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"If dreams were made out of stones, they would be called Hampi" Hampi is an ancient village located on the banks of River Tungabhadra in the northern Karnataka region of India. Hampi is recognised by UNESCO as one of the World Heritage Sites in India. Located exactly between cities of Bangalore & Hyderabad, it is frequented by tourists from both these cities as well as people from nearby localities and not to forget the plethora of foreigners. While foreigners come here for extended stays spanning a month or two, Hampi is a perfect weekend destination for tourists from Bengaluru or Hyderabad. Historical monuments, ruins and temples amuse the families and the old, foreign cuisines and a chilled aura enthuse the group of friends and the young while the stone hills and paddy landscapes amaze every visitor travelling to Hampi. In this travelogue, we take you through our long weekend trip to Hampi detailing various places to visit as well as our experience at one of the luxury resorts here. Other articles you might be interested in Hyderabad to Hampi: We travelled to Hampi on a late-night bus from Hyderabad. It takes about 8 hours to reach Hospet, the closest town near Hampi. Hampi is about 30 minutes from Hospet. Hampi can also be reached by taking an overnight train from Hyderabad to Hospet. You can book the train from IRCTC website. Hospet to Hampi: On reaching Hospet early in the morning we took a state-run bus to Hampi. Ride to Hampi was wonderful with an amazing view of paddy fields and sugarcane farms with the ruins and excavations seen every half a kilometre. We also happened to see the beautiful sunrise from the bus. The river named Tungabhadra runs through the small village of Hampi splitting it into two as if separating two areas which are a world apart. As we were in Hampi for 2 nights, we had booked our stay on different sides of the river each night. Our first night stay was on the other side of the river. We got down the bus, walked towards the magnificent Virupaksha temple and the Hampi market and took a ferry which operated right in front of the temple to the other side. Being early morning, it felt cold; but we were surprised to see pilgrimages bathing in the ice-cold river water. We also saw a huge elephant being bathed by its mahout. A huge crowd stood against the banks to see the elephant display its art of completely putting its head into the water with just its trunk out to breathe. We also spotted many wonderful birds while crossing the river. Hippie island in Hampi: Once on the other side, our hotel was just walking distance. On our march towards the hotel, we rented a scooter to roam about and visit places on that side. The rented two-wheeler are available only on the other side of the river. This side of the river is completely beyond the imagination. It is easy to forget that we are in India as there are a string of guest houses, hotels, shops lined up filled with foreigners. This side of the river has a hippie culture and people from all around the world flock here round the year. In fact, you will be able to find all sorts of cuisines here except Indian cuisines! No parathas or even Idli - Dosas which is really surprising for any place in South India. Hampi seems to be a popular stop for them after landing at Goa. Our hotel was just very basic. The rooms were small but just enough to accommodate a double bed and a mosquito net. The attached bath was clean. Apart from a chair and a mirror there was no other furniture in the room. But we didn’t care as the room was just to spend the night and the whole day we will be out visiting places. We quickly freshened up and had breakfast in the restaurant. I ordered just a sandwich as I wasn’t very hungry but there came a heavy double-decker big loaves of bread filled with different vegetables with a lot of cheese and mayonnaise. I somehow managed to eat slightly more than half of it after which my husband helped me finish it. We were also accompanied by a cute cat sitting near us as if she was our pet. After the heavy breakfast and some cat pics, we left for our first place to visit. Places to visit in Hampi: Sanapur Lake: I was just too thrilled to ride a scooter after a very long time. In the maps, the Sanapur lake seemed to be really small but in reality, it was a huge water body with ferryman offering small rides in their coracle boats. Not sure how many people visiting Hampi visit Sanapur lake, but we would highly recommend it for a beautiful, peaceful time. We started with our basic photography session here. Sri Krishnadevaraya tomb in Anegundi: Our next place of visit was Sri Krishnadevaraya tomb in Anegundi. Now, due to a 3-day holiday in schools and colleges, a lot of crowd had emerged to Hampi from nearby places and Anegundi was so full of crowd that we returned back just from outside. We instead decided to go to Durga temple which was not very far from there. Durga temple in Anegundi: The Durga temple is located in the centre of Anegundi village. The steps were easy to climb and we found a lot of guides following us to guide us through the place. We didn’t hire any as we are not so much into history or even mythology. After climbing about 50-70 steps we reached a big temple which we did not enter because of a lot of crowd. On further climbing, we reached another small temple where we did our prayers. Outside the temple, we sat for a while on a podium under a huge tree. For you to know, Hampi gets really hot in the afternoon probably because it is surrounded all over by rocks. The afternoon heat now started bothering us. We decided to climb down the hill and look for a good cool place to spend some time until the sun starts setting. On our drive back to the plains, we spotted a nice cosy restaurant on the banks of the Tungabhadra. It was an open restaurant with the climbers and creepers as a ceiling and no walls. A few pillars supported the climbing vines that grew voraciously all over the wired thread like supports over the pillars. The cool breeze from the river kept the place nicely ventilated. The cemented floor was divided into equal spaces where small mattresses were placed with a low lying cemented table between each mattress. We selected a shady end of the setting and occupied one mattress each with a table in between. Our first order was cold-drinks as we were too thirsty facing the heatwave on our ride. After having light snacks I fell asleep on the soft mattress. Everything about the place was very peaceful. After spending more than an hour there, we decided to start climbing the Hanumanahalli hill which is a very famous tourist spot to view the sunset. But we were not very convinced with the idea as there were just too many tourists over the weekend and we knew that the entire crowd would go there. Hence, we dropped the idea and headed out on our bike to discover our own private sunset point. We drove towards the Tungabhadra dam crossing the Sanapur Lake in between. The road was surrounded by paddy fields and small hills all over. After a good search and taking too many small roads, we found a perfect spot- a huge area of low lying rocks. We walked to the highest point and all we could see all around was paddy fields. The place was empty, full of greenery with the sun setting on one side and the birds flying back to their nests. We witnessed the best sunset in this beautiful place. Soon after the sunset, we drove back towards our guest house returning the vehicle first. We strolled through the lively market selling all sorts of colourful things from imitation jewellery to lifestyle products. We had a light dinner in the restaurant attached to our guest house and were too tired that it didn’t take time to fall asleep. The next morning, I woke up late. Meanwhile, my husband went to the river bank to see the sunrise. He returned with some amazingly beautiful photographs of the paddy fields, the birds and the river. We checked out and had a quick breakfast in a restaurant surrounded by paddy fields. We then walked towards the river to get to the other side. We soon took a ferry to the other side and visited the Virupaksha temple. There we enquired about the cycle tour and decided to give it a try the next day as the sun was already up and it had started getting hot. We roamed about in the Hampi bazaar enquiring for cycle rentals. Unlike the side where we were a day back, this side of the town prohibited bike rentals. Hence, the only option we had to visit places was either autos which were heavily charged or a bicycle. We decided to go with the second option as it sounded adventurous. Hampi Bazaar: Photographing in the Hampi bazaar was a joy with all sorts of creative handicrafts all around. We discovered Mango tree - this is a restaurant we had read about a lot and it is rated as the most happening and best restaurant in Hampi. I decided to give it a try as it got very hot outside and I had already started getting hunger cramps. So within seconds, we were inside the restaurant ordering lunch. We had again selected to sit on the ground on the mattresses and time just passed listening to Russian music till our food arrived. After a fulfilling lunch, we headed towards the bus stand to get to our resort which was in a village named Malpangudi towards Hospet. Though the resort was a bit expensive, we had got an amazing steal through online deals and hence we decided to try it out. Getting down the bus, we walked towards our grand resort. It was spread across a huge expanse with some 40 cottages nestled among 60000 plantations. The owner has planned this resort around the philosophy of Pancha Bhoota - the five elements comprising earth, fire, wind, water and sky. The reception was beautifully decorated with heritage village themes. We went through a smooth check and were surprised as the manager called for a car to drop us to our room. We were informed that the property was so huge that the cottage allotted to us was very far to walk on foot. We took our seats in the car and as we drove towards our room I saw the huge lush green lawns which were very well maintained and the heritage villas spread sufficiently distant from each other giving a secluded feeling to each guest. We had booked a Royal Haveli and it certainly came as a big surprise to me. It was as big as a house with a drawing-room, a bedroom, a small kitchenette, a dressing room and a big bathroom. It had all the amenities one can think of right from refrigerator, a king-size bed, a tea/ coffee maker, to a safe locker and a Jacuzzi. We were just too thrilled to get this deal. As it was peak afternoon, we spent all the time in our Haveli taking rest and watching television. In the evening, the resort offers a theme Heritage village experience to its guests. A mini-village has been built just adjacent to the resort where one can experience bullock cart ride, horse ride, and camel ride. We were welcomed with Rajasthani folk music and free snacks with tea that we enjoyed sitting on a charpai. I also got a mehendi tattoo done. The mini-village was spread across a gigantic area with so many activities going around. There was a puppet show, folk dance, magic show, rope walk which were very different from what we generally get to see. There was also a small playground with swings etc. where kids were playing. Altogether it was a wonderful experience. Finally, they served us a full Rajasthani meal (sit down type) and really pampered us with their excellent hospitality. Walking back towards our room we roamed around the whole property. It had a large swimming pool, a buffet restaurant, a coffee joint and a spa and indoor game area, all very spacious and clean. We sat outside the room on a bench in the lawn late night talking and planning for the next day. I had one of the best sleep in the softest bed. Hampi Ruins: Next morning we woke up early and went for a tour in the big lawns of the resort photographing birds. We ate our complimentary breakfast and bade farewell to the heavenly place. We were yet to explore Hampi’s historical ruins and excavations. We took a bus to Hampi and soon were dropped to the Hampi bus stand near Virupaksha temple. Hampi being such a small village houses people who either have shops selling stuff or guest houses or restaurants. That’s it. Their only source of income is tourism and hence it is easy to find what you are looking for. As we had planned, we rented our bicycles from Hampi bazaar and also dropped our luggage in the bicycle owner’s house. I bought a map from them and they also guided us quickly to a few places. We rode our bicycles out from the Hampi bazaar to the broad lanes that took us to our first place to visit – Achyutaraya temple. Parking our bicycles, we walked a few steps towards the temple. It was situated in front of a small water body with ferryman offering coracle rides. The temple was surrounded by ruins and pillared rocky caves. Next, we started walking towards stone chariot, where on the way, we saw a banyan tree with lots of colourful cloth potlis tied around its branches. It was a long tiring walk reaching back to our cycle stand and by that time the sun was up shining bright. The sweet coconut water from a roadside vendor quenched our thirst. We rode to the following places: Queen’s bath, Pushkarani, Royal enclosure, Elephant’s stable, Zenana enclosure and Underground Shiva temple. All these places were partly destroyed but still magnificent with the finely carved figures of warriors, elephant, horses and various other deities. The best attraction to me was Mahanavami Dibba which is a pyramid-like structure somewhat reminiscent of the Mesoamerican edifices with flights of structures on all sides. I was impressed with the grandeur and mystique location of the Elephant’s stable. And visiting through all these places we spent hundreds on quenching our thirst drinking cold drinks, lemon water and lemon soda. Matanga Hills: Our last place to visit was Matanga hills. Our bicycle tour ended with visiting Matanga hills for sunset. Atop the hill, we could see the whole Hampi town, some amazing views of the orange bright sun, the green fields and the majestic Virupaksha temple standing erect next to Tungabhadra River. We trekked down the Matanga hill before it got dark, returned our bicycles and collected our luggage to head back to the bus-stand bidding adieu to the exquisite Hampi town with promises to visit again. Back in Hospet, the dinner was a simple affair in a small restaurant. A short wait later, we boarded our bus to Hyderabad, thus marking the end to our very adventurous visit to the temple town! "It's just looking at stones and sculptures"; some friends had convinced me not to go to Hampi. But now I can say for sure that Hampi is more than stones and ruins if you have an eye for it. We were surprised by the casual atmosphere as well the low cost of everything from hotels and food to transportation. With foreigners and heritage sites all around, it was sometimes confusing to accept it all. Without a doubt we will be back again to this literally timeless place again soon, hopefully, to spend more time than we did on this trip. Have you been to Hampi or are you planning a trip? Did you like our travel blog and the photographs? Do let us know in the comment section below. We visited Neil Island in The Andamans couple of years later and while riding a scooter there, we could not help feel a similar aura like Hampi. Though the exotic beaches and underwater life replaced the stone hills and ruins, somehow we feeling of being on Neil island was similar to Hampi. Have you felt something common is such starkly different places? #India #Karnataka #Hyderabadweekendoutings #Bengaluruweekendoutings

Goa is the smallest state in India. It is home to beautiful Portuguese influenced culture, lovely beaches and its laid back lifestyle makes it a preferred destination for a lot of Indian visitors as well as foreign backpackers. The land of sun, sand and beaches is never off my bucket list – there’s always something new to Goa. In this travelogue, we take you through our short trip to South Goa hopping around some of the beaches and having a wonderful time, as always. In Feb 2016, we left with the intention of travelling South Goa on a bike. The main objective of the trip was to relax and get a break from the very busy life schedules we have in our corporate job profiles. We quickly chose our bike from a rental service after landing in Goa and off we went on the roads that took us towards the South of the state. I kept gazing all around as we drove through the narrow lanes. I admired the empty roads and wondered if Hyderabad roads could be this empty. The long stretches of green fields, the cool breeze playing with my hair, the brick and tile terraced houses, the architecture of huge churches, everything about the place enthralled me. It was obviously not our first visit to Goa but it was our first time meandering through the hinterland of Goa on a 2-wheeler. Our first stop was the Benaulim beach in South Goa. We chose to stay in a budgeted resort near the beach. There were 8 hut shaped bamboo cottages in the resort. No luxury, no extravagance yet tremendously calm and peaceful. I believe we were the only Indians in the resort. We soon checked-in and were ready to hit the beach after an hour of rest. Benaulim beach was not more than 200 meters from the resort. I cannot describe the feel of the sand, softest of all beaches I have been to. We took off our footwear and started for a long romantic walk along the beach. The beach was lined with small beach hut resorts, outdoor restaurants, souvenir shops and all the other paraphernalia of a tourist trap for beach bums. Most of the people on the beach were deeply tanned foreigners; swimming, playing volleyball, walking along at the edge of the surf or relaxing with beers in the outdoor restaurants. There was a distinct Goan party vibe in the air. Soon we found a safe place to keep our belongings and ran to soak ourselves in the saltwater. We went deep into the sea letting the waves pass over our heads and it felt amazing- like someone trying to take all the burden of your shoulder. It felt like bliss. After a lot of fun in the water, I sat down on the shore making sandcastles while my spouse was enjoying taking photographs. Soon the sun started setting down the vast horizon into the sea and we witnessed one of the most beautiful sunsets in Goa with shades of orange, red, purple, yellow, blue… all mixed in one huge sky. In the night, we happened to have a lovely candlelight Mexican dinner in one of the beach shacks with soothing Goan music and a few fire performances by foreign tourists - something they call fire poi. We slept undisturbed to the sound of waves till the birds woke us up with their chirping and chatter early in the morning. The first thing we did in the morning is hit the Benaulim beach again. Today we were accompanied by our resort manager’s pet – a dog, who was super excited showing us the way to the beach. Soon after we reached, it met its friends and went running after the birds with them. This time we saw many people doing yoga, exercising, jogging or getting sunbathed on the soft sand on the shore. The fishermen were busy collecting all the fishes in their small baskets from the nets they had put in the sea the previous evening. This attracted a lot of crows, a few eagles and a kite whirling around in circles