Tag: India

Sakleshpur:

If an offbeat, non-commercial location is where you want to go for your holiday, then Sakleshpur, a quaint hill town located amidst the mist covered hills of Western Ghats is the place. As a couple, you can trek in the untouched forest reserves, visit the Manjarabad Fort and watch the beautiful sunset together.

Horsley Hills:

Located in the state of Andhra Pradesh and not far from Bangalore, Horsley hills are a series of hills that are blessed with jaw-dropping views of the valley, rich flora and fauna and a sparse tourist population that leaves the beauty of the place un-spoilt, making it a perfect destination for your weekend.

Ooty:

Call it the king of all weekend locations, Ooty has been the go-to destination for many couples since time immemorial. The majestic Nilgiris, the aromatic tea estates, the beautiful valley’s and the low hanging clouds, what else would you want for your vacation?

Nandi Hills:

If you are looking to celebrate your holiday in resorts near Bangalore, then Nandi hills are the perfect place to go to. Nandi hills is an offbeat honeymoon destination as it is not far away from Bangalore and yet has enough in store for the romantic couples like the beautiful views from hilltop and the historical temples around. Discovery Village on Nandi Hills is one of the best resorts in Bangalore and is custom made for married couples.

Coorg:

Scotland of India, Coorg is a gem in the crown of the Western Ghats and a paradise. In-spite of being a major tourist hub, Coorg still retains its mysticism and purity, making it an ideal destination for couples in love.

Jog Falls:

It’s not a bad idea to make a wish for the longevity of your love in front of one of the highest waterfalls in India. Located in the heart of Karnataka, Jog falls are formed when the Sharavati River makes n 830 ft. deep plunge, creating misty water clouds that give a mesmerizing aura to the entire area around.

Chikmagalur:

If you and your partner like waking up to the smell of coffee, then this place is going to be a heaven. Chikmagalur is also blessed with abundant natural habitat and has famous hills, forests, waterfalls and some breathtaking viewpoints that are perfect to take you and your partner away from the rest of the world.

Kabini:

The sound of exotic birds chirping and the soft humming of a river flowing by while you relax on a soft cot with your partner in the middle of dense jungle. Sounds exotic? It gets even better when you are actually there. Words are not sufficient to describe the beauty of Kabini. It is perfect for a vacation!

Gundlupet:

Even imagined running around fields filled with endless rows of beautiful, yellow sunflowers? No, you don’t have to go to Europe to experience this. A trip to Gundlupet, a town on the border of Kerala and Karnataka is a sight to behold and a perfect place for a holiday.

Bheemeshwari:

If you are an adventure loving couple and want to have a vacation filled with activities such as river crossing, trekking, camping, and other adventurous activities, then Bheemeshwari is the place to make your trip no less than a dream come true.

If you are looking for an apt holiday destination near Bangalore, then these are certainly the best amongst the lot that deserves to host this special period of your life and turn it into a memory which will last forever.

~Megha V.

Romancing in God’s Own Country: How to Plan an Exquisite Honeymoon to Kerala

June 12, 2019

Kash Pals

Kerala is situated in the south-western tip of Indian subcontinent. The enchanting serene beauty of Kerala has earned the state, the term “God’s Own Country” and is definitely one of the most sought-after tourist destinations in Asia. Kerala was featured by the National Geographic Traveller as one of the 50 must-visit destinations of a lifetime and has also been identified as one of the thirteen paradises in the world.

Some of the special attractions of Kerala that invite newlyweds can be listed as follows-

Munnar Tea Gardens

The luxurious carpet of unending stretches of tea gardens of Munnar presents a breath-taking scenery that covers the mountain slopes of the Nilgiris of the Western Ghats. There is the greenness of tea gardens below and the white fluffy clouds up in the sky that presents a striking combination.

You can see the colourful girls with big baskets plucking the tender leaves from the tea bushes and they make for a very pleasant site. The tea estates covering the mountain slope of Munnar is a popular honeymoon destination in Kerala.

