Within India - Best Places of Interest

February 13, 2018 Events and Festivals, Travel, Within India

Unique romantic destinations in India for Valentine’s Day special

Cuddling up with your special soul is an integral part of Valentine’s Day. How about doing it in the best environment that Mother Nature could provide? Therefore, it would obviously be Ooty, Darjeeling, Jaipur, Kashmir, or Andaman. Are you fed up with these cliché Valentine’s Day destinations? India has many hidden geographical treasures that serve as excellent Valentine’s Day destinations.

We have listed the top unique romantic destinations for Valentine’s Day Special that are overseen by most tourists.

Auli, Valentine's Day Travel — Image credit- http://www.visittnt.com

If you love snow, mountain, and adventure activities, Auli is the right place to be. Surrounded by skiing routes and trekking trails, this extraordinary location is famous for its natural scenic beauty. Located near Rishikesh, this destination is known for its cool climate and adventure activities.

Tips for an unforgettable Valentine’s Day at Auli

Skiing and other snow activities for budget travelers and a luxury ski resort stay for luxury travelers
Trek through the snowy trails early in the evening to catch a glimpse of the setting sun.
Jungle trekking through oak and deodar forests for a picnic or trekking
Cable car travel to enjoy the enchanting Himalayan ranges
Visit Clifftop for a romantic view of the nature around you.

Khajjiar

Khajjar, Valentine's Day travel — Image credit http://www.visittnt.com

Located along the slopes, this is the bubbling spot of Himachal Pradesh. Sprouting with green life throughout the region, this is the nature lover’s spot with numerous tourist attractions. This destination is filled with a fusion of attractions during February.

Tips for an unforgettable Valentine’s Day at Khajjiar

Romantic nature walk at Kalatop wildlife sanctuary
Horse riding at Khajjiar Lake and a picnic lunch along the grassy slopes
Camping near Kailash village and an early morning visit to any apple orchards
Hiking at Dainkund Peak in the afternoon
Nature bath at Panchpula Waterfalls

Parwanoo

Parawanoo is a small hill village situated at the border of Haryana. It is famous for apple orchards, exotic lakes, pleasant climates, and cherishing nature. This place is a gateway for nature lovers to get their love kindled.

Tips for an unforgettable Valentine’s Day at Parwanoo

Exotic trekking through timber trail or enjoy a cable car ride through the Shivalik range
Early morning visit to the orchards in the Shivalik range. Choose apple and peach orchards, as they will be at prime beauty with many fruits ready to harvest in February.
Sightseeing and exploration of colonial buildings, Gorkha Fort, and others.

Imphal, Valentine's Day travel — http://www.visittnt.com

The northeastern part of India is the most unexplored natural Narnia. If you want a unique celebration, you need to choose destinations that are not tainted with crowded places. Imphal is the capital of Manipur. This is a cultural land to enjoy blooming valleys, orchids, market visits, and much more.

Tips for an unforgettable Valentine’s Day at Imphal

The climate will be very pleasing during February. You ought to take a romantic stroll, early in the morning.
Trek through hillocks and spot rare birds and exotic flowering plants. You might even spot a couple of deers during this season.
Enjoy a romantic evening as you stroll through orchids. Choose the orchids that are in bloom during February.
Enjoy the exotic Thaba Changba folk dance at night to enjoy the culture of the land.
If you love to enjoy more time in nature, visit Keibul Lamjao National Park which is a little away from Imphal
Visit Tengnoupal for a panoramic view of the surrounding regions. Visit during sunset for a romantic time.

Poovar Island

Located in the honeymoon state of Kerala, this serene beach location is famous for the privacy that is essential for Valentine’s Day celebrations. Poovar Island is an admirable destination for all kinds of travelers. The pleasant weather and the exotic spice plantations make your memories unique here.

Tips for an unforgettable Valentine’s Day at Poovar

Enjoy a romantic beach picnic with sunbathing, hammock time, water activities, and others
Backwater ride in a country boat for a romantic evening
Fishing with the locals
Visit the lake early in the morning for spotting birds
Enjoying exotic adventure activities like paragliding, surfing, and others.