around the area where the nets were spread. The eagles portrayed a marvelous performance where they flew high up in the sky, spotted something and rushed downwards as if they would crash into the ground but as soon as they reached the ground they caught a fish, maneuvered craftily and flapped their wings to fly off again. Seeing a small starfish on the beach was another highlight of this lovely morning. We happened to play Frisbee and after a lot of attempts, I learnt the art of throwing it in a way up in the air that it returns back to you. It was a fun session. Soon we were back to the resort bidding goodbyes to get back on our trip. Our next destination in South Goa was Patnem beach. We took the Panvel highway to get there. We stopped on the way to have breakfast in a local Deli which we thought served us the best Pita and falafel. We reached our resort after 3 hours driving through the small beautiful Goan villages. This resort was located on a small and quiet road, 2 minutes’ walk from the beautiful beach of Patnem. The cottages were spotlessly clean and decorated in an Indian traditional style but were furnished with equipment of modern convenience. The friendly and supportive staff welcomed us. Rooms were built with tropical wood and modern conveniences to ensure comfort and privacy with traditional charm. We reached here peak afternoon but were so excited to have a look at the beach that we left our room as soon as we entered. We walked down the Patnem beach and started walking along the shore towards a very narrow stream of river hardly meeting the sea. Patnem beach is a horseshoe-shaped bay with plenty of shacks to eat and drink. There are many massage and yoga places. Despite all of this it's still a very peaceful place. I was surprised to spot a dozen jellyfishes in a small freshwater pond a few feet away from the beach. They moved rapidly expanding and contracting their bell-shaped bodies to push water behind them. They were so close that we were actually scared to step in the water. Unfortunately, we didn't bring our cameras and couldn't capture them. We left them to their state and without any worries of tanning, we again went to soak ourselves in the seawater. Slightly cold water in the hot afternoon felt very comforting. Again we were deep inside the sea letting ourselves float with the waves. Reaching back to the resort we were so tired that we fell into a deep sleep. In the evening, we drove along the narrow roads of South Goa to see nearby Palolem beach. Palolem has a quaint hippy vibe that makes it one of the finest beaches in the south Goa. It is a stunning crescent-shaped beach with rocky outcroppings at each end, perfect for watching the sun sink into the Arabian Sea. But to our disappointment, the beach was very very crowded by boats, kayaks, endless restaurants and generic shops selling odd things full length of the bay and so full of people that we decided to go back to Rajbagh beach which is very near to Patnem beach to view the sunset. Back to Rajbagh beach, we enjoyed taking a lot of photographs, seeing the sunset and sitting on the sand chit chatting till it got dark. The sound of waves was so soothing we didn’t realize where time flew and it was late at night. We dressed our best to go for a dinner date on one of the famous beach shacks and had the tastiest sizzler in a candlelight setting. This night we sat late on the shore watching lights of restaurants lining up the shore and clicking some photographs. We headed back only when we were too tired and slept with peace. Next morning, we again woke up early to visit the beach. This time we drove all through the narrow lanes down the South Goa towards Talpon River which met the sea towards the south most end of Rajbagh beach. This is one of the less crowded beaches of Goa, probably because of its location which makes it one of the best beaches for nature lovers. Its crystal clear water and scenic surroundings completely mesmerized us. The landscape and forests around are stunning and it’s secluded like you have the beach just to yourself. Here, we spotted many rare birds and saw the fishermen who were also ferrymen, ferrying the people across the river towards Talpona beach in their small boats. We also saw big motorboats taking people in large groups for dolphin spotting deep into the sea. The beach was so deserted here that we enjoyed clicking ourselves a lot here. We had carried our tripod with us today and hence we had fun taking couple photos. Soon, the sun came up shining brightly hinting us to move to our next destination for the day. We went back to our resort, got ready, had breakfast and departed. We again took the Panvel highway to reach the place we had booked. The 3rd and the last destination of our 3-night Goan journey is a secret beach. Secret because it is simply too awesome, untouched and unspoiled by the commercialization that tends to kill all awesome places one day or another. So we too wouldn't like to play a minuscule role in killing it by mentioning it here. But in case you find the place interesting and are truly interested in experiencing its beauty first hand, just drop us note and we will reveal it to you. The idea is only to share it with true nature lovers as we are. The last 2 miles of our journey towards this secret beach was on a private dirt track, through the scary jungles and bumpy roads which don’t even exist on the Google maps. It felt as if we were leaving the world behind us with all its crowd, hassles and worries. When we reached, it was like arriving at a hidden paradise. The huts of our resort were scattered through the lovely coconut groves beside a freshwater lagoon overlooking the sea. We would undoubtedly rate this beach the most beautiful of all the beaches in Goa. It offers an escape from reality. It is pretty much common sense that Indians would rarely know such places preferring the usual hullabaloos of Calangutes and Anjunas while foreigners find it easy to uncover such hidden gems. The huts of our resort are rebuilt from scratch every year after monsoon; the palm walls of the room woven together to provide natural ventilation and the whole setting is spacious and delightfully secluded. Each hut has a cushy bed and an attached open from the top bath. We had paid for a sea view room and had a balcony that opened right on the beach. We could just sit outside our room and keep gazing the endless ocean forever. We had a freshwater lagoon right next to the resort which was separated from the sea by a small strip of sand. The beach is completely cut off from the mainland and doesn’t even support any mobile signals which altogether gave us an exclusive and private feel. We experienced two contrasting water bodies – the steeply sloped beach with bit rough and strong waves that pull you back in the sea and the lagoon which is extremely calm and inviting. Serenity or even heaven is an understatement to describe this piece of setting. We took a swim in the sea and later freshened up with swimming in the freshwater lagoon to get rid of the itchy dry sand and salty water. The tranquility in the atmosphere made us so lazy now that we carried our novels and retired on the sunbeds reading. Without a care in the world and forgetting the existence of time we fell asleep on the beach. Later in the evening we freshened up, filled our tummy with heavy snacks and set forth walking to explore the places nearby. We had read and knew of watching the sunset atop a hill nearby and hence started a small steep trek up the hill. The view from above was breathtaking. The secret beach is tucked between two hills and we were at the top of one of them. The vast expanse of the sunburned grasslands dried and golden brown on the hilltop was stunning. There isn’t much to do there so the sole purpose was to view the sunset and have our customary photo shoot. Without any doubt, we got some of the best pictures of the trip here, some truly fairytale pictures. We sat down on one of the cliffs and saw the sun slowly setting in the mouth of the sea. We trekked down to our resort before it got dark and continued our photo shoot. This night we ate Indian food and sat in our balcony for hours together feeling the cold sea breeze and the never-ending sound of sea waves crashing on the beach rocks. Next morning we took a walk towards the end of the beach again enjoying taking couple photos and getting wet in the sea. Soon it was time to bid farewell to this heavenly abode. We checked out of the resort and with heavy heart said our goodbyes to the most amazing beach. Again we were on the road to drive back to the airport as our trip came to an end. And yes, I pleaded my husband to let me collect the soft sand of Benaulim beach in one of the empty bottles we had on our way. And we did! We soon returned our tuk-tuk (two-wheeler) to the bike rental company and took a cab to the airport. Hence ended our 4-day escape; from dusty, crowded and noisy Hyderabad streets to calm, serene and peaceful Goa beaches. But somewhere deep inside, this journey made us realize how pointless is everything, running just because everyone else is running, in search of money to lead a decent life. Someday we will have to take the plunge, live in some unknown street of Goa where money has little value and time is slow, where we neither see a traffic signal nor a mall, where our routines are surrounded by little joys which we currently ignore, where busy is nothing more than a familiar word, where reality is better than fantasy... Now that would be a Fairytale Life... Have you been to Goa? What are your favourite beaches in Goa? Do you prefer South or North Goa? We would love to know your thoughts and experiences in the comment section below about this beautiful state of Goa. Would you like to know about even more exotic beaches in India? We have a complete 10 blog series on it. Click here to read about The Andaman Odyssey. #India #Goa

Dehradun is the capital of the Indian state of Uttarakhand, a state that sees its altitude rising from river plains at~1000 feet from sea level to some of the highest mountains of India at ~25000 feet from sea level. Located in the Doon Valley between River Ganga and River Yamuna, Dehradun is an important junction that forms gateway to the Himalayan highs. It is located at an altitude of 2130 feet and serves as a base for visiting many tourist destinations and treks in the Himalayas. In this article, we are going to review all the major places to visit in Dehradun and guide you with a 1 or 2 day itinerary. Quick info about Uttarakhand Uttarakhand is a state blessed with numerous snow capped mountain peaks in Greater Himalayas, home to sources of holy rivers, major hindu pilgrimage centers and many important forest reserves and national parks. It is obvious that Uttarakhand has number of tourist destinations that would interest all sorts of people from the elderly interested in worshipping important Hindu temples to the young interested in trekking some easy and difficult peaks, from foreigners interested to learn Yoga by the holy river plains to the nature lovers interested in spotting tigers or snow leopards in the vast forests. A brief snapshot of major attractions in Uttarakhand are - Dehradun - The capital city and easiest point to reach in the state Mussoorie - Hill station near Dehradun Rishikesh - Also known as the Yoga capital of the world Haridwar - Important Hindu religious centre Char dham - 4 important Hindu pilgrimages (Badrinath, Kedarnath, Yamunotri, Gangotri) Nanda Devi - The highest peak located completely in India at 25,643 ft (7,816m). Kangchenjunga is usually considered the highest peak of India but it is located partially in India and partially in Nepal Nainital - A popular hill station of India Valley of Flowers - A UNESCO world heritage site famous for its breathtaking meadows during bloom National Parks - Uttarakhand has number of national parks the most famous ones Corbett national park for tigers and Rajaji national park Treks - Uttarakhand has numerous trails for all levels of trekkers the most popular ones being Har ki dun, Roopkund, Dayara Bugyal, Kedarkantha and many more Best time to visit Dehradun: Since the altitude is Dehradun is closer to sea level, it does get hot in summers apart from being crowded due to school vacations. Summer and Monsoon are the seasons to avoid visiting Dehradun. Winter is much more pleasant. How to reach Dehradun: 1. By Air: Jolly Grant Airport is located around 30 kilometres from Dehradun city area. The airport is actually closer to Rishikesh (20 kms). Several direct or one-stop flights ply to Dehradun from all the major cities in India (Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Mumbai). How to reach Dehradun from Jolly Grant Airport: No government bus service operate from the airport to Dehradun town. Though Ola cabs operate in Dehradun, they do not service the airports due to Union Taxi Association and Ola Cabs conflict. The Union taxis charge INR 1000 for smaller cars and INR 1500 for SUVs from Jolly Grant airport to Dehradun. If you do not want to spend so much and if you are light on luggage, walk for 1.5 kilometres from the airport towards the Dehradun-Rishikesh highway. From here you can catch any government bus travelling from Rishikesh to Dehradun or get a shared taxi/jeep. The buses will charge you around INR 40-50 based on where you plan to drop down in Dehradun. Also remember, Ola cabs do not service Jolly Grant airport. While returning, we pre-booked an Ola cab from our hotel to airport and realised that the cab will not take us to the airport only after it arrived and the driver denied the ride stating the conflict with Union Taxi Association. 2. By Train: Dehradun station (DDN) is connected by rail to all the major cities (Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Indore, Varanasi, Allahabad, Amritsar) and several train run along this rail route. You can check the train and their timings at www.irctc.co.in. 3. By Road: Several private and government bus tour operators depart from all the nearby cities to Dehradun. A bus journey from Delhi takes about 6-7 hours to reach Dehradun. Various car rental companies also operate to Dehradun from Delhi airport/ railway station. Commuting within Dehradun: As mentioned earlier, Ola cabs are present in Dehradun city and one can also book a local taxi or Auto. Shared autos are commonly seen across the city. You might not find local buses for each tourist place in Dehradun. One can also rent a 2 wheeler from Activa to Bullet in Dehradun. There are many vendors and you can easily find them on google. Places to visit in Dehradun / Things to do in Dehradun: 1. Mindrolling Monastery in Clement Town, Dehradun Believe us, a trip to Dehradun is incomplete without visiting Mindrolling Monastery that is locally popular as Buddha Temple. Yes, our minds did roll after visiting this beautiful temple complex. However, we learnt that the name of the monastery is pronounced as 'Min Drolling' and not 'Mind Rolling'. :P Located in Clement town, the streets surrounding the monastery are filled with residencies of the Tibetans and a good number of Tibetan cafes. Mindrolling means 'place of freedom' in the Tibetan language. The monastery was built in the 1960s by Guru Rinpoche as a replica after one such similar looking monastery was severely damaged in Tibet during a communal invasion in 1959. Mindrolling Monastery was built with an intention to promote and protect the Buddhist culture. The 190 feet high and 100 feet wide stupa, also known as the World Peace Stupa is the world's tallest stupa and is the highlight of Mindrolling monastery. On the top facade of the stupa is colourfully carved Maitreya - The future Buddha whereas a statute of present Buddha in the front is seen descending the stairs. The Stupa is 5-storeyed and houses a prayer hall inside with colourfully painted murals and sculptures depicting the stories of Buddhism and its history. Photography is prohibited in the prayer hall. Surrounding the World Peace Stupa are the miniature models of eight kinds of stupas in Buddhism. All the stupas are surrounded by a beautifully manicured garden, a big prayer wheel inscribed with 'Mani' mantra (the six syllable mantra) and a huge vibrantly colourful statue of Padmasambhava/ Guru Rinpoche. Each turn of the prayer wheel is considered a 'Mani' mantra recited and each recitation is considered to be the same as reciting all of Buddha's teachings. The statue of Padmasambhava is believed to ward off the evil, war and disharmony. Bright prayer flags flutter all around spreading peace, blessings and prayers. The Mindrolling Monastery temple complex also houses a college, hostels for monks, guesthouses, a coffee shop, a canteen and a souvenir shop selling Tibetan handicrafts. Another attraction near the complex is a 130 feet tall statue of Buddha which is dedicated to Dalai Lama. Note: The Mindrolling Monastery is open for the visit on all days from 9 AM to 6 PM in summers and 10 AM to 5 PM in winters. It is best visited at 9 AM when you would find no tourists. No entrance fees is charged anywhere in the temple complex. One is not allowed to click photos inside the main complex. 2. Robber's Cave or Guchhupani in Malsi, Dehradun Robber's Cave is located about 8 kilometres from Dehradun city centre. During the British rule, the caves were used as secret hideouts by robbers and hence the name. The 600-meter long cave is open from the top with two tall hillocks on both the sides and a stream flowing by in between. One has to walk in 1-2 feet deep water to get inside the Robber's Cave. The ground is full of small pebbles and the water is cold and refreshing. As you keep moving inside the caves, the gorge becomes narrower and narrower until it finally opens into a wide area with a small waterfall. The waterfall is the source of the flowing stream. The sunlight filters through the top of the two hillocks and provides a wonderful ambience. Robbers cave has the same entry and exit point and you will have to walk back the same path after you reach the end of the cave. It is said that the water level rises up to knee-deep in the rainy season. Instead of walking barefoot in the water it is advisable to rent slippers/ flip flops from the stalls outside at INR 10 to avoid getting hurt by sharp stones and pebbles. The parking area of the Robber's cave is spacious and is surrounded by many food and souvenir stalls. Lockers and changing rooms are also available if you wish to get drenched in the water. Note: The Robbers cave is open for the visit on all days from 7 AM to 7:30 PM. The entry ticket is INR 25 per person. It is advisable to wear shorts or pants which you can fold up to your knees in case you do not plan to carry an extra set of clothes. 