blue turquoise color it is famous for after heavy rain. Check the weather and rainfall in the area before going. Some rain is normal for this area, and it pretty much rained every day when we visited.
We did a guided tour through Canoa Aventura in La Fortuna which included lunch at restaurant Tenory. This was a great restaurant with lots of vegetarian options and it is about 5 min from the entrance of the Tenorio Volcano national park. We saw bunch of animals including some venomous snakes and monekyes.
Sarnath, a small town located 10Km outside of Varanasi in India, is considered to be one of the most sacred places for Buddhist pilgrims. After attaining enlightenment in Bodhi Gaya (which is in present day Bihar), Buddha travelled to Varanasi and gave his first sermon to five of his followers, established Sangha (Buddhist monastic community) and set the wheel of Dharma in motion. Sarnath gained more prominence during 3rd century BC when king Ashoka erected several Stupas and monastic complexes and helped to spread Buddhism in India and Southeast Asia.
The Dhamekh Stupa
Buddhist stupas were originally built to house the earthly remains of Buddha and his associates and are almost invariably found at sites sacred to Buddhism. According to world history org, ” A Stupa (literally “heap” or “pile”) is a shrine containing the remains of a holy person and/or artifacts (relics) associated with them, originating in India prior to the 5th century BCE as tombs of holy men and evolving afterwards into sacred sites dedicated to the Buddha (l. c. 563 – c. 483 BCE).Later, stupas were also raised to honor Buddhist arhats (saints), bodhisattvas (enlightened ones), other saintly figures, or local deities”.
A stupa is a hemispherical structure, with a spire at the top, situated on a base that varies in shape and size and is usually surrounded by a walkway for visitors. The Dhamekh Stupa in Saranath is believed to have been built during the reign of Emperor Ashoka, stands at 33.35 meters in height and is adorned with intricately carved stone panels depicting scenes from Buddha’s life and teachings. Eight niches are provided in the eight direction which are assumed to contain images of Buddha.
It is very common to see Buddhist pilgrims meditating and praying around this area.
King Ashoka and Lion Capital-the national emblem of India
Ashokan pillar, c. 279 B.C.E. – 232 B.C.E, Vaishali, India (where Buddha preached his last sermon). Photo: Rajeev Kumar, CC: BY-SA 2.5)
Ashoka was the third emperor of Maurya dynasty and ruled between 279-232 BC. After witnessing the death and carnage caused by his army in the war of Kalinga, Ashoka decided to adapt the teachings of Buddha and spread the four noble truths of Buddhism far and wide. One of the ways King Ashoka decided to spread the noble truth of Buddhism is through erecting pillars that are 40-50 ft tall and with edicts/proclamations written on them. The pillars cut from two different types of stone—one for the shaft and another for the capital. The shaft was almost always cut from a single piece of stone. The capital or the top part of the pillar varies and usually have symbol depicting Buddhism or its philosophy.
Lotus and lion-Symbolism associated with Ashoka Pillar found at Sarnath.
Ashoka Pillar found in Sarnath -excavation photo
One of the most famous Ashoka Pillar is the one found at Sarnath. You can still see the pillar remains where it was originally located while the Capital of the pillar is in display at the museum next door. The symbols from the Capital that was found in Sarnath was adopted as the national emblem of India in 1950 when India became a republic. It is depicted on the one rupee note and the two rupee Indian coin. The Capital of the Ashoka pillar found in Saranath follows the typical style of the Ashoka pillar with a shaft and capital that is made of 3 parts-an inverted lotus flower, base with 4 animals carved in-between wheels , and 4 lions sitting on the top.
The lotus flower usually depicts Buddhist doctrine and is the most common symbol of Buddhism. Buddhism teaches that human life is like the “lotus flower” and the “muddy water” the harsh realities of everyday life. Lotus flower blooms in muddy water and its petals remain unblemished implying that Buddhist practitioner rises above despite the challenges of daily life and moving towards the light of wisdom. The Sarnath Ashoka Pillar lion capital has four lions on the top of the drum each facing in the four cardinal directions. Their mouths are open, roaring or spreading the dharma, the Four Noble Truths, across the land.
Replica of Lion Capital of Sarnath
On the drum of the Capital, there are four circular wheels in the middle is a form of Buddhist Dharma Chakra (also known as the Ashok Chakra). The 24 spokes of the Chakra represent the number of hours in a day. The spokes signify moving forward in life and thus one avoids stagnation of the mind. The four animals depicted alternatively between the chakras are regarded as the guardians of four directions – the lion for the north, the elephant for the east, the horse for the south and the bull for the west. In some Buddhist texts, all these animals have been referred to as symbols for Buddha himself and may be deduced as him carrying forward the tenets of Dharma. In yet another interpretation, these four animals represents the different stages of Lord Buddha’s life. (https://www.culturalindia.net/national-symbols/national-emblem.html)
Other noteworthy things to see around Sarnath:
Apart from the archeological site and the museum, there is a beautiful Thai temple with a large standing buddha statue set in a beautiful garden. There are scenes depicting first sermon of Buddha as well as a laughing buddha statue. This place is definitely worth stopping by even for few minutes.