Why choose the same destination repeatedly, get lost in the crowd of fellow romantic couples and wait in queue for enjoying a single romantic moment? Have the whole destination to yourself by choosing exotic places that are hidden away from commercial tourism.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all

October 14, 2017 Travel, Within India

Is Ahmedabad city boring to visit?

Well, on a recent trip to Ahmedabad city this is what I found

If you don’t like authenticity, then it is very boring.

Ahmedabad city is for Gujarat, what Mumbai is for India. Gujaratis are divided into Kutchhi, Kaathiyawadi, Maarwadi, Maldhari, Jain and well, many others.

If you don’t like Humbleness, then it is very boring.

Ahmedabad city still possesses the humility and politeness passed on to it from the times of Mahatma Gandhi. Respecting that, Ahmedabad was declared the safest city in India

If you don’t like Modern cities, then it is very boring.

Rolls Royce showroom,
Riverfront,
The revolving Patang Hotel,
The bustling BRTS Buses.
Glass curtained buildings
Air-conditioned public transport
Booming real estate

If you don’t like Educational Hub, then it is very boring.

IIM-A for Management,
NID for designing,
MICA for Advertising,
GNLU for Law, IIT Gandhinagar for technology,
Ahmedabad Dental College for obviously, Dentistry

If you don’t like Divines, then it is very boring.

Sidi Sayed Jaali in a mosque, Ahmedabad city — Mosque of Sidi Sayed Jaali in Ahmedabad Image credit Vrajesh Jani

Sidi Sayed Mosque, which brags the gorgeous Sidi Sayed Jali,

The Iskcon Temple,

Akshardham Temple, Ahmedabad city — Akshardham Temple | by RussBowling

Akshardham (technically, in Gandhinagar, but not that far from Ahmedabad),
Mahudi (popular amongst Jains, and close to Ahmedabad)

If you don’t like Activeness, then it is boring.

Don’t be deceived. Active stands for active to eat.

Ahmedabad city is not just about Dhokla, Faafda, Haandva, Thepla as known in the popular culture. ‘Amdavadi’ cuisine has gone on a roll, with Barbeque, authentic Italian, Mexican, Thai, Continental, European restaurants coming up.

Mahudi or Sukhdi, Ahmedabad city — Sukhadi is an Indian Sweet mostly consumed by Jain Community. It is made from flour, jaggery, and Ghee (clarified butter).
Image credit Maitrikvora21

Then there is the ‘Manek chowk’, for the hunger hunters, whose stomach goes bananas in the midnight. (Imagine, Mahudi, a rather religious place, is popular amongst many people for its Prasad ‘Sukhdi’. Food is religion, practised by all!)

If you don’t like Beauty, then it is very boring.

When you see the

Thol Lake, Ahmedabad city — Thol Lake – Gujarat, India – Flickr – Emmanuel Dyan (7

Sunrise at the Thol lake, or
The chirping birdsat the Nalsarovar Bird Century, or

Kankaria lake, Ahmedabad city — Kankaria Carnival
Image credit Sagar Joshi

The sunset at the Kankaria lake,

you’ll get to know the real meaning of beauty.

Well, if you like Alcohol, then it is surely boring for you.

Yes, it’s a dry state. Ahmedabad stands up as an example for the country. This doesn’t mean, that Ahmedabad has no place to party at, but you can rest assure that no drunk man/woman is creating a nuisance on the streets.

If you don’t like Dazzling, then it is very boring.

Dazzling with celebrations.

Biggest Kite festival – Read more about it here
The most colourful Garba
The loudest of Diwali
The simplicity of Moharram
Rathyatra

All calmly embedded in Ahmedabad’s culture, as it dazzles in celebration every now and then.

And lastly, they are always in ‘Majja ma‘ (they are always fine and chilled.)

Authentic, Humble, Modern, Educational-hub, Divine, Active, Beautiful, Alcohol-Free, Dazzling!

Ahmedabad is a boring place if you are in search of Mumbai Chowpatty or any other beach on weekends!

Ahmedabad city, Sabarmati Riverfront — Sabarmati Riverfront Ahmedabad

But, hey! The city of Ahmedabad is having ever-fascinating and beautiful SABARMATI RIVERFRONT.

Sabarmati Riverfront gardens, Ahmedabad city — Glimpses of the gardens at Sabarmati Riverfront

This is the very place where there was a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese Prime Minister Xi Jinping.