Step out among the tea gardens to make some memories and click away till infinity. After visiting the gardens, the honeymoon couples can go for a visit to the tea processing factory and taste some fresh aromatic tea of various flavours and can even pack some for back home.

Wayanad, Chembra Peak and Heart Shaped Honeymoon Lake

The fascinating Chembra Peak is the highest peak in the Wayanad district of Kerala. There is an equally stunning heart-shaped perennial lake half-way to the Chembra peak.

This tourist point is a very popular honeymoon spot of Kerala. The lake contains water all through the year and from the lake a gentle hike of about a kilometre takes you to the peak. The trekking path leads through dense trees to reach the top of the peak. The Lake remains enveloped in mist and snow and is ideal to spend some romantic moments with your loved one in a honeymoon trip.

Kumarakom: Houseboat Cruise in Backwaters

Kerala is widely known for its unmatched beauty of backwaters in Alleppey and Kumarakom. In your honeymoon, go for a cruise through the myriad wide backwaters of Kumarakom or the bit narrower backwaters of Alleppey and enjoy the soothing green of paddy fields and verdant coconut plantations. Kumarakom backwaters offer a more silent and less crowded destination to enjoy freely.

Marari Beach: Traditional Kerala Cottage with Private Swimming Pool

Marari Beach has glimmering turquoise-blue waters that mix with the bright sun rays and create a magical water kingdom for the honeymoon couple to enjoy and explore. The delicious food is a major attraction for honeymooners and various other domestic and international travellers.

Take a dip in the pool or go for a rejuvenating walk along the beaches. Laze around in the pool or the beach with a cool glass of drink. The pool area is secluded and offers some primate intimate moments with the partner. Play around in the pool and have a cool day. Relax and spend a blissful honeymoon.

Athirappilly: Treehouse Watching Over the Waterfalls

This is the most secluded and exotic treehouse looking over the tumbling waterfalls. Watch the furore of the glorious waterfalls from the peace and sanctity of the treehouse. Make your childhood dream of staying in a real treehouse come true at Athirappilly with your loved one.

Enjoy the solitude and explore the beauty of Kerala to the hilt. This destination forms a hidden jewel of Kerala very suitable for romantic couples.

Rocky Solitary Beaches of Kovalam

The rocky shores of the Kovalam Beach is an absolutely romantic and out of a real picture book gallery. It makes every nature lover’s dream come true with surreal beauty. The massive rocky highland protruding out on the seas over the beach creates a mesmeric bay that is beautiful and a safe haven to bathe and swim. Kovalam has a lot of offer with its unique cliff top and quaint fishing villages where you can enjoy watching the simple, rustic village life of Southern parts of India. Kovalam presents a plethora of options in cultural shows where the classical and ancient dance forms are rendered.

Moreover, the beach offers a pleasant stroll across the sands with the gentle waves lapping. Early morning walk through the beachfront or walk at dusk is most pleasurable. You can climb by the lighthouse of Kovalam to watch out for the Kovalam shoreline and the Arabian Sea spread beyond.

Spend the day sightseeing the interesting places of Kovalam, be it the beaches or the lush green seaside villages. There are several properties along the beach ranging from luxurious beach resorts to moderate budget hotels and resorts to budget accommodations and home–stay facilities. The beach resorts are acclaimed for their world-class dining facilities, end-to-end seamless customer services and palatable cuisines.

Honeymoon couples do enjoy the sunbathing, lazy swimming along the shallow waters of the beaches, herbal body massages, Ayurvedic treatments, colourful local cultural performances such as Kathakali dance shows and Kalaripayattu, the traditional and ancient form of martial arts demonstration.

Floating Cottages in Poovar Estuary

Thinking of an absolutely solitary, two-some intimate stay that would make for a memorable honeymoon vacation. The endlessly stretching golden sands of Poovar beach and gently blending shoreline with the seas beyond along with the golden sunrises and sunsets that light up a fire on the ocean waters create an ethereal beauty that is best enjoyed with the loved ones.