Final thoughts
Saranath is a great place to add to your visit when you are in Varanasi and definitely worth visiting both for historical significance as well as religious significance.
Darbhanga ghat holds special place in Hindu mythology as the legend says that Lord Rama bathed here in the sacred waters of Ganges. The Ghat is dominated by stunning palace that was built in 18th century in Rajput and Mughal style architecture. Later in 20th century, the palace was bought over by Maharaja of Darbhanga and fort underwent extensive renovations, including the installation of South Asia’s first elevator. Today this palace is converted into Birjrama palace hotel by Ganges which seamlessly blends heritage and luxury.
How to get to Brijrama palace:
The unique location of Birjrama palace on Darbhanga Ghat provides unique opportunity to get to your hotel by boat. Even though the palace is located very centrally in the heart of Varanasi, close to all main attractions, you can’t reach this place by car. Since the palace is located in Bengali tola surrounded by narrow streets or galies, the best way to reach the palace is by boat. The hotel has multiple boats that can take you to various places within Varanasi, thus avoiding the traffic and also giving you the best view of Varanasi Ghats. The boat rides are free as part of the stay and you can use the boats as needed. We used this service multiple times during our stay including to attend Ganga Aarti, and go to Assi Ghat and surrounding area.
Architecture and interiors of Birjrama palace :
In order to reach the hotel from the ghat, you need to climb about 20 steps and get it to the elevator. You are greeted by a priest who blesses you and hands you flowers and blessings. You enter the elevator which is the first elevator in south east Asia. As you get out of the elevator, you are greeted by ornate sitting room and beautiful view of Ganges from first floor.
Lobby/ Entrance of Birjrama palace
The hotel has 3 floors each with its own balcony/sitting area with breathtaking views of Ganga. We were on 3rd floor and in my opinion, it has the best views and the 3rd floor balcony where they have Yoga classes every morning and high-tea in the evening. We spent every morning watching sunrise over Ganges and enjoying the morning bustle of the ghats.
View from third floor balconyView from first floorSunrise from the 3rd floor
Walking through the palace transports you back to the gilded era with ornate designs on the walls, beautiful sculptures, and spacious court yards. The hotel has done a great job of decorating the palace with its history in mind.
Accommodation Options :
There are 32 rooms in Brijrama palace with several types of rooms:
-Varuna Burj Suite- only 1 suite and it is on 2nd floor with its own entrance. This room boasts 180 view of the river and city and probably one of the most expensive rooms in the palace. We tried to book it but it was sold out for the time we were in Varanasi. It sleeps 3-4 people
– Maharaja Suite- there are 3 suites available and are on 1st floor and sleeps 2-4 people
– Vasundara- 6 available rooms and sleeps 2
– Dhanurdhara- 8 available rooms thar sleeps 2
-Nadidhara room- 14 available rooms that sleeps 2
We stayed in the Dhanurdhara room and it was perfect for 2 people. It opens into a well lit corridor that is next to 3rd floor balcony. We absolutely loved the room and the location of the room
Dining at Birjrama place:
There are 2 dining rooms in Brijrama palace but when we stayed there only Darbhanga dining room was open and it serves only vegetarian food( Because of the location of the hotel on the Ganga River, hotel doesn’t serve meat or alcohol). Breakfast is included the price and it is severed as a buffet with both international and Indian dishes. You can get made to order omelettes for breakfast along with toast, donuts etc. Both north and South Indian breakfast items such as made to order dosa, fresh jelebi as well as kachori are available everyday for breakfast. We are most of the lunch and dinner at the restaurant but they are A la carte and pretty decent. We found found to be lacking spiciness but overall of good quality. For one afternoon, we ordered the Thali, which is a 5 course meal with soup, appetizer( 3 kinds), main meal, a drink, and 3 different desserts. The meal was huge and we struggled to finish it
Activities :
There are several activities are provided as a complimentary service including High tea every evening. This was our favorite activity which included along with Indian Chai served in clay pot, thandai ( specialty of Varanasi), and pan making session.
Every morning, you wake up to the sound of flute playing from the center court yard and every evening there was Kathi’s dance performance at the bada angan to showcase local artists and talent. You can get complementary henna by a local artist every afternoon too. Every evening, boat leaves from the ghat to the Ganga Aarti ceremony and you can watch the program sitting in the boat.
Final thoughts
Staying at Brijrama palace is great experience and we enjoyed every minute of it. We were impressed by the service and authenticity of the staff as well as luxury and heritage of the place. More than anything else, location is absolutely stunning and we took too many photos of sunrise. Only con we found was that it was hard to leave the place and go out do anything else as we were too comfortable in our serene palace.