Ahmedabad is a boring place if you are a night-life addict since City doesn’t have any nightclubs or pubs.

But, hey! You can certainly visit Manek Chowk, S.G. Highway, C.G. Road to get a glimpse of what night-life actually means in Ahmedabad!

Ahmedabad is a boring place if you can’t get mingle with its pace and people.

But, hey! Amdavadis are humble. They possess helping nature. If you have lost your way, they are faster than Google maps. They will even take you to your destination.

Ahmedabad is a boring place if you don’t know the meaning of Heritage and Culture.

But, hey! The Uptown is extremely rich and fully filled by colourful culture. Every class of Amdavadi visits uptown at-least once during Diwali for shopping. Uptown comprises of various markets where you get the fragrance of oneness and unity.
Above all, City’s pride Ellis-bridge enhances your cinematic views of the city.
There is a concept of living in Pol, where people from various parts of Gujarat, different religions live together on the same street.

Ahmedabad is a boring place if you are looking for any lush green campus.

But, hey! Ahmedabad is blessed to have world-class and renowned university campuses such as IIM-Ahmedabad, D. College of Engineering, Nirma University. All these campuses may leave you in wonders!

Ahmedabad is a boring place if you can’t get along with City’s public transportation.

Ahmedavadis proudly travel in the ever fast and cheap BRTS buses. (AC bus you know!)

Ahmedabad is a boring place if you can’t travel enough to explore its eye-catching surroundings such as Nal Sarovar, Thol lake, Polo forest etc.

UNESCO has declared Ahmedabad a world heritage city. Ahmedabad became the first heritage city in India.

Jama Masjid

Dada Hari wav

Sidi Sayeed Masjid

Modhera Sun Temple

Ahmedabad attractions

Kankaria Lake

Science city

Sardar Dam

Gandhi Ashram

River Front

Kite festival

Only in the first or second week of January.

Nal Sarovar

So, do you think Ahmedabad city is a boring city to visit?

A WEEKEND LUXURY TRIP TO JAIPUR

Jaipur is an important tourist destination that lies in the heart of Rajasthan. Also called as the Pink City, Jaipur is famous for architectural marvels. Jaipur is relatively a large destination, which cannot be completely scaled within a weekend. However, if you are planning on a weekend trip to Jaipur, we have condensed the attractions of the city and provided a crisp itinerary that would suit all age groups.

The itinerary is intentionally kept as free as possible to add any cultural events if any. Many cultural performances are conducted by resorts to promote the tradition of the land. If you come across any, spend a few hours and you would not be disappointed.

Day one (Friday)

Reach Jaipur and check into any heritage hotel or resort in Jaipur. If you reach Jaipur by evening, rest for the day. If not, spend the day in shopping, as you might not find time later on in the trip. Check out for shopping spots around the hotel for some souvenir shopping. Top items to buy in Jaipur are embroidery cloths, woodwork, gemstones, leather items, Jaipur jutis and others.

Day two (Saturday)

Weekend in Hawa Mahal, Jaipur, Luxury trip

Start your sightseeing with Amber Fort. An elephant ride around the fort is an important activity here. The next destination should be JantarMantar, an observatory in India. Near JantarMantar, there are many interesting spots like City Palace, Albert Hall and others. After lunch, enjoy a lazy evening with spa treatment in any luxury hotel or resort. Before ending the day, visiting Hawa Mahal. It is best visited during evening. At least once in your vacation, you ought to dine at Rambagh Palace. The place is very famous for its ambience and service. The restaurant is also famous among tourists for its Polo Bar.

Day three (Sunday)

Weekend in Jaipur, Rajasthan, Luxury trip

Start the day with Jaipur Zoo for spotting animals. This would take a few hours from your itinerary but it is completely worth the time. You can spot tigers, hyena, deer and others. Have lunch after the zoo trip and visit a few spots like Nahargarh Fort, Jaigarh Fort and other. By sunset, visit Jal Mahal for a boat ride and a dinner at the palace hotel. If you love the bird watching, you ought to visit Jal Mahal in the morning. If your flight is on the same day, reach the airport directly. If not, get back to your hotel and rest until it is time to reach the airport.