3. Khalanga War Memorial in Tibbanala Pani, Dehradun Khalanga war memorial is the world's first memorial erected by an army to pay respect to their opponents. The Battle of Nalapani (1814-1816) was fought between the British troops and the Gurkhas from Nepal at Nalapani Fort in Dehradun. The 5000 British troop army failed continuously for over a month while fighting against the 600 strong Gurkha army. The British army then tactically cut the water supply of the fort and forced the Gurkhas to surrender. But by then the Gurkhas had inflicted a devastating toll on the British army; so much that it negated any true sense of victory by the Britishers. Even though the British won the battle, they recognized the valour of Gurkhas by erecting a memorial for them at the very place where the battle was fought. Khalanga War Memorial is located on a hilltop amidst thick Sal forest. The drive to Khalanga War Memorial is extremely picturesque and scenic. Hardly any tourist visits the memorial, so you can have the whole place to yourself and enjoy the peace and tranquillity of this place. Though there is not much to do there, Khalanga War Memorial is a must visit place for nature lovers and for ones who want a short break from the city's hustle-bustle. Note: Khalanga War Memorial is open 24 hours on all days and has no entrance fee. 4. Forest Research Institute on Chakarata road, Dehradun The Forest Research Institute (FRI) is a premier institute on forestry research in India. The FRI building is iconic and one of the oldest buildings in Dehradun. The building spans in an area of more than 1000 acres which is bigger than even Buckingham Palace! The brick building stands in a lush green estate with the Himalayas in the backdrop. The design is impressive with Greco-roman and Colonial architectural styles. FRI was built when India was under East India Company rule and the building held the Guinness Book of World Record title as the largest purely brick structure in the world for a very long time. The main building of FRI was inaugurated in 1929 and is said to have taken 7 years to complete construction. The inner central courtyards of the building are airy and feature typical colonial architecture with small windows on the first floor and large ones on the ground floor. Several well known Bollywood movies have been shot on the Forest Research Institute campus. The campus also has cantonment residencies surrounded by a mini-forest. Forest Research Institute is an educational cum tourist spot as it houses 6 museums. The 6 museums are: Silviculture museum Entomology museum Timber museum Non-wood forest products museum Social forestry museum Pathology museum Do not miss out on the exhibit of the cross-section of 700-year-old deodar tree in one of the museums. Spend half a day at FRI and enjoy its magnificent architecture, soothing ambience and picturesque beauty. We found first few museums insightful in understanding the flora around us, its classification, threats etc. but as we moved ahead, we found some of the museums a little too technical for layman and much more suitable for the students of the college. There was no guide available and the scientific terms displayed all around us were just too difficult even to read, forget understanding anything. Note: The Forest Research Institute is open for visitors from 9 AM to 5 PM with a half an hour lunch break from 1 PM to 1:30 PM. The entrance ticket at the main gate of FRI is INR 10 per person and INR 30 per car. The entrance ticket to visit museums is INR 50 per person which includes entry to all 6 museums. Note that photography is not allowed in some of the museums. 5. Sahastradhara Hot Spring and Waterfall in Timilimansingh, Dehradun Sahastradhara is a tourist spot with multiple attractions in one place - there's a cave, hot water spring, a waterfall, a couple of temples, a viewpoint up the ropeway and also a scary house! When we visited, the ropeway was closed for maintenance and repair and hence we weren't able to get to the viewpoint and a temple but apart from that, we explored the other attractions. Honestly, we found this place to be a picnic-spot for locals. The waterfall does not look natural at all with all the railings and the walking areas made in between. Several cascading pools like structures are constructed beneath the waterfall that are filled by the water from the falls but they all look very commercialized with certain spots very dirty and unhygienic. The hot water spring is a so-called small cold-water swimming pool that smells of sulphur but we seriously doubt how genuine or authentic it really is. The vendors of the shop around would ask you to take a dip in the water and even drink it for medicinal therapy. The place is filled with several restaurants, shops selling souvenir and renting out clothes if one wishes to take a bath. Locker and changing room facilities are available in plenty on extra charges. Sahastradhara literally means 'thousand springs' and the management has tried making as many water bodies at every place that exists. In peak season, we can imagine all these pools to be filled by locals who may not have access to any other waterbody. We frankly wouldn't even like to step a foot at this place. This place kind of disappointed us, but may turn out to be a fun place for a group of friends and families who look out for some amusement park type of adventure. The pools aren't too deep and very safe for children to take a dip. The stalactite caves are up on a small hillock and are surrounded by small water rivulets such that water drips inside the caves. The ground near and within the caves is very slippery and very few people come to visit it. Guru Dronacharya from Mahabharata is believed to have spent time in these caves. Note: There is no entrance ticket to visit the hot spring, the waterfall or the cave. The ropeway to the viewpoint costs INR 150 per person for a round trip. 6. Other attractions in Dehradun Apart from the above mentioned popular places to visit, Dehradun has some more interesting attractions. Subir Raha Oil Museum is located at the headquarters of ONGC, an Indian multinational Oil & Gas company. It exhibits production process of crude oil and hydrocarbon and a detailed history of the oil industry. SP Nautiyal Museum at Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology exhibits the origin and the evolution of the mighty Himalayas. It educates the public in areas such as earthquakes, the effect of climate on glaciers, natural resources and climate change adaptability. Zonal Anthropological Museum is located just 500 m from Forest Research Institute. It houses artefacts and shows ways of life people on foothills of Himalayas Dehradun Zoo and Malsi Deer Park are attractions to spot various species of birds and animals which might interest children. Tapkeshwar temple, Santala Devi temple, Tapovan temple and Laxman Siddh temple are some renowned temples in Dehradun if temples interest you. Lachhiwala is another picnic spot for locals on the banks of a river which is overcrowded in summers and weekends. We would not really recommend it to tourists visiting Dehradun. Indian Military Academy right next to Forest Research Institute can also be visited if you know someone in Army and can get permission to visit it. Here is a map that shows all the places to visit in Dehradun described above. It will also help you in charting out an itinerary. Each place can be covered within an hour except Mindrolling monastery and Forest research Institute which might take more time depending on your interest. Blue markers - 5 places to visit in Dehradun described in detail Orange markers - Places included in Other attractions in Dehradun section Where to stay in Dehradun: We stayed on the outskirts of Dehradun in the Malsi Ghat area in a beautiful homestay named Walterre. Many to the places to visit in Dehradun that are mentioned above were close to Walterre Homestay. Walterre homestay is a birders paradise. It is surrounded by green landscapes and bird attracting trees. We spotted at least 50 species of different birds during our stay at Walterre. We also managed to click a few - check out the photographs and our review on Walterre homestay in our article. We highly recommend Walterre Homestay as a place of stay in Dehradun for all the peace lovers and for those looking out for a relaxed vacation. PIN THESE IMAGES All in all, Dehradun is certainly a 2-day destination if you wish to cover all the places to visit. However you can cover major attractions in a day. Have you visited any other place in Dehradun that might be of interest to our readers? Do let us know in the comment section below. #India #NorthIndia #Uttarakhand #DelhiWeekendOutings

Langza is one of the remotest villages of India in the state of Himachal Pradesh. Close to headquarters of Spiti Valley - Kaza, Langza is a high-altitude village is known for ancient marine fossils, for spotting endangered animals, for the warmth of the people, and for its gigantic Buddha statue overlooking the Spiti Valley. The landscapes of Langza village can leave anyone spellbound. In fact, we rate Langza as the most beautiful village we have visited in Spiti Valley. In Langza, we got a first-hand experience on how people live and co-exist harmoniously with nature. Their way of living is totally in sync with the terrain’s rough geography and unforgiving weather. This blog will serve as a travel guide for you to visit Langza village. Read our previous blogs on Spiti Valley and Kinnaur Valley by clicking on the below-mentioned links/ images: 1. Introduction to Spiti Valley 2. Plan your trip to Spiti Valley 3. Travel guide to Kinnaur Valley 4. Travel guide to Gue and Tabo 5. Travel guide to Dhankar Lake and Monastery 6. Travel guide to Pin Valley 7. Places to visit around Kaza (Key, Kibber, Chicham, Hikkim, Komik, Langza) 8. Travel guide to Langza and Buddha statue (This blog) 9. Travel guide to Chandratal Lake Langza Village: Langza village is located in the western part of Himachal Pradesh at an altitude of 14,500 feet from the sea level. As a backdrop to the village stands a majestic snow-covered mountain called as Chau Chau Kang Nilda (CCKN), almost like a stage curtain erected in the background. The CCKN peak, which apparently means ‘blue moon in the sky’, appears prominent on the skyline against the deep blue sky. Some people rightly refer to Langza as the ‘Switzerland of Spiti’ though it is more brown than green. Patches of bright green fields spread on brown hills makes Langza a little paradise. The uneven slopy elevation of the landscape adds to its picturesqueness. The small village houses 150 residents who work hard to retain their ancient traditions and customs. Location of Langza Village: Langza village is a high-altitude village situated in the westernmost remote corner of Himachal Pradesh, India. Barely 16 kilometres away from Kaza, the headquarters of Spiti Valley, Langza village is still unexplored, untouched and offbeat. From Kaza, the road climbs rapidly through the wavering bends and end up in a plateau after gaining thousands of feet in a short time. For the brown barren surroundings, the plateau seems strangely green. The entire landscape looks like a gigantic garden carpeted with grass. And beyond the landscape stands the tallest peak in the region, the Chau Chau Kang Nilda peak towering at 20,000 feet. History of Langza Village: As we mentioned in one of our previous blogs – ‘Introduction to Spiti Valley’, most villages of Spiti were submerged under the ancient Tethys Sea millions of years ago. When the Himalayan range emerged, the Tethys Sea disappeared. The fossils of the marine animals inhabiting the Tethys Sea are still found in the villages of Spiti Valley, mainly Langza village. If you have proper tools to dig and time to search, you can definitely unearth the fossils in Langza. Things to do in Langza Village: 1. Visit the Langza Buddha statue A gigantic statue of Buddha guards the little hamlet of Langza. It is the tallest structure in the village and is located atop a hill. The most popular picture of Langza or even that Spiti valley that you may find on the internet is that of the Langza Buddha statue. You can reach the statue after a 10-minute short hike from the parking area.​ When we visited the Langza Buddha statue, cold wind was blowing fiercely making us shiver. Still, all we could do was stare in awe at the colourful statue standing alone and facing the beautiful valley surrounded by snow-peaked mountains. Every nook and corner from above the hill was worth capturing. The villagers believe that the Buddha idol protects them from evil spirits and thus revere the statue with the utmost respect. ​2. Tread around to spot some endangered species Langza village, being located at a high-altitude, is home to several endangered species like snow-leopards, Himalayan wolf, red fox and Ibex. These animals can be seen roaming around the village in the winter months (Dec-Jan). Many travellers stay in Langza village to get a glimpse of the big cat in the landscape covered with thick white snow. Here again, you will need the help of a local guide in identifying the trails these animals move in. Also having a local guide would ensure you are safe. ​3. Photograph the incredible landscape Langza village is a heaven for photography enthusiasts. The landscapes in Langza are unlike anything you will find in other places. You can even spot the Milky Way with naked eyes during the night-time. Several constellations can be easily spotted in the absence of bright lights, which can give you brilliant photography opportunities. The snow on CCKN peak shines gently due to moonlight and glittering stars which again is a great opportunity to click star trails. Tip: If you want to capture milkyway, Buddha statue at Langza is the perfect location. However ensure you visit Langza on a cloudless and moonless night. It gets really cold and windy near Buddha statue in night so ensure you have enough protective gear. You can also go around and see the Langza village along with Buddha statue from different angles. It is beautiful no matter where you capture it from. Because of the high-altitude of the village, the light is bright and crisp and the sky is deep blue during the daytime. The Buddha statue adds a unique magical feel to the area. Buddha statue is also a great sunset point and you must see the golden hour here. ​ 4. Go fossil hunting Langza is popularly referred to as the ‘fossil village’ of Spiti valley. Ammonites – a type of spiral-shaped fossil can be easily discovered in and around the village in high concentrations. Young kids of the village dig up these fossils and sell them to the tourists as souvenirs. However, tourists must understand that these fossils are archaeologically significant and if taken away, could destroy the geological heritage of the region. The locals of Langza village make mud replicas of the fossils which can be bought as souvenirs in place of the actual fossil collection. ​5. Stay with the locals in a homestay Most travellers visit Langza village as a day trip from Kaza, the nearest town with comfortable stay options. However, if you want to experience the life of a Spitian for real and understand their culture and tradition, you should stay in a local homestay with the villagers. There are no accommodation options other than the simple homestays in Langza village. The houses in the village are made of mud, wood and bricks that help keep the interiors warm even if it's snowing outside. All the houses are uniform in architecture, look symmetrical and are painted white. We stayed at a homestay recommended by our travel agency. It was furnished traditionally but had basic modern amenities like comfortable beds, western toilet, separate but clean bathroom and hot water. Our hosts were happy to share a slice of their lives with us. They welcomed us with such warm hospitality and precious smiles that it was difficult leaving them by the end of our short stay. 6. Talk to the locals and understand their culture Changing seasons in Langza village brings about major changes in the lives of the locals. We got to understand Spiti a lot more from our hosts at the homestay. Each family in the village owns some part of the land in or around the village. In summers, all the villagers concentrate on work. They work on their fields for crops like barley, potatoes and peas or rear their animal livestock or stock up dried food for winter months. Winter is a time to reap the awards of the hard work done in summer. It is a season to relax, drink, celebrate, dance and party. Some youngsters work as tour guides, tour operators, porters or cooks for trekkers. We found the locals to be very friendly, humble, honest and hard-working. ​7. Try some lip-smacking Spitian food Meal times allowed us to mingle with the family of the host at the homestays. Our hosts treated us with some delicious home-cooked local delicacies like Spiti bread, home-made butter, tomato chutney, farm potato and peas vegetable, and rice. Black tea and milk tea were served at all times of the day which gave us comfort in the cold Langza weather. We had some of our favourite times at Langza while having meals. ​8. Climb the Chau Chau Kang Nilda (CCKN) peak This could only be done by travellers who have a good experience in high-altitude trekking. Due to its proximity to the village of Langza, which is now linked by a motorable road with Kaza, CCKN has become the most popular and most-often climbed peak in Spiti, receiving many climbers. You would need help from professional guides and porters to climb CCKN peak. It isn’t a one-day trek and would require several days of camping in harsh climatic conditions. If you are not a professional trekker or are short on time, you can enjoy the view of the majestic CCKN peak down from Langza village. ​9. Visit the local temple It is believed that all the deities of Spiti Valley reside in the local temple called as ‘Lang’ and protect the village from evil powers. The temple is also called as Langza Gompa. ​10. Hike up to Tsonyeti and Chumo Lakes Tsonyeti lake, located at an altitude of 14,850 feet, is about an hour and a half hike away from the Langza village. It is like a small pond that is visited by migratory birds in July and August. Chumo lake, located at an altitude of 15,150 feet, is larger than the Tsonyeti lake. It takes around 2-3 hours of steep hike to reach Chumo lake. The site of the Chumo lake offers a spectacular view of the Chau Chau Kang Nilda peak. Spiti Valley Tours: We are highly indebted to Mr. Lara of Spiti Valley Tours to include stay in Langza in our itinerary. While he has his own homestay in Langza, it was completely booked on our dates. Hence he organised and booked our stay in another homestay. Our hosts were excellent and we would never forget their wonderful hospitality. We highly recommend booking a trip with Spiti Valley Tours either directly from their office at Kaza or through their official website. PIN THESE IMAGES There aren’t many sight-seeing places to visit in Langza village. It is a great place to just relax, enjoy the spellbinding landscapes, and chat with locals. If we had enough time, we would have loved to stay in Langza for a week that too in different seasons of the year. Do not miss out on spending a night here. Langza is one place that we can visit again and again. And do let us know your thoughts on our blog about Langza village and Buddha statue. #India #NorthIndia #HimachalPradesh