Varanasi where the Ghats hold the secrets of time and the past meets the present on the banks of the holy Ganges.
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Ghats (pronounced as gots) are series of steps/stairway leading the river and there are at least 84/85 of these in Varanasi (Some say 84 while others say 85. I didn’t count to confirm one way or the other). Best way to see these Ghats is either by walking so you can get up close or by taking a boat ride. Morning boat rides are especially popular as you get to the see the full glory of Varanasi in the early morning sunlight. Most of the ghats are used for everyday bathing to ceremonial rituals, festivals and cremation. If you decide to walk the ghats especially starting at Assi Ghat, you will be following the path taken by ” Panchatirthi” (Five tirthas) pilgrims who travel entire length of the city by the riverbank. These pilgrims stop at 5 ghats (Pancha) and take a dip in Ganga and visit temples on these ghats. Most of the pilgrims end their journey at Vishwanath temple.
Leaning temple at Manikarnika Ghat
Each ghat in Varanasi has its unique history and significance and tells a fascinating story. Some ghats commemorate notable figures like Tulsidas (Assi Ghat, and Tulsi Ghat), who penned the revered Rama charita manas, serving as a beacon of wisdom for humanity. While others have palatial buildings built by kings that were used as resorts and ritualistic places for special occasions (such as Darbhanga Ghat) while other ghats tell stories of mythological or spiritual significance (Manikarnika Ghat).
River Ganga forms a crescent shape in Varanasi and with base of crescent is at the Assi ghat and at the tip at the Adi Keshava ghat. This 6.5 Km long river front has 84/85 Ghats/Stairways and taking a holy dip along the Ghat in river Ganga is considered to be sacred. All Ghats feature around 40-60 stone steps and believed to be constructed around 14th century. Each ghat has octagonal raised platforms built for public use and smaller rectangular platforms which are closer to the river built for the use of Brahmins for religious rituals.
Gaya GhatGanesh GhatGanga Mahal GhatGanga Gate
Few of the most popular ghats include:
Dashashwamedh Ghat-located close to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and is one of the busiest and sacred ghats. It is believed that Lord Brahma created it to welcome Lord Shiva and performed the DASA-ASHWAMEDH YAJNA (Literal meaning “Sacrificing ten horses”). This is the Ghat where Ganga Aarti is performed every evening. This is a busy ghat especially in the morning and evening and you will see rows of priests sitting under bamboo umbrellas performing various religious tasks for the pilgrims.
Dashashwamedh GhatGanga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat
Assi Ghat– Forms the south boundary of the city where river Assi meets Ganga and considered to be the oldest Ghats in Varanasi. It is one of major bathing ghats that still has a clay bank and considered to be one of the most spiritual ghats and bathing here is deemed very auspicious. You cannot miss the imposing Lakshminarayana Pancharatna Mandir on the Ghat and this temple was built by Queen Dulari Radhakunvar, Bihar. Another key feature of this Ghat is an open air shiva temple under the pipal tree that is considred to be “Lord of the confluence of Assi” and worshiped by visitors . Assi Ghat is popular place to visit int the early morning for Subah-e-Banaras Aarti a prayer ceremony offered to both the Sun God and the holy river Ganga. The aarti is an extremely surreal experience and is performed diligently every single day of the year. Check time as it changes depending on the season. If you are near Assi Ghat, check out Lolark Kunda pond dedicated to Sun God.
Assi Ghat
Manikarnika Ghat/Harish Chandra Ghat– These are the 2 Ghats in Varanasi where cremations are performed. Manikarnika ghat being the older of the 2 and primarily uses wood for cremation. Manikarinka Ghat gets its name from the legend, that the ear-ring (Manikarnika) of Lord Shiva or his wife fell here. There is another myth related to the Tarakesvara Temple (Shiva temple at the Ghat), and it is said that this shiva bestows the “prayer of crossing” at the time of the death thus leading to liberation.
Cycle of birth, death and attaining moksha-According to Hindi belief system all living things have a soul or Atman and all living being goes through birth, life, death, and rebirth or reincarnation. Once a living being dies, its soul will be reborn or reincarnated into a different body depending on its karma from its previous life. For example, if a person has good karma in a previous life, then their atman will be reborn or reincarnated into something better than they were previously. A person gains good karma for doing good things in life, such as helping others through following their dharma. A Hindu’s ultimate goal in life is to reach moksha. Moksha means liberation or freedom from samsara, and it can only happen after a Hindu has been reborn many times. If a Hindu gains good karma from many lifetimes, they will have gained ultimate knowledge and have freed themselves from the constraints of the material world. Once this happens, a Hindu’s atman no longer needs to be reborn into another being and is ready to be free from samsara. As a result, the atman will achieve moksha and will be re-joined with Brahman. Hindus come to Banaras from all over India to die, and it is not a feared death. A death in Kashi is liberation (moksha), a release from the worldly cycle of reincarnation. (From https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zmgny4j/revision/3)
Manikarnika Ghat
Panchaganga Ghat– This sacred Ghat is located at the confluence of the five holy rivers which is Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Dhutpapa and Kirana. This is magnificent ghat and you will see Alamgir Mosque (locally known Bindu Madhav- Ka- Darera), erected by emperor Aurangzeb, in the background here. Before the mosque, there was a grand temple of Bindu Madav that had been rebuilt in late 16hth century. Like other temples of Varanasi, this temple was destroyed several times between twelfth and sixteen centuries and finally by Aurangzeb to build the mosque to match the grandeur of the previous temple.