Exquisite desert tour of Rajasthan

Since it is a weekend getaway trip, the itinerary focuses on only the iconic destinations in India. If you are ready to spend a few more days in Jaipur, top attractions to spot are Kanak Vrindavan, Sisodia Rani Bagh, Birla Mandir, Galtaji temple, Gaitore, Chokhi Dhani and others. If you are ready to travel a little far away from Jaipur, you ought to visit Taj Mahal in Agra (240km from Jaipur), Ranthambore National Park (160 km from Jaipur), Pushkar (161 km from Jaipur), Alwar (140 km from Jaipur), Sikar (120 km from Jaipur) and others.

Author Bio:

Sophia Peterson is a travel blogger working as a freelancer and writes about travel. Love to explore new places. Passionate about travelling. Recently I had a trip to Rajasthan which is a perfect place for people to explore irrespective of culture, natural beauty as this state welcomes travelers to drown in the nature attractions but be cautious to spend a fabulous holiday. Jaipur is the beauty place of Rajasthan.

Tourist places you should visit in Jaipur

You may like to read Tourist places you should visit in Jaipur

June 12, 2017 Travel, Within India

A Traveller’s Guide to Bangalore -Part 3

Brindavan Garden Mysore Musicall Fountain

Continuing from the earlier post A Travellers’ Guide to Bangalore Part 2

Chamundi Hills (1.3 km from Mysore)

The summit of this 1,150m hill commands a breath-taking view of Mysore nesting in a valley below, dotted with azure lakes and gopurams in temples. Tipu’s summer place sits graciously on the hill.

Nandi temple at the Nandi hills Stock Phot

Krishnarajasagar (19 km from Mysore)

A delightful picnic spot with excellent boating facilities in the Krishnarajasagar reservoir.

KrishnaRajaSagar Dam is built across the river Kaveri near Mysore. It is one of the oldest and biggest dam in Karnataka State. The dam is main source of irrigation and drinking for the people in Mysore and Bangalore. Brindhavan garden located just near to the dam.

The dam is an architectural marvel. Designed by Visveswaraya, capable of holding 44,000 million cubic feet of water, it was constructed in 1911, entirely out of stone without using an iota of cement. It is 2,620m long and rises 40m above the river bed. It has decorative parapets and an ornamental niche for housing a charming image of the river goddess Kaveri. The lake it created was named ‘the lake of lord Krishna’. There are 24 old inscriptions, one of them in Persian speaking of Tipu’s efforts to build a dam at the same spot.

Brindavan Gardens, timings, entry ticket cost, price, fee – Mysore …Mysore Tourism

The Brindavan Gardens are magnificently landscaped, bursting with the color of thousands of varieties of flowers interspersed with silvery fountains. Come night, and the gardens are dazzlingly illuminated, turning the little pools and fountains into kaleidoscope of brilliant colour.

Banerghatta National Park

Bannerghatta National Park- Locking Eyes with Cats | ixigo Travel ...
Ixigo — Bannerghatta National Park- Locking Eyes with Cats | ixigo Travel …Ixigo

Numerous wild animals roam freely in this densely forested, hilly area-bison, elephant, lion, baboon, panther, wild boar, all sorts of buck, jackal and lion tailed monkeys. It also has 100 species of birds, crocodiles, a crocodile farm, a serpentarium, a pets corner, a deer pen, prehistoric animal park and a curio shop. Visitors can tour the park-Mirza Hill and Hajamanakallu-command a spectacular view.

Channapatna (48 kms from Mysore)

Channapatna, Bangalore
Trawell.in
Channapatna — Channapatna, Bangalore Trawell.in

A wonderland of the most enchanting toys. Almost every person in the town is involved in some aspect of making colourful, lacquered wooden toys. The range is delightful and each toy has some quaint touch that marks it as typically Indian. There are head shaking Indian dancers, toy acrobats, blocks, take apart toys, miniature pots and pans from the typical village kitchen and more. Also available are wooden beads, bangles, boxes and light furniture in the same vibrant colours of the toys.

This small town has an ancient temple, the Mallur Aprameyaswamy temple Channpatna was the capital of Jagadevaraya, a feudatory prince of the Vijaynagar monarchs, who built a fort there in 1580 which was later destroyed by Tipu Sultan on one of his forays.

Hope you enjoyed the three-part series to Bangalore and Mysore.