Kollam (formerly known as Quilon) is a district in the state of southern Kerala, India. It is blessed with incredible water bodies, including tranquil lakes, lagoons, rivers, inlets, estuaries, scattered islands and meandering canals. The Kollam town, which served as a leading spice market in medieval times, is one of the oldest ports on the Malabar coast. Today, Kollam is regarded as the 'Gateway to the backwaters in Kerala'. It is also famous for the Kallada Boat race in the Kallada River that joins the Ashtamudi Lake near Munroe Island. There are quite some very unique and interesting tourist places in Kollam that we think should be in every travellers' radar. Though Kollam is a less touristy destination in Kerala, some of its areas are slowly gaining popularity amongst foreign and Indian tourists. We spent three days in Kollam and roamed about the town exploring tourist places in Kollam on our two-wheeler. Hence, we are optimistic that this article can act as a complete guide for you to visit Kollam. Also read: Places to visit in Kovalam - South Kerala Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach - Recommended stay in Kovalam, South Kerala HOW TO REACH KOLLAM: Kollam is located about 75 kilometres north of Trivandrum, Kerala's capital, and about 140 kilometres south of Kochi (Cochin). The main town is surrounded by serene backwaters towards the northeast and southeast and by the Arabian Sea towards the west. Trivandrum International airport is the closest airport at about 68 kilometres south of Kollam. From Trivandrum airport, you can quickly get taxis or government/ private buses to Kollam. You can also take a train to Kollam from the Trivandrum railway station. The nearest railway station to Kollam is Kollam Junction that is located within the town itself. This rail line is well connected to all the junctions lying on the Western Railway route. We reached Kollam on a two-wheeler that we had rented from a rental agency close to Trivandrum airport. The highway from Trivandrum to Kollam is in a good state, and it takes about 2 hours to reach Kollam. BEST TIME TO VISIT KOLLAM: Kollam, being a seaside town, enjoys tropical weather throughout the year. The months between November to February are the best time to visit Kollam as the temperature is moderate and conducive for sightseeing and backwater cruising. June to August is monsoon when the town shines with all the greenery and rain-washed glory. TOURIST PLACES IN KOLLAM: Here is a compilation of best tourist places in Kollam. Note that we have considered Kollam district, hence most places would require some travelling from main Kollam city and just few average tourist places are inside Kollam city. Kollam beach or Mahatma Gandhi beach Thangassery Light House St. Thomas Fort Ashtamudi Lake Munroe Island Paravur Lake Thanni Beach Jatayu's Earth Center Kilimanoor Palace Thenmala 1. Kollam beach or Mahatma Gandhi beach Kollam is endowed with a long coastline with several beaches, the best being the Kollam beach. This beach has a vast shore that stretches for miles where the locals flock to play football in the evening. The south of the beach is a fishermen's abode where each morning they gather and work as a team for the catch of the day. Kollam beach is, however, not too safe for swimming. The waves are big and powerful; hence the lifeguards do not allow anyone to venture out into the sea. We visited Kollam beach both in the morning and evening. In the morning, we were glad to find so many fitness enthusiasts jogging or exercising or playing sports on the shore. Evenings at Kollam beach are a different scene altogether. The beach is trendy amongst both locals and tourists who come here to watch the sunset. The sunset views are pretty impressive, we must say. We rate Kollam beach to be amongst the best tourist place in Kollam. At one end of Kollam beach, Mahatma Gandhi national park houses a children's play area and a marine aquarium. You will also find several shacks at the rear side of the beach that sells quick bites. 2. Thangassery Light House The Thangassery lighthouse is located in an area named Thangasseri in Kollam city. The lighthouse is painted with red and white oblique bands and stands in stark contrast to the deep blue sky and the green palm outcroppings. Thangassery Lighthouse is 41 metres tall and has a lift that takes you almost close to the top, from where you have to ascend two flight of stairs to reach the balcony. The Thangassey Lighthouse makes for a quick-visit tourist place in Kollam. On our visit, the lighthouse was closed for tourists due to Central Government COVID restrictions. However, we are sure the panoramic view from the top must be incredible as you get the view of the Arabian Sea in the front and the stunning view of the backwaters from the rear end. We recommend visiting the lighthouse in the evening or early mornings. Entrance fee to Thangassery Lighthouse – INR 20 per adult; INR 10 for mobile photography Timings of the Thangassery lighthouse – The lighthouse is open from 10AM to 1PM and from 3PM to 6PM. 3. St. Thomas Fort St. Thomas Fort, also known as Thangassery Fort, is a ruined fort located on the Kollam town's seashores. The fort is very close to the Thangassery Lighthouse (200 metres) and is surrounded by a small green park. The fort was built by the Portuguese as a trading port between China and UK. Today, St. Thomas Fort remains in ruins and is managed by the Archaeological Survey of India. Though the ruins of the fort speak of its rich history, it remains a neglected monument and is not really considered as a tourist place in Kollam. The government is building the 'Thangassery Breakwater Tourism' area nearby, giving the fort its due attention. Else there is nothing much to see in these ruins from tourist point of view. Note: No entrance fee is charged to visit St. Thomas Fort ruins. 4. Ashtamudi Lake Ashtamudi Lake is the most sought-after backwaters in Kerala and a must-visit tourist place in Kollam. This 16-kilometre-long lake is the second largest lake in the state. Ashtamudi, meaning eight branches, draws its name from the eight channels that connect to this one lake in Kollam and the surrounding areas. The lake further divulges into small canals. Kallada River, formed by three other rivers' confluence, discharges into Ashtamudi Lake that further meets the Arabian Sea. Ashtamudi Lake is known as the gateway to the backwaters of Kerala. It is best explored via a houseboat ride or a country boat ride along its many branches and canals. The lake is surrounded by coconut groves and palm trees, with little towns and villages interspersed. The lake is a livelihood source for many locals who earn a living by either fishing or coconut retting for coir production. Kollam is the main town along the banks of this Ashtamudi Lake. However, you can also explore Ashtamudi from the surrounding towns and villages, including Kollam (Boat Jetty near KSRTC bus station), Kundara, Neendakara, Chavara or Munroe Island. While bigger comfortable and luxury house boats are a great experience, a country or canoe boat ride in the narrow canals amongst the mangroves would be a far enthralling experience. While the backwaters of Alleppey (Alappuzha) and Kumarakom around Vembanad lake are much more popular, we feel they are over commercialized and unnecessarily expensive. Kollam and Munroe Island has the same potential and not yet fully tapped making them a much better destination from our perspective. Interesting fact - There is a government boat ride from Kollam to Alappuzha to Kochi - one of the longest backwater journey in Kerala and takes more than 8 hours. Locals use this ride for transportation as it stops along number of smaller towns. 5. Munroe Island Munroe Island is an inland island group located at the convergence of Ashtamudi Lake and Kallada River in Kollam district, South Kerala. This group of 8 islets are about 25 kilometres from the main town of Kollam. Munroe Island is accessible by road, rail and waterways from Kollam and the nearby towns. The famous Kallada boat race in Kerala starts near Munroe Island and can be best viewed from here. The island is rapidly gaining popularity as a tourist place in Kollam for travellers who choose to prefer the peaceful environment of Munroe more than the crowds and chaos of Alleppey. Munroe Island is an ideal tourist destination for vacationers interested in experiencing the true backwater plus village life. We stayed here for 4 nights at two different properties – Vini's Farm, where the entire small island belonged to us, and at Green Chromide Homestay, where we relaxed at our private cottage on the banks of Kallada River. At Munroe Island, you can participate/ watch the coconut coir retting process, look out for migratory birds, cruise the narrow canals of the Ashtamudi backwaters, visit fish/prawn farms, and explore the naturally made mangrove arch. Unfortunately, the island's low-lying areas are under the threat of submerging in high tides, and we suggest that you visit the island before global warming takes it over. 6. Paravur Lake Paravur Lake is part of the system of lakes and canals that make up the Kerala backwaters. It is located in Kollam district (15 kilometres south of Kollam town) and is one of the emerging tourist destinations that attract many tourists. Both Paravur and Ashtamudi lakes are connected as a part of the Trivandrum-Shoranur canal system. Paravur Lake joins the Arabian Sea at Pozhikara near the Thanni beach. We stayed at Fragrant Nature Resort in Paravur, located in a rural backwater setting along the banks of Paravur lake. From there, we hired a houseboat for a 1-hour backwater cruise in the lake, and it was one of the best experiences that we have had in South Kerala. Cruising through the mangroves standing along the sides of the lake intensified the backwaters' beauty and made it even more attractive. We highly recommend staying along the banks of Paravur lake and give this water body a place in your itinerary as a tourist place in Kollam. 7. Thanni Beach Thanni beach is located about 15 kilometres away from Kollam town near Paravur Lake. Thanni beach is formed by a thin stretch of land that divides the Arabian sea and Paravur Lake. The backwaters of Paravur lake meet the Arabian Sea at one end of the Thanni beach. The confluence of lake, ocean, backwater and golden sand makes a beautiful setting. The beach is serene, not very crowded and is ideal for sunset viewing. Do include this tourist place in Kollam in your itinerary. 8. Jatayu Earth's Centre Jatayu's Earth Centre is located at Chadayamangalam in the Kollam district. It is located about 40 kilometres away from the main Kollam town. Jatayu's Earth Centre houses the world's largest sculpture of a bird named Jatayu, a demi-God in Hindu mythology. The sculpture is 200 feet long, 150 feet wide, and 70 feet in height and opened to visitors in mid-2018. Jatayu Earth's centre is a must-visit tourist place in Kollam. As per Ramayana, Jatayu is the bird that tried to save Sita when Ravana was abducting her in his airborne chariot. The bird sculpture at Jatayu symbolises the protection of women and is built in their honour and safety. The sculpture is made on the top of a hill that can be accessed by either ascending the stairway or riding a cable car. There is a rock theme park on the hill that offers adventure activities like rock climbing, ziplining, archery, valley crossing, bouldering, rappelling, and jumaring for adventure enthusiasts. Entrance fee to Jatayu's Earth Centre – INR 240 per person Ticket price for Cable Car ride to Jatayu's Earth Centre – INR 300 per person Visiting time to Jatayu's Earth Centre – 10 AM to 6 PM 9. Kilimanoor Palace Kilimanoor Palace is the birthplace of the famous Indian painter Raja Ravi Varma located in Kollam district, South Kerala. It is situated about 40 kilometres southeast of Kollam town. It is a great tourist place in Kollam for art lovers. The descendants of Varma family still live in this palace. The palace compound comprises of the Keralan traditional building built around the Nalukettu and two ponds. The house showcases the room of Raja Ravi Varma with his self-made paintings and artefacts that adorn the wall. You can easily club a visit to Kilimanoor with Jatayu which is just about 15-20 mins drive from each other. 10. Thenmala Thenmala is the first planned ecotourism destination set up by the Kerala government that lies just north of the Thenmala Dam over the Kallada River. Thenmala town is located approximately 65 kilometres away from Kollam town. Situated in Western Ghats' foothills, it is pretty close to Tamil Nadu as well (15 kilometres). The eco-park in Thenmala boasts of several activities like boating, trekking, mountaineering, camping and biking. It houses a zoo, a butterfly park and a wildlife sanctuary. Thenmala eco-park is an ideal destination for tourists looking for both adventure and leisure. You can book the government accommodation right inside the eco-park and opt to stay in one of their five different categories of interesting rooms. It also makes for a perfect destination for photographers who can spot rare migratory birds. Places to stay in Kollam: Kollam isn't a very well-known and touristy town. Beachside resorts in the main town are few and quite ordinary. Instead of the beach, we highly suggest a peaceful stay on the serene backwaters of Kollam. Fragrant Nature Resort, Kollam is what we would recommend. It is located right on Paravur Lake banks and offers fantastic views of the backwaters from each of its room. Fragrant Nature Resort, Kollam is set in a vast area, has its own in-house restaurant and an Ayurvedic centre, and offers several activities like paddle boat ride, speed boat ride and houseboat ride in the Paravur lake backwaters. Places to eat in Kollam: Kollam is famous for seafood. However, you can easily find restaurants serving all different types of cuisines in the town. We really loved munching in the unique dishes prepped at the Holborn Restaurant on the Kollam beach road. The portions were large, and everything we tried tasted delicious. Another place where you can try out mouth-watering delicacies is Eight point Art Café located inside the Asraman Picnic village campus near Ashtamudi Lake. It is an art gallery cum café set up in a restored heritage building. It has a breezy verandah and serves a short yet thoughtful menu of sandwiches, cakes and refreshing drinks. We hope this article answers all your questions about what you can do in Kollam. If you have already been to Kollam and think that we missed out on adding an important tourist destination to visit, please let us know in the comment section below. If you found this article useful, pin it for later. PIN THESE IMAGES

It is said that "Outside a dog, books are a man’s best friend”. And what shall we say about travel books?! These books make our imaginations travel greater distances than we could actually do in this limited lifetime. Travel books have been a major part of our travel planning and research. They have been a companion in the boring train, flight journeys and any dull day. Not just a companion, but many of these books have been an inspiration. We asked some of our favourite travel bloggers around the world for their favourite travel book that inspired them to travel the world. And while travel books can be of various kind, we are specifically referring to stories - true or fictional that stimulates those cells that love wandering. Some of these books many not fall under the category of travel per say but the way they describe a location or experiences are bound to make you feel immersed in a foreign land. We are not talking about travel guides here. So, here’s a compilation of 30 books that were suggested and that will surely inspire wanderlust and make you want to go to places you might have not even heard about. 1. EAT PRAY LOVE by Elizabeth Gilbert Contributed by Manpreet from HelloManpreet.com Eat Pray Love is a beautiful book based on a woman who believed to have it all - a career, a husband and she felt she was living a life of bliss. Until she got a divorce. This led to her wanting to discover her true purpose and what she wants from life. She first travels to Italy and learns how to appreciate nourishment. In India, she learns the power of prayer and meditation, and in Bali, she unexpectedly finds the power of true love. While travelling around the world, Elizabeth journals her experiences of travels. This journey was one where she looked for comfort within herself, after experiencing a very difficult divorce. What makes the book amazing and a must-read is that she talks about so many unique and small details of places that we might underestimate. It’s a great inspiration to set yourself to have the best travel experience ever. Not only is this book a great inspiration to explore some of the most magnificent places in the world, but it inspires you to be influenced by the world on a much deeper level. It teaches life lessons that you can hold onto forever, reminding you that you are in control of your life and how you want to live it. 2. WILD by Cheryl Strayed Contributed by Lee from The Travel Scribes If you’ve even got a passing interest in hiking or travelling in the USA, you need to immediately get your hands on a copy of Wild, penned by Cheryl Strayed. Strayed, a hapless hiker who had never really gone on a walk longer than an hour, gave up all the trappings of suburban life – her job, house, car and husband – to set off on her very first backpack and walk over 1100 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail. Strayed starts her solo journey of discovery in the Mojave Desert, making her way through the states of California and Oregon before finally arriving in Washington, at the Bridge of the Gods. The writer knows nothing about long-distance hiking, and her inexperience shines through, but it’s the stories of those she meets on the ‘road’, how she overcomes her fears and her breath-taking descriptions of her beautiful surrounds that make this a must-read memoir. Undoubtedly one of the best travel books to inspire wanderlust, Wild was also made into a blockbuster feature film, starring Reese Witherspoon. 3. DOWN UNDER by Bill Bryson Contributed by Pauline from BeeLoved City When it comes to travel books, Bill Bryson sets the standard! This American author is well known for his best-selling books about the USA and the UK but also has one about Australia! Down Under (also known as In a Sunburned country in North America) is going to make you want to jump on a flight to Australia right away. In this book, Bill Bryson tells us everything about his travels in Australia. Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne; everything is in there! The most interesting thing about it is that it’s not just a travel book, it’s a culture book. Bill Bryson immerses himself into the Australian culture. He stays with locals and tries to understand what Australia is all about. He also mentions the wildlife and aboriginal culture which is quite interesting. Finally, it’s very funny! Bill Bryson has a bit of a gift for ending up in the most hilarious situations. Reading Down Under, is like travelling through Australia with the best travel buddy you could ever find. 4. NINE LIVES by William Dalrymple Contributed by Amrita from Tale of 2 Backpackers William Dalrymple is a noted historian who has penned several books on the Indian subcontinent. Nine Lives is a collection of nine stories based on his travel in the Indian subcontinent. The nine stories are about 9 very different individuals who Dalrymple had met during travel in India. The nine protagonists are entirely different from each other and the path they had chosen is neither easy nor common. The beauty of the book is that it tells the story of very different journeys which seeks a common goal. The book gives an interesting insight into the culture, religions and festivals of India. The readers will get a taste of the diversity and uniqueness of the people and culture of India. This book will make you more interested and inquisitive on the culture and traditions of India and will inspire you to travel to the nooks and corners of India. 