Pancha Ganga Ghat
The Panchaganga Ghat has small rooms that open into the river and some of these are used for yoga and meditation. These rows of rooms are usually under water and only visible after the rainy season.
3 sided cubicles for yoga and meditation at Panchaganga Ghat
Darbhanga Ghat– We were fortunate to stay in Brijrama palace- a heritage luxury hotel and my review can be read here. Historically, Darbjanga Ghat was named for recoginition of kings of Darbhanga for their support of art and culture. The palace was supposed have been built in 18th century and incorporated both Rajput and Mughal styles. Mythologically, legend says that Lord Rama bathed in this ghat and hence holds a special place.
Birjrama palace hotel at Dharbhanga Ghat
Other ghats that are unique include:
Leaning temple of Scindia and Manikarnika Ghat-Ratneshwar Mahadev temple
Leaning temple-Ratneshwar Mahadev
You can’t miss this leaning temple of Ratneshwar Mahadev when you travel by boat on the Ghats of Varanasi. Located between Manikarnika Ghat and Scindhia Ghat, this temple is supposed to have a nine degree tilt and built so close to river that the part of the temple is under water during rainy season. There are couple of legends associated with why the temple is leaning. One legend tells the story of son building temple to honor his mom and boasting that he had re-payed his debt to his mother. Since it is impossible to re-pay mother’s debt, the temple started to lean.
Rani Ghat with palace/grand house built by queen of Lucknow Muniya Sahiba in 1937
Rani Ghat
Vijayanagar Ghat– with small palatial building, in south Indian architectural style built by the king of Vijayanagaram in 1890.
Vijayanagara Ghat
Chet Singh Ghat– Built by Maharaja Chet Singh one of the rulers of Varanasi, this Ghat saw one of the fiercest battles of Indian history fought between the British troops and the army of Raja Chet Singh in 1781 AD. British had the possession of this Ghat until 19th century when King Prabhunarayan Singh had again took the possession of this fort. The northern part of it was donated to Naga group of ascetics who late on built their monasteries and ghats, called Niranjani Ghat and Nirvani Ghat.
Chet Singh Ghat
Jain Ghat- Jain Ghat is a prominent Jain pilgrimage site as Varanasi is believed to birthplace of Suparshvanatha (7th tirthankara) and Parshvanatha (23rd tirthankara). It is believed that the Jain Maharajas used to own these ghats and the Ghat is home to several Jain temples and shrines, including the Shri Parshvanath Digambar Jain Temple, which is dedicated to the 23rd Jain Tirthankara, Parshvanath. Another important temple at the Jain Ghat is the Shri Mahavirji Jain Temple, which is dedicated to Lord Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara of the Jain religion. The temple is adorned with beautiful paintings and murals that depict scenes from the life of Lord Mahavira.
The ghats of Varanasi have incredible stories to tell and walking or taking boat ride appreciating the beauty and legends is a great way to start journey of Varanasi.
It is good to feel small beneath the sparkling northern lights, small beside the mighty river. Nature is so close to us up here. My troubles and difficulties just shrivel up. I like being insignificant.
Asa Larsson
Finnish Lapland is a magical place that should be put on everyone’s bucket list. If you want to see unspoiled nature and artic wilderness, this is the place to appreciate it. Best time to see northern lights from October through April and I was told by people that work at the resort that March is the best time see northern lights. We did the entire trip without renting a car and managed to travel within Finland through public transportation. As usual with my blogs, if you just want to see the itinerary, please check here.
Our finnish adventure started with a wish from the kid for his 13th birthday that he wanted to see northern lights. I started planning to trip and wanted to go during December but quickly realized that there are 2 main reasons not to go in december- it is the high season and everything costs more, and days are really short especially around Dec 21st. We decided to change the trip to February break which turned out to be better time to visit especially if you want to see Northern lights
There are several towns and cities you can visit based on what you want to do:
Helsinki– Capital city and good base for rest of the trip. If you have time, you can also visit Tallinn, capital of Estonia as day trip or 2 day trip.
Rovaniemi- Capital of Lapland and city in arctic circle. You can do all the winter activities in this city including northern light hunting, dog sledding, snowshoeing etc
Ivalo/ Lake Inari/ Saariselka : Ivalo is a small town and airport near Lake Inari (Inarijärvi) in Finish Lapland, an is about 1450 miles south of the North Pole. Saariselkä is few miles from Ivalo, year-round resort town.