The greenery of the coconut palms stretching mindlessly to the far corners of the backwater merge with the emerald green backwaters.

Floating cottages of Poovar are isolated havens of love and solitude. Catch up infinite moments of intimacy in these lovely surroundings. The small balconies of the cottages facing the backwaters command a fabulous view of the Poovar estuary where you can take in the enchantment of the beach, backwaters, lake and sea altogether.

Have you had the spiciest food in India?

May 28, 2019

Kash Pals

Food 3 Comments

Don’t bother skimming through this list of the spiciest dishes of India if you don’t have the hots for the hot.

1. Phaal Curry

It’s not everyday that chefs wear gas masks while whipping up a dish. But when they do the dish in question has to be Phaal curry. Made from Bhut Jolokia, the hottest chilli in the world, Phaal holds the distinction of being the hottest curry in the world. Even daredevils may ‘phaal’ after downing this one.

spiciest food, Phaal Curry — Source: blogspot

2. Pork Vindaloo

My grandma says that the longer you keep that murraba bottled up, the better it tastes. Google says that the same principle works for Pork Vindaloo. Apparently, the meat gets properly marinated and tastes better the next day. I don’t know what difference it makes because the dish is so hot that it feels like shovelling lava balls into your mouth.

spiciest food, Pork Vindaloo — Source: flickr

3. Kozhi Curry

If you have a thing for spicy food and that Syrian Catholic girl, think no further. Marry her. Chances are that you’ll find spicy chicken curry on your plate for most days of your life. An integral part of the Syrian Catholic Community of Kerala, the spiciest curry in India will take your taste buds for one helluva ride.

Kozhi curry, spiciest food — Source: akilaskitchen

4. Chilli Beef

It takes a real Malayalee to polish off a plate of chilli beef without feeling the heat. For others, it can be quite a fiery rendezvous. From the tongue, the palate, the food pipe, the tracts… it’s as if the Ghost Rider’s blazing down through your system… charring down everything in his way. I’m surprised Malayalees still exist in Maharashtra. #BeefBan

Chilli beef, spiciest food — Source: recipesaresimple

5. Chicken 65

According to popular belief, this delicacy was the 65th item in a menu at a military canteen in South India and hence the name. Going by the food orgasm it evokes, this delicacy should have been named chicken 69. Though I wonder what happened to uthapam 73, payasam 17 and idli 23?

6. Bhut Jolokia Curries and Chutneys

The next time you take out your backstabbing colleague out for a treat make sure you heavily tip the chef so that he’s generous with the use of Bhut Jolokia in your colleague’s dish. You won’t have to stand the sight of him/her for at least a week.

PS – The government of India has used Bhut Jolokia grenades to safely immobilize terrorists.

spiciest food, Bhut Jolokia curries — Source: ibnlive

7. Andhra Chilli Chicken

The people of Andhra know how to do justice to a name and how. This recipe has chilli written all over it. Before marinating and simmering the chicken in green chilli paste, the chicken is killed by force-feeding it green chillies. I need no further convincing about Andhra being the largest producer of green chillies in India.

Andhra Chilli chicken, spiciest food — Source: photobucket

8. Kolhapuri Chicken

There’s more to Kolhapur than Kolhapuri silks, Kolhapuri chappals ..it’s the Kolhapuri Chicken. Keep a bowl of rasgulla handy before you sink your fangs into this fiery piece of chicken.

Kolhapuri Chicken, spiciest food — Source: tastyappetite

9. Madras Curry

The sight of meatballs swimming in a bowl of red-coloured sauce is every spicy-food lover’s delight. If you don’t mind the consequential runny nose, watery eyes and sweaty brow, then this one’s a pure delight. Shouldn’t they be changing its name to Chennai Curry? Just saying.