5. MARRIED TO A BEDOUIN by Marguerite van Geldermalsen Contributed by Maartje & Sebastiaan from The Orange Backpack Married to a Bedouin, where Marguerite writes about her life in Petra in Jordan, will spark your wanderlust. She travels around the world by herself in the 70s and ends up in Jordan at some point. She visits the rock monuments at Petra, meets a local Bedouin and decides not to leave. Sounds like one of your daydreams when travelling, right? Though the book doesn’t make you understand how Marguerite falls in love with a Bedouin she can hardly speak with, you do get why she doesn’t want to leave. The place is beautiful. Most people know Petra from its famous Treasury and the Siq, but Petra is a huge city with many rock temples and houses. Many of these old rock houses in the abandoned city are used by Bedouins for hundreds of years. Marguerite lived in one of those ancient rock monuments for years, close to the famous Treasury. The autobiography will draw you towards Petra for sure, making you want to hike around this enormous ancient town in the rock desert. Suggested Reads - 6. LORD OF THE RINGS by J.R.R. Tolkien Contributed by Diana from Travels in Poland As one of the best-known high fantasy classics, made even more popular after it was transformed into several movies, the Lord of the Rings is an amazing read of three books. Written by J.R.R. Tolkien over 80 years ago, the series of books has inspired a cult following and has sold hundreds of millions of copies. The story revolves around a ring that has a powerful force and changes hands through generations, finally landing in the hands of Frodo Baggins. The story follows the adventures of Frodo as well as his friends as he goes forth on a journey to take the ring away from the Shire. The backdrop of the books has been terrifically depicted and popularized in the New Zealand landscape in the movie as well. The detailed description of locations and the travels that Frodo and his friends are on creates truly mystical and beautiful places in one which would inspire you to travel and live an amazing adventure. It is a must-read for travel enthusiasts as its fantasy fiction creates a longing to move, discover and seek adventure. 7. TALES OF THE ALHAMBRA by Washington Irving Contributed by Joanna from Andalucia in My Pocket One of the most inspiring books that will make you dream of visiting Granada, in Spain, is Tales of the Alhambra. This is the book that brought the Alhambra on the touristic radar, now being the most visited monument in entire Spain, with over 3 million people from all the world coming to see it every year. Tales of the Alhambra is a collection of essays and sketches written by Washington Irving during his visit to Granada. Back then, the Alhambra was left to despair after being destroyed in the French siege from 1812. It acquired further damages 9 years later after an earthquake. Irving asked for permission from the archbishop of Granada to live inside the palace for an entire month and that is where he got the inspiration to write the book. Tales of the Alhambra is a book combining both myths and narrations of historical events wrapped around his travel journal involving the now famous monument. 8. THE WHITE MASAI by Corinne Hofmann Contributed by Martina & Jürgen from PlacesofJuma The White Masai is an autobiographical book and gives deep insights into the cultural life of Africa, as well as into its breath-taking landscapes. It’s about a 27 years young Swiss girl named Corinne, who is with her boyfriend Marco on a holiday to Kenya. On an excursion, she meets a local Masai warrior Lketinga and falls in love with the exotic man straight away. Both of them speak broken English and therefore have communication problems, but still, they quickly get closer. Corinne visits the Masai’s village, which is not far from her hotel and gets to know the local Priscilla, who speaks English well and can mediate. Overwhelmed by the beauty of the country and her feelings for Lketinga, Corinne decides to move to Kenya. But first, she has to go back home. She ends her relationship with Marco and sells her business and her flat. Despite all warnings from friends and relatives, she moves to Kenya after half a year. In the book, The White Masai, Corinne tells her own story about the many wonderful moments, but also the tragic problems of this unusual relationship, about new friendships, her serious illness and how she survived in the bush. 9. LAND OF JADE: A Journey from India through Northern Burma to China by Bertil Lintner Contributed by Jitaditya Narzary from The Travelling Slacker Land of Jade is one of the most iconic travel books that are surprisingly not that famous. Maybe this is because it focuses on a region that itself is rarely discussed or explored by tourists. What makes it even more astounding is the circumstances, both personal as well as external, which were so difficult that most other people would have given up. The author Bertil Lintner was banned from entering Burma (Myanmar) due to his political reportage. Yet, he plans to enter illegally through Northeast India along with his wife Hseng Noung, who is a photographer. On top of that, their daughter is born in Nagaland when they were planning to enter Burma, Yet, they go ahead with the risky plan, carrying their month-old daughter with them! They enter Burma through the Mon District of Nagaland, which borders Northern Burma and then spend months in the strife-torn land before finally escaping to China. Do note that this region is a highly unstable one, with several insurgent groups constantly fighting with government forces. Even the insurgent groups of North-eastern India find refuge in these impregnable jungles. This travelogue also describes meetings with many rebels and narrow escapes during encounters, and in general, provides rare insights about the people and politics of a region that few have traversed. 10. THE ART OF TRAVEL by Alain de Botton Contributed by Jasmine from The Travel Quandary The Art of Travel is not your typical travel book. You won’t find a love story or a transformational journey. The book is not based in any one place, nor does it revolve around a protagonist or a group of characters. Rather, The Art of Travel is a collection of Alain de Botton’s travels and an analysis of voyages taken by fellow renowned explorers and public figures including French poet Charles Baudelaire, Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh and the biologist Alexander von Humboldt. Alain de Botton is a Swiss-born British philosopher and author. His writing focuses on philosophy’s relevance in everyday life, inciting curiosity and deep-thinking in his readers. In The Art of Travel, de Botton tells readers how and why we ought to travel. He analyses the anticipation of travel versus reality, considers how our hunger for the exotic fills a void we cannot seem to satiate at home and reminds travellers to search for beauty in the granular details in every step of our journeys. If you already know where you’re inspired to travel to, The Art of Travel will supplement your wanderlust, encouraging you to consciously move through this world with heightened senses. 11. SHANTARAM by Gregory David Roberts Contributed by Tanayesh Talukdar from Shoestring Travel Gregory David Roberts, an Australian author, is a former heroin addict and also convicted bank robber who escaped from Pentridge Prison in 1980 and fled to India where he lived for ten years in Mumbai. The book is loosely based on Gregory’s life and his uncertain future. In Mumbai, he finds a God figure in a local mafia boss, an Afghan named Khader and a lover in a mysterious Swiss woman who inspires the most in this novel. What the novel teaches the most is how it is always finally your decision to start over, how to rectify from the mistakes you need to forgive yourself first, come to peace with yourself and accept everything coming your way with compassion and love. Reading this book will help you to know Mumbai in detail before visiting as it talks about the places to visit there, the eateries, the people and much more. 12. NOTES FROM A SMALL ISLAND by Bill Bryson Contributed by Alysa Tarrant from Voyaging Herbivore Notes from a Small Island is a laugh out loud narration of Bryson’s journeys around England in the 90s. As an American, he takes a unique perspective on England in an era before cell phones and Google maps, and instead explores everything from caves in London, to the tiniest villages nestled in the English countryside. The book begins along the southern coast of England as Bryson takes a ferry over from France and recalls his younger days when things seemed a little shinier and his back hurt a little less. He takes you all the way up through England, and before you know it, you’ll have a strong urge to hop on a train and see where the journey takes you. Bill Bryson is a world-renowned travel writer known for his many books that take a look at the happier sides of life. Whether you’re wondering how the universe was created or you want to follow Bryson as he putters around England trying different pubs and getting caught in the rain, you’ll easily enjoy every second of his stories. 13. THE DA VINCI CODE by Dan Brown Contributed by Jayashree from DoiBedouin Dan Brown is known for his gripping takes on historical bibliographies. He is indeed the literal master of intellectual cliffhangers. The Da Vinci Code is more than just a thriller. It is just the brain food needed in this lockdown. But do not just gauge it on a thriller mystery scale. The chapters are strewn with codes and cryptic messages that would factually take you on a quest through Europe. Starting with a murder at the Louvre Museum, the quest begins with the clue left by the victim. A Vitruvian Man, by Leonardo da Vinci. Solving a Fibonacci series, Langdon, sided by Sophie, gets a cryptex, from the Bank of Zurich, connecting to the Holy Grail. Decrypting the cryptex, they find a second cryptex and a riddle pointing where to look for. They end up travelling to the tomb of Isaac Newton in Westminster Abbey, London. Next clue lands them at Rosslyn Chapel, Scotland. Some long-kept secrets get revealed. However, the last stop gets them back to Louvre, where the final piece of the puzzle awaited. I could not help but quote from Harry Potter here, "I open at the close". Scintillating, yet the descriptions of the places would lure you to travel to the places itself. And it so happens that the "Da Vinci code itinerary" does exist in real life with slight improvising. 14. THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS by Ann Brashares Contributed by Raquel from Meals and Mile Markers If you feel like you’re in a travel rut, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is a book that will spark your wanderlust again! The first in a series of four books about the coming of age of childhood best friends, it takes you to several different places, including Greece, Maryland, Baja California, and South Carolina. If you read the following books, you’ll visit even more travel destinations! Ann Brashares uses simple stories to share big ideas in her popular book. These girls have the same experiences as tons of other girls (although they take place across the world) while learning about what it means to become an adult. By integrating inspirational quotes and relatable stories, Brashares will encourage you to step out of both your travel rut and any other rut in which you may be stuck. Even if you’re stuck in your home state this summer and you want to feed your wanderlust without leaving the house, read The Sisterhood of the traveling Pants. You can dream about exploring Europe or Mexico and maybe even start making plans! Not only will you read about the adventures of these teenage girls, but you’ll feel as though you are right beside them, living the same exciting lives. 15. MY JOURNEY TO LHASA by Alexandra David-Néel Contributed by Wendy Werneth of The Nomadic Vegan In this autobiographical work by French adventurer and Buddhist scholar Alexandra David-Néel, she tells the story of how she became the first woman from the Western world to visit the capital of Tibet. Her journey took place in 1924, at a time when Tibet remained quite isolated from the rest of the world, and foreigners were not allowed. But this didn't stop David-Néel, who had already spent several years travelling through Asia to learn from Buddhist monks she met along the way. On her journey to Lhasa, she travelled on foot across the Himalayas, accompanied by a young Tibetan lama whom she later adopted as her son. Disguised as a beggar, she survived on yak butter tea and tsampa (barley flour) and slept on dirty floors in the homes of locals who gave her shelter. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to visit Tibet, and it's an especially inspiring read for female travellers with an adventurous spirit. 16. REBIRTH by Kamal Ravikant Contributed by Hannah from Bad Tourist Travel & Lifestyle blog Kamal, a man who has travelled the world and had some amazing experiences, typically writes motivational books in the professional development space. However, "Rebirth", although a very inspirational book, is more of a tale of travel and enlightenment. It is the story of a man, facing personal turmoil in his life who seeks challenge and truth by hiking the El Camino de Santiago pilgrimage through northern Spain. The story is very moving and makes all who read it seek to do the same. This book paints an unforgettable picture for anyone who has always wanted to walk the Camino. Not only is the path a beautiful walk with ancient roots but this book shows how it can be a powerful spiritual experience as well. Walking with the main character, Amit, on his journey on the El Camino, you can get a first-hand look into what the experience might feel like. It is all around a great story of personal growth and how travel can play an important part in our development and ability to heal. 17. THE GOOD GIRLS GUIDE TO GETTING LOST by Rachel Friedman Contributed by Sarah from The Prosperous Blonde The Good Girls Guide to Getting Lost: A Memoir of Three Continents, Two Friends and One Unexpected Adventure is a fun, engaging read that combines self-actualization with good, old fashioned travelogues. Author Rachel Friedman is a young college graduate who has no idea what she wants to do in life. She has no idea who she is, so she sets out on a magical and very funny adventure that leads her through parts of Europe, Australia and South America. This book will appeal to you, if like Rachel, you’re searching to find your way in life; or if you want to learn more about life in other parts of the world; or if you like to read hilarious prose describing frequent travel mishaps! This book will have you laughing out loud numerous times. You’ll particularly enjoy her stories of Ireland and her stint as a hungover waitress and her hostel adventures in rugged South America. 18. THE LOST GIRLS by Amanda Pressner, Holly C. Corbett, and Jennifer Baggett Contributed by Kim from My Global Ways The Lost Girls: Three Friends, Four Continents, One Unconventional Detour Around the World is written by three twenty-something friends who decided to leave behind their busy New York lifestyle to travel the world, visiting four continents over a year. Jen, Holly, and Amanda are all talented writers who each bring their sense of humour and perspective to their travel experiences. Honestly one of the most inspiring, relatable and enjoyable travel books you could ever read. The girls cover everything from volunteering in Kenya, the struggles of leaving ‘real-life’ behind, hostel parties, the ups and downs of long-term backpacking and travel friendships/ relationships. It is a travel book but also touches on the struggles the girls face in their ‘quarter-life crisis’, their friendship, their privilege and personal growth. It will add a few new places to your bucket list, but will also serve as an encouragement to leave the rat race behind and live life by your own rules. 19. ORIGIN by Dan Brown Contributed by Bhushavali from My Travelogue by Bhushavali Origin is the 5th book in the Robert Langdon series, who is a symbologist & Art history professor who works at Harvard University. After reading the book, you will look forward to visiting Barcelona for its stunning landscapes and architectural beauty. Origin is completely set in Spain. It’s a murder mystery that deals with the contradictions between the modern world and religious doctrines. The initial chapters are set at Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey, near Barcelona, where a meeting between one of the lead characters happens with important members of 3 religions. There is a small mention of the Dohány Street Synagogue in Budapest. Back in Spain, the murder happens at the Guggenheim Museum! At this point, the protagonist Robert Langdon escapes from here to reach Barcelona where the story continues in Casa Mila and Sagrada Familia, the fantabulous monuments designed by Antoni Gaudi. The film wraps up at Valley of the Fallen, where Robert Langdon manages to solve the murder mystery or…. did he? 20. DARK STAR SAFARI by Paul Theroux Contributed by Ed Gold from Safaris Africana In the Swahili language ‘safari’ means ‘journey’, and this book is the story of Theroux’s own, once in a lifetime African safari. His epic overland trip takes him the length of the continent by bus, car, and train, from Egypt’s Cairo to the Mother City, Cape Town. After his graduation, Paul Theroux spent years teaching in Malawi and Uganda in the 1960s and 70s, and his appreciation of how life works in much of Africa is apparent throughout the book. His descriptions of the countryside, villages and towns he passes through are so vivid they make you feel as if you know the places, and he has a knack for bringing the everyday people he meets along the way to life - often eliciting funny or fascinating insights. It’s a well-researched book, and alongside Theroux’s take on his journey, there’s plenty of background information on each of the countries he travels through, including Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, and South Africa. This makes it a must-read book for anyone with itchy feet, or an interest in Africa! 21. A YEAR IN PROVENCE by Peter Mayle Contributed by Anda Bartos from Travel for a while A year in Provence is about a British writer who fell in love with the Provence region in France and followed his dream moving there with his wife and two dogs. A series of novels was born out of this life-changing move, the most well-known being probably 'A Good Year'. His writing style is easy and engaging and you will find yourself smiling more than once while reading any of his books. A year in Provence covers the first year of this new life. The book is not a journal as you might think, but rather a series of defining moments that will introduce you to the laid-back life in this part of the world where time slows down and lets you enjoy life peacefully. It will take you exploring the woods of the Luberon, the beautiful region between Avignon and Aix en Provence, and will leave you wanting to enjoy the sun, the food, and the authentic rural life of Provence. Expect quite a few lunches and dinners with lots of details that will make you hungry instantly. 