Pyhä/Pyhätunturi – Pyhä is a true Lappish ski resort surrounded by Pyhä-Luosto National Park
Levi– Levi is a micro-city built around a ski resort in western Lapland. During the winter months, from mid-November to mid-May, Levi is Finland’s most popular ski resort, with a total of 44 slopes serviced by 28 lifts, 180 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle
Kemi– part of southern Lapland known as “Sea Lapland”. Kemi is located on the Gulf of Bothnia and is known for its beautiful natural surroundings and outdoor activities as well as the icebreaker boat tours.
Salla– is a small town located in the eastern part of Lapland and is known for its ski resorts and other outdoor recreation opportunities.
Oulu– As the biggest commercial and cultural hub in the region, Oulu is often called the Capital of Northern Scandinavia. It’s a vibrant city that holds over 700 events annually, including one-of-a-kind experiences such as the World Air Guitar Championships, Polar Bear Pitching, The Irish Festival of Oulu and Qstock music festival.
Top winter activities to do in Finland and where to do them
Northern light hunting: Finnish lapland is supposed to have northern lights 200 days of the year and you have pretty good chance of seeing them anywhere from Rovaniemi to Lake Inari and beyond. We saw them in Rovaniemi.
Huski Safari : Can be done in Rovaniemi, Ivalo/ Lake Inari/ Saariselka
Reindeer Safari : Rovaniemi, Saariselka
Snowmobiling : Rovaniemi, Saariselka
Ice fishing : Rovaniemi, Lake Inari
Sauna : Can be done pretty much anywhere in Finland
Santa Claus : Rovaniemi
Skiing and snowboarding : Pyha, Levi
Ice plunge /ride on an icebreaker boat : Kemi, Salla, Levi
Coffee/City vibes – Helsinki
What to wear
If you go during the peak winter months, you definitely need proper layers to do any outdoor activities. Most activities done through the tour operators and they provide snow shoes, snow suit, and gloves that will keep you warm and toasty. Check with the operators see what they provide so that you don’t buy ton of stuff you will only use during the visit. We bought thermal layers like this and this that kept us warm when we were walking around on our own. Good winter hat/beanie, gloves and a warm jacket like this were perfect to keep us warm.
Day 1 and 2 : Rovaniemi
After a long flight from US, we reached Rovaniemi around 4 PM and made it to our hotel –Santa’s hotel Santa Claus. We chose this hotel as it was in the middle of city center and close to restaurants and activities and also included breakfast in the price. We had booked a junior suite with Sauna in the room and we used this sauna every night. It was a good way to start our finnish experience.
Other good hotels : There are several options at various price point depending on your budget. We liked the Santa’s hotel which was middle of the range and restaurant on-site along with access to coffee houses and other restaurants.
Artic Tree house hotel : This is a high end hotel that provides great views and close to santa village. If you are looking for unique hotels, this is a good one to stay and hotel offers several activities that you can book through the concierge.
Hostel Café Koti : Budget friendly hotel in the city center with several options
Apukka Resort : If you want to stay in glass igloos, you can check out this hotel.
Since the hotel was near the city center, once we checked in, we decided to explore the area including the Lumberjack’s candle bridge and downtown including Lordi’s square, and restaurants. These are some of the restaurants and cafes we tried during our 2 day stay in the city center and food was really good in all the places we ate.
Pancho Villa Rovaniemi- Good Mexican food and don’t need reservation
Rang Mahal Indian Restaurant- Pretty decent Indian food.
Massimo- Great pizza place and my first experience drinking the long drink (in Finnish lonkero) – a very popular mixed drink made from gin and a mixer, traditionally grapefruit soda.
Cafe & Bar 21 – Great coffee
Korundi Kitchen & Café : Another great coffee place
Day 2 : We started the day with a breakfast at the hotel and decided to take a cab to Santa’s village. This place is close to airport and costs about 20-30 euros for the cab from city center. Cabs in Finland are expensive and public transport seems to best way to reach various places. You can also take public transportation and route 8 goes from city center to Santa village. It will take about 3-4 hours to do the whole thing and you can get lunch before heading back to city center. February was not very busy season to see Santa and there were no long lines for any activity.
Santa’s village
Photo Courtesy : Photo of a photo at Santa’s village
Must do things at Santa village:
Visit Santa Claus– One of the best Santa’s I have ever visited. He was very personable and chatted with us for a while. Extra fee for taking photos with Santa and you can get either digital or physical copy of the photo
Santa’s post office-can mail post card to anyone at any time of the year. You can put into either send now or send next christmas mailbox
Christmas House Safaris and Reindeer Farm– Walk around and enjoy the winter wonderland and can go on reindeer safari
Arctic circle– take photos while crossing artic circle
Visit Roosevelt’s house– is the first building in the Rovaniemi Arctic Circle area. It was erected in the summer of 1950 in honor of Eleanor Roosevelt’s visit.
