Travel - Best Places of Interest

August 10, 2016 Travel, Within India

Gems of Madhya Pradesh: 5 Best Cities to Visit

Madhya Pradesh, central India’s biggest and most attractive state, holds enchanting spots and destinations from periods all through the Indian history. The Hindu and Jain temples at Khajuraho are detectable for their carvings of erotic scenes, with the all the more erratic Kandariya Mahadeva, a preserved sanctuary with more than 800 figures. Go for a walk through this radiant state for a totally cultural visit through India’s past.

The second biggest state in the nation, Madhya Pradesh is known as the “Heart of India”. The state has an assortment of lauded safe houses and points of interest that hold significance in the considerable Indian history. While on a visit to Madhya Pradesh, visit these urban areas within the state for a totally mind-boggling experience.

Jabalpur

If you are an excited nature lover, you ought to be in Jabalpur on your visit to Madhya Pradesh. Considered to be the most frequented destination by explorers in Madhya Pradesh, Jabalpur has an abundance of charms to offer. Its rich natural beauty and important points of interest will make your stay pleasant. The essential spots and sites to visit in Jabalpur are the Dhuandhar Waterfalls, Balancing Rocks, Bargi Dam, Dumna Nature Reserve, Rani Durgavati Museum, and so on. From here, take a Jabalpur to Bhopal train, and set out for your next stop– Bhopal!

Bhopal

A city acclaimed for its lakes, sanctuaries, and splendid city life, Bhopal has the spotlight on it since years. The various Bhopal Tour Packages by the state government are a perfect pick to visit through this city acceptably, which give out its best angles. Bhopal happens to be one of the greenest urban areas in India, furthermore is a noteworthy modern hub in the nation.

Indore

Indore, the industrial hub of Madhya Pradesh, was the home of the Holkar Dynasty that deserted some of its striking masterpieces here, which today mirror their splendour in full glory. Indore, today, is a huge business powerhouse of Madhya Pradesh. The city, apart from its industry, is also known for its cafe culture, which turned out to be a hit by virtue of Indore’s developing affection for coffee. Hence, plan an outing to this city and be prepared to get the shock that you’d get to see the city’s wealth of exceptional bits of information, legacy, and splendid points of view.

Ujjain

Known to be one of Hindus’ seven blessed areas, Ujjain is famous for its striking sanctuaries and religious spots. Devotees from across the nation pour in here to visit the city’s temples that form a significant position in the nation’s standard setup. The most sought after religious spots here are-Mahakaleshwar Temple, Chintaman Ganesh Temple, Gopal Mandir, Harsiddhi Mandir, and so on.

Khajuraho

One must never let go off an opportunity to visit the divine and architecturally sound city of Khajuraho, especially to traipse around its boundary, admiring the erotic figures carved throughout it. A flawless design of Indo-Aryan style of art and architecture, these sculpted carvings of Khajuraho stand the test of time. Each and every piece of this spot deserves a keen observation. The more you watch, the more you love them.

So if you reach out for the IRCTC train reservation, you will be offered tons of exciting packages by the Indian Railway. Decide, and do not delay your trip to the state. It’s incredible!

August 8, 2016 Round the world, Travel

7 reasons to add Kyoto to your bucket list

Home to tranquil temples, lush gardens, striking shrines and mysterious geishas, a visit to Japan would not be complete without venturing to its cultural and historic center, Kyoto. Providing a striking contrast to the chaotic, neon-lit and modernistic mega-city of Tokyo, Kyoto is a completely different world. The city exudes warmth, classic character and a timeless elegance so palpable it almost feels as if time has stood still.

Therein lies the magic of Kyoto and it is reason enough to add this captivating city to your bucket list RIGHT NOW. If you need a little more convincing, however, here are seven more reasons to add Kyoto to any Japan travel itinerary.