22. THE OLD PATAGONIAN EXPRESS by Paul Theroux Contributed by Alek ZD from Nine to Five Voyager Paul Theroux's critical way of looking at society brings a unique viewpoint to travel literature. He's the anti-Instagram, someone who gives you a realistic view of what to expect when travelling. He can come across as harsh, but he's not uninformed: he's seen most of the planet. The Old Patagonian Express is his 1979 travelogue on the good, the bad, and the ugly of train travel. Theroux boards a train in Boston and ends up in Patagonia, Argentina months later, at the very southern tip of the Americas. Along the way, he attends a riotous soccer game in San Salvador, interviews inhabitants of the former Canal Zone in Panama, and spends several days visiting the blind writer Luis Borges at his home in Buenos Aires. He speaks with dignitaries and common folk alike and vividly paints a unique picture of each culture he comes across. The book sows an idea that, wherever you live, you can walk out your front door and end up somewhere new and fascinating. The Old Patagonian Express will inspire you to just board trains and go somewhere you have never been before, or to get in your car and just drive. Theroux puts a fine point on the phrase, "The journey matters more than the destination." 23. BEYOND THE TREES: A Journey Alone Across the Arctic by Adam Shoalts Contributed by Mikaela from Voyageur Tripper To commemorate Canada 150, Adam Shoalts crossed the length of the Canadian Arctic, alone and by canoe. His route took him from Eagle Plains, Yukon Territory, then met his boat and proceeded to canoe camp across several rivers and lakes to reach Baker Lake, Nunavut - a journey of nearly 4,000 km that required five months to complete. Adam Shoalts is known as Canada’s Indiana Jones and has a reputation for making impossible trips reality. This story is no exception. Throughout the trip, he paddles up rivers of the strong current, encounters more than a handful of grizzly bears (but doesn’t carry a shotgun), fights his way through ice-covered lakes, and nearly gets trampled by a Muskox. Beyond the Trees is a story of an epic Canadian adventure, told through the lens of environmental conservation, witty humour and a dash of escapism. It is perhaps one of the best outdoor adventure books written. You will be captivated by Shoalts’ wildlife encounters and feel energized by his tenacity in the face of obstacles. More than another, you will finish the book with a keen desire to get out in the wild and explore yourselves. 24. THE ALCHEMIST by Paulo Coelho Contributed by Camille from Everything Yoga Retreat The Alchemist is one of the most inspiring books to read on your next trip. This book was written by the famous author, Paulo Coelho. He published the Alchemist in 1988 and has been inspiring the world with his beautiful stories ever since. The Alchemist is about a shepherd boy from Andalusia named Santiago. The boy embarks upon a journey in search of a treasure that he had dreamt of. His adventures take him from Spain to North Africa, and the Sahara Desert. In this book, Paulo Coelho combines magic, wisdom, and mysticism into an inspiring tale of self-discovery. If you read the book, you’ll learn that it’s important to listen to your heart and follow your dreams. This is how this book will inspire you to travel the world and to search for your treasure. The Alchemist tells a beautiful and meaningful story that you could easily enjoy on your next adventure. 25. HOLY COW! by Sarah MacDonald Contributed by Megan Johnson from Red Around the World Sarah MacDonald backpacked around India in her twenties and was not impressed. She vowed to never return and when a beggar told her she would return one day, and for love, of all things, she said "never!" and gave him and the country the finger on her way out. Well, eleven years later the prophecy comes true and she finds herself on her way back to India when her husband is relocated for work. Holy Cow is a travel/ex-pat memoir by Sarah MacDonald that mostly takes place in New Delhi but includes travel around the country in search of peace with a colorful cast of characters she meets along the way.  It's a great read for anyone interested in traveling through India and life abroad as well as spiritual travel. It will have you itching to pack your bags thanks to Sarah's hilarious, but also meaningful, encounters and travels around India. One of the funniest parts of the book is the detailed account of various people she meets while on her journey through India. 26. VAGABONDING by Rolf Potts Contributed by Nishu Barolia from Tanned Travel Girl "Money, of course, is still needed to survive, but time is what you need to live." How many times, we wait for that perfect moment to take that big decision of leaving normalcy behind and exploring the world. Vagabonding by Rolf Potts is a book that will convince you of the fact that you need not wait for the perfect timing to take a break from normal life and plan long term travel. Rolf Potts, the writer of the book, has been travelling for over 20 years and in his book, Vagabonding, he has talked about his anecdotes from around the world. The book covers some extremely valuable tips on planning before starting off the long term travel expedition and building life on the roads. The book will also help you in prioritizing your spending to be able to enjoy an experience which you may have never thought of otherwise like Star Bucks coffee over taking scuba diving lessons in a remote island in Indonesia. This book is highly recommended to everyone looking to live life in a nomadic way! 27. AROUND INDIA IN 80 TRAINS by Monisha Rajesh Around India in 80 trains is a story about Monisha Rajesh, a British-Indian, who returned back to India after 20 years and set out on a 400000-kilometre adventure around India in 80 trains. She travelled across the length and breadth of the country meeting wonderful characters with epic stories. Her travel buddy cum photographer who turned out to be an atheist, tagging along with her in a country built on religion, challenged her to look at things with a completely different perspective. This book will definitely inspire solo female travellers and give them some necessary tips to travel in India. The book is more about people that Monisha meets in her journey than the places that she visited. Around India in 80 trains teaches an important lesson that people hop in and hop out of your life just like they do in a train but at the end of the day the people who you deemed less important will make an impact in your life and extend a helping hand in your difficult times. It is through travelling that you learn life's most valuable lessons. 28. THE BEACH by Alex Garland The Beach is a story of a young backpacker named Richard who is in search of a hidden beach untouched by tourism. He dreams of finding a paradise and miraculous runs into a man who happens to have a map of the paradise. When he finally arrives at this particular beach in Thailand, he finds a perfect life that consists of swimming, farming, fishing, and smoking dope with a bunch of another community of backpackers. Do things end well for Richard? Well, you have to read the book or watch the feature film based on the book to know more. Alex Garland beautifully describes the beaches of Thailand and will make you want to pack your bags and head there straight away. The Beach is edgy and gritty in its narrative and the characters feel horrifyingly real. The story flows in such an interesting way that you will long for reading one more chapter making the book a quick read. Alex Garland's style of writing will make you wish for more. 29. THE GEOGRAPHY OF BLISS by Eric Weiner Contributed by Oksana and Max from Drink Tea & Travel The Geography of Bliss is a fascinating travel memoir by Eric Weiner about his search to discover the happiest country in the world. As a former war correspondent, he was saturated with the lives of unhappy people for over a decade. In his book he travels to the Netherlands to take a first hand look at the World Happiness Index. Then to explore some of the happiest and most unhappy countries in the world. Including countries such as Switzerland, Bhutan, Qatar, Iceland, Thailand, Great Britain, India and the most incontent - Moldova. In each location, he explores how themes like wealth, religion, politics, and education have an impact on happiness. The book is infused with psychological facts, humor, and keen observations. It reinforces the importance of human connection and will make you want to pack a bag and discover these “happy” places on your own. It's a book that’s hard to put down! 30. THE NIGHT TRAIN AT DEOLI by Ruskin Bond Contributed by Vaibhav Khare Mountains. As soon as we say this word, imagery of lush green slopes, fragrant valleys, downtrodden paths appear in our mind. Mountains and valleys are pretty close to every traveller's heart. A traveller isn't, after all, a true traveller unless he has ventured through both shorelines of seas and the woods of mountains. And who better than Ruskin Bond can describe a narration that captures the beauty of these hills in their truest raw form. His book “Night Train to Deoli” is a perfect example of the same. The story revolves around the writer’s voyage to his hometown and his venture with the small, isolated station of Deoli, where he meets this girl whose appearance leaves him captivated. She is a poor seller at the station yet the way she holds herself is dignified and graceful. His encounter with this girl leaves a longing in him to meet her again. This encounter makes him feel responsible towards the girl and he decides that he will meet her again. Next summer, he again travels to Deoli in hopes of meeting her again. But to his dismay, she is nowhere to be found. The ordeal he goes through to find her turns out to be futile as well. In this small yet thought-provoking way of his own, Ruskin Bond makes you go through life in its raw form, reinstating that unlike fiction, real life isn’t permanent. You have to learn to lose and gain people you love. The poignant way in which he simply captures this simple fact of life mesmerizingly true. For all those readers out there, this is not just a story. It’s life defined in its simplest form. PIN THIS IMAGE Have you read any such book that inspired your wanderlust and urged you to travel right-away? Let us know about it in the comment section below. #TravelInspiration

Kovalam is undisputedly South Kerala's most popular tourist destination. The small town has a special place in Kerala's tourist circuit as it is synonymous with swaying palm trees and tranquil spotless beaches. The hippies discovered the beauty that Kovalam is back in the 1970s, and since then, tourism has never looked back. Significantly lesser-known than Goa, Kovalam has its own share of cafes, restaurants and hotels lined up across its shoreline. The beaches are calmer than those in Goa and thus offer a perfect opportunity to swim and surf. In this article, we take you through various things to do and places to visit in Kovalam. Once a pretty fishing village with serene beaches, Kovalam today bustles with tourism. The town has been built in an old-fashioned unplanned way back from the beach. Due to this, the beach areas are super-crammed, and access to beach-side properties is via a maze of narrow lanes. Having spent three days circling this town on our two-wheeler, we are confident that this article will act as a complete guide for anyone who wishes to visit Kovalam. In this article you will find - Best time to visit Kovalam How to reach Kovalam Places to visit in Kovalam Where to Stay in Kovalam Ayurveda in Kovalam Where to eat in Kovalam BEST TIME TO VISIT KOVALAM: Kovalam enjoys tropical weather throughout the year. The months between November to February are the best time to visit Kovalam as the temperature is moderate and conducive for beach hopping and sightseeing. March to May is the low-season time in Kovalam as it gets hotter and the best time to visit if you want to ditch the crowds. June to September is monsoon when the town has a different charm altogether with all the greenery and rain-washed glory. HOW TO REACH KOVALAM: Kovalam is just a stone's throw away from Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram), the Kerala state's capital town. Hence, reaching Kovalam by covering the odd 20 kilometres southwards from Trivandrum has never been difficult. The nearest airport to Kovalam is Trivandrum International airport (about 20 mins away). The nearest railway station to Kovalam is Trivandrum central railway station (about 25 mins away). From the airport or railway station in Trivandrum, you can quickly get taxis and auto-rickshaws for Kovalam. The drivers quote double the tariff. So, keep your bargain skills up. You can also enquire the closest bus stand and choose to take a bus. As for the journey, smooth, straight roads lead to Kovalam from Trivandrum, making the journey comfortable. As per our usual standard, from Trivandrum airport, we went straight to a motorbike rental agency and rented a two-wheeler for the entire duration of our South Kerala trip. For travellers, who intend to change location every few days, this is our best advice – get yourself a two-wheeler or a self drive car. It saves a lot of internal transfer cost for sightseeing as well. We reached Kovalam in about 35 minutes riding our rented two-wheeler. PLACES TO VISIT IN KOVALAM: Kovalam beaches Though being a small town, Kovalam has many beaches dotted on its shoreline, each unique in its own way. For clarity on locations, let us begin by listing the Kovalam beaches starting from up north and slowly moving towards the south. 1. The Northern trio: Samudra beach, Ashok beach and Grove beach Samudra beach is the northernmost beach of Kovalam and attached to the same banks as the Ashok beach. In fact, there's just this one stretch of beach, the north of which is called Samudra beach and the south is called Ashok beach. Both these beaches receive a lesser number of tourists than the other famous beaches in south Kovalam. Samudra beach is a dedicated spot for the fishing business, and every morning, you will find local fishermen arranging their fishing nets and boats to leave on a fishing voyage. The beach shore is seldom seen during high tide, and the crashing waves directly hit the rock formations. It is the best beach in Kovalam to just lie down and relax to the sound of waves. You can even opt to swim, but don't venture too deep and stay away from the big rocks towards the end. A few sea-facing restaurants dot the Ashok beach's rear end, with Kerala Government's KTDC Samudra Hotel in the backdrop. Grove Beach (also spelled Grow beach) is separated from the Ashok beach by a small peninsula of rocks that is easily walkable. In fact, the parking area for all these three beaches is the same, and you can just stroll peacefully from one coast to the other, not realising that you are on a different beach. There's a mosque right on the Grove beach, and this again is a fishermen beach. You will find yourself surrounded by plenty of local boatmen on this beach, coercing you to take a motor-boat ride where they promise you to show all the Kovalam beaches. They even offer parasailing and snorkelling packages. 2. The Southern trio: Kovalam beach, Hawa beach and Lighthouse beach The southern trio beaches are separated from the northern trio beaches by a cliff that houses the 5-star hotel The Raviz and the Halcyon Castle, a family retreat built by the royal family. The Kerala government has now sold the castle to the Raviz group; hence only tourists staying in The Raviz have access to the castle. Like the northern trio, the three beaches of the southern trio, namely Kovalam beach, Hawa beach and Lighthouse beach, are all located close to each other, and you can easily hop from one coast to the other. First things first, the approach road to all these beaches is narrow and extremely steep (70-degree angle; not exaggerating!). Hence, be really careful with your vehicles while driving down to these beaches. The lanes, as well as the shorelines, are filled with shops and cafes and restaurants and hotels and whatnot. Kovalam beach is a crescent-shaped beach, again full of fishermen with their fishing boats lined on the shore and the boatmen haggling tourists by offering them a motor-boat ride. A small stretch of rocks separates Kovalam beach and Hawa-Lighthouse beaches. Hawa beach and Lighthouse beach are a part of the same crescent shoreline. The northern part of the crescent is the Hawa beach, and the southern is the Lighthouse beach. The rocks that separate Kovalam beach from Hawa beach is called Edakallu rock garden, the sunset viewing point as per the Google maps. However, ironically this point does not give you a good sunset view. Hawa beach and Lighthouse beach are relatively cleaner than the Kovalam beach. Nevertheless, they are just another crowded beaches with lots of people lazing on the sand or playing in the water and the vendors asking if we want a sunbed to lie down and relax. Psst! At the end of the Lighthouse beach is a cliff that houses the Vizhinjam Lighthouse. The deep red and white colour lighthouse stands tall in contrast to the deep blue sky as a backdrop. The Lighthouse beach can also be approached by climbing down the slope from the Vizhinjam Lighthouse. The below photograph is taken from the lighthouse end of the Lighthouse-Hawa beach with Edakallu rock garden towards the left end. Note: The names' Northern trio' and 'Southern trio' are not the official names and have been given by us. You can visit all these six beaches in 2 hours unless you decide to participate in any water activities at any of these beaches. 3. The secret beach Well, there's no name to this beach, and hardly any tourists visit it except the one's staying at Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach. So, we named it as a secret beach. However, we spoke to one local at the beach who declared its name to be 'Chairman' beach while others call it Rockholm beach. This beach lies a short stretch of shoreline that lies between the Lighthouse cliff and the cliff housing the Inspection Bungalow. Basically the hill with lighthouse separates Lighthouse beach and this secret beach. The Secret beach is secluded and is only visited by locals in the evening to play football. There's no proper well-marked approach way to this beach. Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach has built its own path to this beach. The locals trail down a rocky hillock at the back of this beach. But, once you're at this beach, you mostly have the entire stretch to yourself. The beach is clean, and the sea is shallow and calm - excellent for swimming. The sunsets are amazing too, and you can click the lighthouse with the setting sun, something you cannot do from Lighthouse or Kovalam beach. We watched all our sunsets in Kovalam from here. Tip: Wait till it is slightly dark, and the beam of the light from the lighthouse shines through. 