Day 1 afternoon and evening : We spent the afternoon at Arktikum a science centre and museum that lets you experience northern nature, culture, and history up close and learn all about northern lights.
Northern lights hunting by minivan: This was the event all of us looking forward to and I had booked the trip through Nordic adventure. Around dinner time, it started raining/snowing and when the diver came to pick us up from the hotel, he said our chances of seeing northern lights is very minimal. The tour operator said we can move the tour to next day but since we were going to Saariselka next day we decided to take a chance and see what we get.
Pro-tip- Find out from your tour operator if they rent snow shoes and suit. None of us on the northern light tour had proper cloths and shoes and we froze our butt off. Some times, the hotels also rent out snow boots and they make a huge difference when you are standing for couple of hours on a frozen lake waiting for Northern lights to show
After driving for about 20-25 min from the city, we stopped at a lake. Rain/Snow had slowed down and waiting about 30 min, stars started appearing giving us the hope that we might see Northern light. The guide, Gale started fire and heated up some mulled wine and sausages to keep us warm, but our toes were getting frozen. There were 7 of us on this tour and we took turns going back to the van to keep ourselves warm. Around 10 PM, after standing around for an hour, a white cloudy thing appeared on the horizon and Gale said that we are in luck. Slowly the white cloudy thing started turning green and for next hour and half, we saw one of the most incredible displays of northern lights. We were spellbound and speechless at the magnificent lights. None of us had figured out how to take pictures using our iphones but the tour included photos that the guide took using professional setup. This worked out perfectly as we could enjoy the lights without having to take photos. If you want to take photos of northern lights, please check this blog. If you want to check your chances of seeing northern lights, the aurora pro app works really well. There are few other apps you can use and more details on these apps can be found here.
Beginning of the auroraProgressionKeeps getting betterAlmost whole sky covered
Rovenomi is great place to not only see northern lights but to do other activities such as snow mobile rides, husky and reindeer safari, and other winter activities. There is also a snow/ice hotel you can visit and have dinner. We decided to do most of these activities at our next stop in Saariselka and stay only 2 days in Rovaniemi which was perfect way to start our finnish adventure. If you want to book any other activities, there are several options on getyourguide or viator. Nordic adventures also offer a lot of these activities and we had really had a great time on aurora hunting with them.
Day 3, 4, and 5 : Saariselkä and staying in glass igloos at Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort
Glass igloo Kelo glass igloo
One of the things we were looking forward to when we planned our trip is our stay in a glass igloo. There are several hotels that have glass igloos, and we chose Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort which pioneered the glass igloo concept. Kakslauttanen is a good option, albeit an expensive one, but the reason we chose them was that they offer several activities including reindeer safari, and husky safari. If you plan to stay here in December, you can also meet Santa and do other activities related to Christmas. Since we stayed in February, we didn’t get to see Santa. There are several options for rooms at this resort and for details on the resort, check out this blog which helped me to plan our stay. We decided to stay in 2 different rooms to get the full experience. First 2 days of the stay we stayed in Kilo glass igloo and for 1 night we stayed in the glass igloo.
Kelo glass igloo:We found these igloos to be the best of both world with comfort of the log cabin with glass igloo master bedroom. This version of the room sleeps up to 6 people and for 3 of us this was really good accommodation and came with kitchenette, fireplace, and of course ensuite sauna.
Glass Igloo master Main Area with KitchenDining area and fire placeSauna in the bathroomKilo glass igloo from outside
Glass igloo : Depending on whether you book small or large igloo, it can fit 2 or 3 to 4 people. We chose the one that fits 4 people and it had a small bathroom and toilet in the room. The smaller version may not have a bathroom and common shared bathroom in the main building can be used.
Glass igloo Inside of the 4 person glass iglooEntrance to glass igloo
There are several other options at the resort including log cabins to luxury gold-digger cabin and you can chose the one based on your requirement and budget. All in all, it was great experience to stay in the resort and other great thing is that rooms come equipped with Northern light alarm in case northern lights appear in the night.
How to get to Saariselkä or Lake Inari
There are several ways to get to Lake Inari or Saariselka hotels. Easiest way is to fly to Ivalo airport and take a cab or ask the hotel to pick you up from the airport. Since there were no direct flights from Rovaniemi to Ivalo airport, we took bus. On our return trip, we directly flew from Ivalo to Helsinki airport. The bus journey takes about 3 hours and more details can be found here and you can directly buy the tickets from the bus operator on-line or you can buy the tickets from the driver on the bus. For timetables and tciket purchase, check out the website of Matkahuolto, a Finnish company that organizes bus trips nationwide. We got dropped off at the east village entrance of the Kakslauttanen resort, but we were supposed to be at West village. Thankfully there were couple of people at the reception and were able to arrange a van to transport us to the resort. The bus driver was also very helpful and called hotels to get transportation to few people on the bus that got dropped off the entrance.