ORANGE-TORII-GATES in Kyoto, Japan — ORANGE-TORII-GATES

1) Gion District

The oldest district in Kyoto, Gion is the epicenter of geisha culture. Here you’ll find a winding maze of alleyways, a myriad of tea houses, incredible shopping, delectable cuisine and night-time entertainment. You’ll more than likely spot a geisha or two as they disappear down the winding streets and trust me, it will all hardly seem real.

2) Bamboo Forest

The Arashiyama Bamboo Forest is one of Kyoto’s most striking and well-known sights, and for good reason. Standing amid towering stalks of bamboo is a moment of pure magic, and one not to be missed on a trip to Kyoto.

3) Stay in a traditional ryokan (guesthouse)

While there are plenty of Western-style accommodation options in Kyoto, there’s nothing like embracing traditional Japanese culture and staying in a ryokan. The hospitality you’ll experience will no doubt be the highlight of your visit.

4) Wear a beautiful kimono

You will see kimonos everywhere in Kyoto and a stay in a ryokan comes with a kimono lent to you for the duration of your stay.

KYOTO-GION-GEISHAS, Kyoto, Japan — KYOTO-GION-GEISHAS

5) Fushimi Inari-Taisha

Sitting at the base of a thickly wooded mountain, the seemingly endless passageway of brilliant orange gates is one of the most recognized sights in all of Japan. In reality, there are thousands of orange gates leading all the way up Mount Inari and this is perhaps one of the most impressive religious sites I’ve visited till date.

6) Tenryuji Temple

Kyoto is home to hundreds of exquisite temples but if you visit just one during your time in Kyoto, make it Tenryuji. It is simply stunning and no photos will ever do it justice. Be sure to see it for yourself!

7) Incredible Shopping

Shijo Street in the heart of central Kyoto is a shopper’s paradise. Here you’ll find everything you can imagine, and then some. Not far from Shijo Street is the famous Nishiki Market – an incredible marketplace of more than one hundred shops and restaurants and another must-visit for those among us who love to shop.

If you have plans to head to Japan, be sure to add Kyoto to your itinerary – you won’t regret it!

Source: Tripoto

August 1, 2016 Travel, Within India

Narrow Gauge Journey

If you are on summer vacations, or on sabbatical leave or simply have some spare time, take a ride on Indian Hill Railways or Narrow Gauge (NG) lines. You will go through tunnels, little hamlets and over awe-inspiring bridges.

These rail journeys will give you an exhilarating experience when you pass through quaint mountain ranges, and cross over mangroves with thick and lush green environment around you.

Narrow Gauge Journey-Matheran — Matheran Railway Station

Neral and Matheran, in the state of Maharashtra, a hill railway track is a 2 ft. Narrow Gauge line covering 21 km in the midst of thick forests of Western Ghats. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is over 100 years since it was opened back in the year 1907.

Narrow Guage journey-Toy train, Matheran — Toy train Matheran

Being inside a toy train can be a lifetime experience, the tighter curves, magnificent water bodies and a wide variety of flora & fauna. As the train wheezes up the clear mountains amidst mangroves you cherish these moments of a scenic view. Oh! What a journey it is.

Matheran is the closest hill station to Mumbai in the Sahyadri hill range in Raigad district of Maharashtra State. It is situated at a height of 803 m above sea level.

By train:

You can catch a Karjat bound local train from CSTM (a.k.a. VT Mumbai, India) on the Central Railway to Neral Station.

Use the foot over bridge at Neral and get to the other platform. Inquire about the toy train and whether tickets will be available. If you want to ride in the Matheran toy train, then make sure you have booked in advance.

Narrow Gauge journey- Toy train -Queen of Sahadri Hills — Neral Matheran train- Queen of Sahyadri Hills

The Toy Train

Sir Adamjee Peerbhoy conceived the imaginative idea of a 2-ft narrow-gauge railway from Neral to Matheran (20 km). He imported three specially made engines from Germany in 1905. The railway was opened in 1907. This train became 100 years old on April 16, 2007.