10. Misal

Primarily consisting of a combination of the spiciest dry red chillies, green chillies and black pepper powder, the heat level of this popular roadside delicacy can range from ‘mildly hot’ to ‘shove a fire extinguisher in my mouth hot’. Burn baby burn!

11. Chicken Chettinad

They say that chillies unleash endorphins which in turn make you happy. For me though, a mere mention of Chicken Chettinad does the trick. This cuisine from Tamil Nadu is one of the spiciest and aromatic cuisines in India. Apart from a satiated appetite, it also leaves you with a scorched tongue.

12. Stuffed Pepper

Stuffed Pepper is sometimes called comfort food. But it doesn’t take long for this pepper to jolt you out of your comfort zone. Have this side dish in excess and you end up writhing on the floor.

Stuffed pepper, spiciest food — Source: bettycrocker

13. Laal Maans

You won’t be able to savour this fiery mutton curry from Rajasthan for long because the chillies won’t allow you to. Statutory warning – The spices could sear off a quarter of your taste buds.

14. Kashmiri Chicken

What do you do to experience a piece of ‘Paradise on Earth’ sitting in the scorching heat of Delhi? Simple. Just order a plate of Kashmiri Chicken. Although there are other spicier treats that you can lay your hands on, what sets this one apart from the rest is the tinge of sweetness. Sweet!

15. Saoji Chicken Curry

This hot delicacy comes from one of the hottest cities in India, Nagpur. Saoji Chicken Curry is a rich amalgamation of the hottest spices you can think of. My advice to you before you dig into this mouth-numbing spicy treat – brace for impact!

Saoji Chicken curry, spiciest food — Post Courtesy: Scoopwhoop

~ Amit Purohit, Digital Marketer (2016-present)

Exotic and spicy Saoji food from Nagpur has a distinctive taste that has made its place in every nagpurian’s life. The cuisine also called Saoji Waradi/Saoji Chicken/Saoji Mutton is famous for its hot flavours. Its irresistible taste gets into your mind and soul once you taste this food. It is a must try for all spicy food lovers and those who try will surely get addicted to its taste. The special ingredients used in the preparation of curry for Saoji food include poppy seeds (Khus-Khus), powdered coconut, black pepper, dry coriander, bay leaves, grey cardamom, cinnamon, cloves etc.

Saoji food is gravy dish mainly prepared as non-vegetarian chicken and mutton dish; one can also prepare vegetarian dishes using the same saoji gravy/curry. The vegetarians can enjoy Potato, Paneer or Soya Chunk dishes in the Saoji Curry to relish its authentic taste(however non-veg is highly recommended).
The best thing about Saoji food, although being very spicy, is not harmful to the body and does not lead to any digestive problems, as the process of cooking has been modified to overcome any health problems.(Seriously none problems at all)

~ Rutvick Pedamkar, Add Spice To Food Adds Spice To Life.

Have you had the spiciest food in India? If yes, how was your experience?

Places to visit in Andaman for relaxing experience

May 15, 2019

Kash Pals

Travel Within India 1 Comment

Andaman tops the list of honeymoon packages because of the romantic, lovely beaches and serene nature. It also tops the list of family or friends seeking an escape from the mundane city life because of the adventures it offers and the peaceful time they can spent together amidst the captivating nature.

It’s a destination which fits for all requirements while providing you the best escape to have a relaxing holiday where your soul can meet the blue sky, turquoise water, golden beaches and unspoiled nature along with the other things that you can enjoy during your relaxing stay in Andaman.

Best beaches of India

Few of the best beaches in India belongs to Andaman. You can visit to lovely beaches, click lot of pictures, enjoy the walk on sand, swim in the amazing water, cherish romantic moments with your partner, sunbathe, relax and have a gala time playing in sand with your children, friends or family.

Let’s have a look at few of the must visited places that can’t be missed whenever you are in Andaman.

Havelock Island

Havelock Island is a major attraction, soul of Andaman, a coastal paradise gifted with unparalleled luxury and lovely nature. Home to most amazing beaches amidst the beautiful tropical forest and rich coral life to explore along with the plethora of water adventures like snorkelling, scuba diving, sea walking, surfing and glass boat rides.