Pro-tip – The bus drops you off at the entrance of your hotel and it stops at various hotels in Saariselkä area. Some hotels are long-way from the entrance (1-2 km) and it would good to have hotel send a van/ transportation to pick you up from the entrance so that you don’t have to drag your luggage through snow
Snow activities at Kakslauttanen Arctic resort
Reindeer SafariFeeding ReindeerHuski SafariKota for breaks and warming up
Lapland is great place to do snow activities and we booked all our activities through Kakslauttanen resort and combined most activities with Northern light hunting. Even if we didn’t see Northern lights, we still enjoyed the husky safari, snowmobile ride and reindeer safari. Check here for the list of all the activities organized by resort. We did Aurora hunting with snowmobiles, Husky Safari (favorite of the teenager as he got to drive his own husky sled), Reindeer safari, and a whole day trip to Lake Inari with ice fishing and visit to Sami museum.
Lake Inari visit: This was our favorite activity at the resort. We were picked up from the resort at 8AM and were driven to Lake Inari. The drive itself is beautiful and very serene. After we changed into out winter suites, we drove our own snow mobiles to Lake inari. It an exhilarating ride with typical Lapland views with wild reindeers, and snow-covered trees. Once we reached lake Inari, our guide demonstrated making hole in the ice to catch the fish and we all dug our own holes and sat for few hours without any luck. In the meantime, our guide prepared lunch on an open fire and heated up tea to warm us up.
Snowmobiling on Lake InariIce Fishing Ice FishingGuide preparing lunch on open firewarm soup in traditional bowls
Wilderness church of Lake Pielpajärvi -Built in 1760, after the Christianization of the Sami people, this church was built on the site of an old Sami winter village. It is one of the oldest buildings in northern Lapland. It was in use until the end of the 19th century and nowadays puts on special services during Easter and Midsummer. The church is also a popular site for weddings. In the summertime, Pielpajärvi is only accessible by foot along a 5 km hiking path or by boat from Pielpavuono pier in Lake Inarijärvi. The easiest way to reach the church is to hike from Inari village. The starting point of the trail is the Sarviniementie parking area, which is about 3km northeast of the Siida museum. From the parking area it’s about a 5 km hike through the woods to the church (route is marked with occasional signposts and more frequent red stakes). An alternative is to the Inari Lake cruise where the catamaran can leave you at Pielpavuono which is about two kilometers from the church and you can walk along the path from there (the route is also marked with red stakes). In the wintertime it can be reached by skiing and snowmobile, and we chose snowmobile as our option. The church is always open and can be visited free of cost.
Pielpajärvi wilderness church
Siida’s open air museum– If you are in Lake Inari, you should definitely take time to visit to Siida’s open air museum to understand the cultural and architectural heritage , as well as livelihoods of the Sámi in Finland. This museum tells story of Inari and Sami in the last 10,000 years and gives information about Sami way of life including, evolution of transportation method from reindeer to snow scooters and more. We also got to see other Sami traditions including their food habits, hunting practices, and ingenuity of Sami people living in harmony with nature. Check here for the open times and other information.
Day 6 and 7- Helsinki
Helsinki Cathedral
We started the tour of Helsinki with a walking tour and it was a good way to get the lay of the land and see some key sights. We booked one through getyourguide and similar ones can be found in viator too. We met our guide at Senate square and covered the following places in about 3 hours on foot. It was really informative and we enjoyed visiting the city with the local person who had lived in the city for more than 20 years.
Senate Square– Senate Square is the main square of Helsinki and is surrounded by buildings on the four sides of the square representing the four powers of the state as conceived during 17th century : senate, church, university and commerce. The Square itself is empty except for a statue of Tsar Alexander II in the middle. The main structure that dominates the square is the Helsinki Cathedral.
Helsinki Cathedral– Designed by Carl Ludvig Engel, this cathedral is the landmark and symbol of Helsinki. Also known as St. Nicholas Church and Great Cathedral, it was completed in 1852 and have sculptures of 12 apostles on the roof that guard the city. The church is build in the shape of the greek cross and has six corinthian pillars in the front. The outside wall is decorated with scenes from life of christ and above the main there is an hebrew inscription of Jahave (God). For more information on the architecture and opening hours, check here
Uspenskin Cathedral– Built in 1868, this church is considered as the largest cathedral in Western Europe. This Cathedral represents Russian impact on Finland. The cathedral was designed by the Russian church architect Aleksei M. Gornostaje and it is built to represent Slavonic architecture with golden cupolas and redbrick facade. It’s a prominent sight as you walk around the city center, as it sits on a hilltop overlooking the ocean and its 13 towers with their gilded spires are eye-catching. 12 of the towers stand for the 12 apostles and one for Jesus and interior is very splendidly furnished with columns made of solid granite support the main dome, which is designed like a starry sky. Numerous colorful mosaics decorate the interior walls along with icons, religious paintings and gilded sacraments.