4. Chowara beach Chowara beach is the southernmost beach of Kovalam. It is located about 10 kilometres away from the popular Lighthouse beach. There are several accommodation options at Chowara beach, and many others are coming up. You could book one of these if you have already seen the northern beaches on a previous trip to Kovalam and wish to spend some peaceful time away from the tourist-infested southern trio beaches. Luxurious wellness retreats are located at Chowara beach, and hence it is popular amongst foreigners, who spend 14 to 28 days at the retreats to receive Ayurvedic treatments. Chowara is basically a fishing village that is now slowly developing into a major tourist destination in Kovalam. It is also popular amongst religious visitors as a famous temple (Aazhimala temple), and a church (Analothbhava Matha church) is located right at the beach. The beach is sheltered by numerous coconut trees that make it stand out from the other beaches in Kovalam. The long stretch of beach is broad, clean and receives gentle waves that make it ideal for swimming and sunbathing. Non-beach places to visit in Kovalam 1. Vizhinjam Lighthouse If there's one thing that you could visit in Kovalam, visit the Vizhinjam Lighthouse. The lighthouse is located on the top of a cliff right beside the Lighthouse beach. The cylindrical red and white tower of the lighthouse can be seen from far off places in Kovalam. The lighthouse, which is still functional, was built in the year 1972. Tourists are allowed to climb to the top of the lighthouse, which is 118 feet tall, and enjoy the panoramic view of the Arabian sea, the nearby beaches and the town of Kovalam from atop. A lift is installed in the lighthouse that goes up to a certain level, after which you will have to climb the stairs. The view from the top is stunning. You can see the vast ocean in the front, Kovalam beach to the right, and the secret beach, the mosque and the Vizhinjam harbour to the left. The road leading to the lighthouse is narrow; however, you can drive a four-wheeler right up to the entrance. The lighthouse in itself is spectacular, especially during the night when the distinctive light beam spreads afar at regular intervals. Due to the 2020 pandemic, the lighthouse was closed for tourists on our visit. Nevertheless, we admired it from afar and clicked a lot of photographs. We also came to know that a musical fountain show is organised on some days during the evening at the lighthouse, which we are sure must be fantastic. Entrance fee to the Vizhinjam lighthouse – INR 20 per adult, INR 10 per child, INR 50 for foreigners Vizhinjam lighthouse timings – 10 AM to 1 PM and 2 PM to 6 PM Note: Vizhinjam lighthouse is closed on Mondays 2. Vizhinjam harbour Vizhinjam harbour is a vital fishing harbour located 5 kilometres south of the Lighthouse beach. If you have been to Marine Drive in Mumbai, you know how it will feel being at the Vizhinjam harbour. The harbour is a key point in connecting the shipping business between India and the Middle East. You will find several big and medium-sized ships anchored here. A port is also being built near the harbour by Adani Group. Vizhinjam harbour is an excellent sunset destination. There's even a viewpoint called Evening Park that has lots of seating area installed by the government for visitors to watch the sunset. We also felt that the harbour is a good sunrise point as well. The best part is that it is never crowded so you can have a peaceful time here, unlike the Southern trio beaches. We just felt that the place needed some cleanliness and wasn't very well maintained. But full marks for the location and views. 3. Aazhimala Siva temple Aazhimala Siva temple is located at the northern end of the Chowara beach in Kovalam. It is popular amongst Shiva devotees who flock to the temple from far and near. Even if you are not a religious person, we would highly recommend visiting the temple, for it's located right on the beach and has a 58-feet tall statue of Lord Gangadhareshwara (a form of Lord Shiva) with the Arabian Sea in the background. The Aazhimala Siva temple is the only place in Kerala where the sea is not eating into the coast but is actually receding. Just a 15-minute visit to the Aazhimala Siva temple will make you feel peaceful and rejuvenated. The constant sound of the waves crashing the shore and the utter silence in the temple has such unique power to calm your senses. This temple is best visited in the morning (Kovalam becomes really hot after 10 AM) or evening. Even if the temple is closed during your visit, you will be able to enter the Siva statue premises, as there is another entrance to visit only the statue. You can combine the visit to the Aazhimala Siva temple along with the Chowara beach. Aazhimala Siva temple timings - 5:30 AM to 11 PM and 5 PM to 8 PM Other places to visit in Kovalam All the above-mentioned sightseeing places can be covered in a 2-3 day visit to Kovalam. But it is always better if you could spend more time. If you are someone who is on an extended stay in this town, we also recommend visiting the picturesque Juma Masjid mosque near the Vizhinjam harbour, the Vizhinjam harbour statue, which is a look-alike of the Christ the Redeemer, the Marine Aquarium and the Rock-cut cave temple (that again are very popular). Spend your mornings visiting the in-land destinations and evenings at the beaches, watching the beautiful sunset from various viewpoints. Afternoons can be spent indoors getting an Ayurvedic spa treatment or simply relaxing on a hammock under the coconut trees' shade. You can even take surfing class offered by the surfing school at Kovalam beach. Here is a map of places to visit in Kovalam that will give you a better idea - WHERE TO STAY IN KOVALAM: The town of Kovalam brims with hotels and resorts. You can find accommodations suiting all budgets; however, they tend to fluctuate between seasons. But why stay away from the beach in this beach town. The beach-side resorts and hotels are also aplenty, and it can get really confusing when it comes to selection. We highly recommend staying at Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach near the Vizhinjam Lighthouse. What we loved about this luxurious property is that it is located just a stone's throw away from the happening (and crowded) areas of Kovalam (Read: Kovalam beach and Lighthouse beach). Yet, it is tucked in a cosy peaceful corner beside the lighthouse with access to a private beach. And we can bet that no other property in Kovalam can offer the sea views that Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach provides. All their rooms are sea-facing and provide an excellent view of the blue waters of the Arabian sea. You can literally spend your entire time in the balconies that the property boasts of. More about it in our upcoming blog! AYURVEDA IN KOVALAM: Innumerous Ayurveda centres mushroom around the Kovalam beaches offering Ayurveda treatments and cure for all illnesses in a perfect holiday setting. Well, Ayurveda is Kerala's biggest tourist attraction, especially for foreign tourists. However, we suggest that you be on your guard and do not falls for spurious Ayurveda centres. Opt for the ones run by qualified physicians or run by reputed practitioners. Enquire everything before you go for treatment. The authentic centres use genuine Ayurvedic massage oils, do not reuse the leftover oil on other customers, have a certified masseuse (always a female masseuse for women and a male masseuse for men), and have a dedicated room and massage table for the treatment. As mentioned earlier WHERE TO EAT IN KOVALAM: All the hotels and resorts have their own restaurants that offer good Kerala food, particularly seafood. However, there are lots of independent restaurants lining the Lighthouse beach and Kovalam beach to interest you in alternative cuisines if you want a change. There's a Swiss Café serving Swiss specialities and a German Bakery known for its coffee, cakes and other snacks. We hope this article answers all your questions about planning your own trip to Kovalam. If you have already been to Kovalam and think that we missed out on some critical information or a place to visit, please let us know in the comment section below. PIN THESE IMAGES

Kovalam is a tropical paradise in the heart of South Kerala. The main reason behind the hordes of tourists swarming Kovalam is its three crescent beaches (Kovalam beach, Lighthouse beach and Ashok beach), which are demarcated by natural rocky and palm-filled outcroppings. Who might not want to stay seaside in a beach town? Since there are hundreds of seaside accommodations to choose from in Kovalam, you might find yourselves in a dilemma. What if we tell you that we have extensively studied all the seaside properties and have identified that one clear winner that ticks all the boxes? Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach is a luxurious seaside Ayurvedic retreat located in a perfect setting near the Lighthouse beach, yet purposefully tucked away from the chaos of city life. Read more: Places to visit in Kovalam, South Kerala - India Rockholm is one of the first few seaside hotels that was built in Kovalam in the 1980s. Since then, it has established business on word of mouth to date. Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach is now a renovated, full-fledged Ayurveda and Yoga centric beach hotel that offers unmatchable hospitality to its guests. Location of Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach: Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach is perched on a rocky terrain in Kovalam, 22 kilometres away from Trivandrum (Kerala's capital town). True to its name 'Rockholm', this seaside property is perched on a rocky terrain that overlooks the emerald blue waters of the Arabian Sea, right next to the Lighthouse beach. We rode to Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach on our rented two-wheeler from Trivandrum. As we left the Trivandrum-Kanyakumari highway and neared the seaside property, the roads became narrow and descended quickly towards the sea. We were sceptical if we would even get a proper place to park on these slopes. But, on reaching Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach, we were glad to find an appropriate space for parking. COVID precautions taken at the Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach: At the cosy reception at Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach, we received a warm welcome from the Front Office staff. We felt more relaxed when we saw everyone with their masks on. We were offered a hand sanitiser, and our body temperature was checked. This made us feel that we are in safe hands. We later found out that even the restaurant staff took all the necessary precautions related to COVID spread. After a few check-in formalities, we were escorted to our rooms. Our Superior Ocean View room at Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach: Our room at the Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach was on the second floor. We were overjoyed as soon as we entered our Superior Ocean View room. We immediately felt at home owing to the minimalistic yet comfortable décor. The floor-to-ceiling glass door to the balcony gave an incredible view of the emerald blue sea. The Superior Ocean View room at Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach, Kovalam, is spacious and comes with a king-sized bed with side lamps, a wardrobe, a study table, and lots of space to keep the luggage. All the furniture is made of wood and has a contemporary feel to it. The en-suite bathroom is as big as the room, with a separate shower area, a large basin and quality toiletries. The toiletries, in fact, caught our attention, for they are kept in such thoughtful small pourable ceramic jars. Defined by the refreshing art deco concept, the room is fitted with all modern amenities like an air-conditioner, a tea/ coffee maker, an LCD TV with satellite channels, a safe deposit locker, high-speed internet, hairdryer, refrigerator, and a geyser. To reduce the impact of plastic bottles on the environment, the Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach provides purified drinking water for guests in recycled glass bottles in all rooms and restaurant. Organic, eco-friendly and anti-slip hand-woven hemp rugs adorn the floor. However, the highlight of our room at the Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach was the huge balcony. It gave a breath-taking view of the secluded beach on one side and the landmark red and blue Vizhinjam lighthouse in immediate proximity on the other. We spent a lot of time lazing on the Rattan chairs placed on the balcony. Layout of the Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach: We were very impressed by the layout of the Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach. The rooms and suites are located across 3 buildings named – Residence Ocean, Residence Arogya and Residence Sky. All the 23 rooms (2 suites and 21 ocean view rooms) at Rockholm, Kovalam offer spacious balcony views of the stunning Arabian Sea at close quarters. Each room is furnished with Burmese teak king-size beds and eco-friendly décor that lends a contemporary chic charm. Art has a special place at Rockholm with presence of unique artefacts, paintings, and murals inspired by the culture and essence of Malabar coast. Such antiques are spread across the property in lobby, rooms, and the open spaces. The property is landscaped, and space is organised into several levels. The buildings spill down the slopes. The garden, which has further private access to a secluded beach, is at the base level. The restaurant is at a level higher than that, and the reception is still higher. The rooms and suites are distributed at all levels. Only someone who stays at the property understands the entire landscaping. The Ayurveda consultation room is in one of the buildings, and the treatment centres and the Yoga centre are strategically located at the garden level with a view of the sea. Ayurveda and Yoga at Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach: Ayurveda is at the heart of Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach's philosophy. They have well-equipped treatment facilities, qualified doctors, experienced therapists, and in-house dieticians to help the guests follow their Ayurvedic treatment regimes. The guests first have to consult with the team of resident Ayurvedic doctors, who study the patient's imbalance of doshas, general complaints and body constitution, and then prescribe a treatment program. Hence, the Ayurveda treatment for each guest is unique. The restaurant staff is informed about each guest's diet plan based on the treatment. The three Ayurveda treatment rooms at Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach have ample ventilation, natural lighting and fresh air and are equipped with traditional wooden treatment tables. Additionally, an adjoining steam bathroom is also available to help achieve the wellness needs of the guests. All the medicines and Ayurvedic massage oils used in the treatments are traditionally prepared authentically at their very own Ayurvedic oil production facility named 'Nattika Life'. Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach offer 14-day to 28-day Ayurvedic therapies that are extremely popular with foreigner guests. Yoga practice at Rockholm, Kovalam, is done in accordance with the Ayurveda treatment. It is mandatory to consult with a resident yoga master before starting the yoga program. The yoga asanas are chosen according to an individual's needs after discussion with the yoga master. Both 'wellness', as well as 'progressive' form of yoga asanas, are practised. The guided yoga and meditation practices are conducted at the open-air, tranquil Bodhi yoga hall that gives an incredible sea view. Restaurant at Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach: Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach boasts of an in-house restaurant named "Naivedya' that overlooks the Arabian Sea. This sea-facing restaurant has both an open-air dining space and an indoor closed dining space (for hot summers). They have a limited yet sufficient ala-carte menu, but we highly recommend that you go by the chef's meals suggestions. The chef specialises in creating authentic dishes with a coastal touch and international signatures. The chef at Naivedya restaurant prepares personalised meals for the guests on a long-term Ayurvedic treatment regime in consultation with qualified Ayurvedic doctors and dieticians. The meals are prepared in harmony with Rockholm's fundamental philosophy of Ayurvedic and Sattvic principles – farm-fresh and seasonal produce. Every dish served has a tasteful mix of balance, flavour and nutrition. A complimentary Continental breakfast is served every morning. Activities at Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach: Keeping in view the guests' interest, Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach hosts a range of thoughtful and complimentary activities for each day. For example, one of the resident Ayurvedic doctors delivers an interactive Ayurveda lecture each Sunday, which is aimed towards guests interested to know more about this alternative therapy. Mondays are for a leisurely visit to the in-house herbal garden that grows a wide variety of medicinal and healing plants. Along with the walk in the garden, guests are educated of the health benefits and therapeutic value of Ayurvedic plants. A cookery class is held every Tuesday, where the resident chef teaches various cooking techniques using Indian spices. Wednesdays are for relaxation when a local artist is invited for a live music concert and guests enjoy the soulful Indian classical music. For those interested to understand the various aspects of yoga asanas and pranayamas, a Yoga talk is delivered every Thursday by an experienced yoga practitioner. Things to do when staying at Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach: 1. Plan a trip to all the places to visit in Kovalam The Vizhinjam Lighthouse is just 200 metres away from Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach. You can take a morning stroll at the Lighthouse, Hawa and Kovalam beaches that are nearby. In fact, all the touristy and happening places are just a stone throw's away from Rockholm. We have written a dedicated blog on Places to visit in Kovalam that you can check out. 2. Watch the sunset at Rockholm's private secluded beach As stated earlier, Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach has its own private access to a secluded beach beside the property. We call this a 'Secret beach'. This beach is super clean (cleaned by the Rockholm staff every few days), receives slow and shallow waves and hence is ideal for swimming. Don't get us started about the sunset view from this secret beach! Have a look at the pictures below. The sunset view with the red and white lighthouse in the foreground is an experience that you should not miss out on while staying at the Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach. 3. Indulge in an Ayurvedic massage/ spa After our stroll at the Lighthouse beach and confronting so many locals offering cheap Ayurveda massages and treatments, we were just sceptical about what's genuine and what isn't. Until we spoke with the doctor at the Ayurveda consultation room at Rockholm. Based on our mental well-being and body composition, she prescribed us the best Ayurveda therapy. She even answered all our questions related to sanitisation, cleanliness and the use of authentic oils. Our body temperatures were checked, and we were then escorted to the treatment centre, which was super-clean and relaxed us immediately. For safety purposes, we kept our masks on while getting the massage treatment. But, all in all, the 1-hour Ayurveda treatment made us feel the most relaxed that we had felt in months, maybe years. We saw no compromise on the genuineness of the therapy or its authenticity. And did we talk about the treatment centres being seaside? The sound of the waves and the aroma of the incense stick was a beautiful addition to our therapy. The in-house Ayurveda doctor at Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach is very courteous and happily agreed to give us information on the basics of Ayurveda that we were interested in. She even suggested basic yoga asanas and gave us diet recommendations that we could practice back at home. 4. Gorge on the Sattvic food The chef and the restaurant manager at Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach are friendly and welcoming. We asked if they could dish out some authentic local cuisine for us, and they readily agreed. That particular day, the chef prepared a proper Keralan meal that included Kerala rice, tomato rice, lentil curry, sambar, avial, thoran, papad, pickle, and payasam (sweet). And oh, that tasted so so delicious; words shortfall to describe the entire experience. Then onwards, we hardly ordered from the menu and always asked the chef at Naivedya restaurant to suggest us the meals. All that we had at Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach was light on the stomach, prepared with the right amount of spices, and freshly prepared with local produce. We certainly had a blast trying out the traditional delicacies prepared with the utmost affection. 