Its popularity has not spoiled its beauty and still its one of the unspoiled, peaceful beaches where you will only hear sound of waves breaking on the shores, so you can spend a lazy day, get your favourite book and relax on the shores, under the canopy of tall palm trees to revive your senses.

Radhanagar Beach

A paradise in the southern coast of Havelock Island is Radhanagar Beach. Nothing can be more tempting then roaming around in the white sand as smooth as wheat flour at Radhanagar beach.

You can also swim and sunbathe at Radhanagar, it’s a beach that is been consistently crowned as the best beaches in Asia’s. You can spend a relaxing time in this dreamland which is a perfect blend of soothing luxury and rugged wilderness.

Neil Island

Another popular island of Andaman to spend some peaceful time and enjoy the underwater adventures like scuba diving, snorkelling, and surfing. Located about 40km towards the south of the Andaman Islands. Covered with dense tropical forests, coral reefs, and lovely white sand beaches.

Beach resorts

Other than enjoying your holidays while relaxing in islands or beaches, you can book your stay at beach resort. It will be a different experience that’s not available everywhere and it will give you an incredible experience along with the luxury. So, it’s better to select beach resorts over five-star hotels when you are in Havelock or Neil Island.

Bharatpur Beach

Bharatpur Beach in Neil Island is a wide blanket of surging waves, surrounded by pristine white sand, lots of traveller visit this beach throughout the year, the distinguishing feature of the beach is its glass boat ride which takes you through the diversity of coral reefs and exotic marine life that flourishes in this lovely island.

Elephant Beach

A beautiful beach that will tempt you to visit again and again. Elephant Beach is famous for snorkelling and an ideal destination for sea walking because it owns beautiful & stunning coral reefs, along with exotic marine life.

The boat or ferry ride to Elephant Beach from Havelock is an additional temptation which will take you through the serene nature, so don’t forget to add this beautiful island in your package, your trip will be incomplete without it.

Barren Island

If your purpose of holiday is to enjoy the solitude and relax, Barren Island is for you. As the name suggests, it’s a stretch of land that is completely devoid of the human population.

It is a home to the only known active volcano of South Asia making it a most sought destination to explore for adventure enthusiasts. You will require the permission to visit the island from forest department. While on your way to the island you will get the whole world of water sports to tempt you.

Vijaynagar Beach

Vijaynagar Beach famous as Beach No. 5, again an ideal destination for those who are looking to relax in the comforting cuddles of nature. Along with moonlight exciting underwater world and the unmatched solace, it offers.

Long Island

It’s an offbeat destination of Andaman which is famous among adventurers and explorers. It doesn’t see lot of travellers, so it’s an amazing island to unplug and reconnect with yourself. You can include it in your bucket list to enjoy the surreal nature and solitude.

Birdwatching and photography

If you love bird watching and photography, you will be overwhelmed with the number of opportunities you will get. You can click the lovely beaches, captivating nature, beautiful site of sunset or sunrise.

For a better experience you can visit Andman Bird Island or Chidiya Tapu verdant spot with forests, mangroves and numerous species of birds. You will hear continuous chirping of birds along with different colours and creed of birds flying from one branch to the other, few famous creeds of birds are parakeets, eagles, drongos, doves etc.

Bioluminescence at Havelock Island

The list of places to visit and relax is never ending, it’s a beautiful and unspoiled island of which every nook and corner is charming, above that it is blessed with nature and its miracles, one of such miracles is the active volcano at Barren Island and another one is Bioluminescence at Havelock Island.

When there is no moonlight between Nov to Dec, the water on the beach glows because of the presence of phytoplankton, a phenomenon known as Bioluminescence which lasts for 3 hours but with a lifetime of memory. It seems as if thousands of tiny stars are floating under your feet and you are sailing your boat above them.