Uspenskin Cathedral
Kauppatori or the market square – Close to Helsinki city hall and President’s palace, is the outdoor market on the waterfront, with lots of food vendors (mostly selling various seafood–and sides like veggies and potatoes), lots of fresh produce (everything looked delicious), and some souvenir stalls. It is great place to spend some time enjoying finnish food.
Old Market Hall– Open since 1889, this old food hall or market hall is close to market square and sells all sorts of cheese, fish, vegetables, fruits, cakes and pastry. There are some cafes and restaurants too and it is also great place to try some authentic finish dishes.
Havis Amanda – A fountain and statue designed by sculptor Ville Vallgren is located in the market square and symbolise the rebirth of Helsinki and is beloved pieces of art in Helsinki. Havis Amanda is a mermaid who stands on seaweed as she rises from the water with four fish spouting water at her feet. She is surrounded by four sea lions and is depicted leaning backwards as if to say goodbye to her element. Vallgren’s intention was to symbolize the rebirth of Helsinki. Vallgren himself called the work simply Merenneito, or The Mermaid in English, but it quickly started to earn nicknames. The Finland-Swedish newspapers dubbed it Havis Amanda and the Finnish Haaviston Manta or simply Manta. Every year on Vappu, Manta serves as a center for the celebrations. Students of the local universities put a cap on the statue in an elaborate ceremony. For many it is a “must see” event (Source: https://www.gpsmycity.com/attractions/havis-amanda-33017.html)
Havis Amanda
Other places to visit in Helsinki
Ekbrg 1852– café Ekberg is the oldest bakery, patisserie and café in Finland, founded in 1852.
Sea Fortress Suomenlinna– https://www.suomenlinna.fi/en/ Suomenlinna is an 18th-century sea fortress and nature area with centuries-old artillery and defensive walls, spread across 6 linked islands. There are walking trails that take you to popular sights like the King’s Gate drawbridge and Suomenlinna Museum. There is also a brewery and several waterside restaurants.
Private guided tours of the fortress, in several languages, can be booked in advance (guidebooking@suomenlinnatours.com). Public guided tours in English are announced in the events calendar on the Suomenlinna webpages. The fortress is easily accessed all year by public transport (HSL) ferry from the Market Square (daily) or the HSL maintenance ferry from Katajanokka (on weekdays). The travelling time is approx. 15minutes (Source: my Helsinki)
Sibelius Monument– This a memorial seaside park constructed honor Finnish Composer Sibelius. The main attraction is the abstract monument called Passio Musicae, was created by pioneering artist Eila Hiltunen and is actually a kinetic, musical sculpture—a bundle of 600 steel tubes that capture the wind like a pipe organ.
Day Trip to Tallinn, Estonia from Helsinki– Another popular option from Helsinki is to take a ferry ride to Tallinn, Estonia as day trip or two-day trip. We didn’t do this but there are several tours available that you can take such as this and this
Final thoughts
Finland is a great place to visit and experience true arctic wilderness and magic of Christmas during winter. To this day, my family considers this as the best trip we have taken together.
I read this poem by Robert Frost as part of high school class. On a literal level, this a very simple poem describing the beauty and tranquility of a snow covered trees and appreciating the solitude in the nature. Being grown up in Southern India and not having seen snow or snow covered trees, I was still able to appreciate the message and imagery of the poem as Robert frost’s paints a beautiful scene with his simple yet powerful words. The full impact of the scenery didn’t hit me until I moved to Wisconsin, and then to Northeast of US where there were many snowy evenings and mornings and I always appreciated the calmness snow brought and serenity it created.
The last stanza of the poem stayed with me as its meaning seemed deep even as a teenaged but like an onion, this poem has many layers and meaning of the poem becomes deeper as you peel the layers of the simple lines. The true meaning of the poem didn’t dawn on me until I was walking around one late afternoon in the Finnish Lapland. I don’t know about you but my mind never stops chattering and continuously thinks about various things I need to do, past mistakes and events, worries about the future and everything else under the sun. But on that day, surrounded by snowy woods and not another soul anywhere close, my mind became quite. It wasn’t eerie quite that chills you to the bone but a serene and peaceful feeling that enveloped me. For few minutes nothing mattered and I had no thoughts and no chatter. On a philosophical level, this poem is about the juxta positioning of responsibilities and escaping the realities of the world- a constant struggle between practical and ideal. The snowy woods represent the ideal world of here and now and encompasses the true nature of mindfulness while the bell on the horse is a reality check that draws back to your responsibilities. I have been practicing mindfulness for a little while now and until that moment in the woods, I never truly experienced what it means to be present.
Peaks to Palaces 