Places to visit in Matheran:

Lake Charlotte – A spectacular waterfall overflows from the lake during and shortly after the monsoons. It has peaceful surroundings of dense evergreen forests, bird songs, and pretty butterflies.

Panorama point – is a very beautiful as you can see a panoramic view of the hills on the left and a beautiful Ulhas River to the right. This point is perfect for Sunrise and is also called “Sunrise Point.”
Heart Point – Here one can see a beautiful scene of the valley and this point looks like a heart, so gets its name.
Monkey Point – At this point can see the monkeys in large numbers and their mischief life-sized.
Malang Point
Luisa Point – The view from here to the waterfall (run off from Charlotte Lake ) during the monsoon is spectacular.
Honeymoon Hill
Echo Point

The other grand narrow gauge journeys in India are:-

Pathankot to Joginder Nagar in the state of Himachal Pradesh
New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling in the state of West Bengal.
Mettapulayam to Ooty (Udhagamandalam) in the state of Tamil Nadu.
Kalka to Shimla in the state of Himachal Pradesh.

July 29, 2016 Round the world, Travel

5 Interesting Facts about the city of Bangkok

No city is as plain as it seems. Each city has some interesting facts unknown to the rest of the world. The same is with Bangkok. This article discusses some of the top interesting facts about the city.

Bangkok- Interesting facts about the city — An Urban Oasis on the River Of Kings

Thailand is one of the best places you can visit from India. Travel to Thailand is cheap and booking one of the Bangkok to Mumbai flights will cost you as much as any domestic flights. The cost of living is low and the shopping scene is filled with varieties and often very cheap! There are so many fun things to do in the city but there are also many interesting facts that remain unknown to many around the world

City with the longest name

Bangkok has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? But did you know that its actual name has 169 characters in total? The name is so ridiculously long that forget the rest of the world, even the people from Thailand are unable to pronounce it and call it Krung Thep. The full name is, brace yourself, ‘Krungthepmahanakhon Amonrattanakosin Mahinthara Yutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udom Ratchaniwet Mahasathan Amonphimanawatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit’! Bet someone to pay the drinks for the whole table if they can pronounce it and they might end up breaking a glass or two!

2. Kings anthem played before every movie

Bangkok- King's national anthem before a movie — In Thailand, there is a king and so before every function (school concerts, movies, etc) the King’s Anthem is played and everyone stands in reverence.
Image credit- sevenfarmers.blogspot.com

The Thais are extremely patriotic and play their national anthem every chance they get. But did you know that before you sit down to comfortably watch a movie, of which you just bought the ticket, the theatre will play the King’s anthem before the start of the movie! So don’t get too comfortable yet, as you will need to stand up and pay your respects to the anthem by standing while it’s being played.

3. The third washroom

The increasingly high number of transgenders in Thailand are known to the whole world, but did you know that the country actually has a separate washroom for them? Next time, you rush to a public washroom, don’t be surprised if you see a third washroom! One is for men, the other for the women and the third is for the transgenders.

4. The place where Redbull originated

Bangkok where Red Bull originated — Red Bull Energy Drink

Did the famous Red Bull drink ever help you through the night before having to submit an important paper the next day? Then you have one person to thank, Chaleo Yoovidhya from Thailand. This is the man who pioneered and created this energy drink which has today grown into a multi-billion worth power drink company that has its reach in all corners of the world and all major sporting events.

5. Dubbed Venice of the East

Bangkok-night life — Nightlife in Thailand
Image credit- www.gapyear.com

Thailand plays home to one of the most exciting and happening nightlife scenes in the world. The nightlife scenes are so epic here that it has been dubbed the ‘Venice of the East’, primarily due to its nightlife and some parts owing to its beautiful layouts of various canals portraying a landscape like that of Venice in Italy.

Apart from these, there are many other interesting facts about the city like how all the temples of Thailand are imprinted on the back of the Baht coins. All these and more makes Bangkok all the more fascinating!