5. Participate in Rockholm's complimentary activities We stayed with Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach for 2 days, out of which one was a 'High-tea and meet & greet' day and the other was the 'In-house herbal garden visit' day. We enjoyed both these complimentary activities, especially the garden walk. An experienced Ayurveda practitioner took us around the small garden that they have and explained the Ayurvedic uses of all the garden plants and herbs. We were amazed by the amount of knowledge that the lady had and how passionately she talked about the plants. We indeed learnt quite a few interesting things about the common plants that we come across daily! 6. Eat, read, sleep, repeat There can't be a better place to do this in Kovalam than Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach. We used to borrow books (some very interesting collection) from Rockholm's small library, lie down at one of the hammocks or the sunbeds in the garden, literally sleep to the sound of the hypnotic waves on the comfiest mattress and pillows in our room, and we have already talked a lot about the oh-so-yummy food. Do we need to say more? 7. Spend a relaxed evening in the garden at Rockholm All our evenings at Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach were spent at their garden or the private secluded beach. The Vizhinjam Lighthouse is visible from the garden and makes a perfect subject for sunset photography. 8. Spend time on your balcony Trust us, if you don't spend time on your balcony, you will regret it later! When we weren't doing anything that's listed above, we sat in our balcony gobbling the gorgeous view of the deep blue sea, watching the local fishermen looking out for their catch of the day in their small boats, wondering where those huge ships sailed to after it left the Vizhinjam port, marvelling at the Vizhinjam lighthouse, and spotting the mighty eagle sustaining its flight without flapping its wings. We had a gala time staying with Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach and receiving their unmatched hospitality. We hope to keep returning to Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach and keep creating such soulful memories. It's high time that Indians understand the importance of our very own 5000-year-old science of healing, the way the foreigners do! If not for Ayurvedic treatments, we highly recommend vacationers (especially honeymooners) to book Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach for their visit to Kovalam. In fact, this property makes an excellent place for an extended workation and a staycation, owing to their high-internet speed and peaceful setting. You can book your stay with Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach through their website or any of the below-mentioned travel portals. Did you like our review of Rockholm at the Lighthouse beach? Let us know in the comment section below. Feel free to pin this article for future reference. PIN THESE IMAGES

India’s natural beauty is often overshadowed by its colourful culture and magnificent architecture. We strongly felt this on our trip to Munroe Island in South Kerala. Although Munroe Island is not as well-known as its counterpart Alleppey, it leads the way in South Kerala with some inspiring waterfront homestays and resorts that will leave you not wanting to… well, leave. Nestled on the banks of the Kallada River, Munroe Island is rightly known as the ‘Hidden Venice of India’. Hence, when we planned our trip to South Kerala, we ensured that we spend enough time at Munroe Island. Our search for a waterside stay led us to Green Chromide Homestay, Munroe Island. Green Chromide Homestay, Munroe Island: Green Chromide Homestay is a simple yet upscale waterfront chalet located near the starting point of the Kallada Boat Race in Munroe Island, Kollam – South Kerala. The chalet at this homestay in Munroe Island is an independent wooden house run by a local family. Hence, it has the features and charm of a homestay where you stay and are cared for by a family, as well as the comfort of a hotel where you get utmost privacy. How to reach Green Chromide Homestay, Munroe Island: Green Chromide Homestay is located on one of the edges of Munroe Island. You can easily reach the homestay by crossing the Kallada River Bridge. It is situated near the Munroe Island post-office as soon as you enter the island. The nearest railway station to Green Chromide Homestay is Munroturuttu, located just 3 kilometres away from the homestay. You can hire an auto-rickshaw from the Munroturuttu station to reach the homestay. The nearest airport to Green Chromide Homestay is the Trivandrum airport, located about 78 kilometres away from the homestay. You can either hire a direct private taxi for the homestay or reach the Trivandrum railway station and catch a train for Munroturuttu or Kollam. Alternatively, you can call the hosts at the Green Chromide Homestay, and they will arrange for suitable transport at an affordable cost. We reached Green Chromide Homestay on a two-wheeler that we had rented from a motorcycle rental agency near Trivandrum airport. The ride to the homestay is pleasant, with smooth winding roads and a lot of greenery around. On the final stretch, we passed through some narrow lanes and thick coconut/ palm plantations. Independent wooden cottage at Green Chromide Homestay, Munroe Island: Green Chromide homestay is hosted by a very humble family. You can expect to find a big joint family in this part of India. We received a warm welcome from Ms. Sunaina, the main hostess, and her family of 9. They live in a bungalow with a huge veranda in the front. We parked our two-wheeler in their parking area. Right opposite their bungalow is the private property where the hosts have built this beautiful, independent chalet that overlooks the Kallada River. It is surrounded by various plantations and has a big veranda and garden in the front. We always desired to stay in a wooden log cabin, and staying in the wooden chalet at Green Chromide homestay fulfilled that dream. We learnt later that this pinewood cottage at the homestay was imported from Canada to Munroe Island. It was assembled and installed in the premises near the river in a matter of 3 days. It sits on a raised platform and has a large bedroom, a washroom and a small kitchenette area. The bedroom has a comfortable king-size bed, bedside tables, a corner study table, and a wardrobe made of wood. The bathroom is big with a separate shower area. The chalet is equipped with modern amenities like an air-conditioner, water heater, reliable Wi-fi connection and reading lights. The window in the bedroom opens directly to the enchanting views of the Kallada River. The room was freshly sanitized before our arrival giving us an assurance of a safe stay. We were provided with bottled drinking water, quality linen and basic toiletries. Right outside the chalet entrance at Green Chromide homestay is a small front porch that directly overlooks the flowing Kallada River. The hosts have thoughtfully placed a cloth dryer in the front porch of the chalet, which proved to be super helpful to us. We were permitted to use the host’s washing machine, iron table, and kitchen area if we required. As the chalet at Green Chromide homestay is made of wood, it acted as a natural insulator and protected us from the heat and humidity outside. The chalet is built in a small piece of land close to the island’s settlement yet provides utmost privacy. The riverside chalet is surrounded by a garden with many crops and cultivations like banana, coconut, papaya, jack fruit and pepper. A few hammocks hanging around in the garden completes the look of this beautiful homestay in Munroe Island. A riverside tiled canopy is installed in the garden at Green Chromide Homestay, below which a small dining table is laid out with few chairs. This used to be our favourite spot at the property. We used to sit here almost the entire day and enjoy the cool breeze from the Kallada River. Sipping tea, watching the sunset, observing people, fishermen and boatmen were our favourite activities that we used to enjoy from the tiled canopy at Green Chromide homestay. The pathway from the chalet to the patio is well-lit during the night-time for ease of movement. Hosts at Green Chromide Homestay, Munroe Island: Ms. Sunaina, our hostess, and her family are really passionate about hosting guests from all around the world and showcasing them the countryside life of the backwaters of Kerala. They made us feel at home throughout our stay and were on their toes to make our stay comfortable. They helped us with directions to places of interest, arranged for a canoe ride, and on our request, sat with us when we wanted to understand the way of living and culture of Munroe Island. They were full of interesting information on the local area and its history. They suggested things to buy, the best shops to go to, and good places to drink and eat at Munroe Island. Meals at Green Chromide Homestay, Munroe Island: Our hostess and her family at Green Chromide homestay cooked delicious local delicacies and served us home-cooked meals. They procure locally-grown vegetables and grocery that are free from harmful chemicals and pesticides. We had all our meals in their garden by the side of the river, which was bliss. One afternoon, they prepped a mouth-watering traditional Kerala Sadya lunch for us that was served on a large banana leaf. The culinary delights rustled in the kitchen of Green Chromide Homestay will stay on our taste buds for a very long time. The meals at this homestay in Munroe Island were mostly South Indian, but if you are not too fond of the local dishes, you can always ask them to prepare alternative cuisines. We are vegetarians and did not have any complaints in terms of food. However, if you are non-vegetarian, you might be in for treat as we learnt that their speciality is Green Chromide fish which is found right at the banks of the homestay. Fishes are freshly sourced from the river and cooked. Things to do while staying at Green Chromide Homestay, Munroe Island: 1. Plan a trip to all the places to visit in Munroe Island: While Munroe Island isn’t a place for sightseeing hungry tourists, it has its own share of beautiful places to visit. As we mentioned in our earlier blog on Travel guide to Munroe Island, if you have just one thing to do on Munroe Island, take a canoe tour surrounding the backwaters of the island. The canoe ride takes you around Munroe Island through narrow canals as well as bits of Ashtamudi lake angd will surely be an experience to remember. Honestly, we went to Munroe Island just to relax, but our hostess Ms. Sunaina recommended us some places to visit with such enthusiasm that we ended up discovering little gems across the island, and we are forever thankful to her for that. We have written a dedicated blog on Places to visit in Munroe Island that you can check out. 2. Cycle your way across the Munroe Island The hosts at the Green Chromide Homestay have bicycles that you can borrow and go around wandering the length and breadth of Munroe Island. Riding across the island is super stress-free with no traffic, no pollution, and lots of greenery around. Choose narrow lanes, and you will find yourself riding parallel to the serene canals emerging out of the backwaters. Breathe in the dust-free air pregnant with floral fragrance, and get up and close to nature. 3. Catch the sunset from the homestay When viewed from the garden of Green Chromide Homestay, the sun sets exactly in the centre of the Kallada River. The sight of the sun setting over the crimson-hued waters of the Kallada River will leave you completely recharged. 3. Immerse yourself in Nature The best thing about Munroe island is being so close to nature. From waterways and canals to narrow lanes and plethora of trees, it has the ideal setup to immerse yourself in nature. No other experience can be as rewarding as walking through the narrow lanes of Munroe Island. Nowhere in the urban setup will you find such a place like Munroe Island to rejuvenate. Mornings and evenings are the best time to jog amongst the nature surrounding the Green Chromide Homestay. You can even ask the hosts for a village walk and they will happily arrange for a guided tour. Explore and get lost in the natural beauty around you. 4. Go fishing / swimming The cottage at the Green Chromide Homestay is right on the banks of Kallada River, and you can actually do fishing from the garden premises itself. ‘Green Chromide’ is actually a variety of fish commonly found in the Kallada River backwaters. The hosts at the homestay have fishing gear that you could borrow, catch a fish/ prawn, and request the host to cook it for you. You can even help them in the kitchen and learn a skill or two of Keralan cuisine. A refreshing swim in the Kallada River is all that one could ask for in the scorching Keralan hot and humid weather. Again, you can go swimming right from the homestay’s premises. Remember, the Kallada River is deep and only good to swim for expert swimmers. 6. Do nothing Yes, that is an option too while staying at Green Chromide Homestay. Trust us, you won’t get bored. Sit in the garden, relax/ sleep on the hammock,read a book, listen to the fisherman passing by selling his catch of the day, dive into the Kallada River (only recommended for expert swimmers), attempt your favourite yoga pose, meditate, hear the birds call, or just watch the sunset and the stars shine as darkness sets in. We had a gala time staying at Green Chromide homestay’s real and homely environment. Apart from the family, we met several generous local people in Munroe Island whose passion for sharing their culture touched our hearts. We would love to stay with Green Chromide Homestay again and again without a doubt whenever we plan to visit Munroe Island in the future. Apart from the independent chalet, Green Chromide Homestay also hosts two double rooms on the first floor in their own bungalow. Both the rooms are garden facing and have an attached bathroom. The riverfront garden area near the chalet can be used by the guests staying in the double rooms as well which is a bonus. You can book the chalet or the double rooms directly through their website or through one of the below mentioned travel portals. Check the current prices of Green Chromide Munroe Homestays by clicking on below links - PIN THESE IMAGES Green Chromide homestay is a perfect place to stay in Munroe Island for solo travellers, backpackers, adventure enthusiasts, families as well as for laidback life-stylers. You will be spoilt for choices when staying at this homestay in Munroe Island. Did you like our review of Green Chromide Homestay, Munroe Island? Let us know in the comment section below.

Kollam in South Kerala is a seaside town regarded as the ‘Gateway to backwaters of Kerala’. So, when looking for a resort/ hotel in Kollam, we specifically decided to stay by the backwaters. Numerous lake-side resorts have come up on the banks of the backwater lakes in South Kerala. Searching for an offbeat accommodation, we soon unearthed this unique retreat on the Paravur Lake named ‘Fragrant Nature Backwater Resort and Ayurveda Spa’. Situated on the outskirts of Kollam town, The Fragrant Nature Resort is on the banks of Paravur Lake, right where the Ithikkara River meets the lake. The vast resort spread over five acres of land is an ideal getaway for anyone who loves nature. Here is a detailed review based on our experience. Location of the Fragrant Nature Backwater Resort in Kollam: Just a short ride away from the busy city of Kollam is The Fragrant Nature Resort. The resort lies nestled amongst thick palm plantations on a breathtakingly beautiful waterside land alongside Paravur Lake. The entire five-acre stretch of long land faces the backwaters. If you are blindfolded and brought to Fragrant Nature Resort, you might as well believe that you are on an island. Directions to reach the Fragrant Nature Backwater Resort in Kollam: From Kollam railway station or Trivandrum airport, you could hire a cab to take you to The Fragrant Nature Resort in Kollam. Alternatively, you could also call up the resort in advance, and they will arrange a transfer for you on nominal charges. We reached Fragrant Nature Resort, on our two-wheeler that we had rented from a bike-rental agency in Trivandrum. Our Experience at Fragrant Nature Backwater Resort in Kollam: Fragrant Nature Resort, Kollam, is accessed via the Paravur-Chathannoor road. After leaving the main road, a kilometre ride on the narrow suburban street took us to the walled estate. Once inside, we didn’t feel like being in the countryside. Crossing the main gate, we reached the parking area, which was huge. The vehicles are protected from the scorching sun with a canopy of trees. The chirping of birds instantly caught our attention and relaxed our senses. The reception at Fragrant Nature Resort, Kollam is an old Keralan style building with vintage furniture. The wooden structure with long steep clay tiled roof gives it a traditional touch. Big glass windows offers view of the Paravur backwaters. A vast old brass pot fountain with rubble on the sides adorns the reception entrance at Fragrant Nature Resort. There is ample seating space in the periphery of the fountain. The comfortable sofas are ornamented with bright blue silk cushions that look trendy to the entire set up. Our check-in process at the Fragrant Nature Backwater Resort was hassle-free, and we were quickly escorted to our rooms. The staff at the reception were pleasant and welcoming. The way from reception to the rooms is through a paved pathway surrounded by abundant nature. We stayed in the Premium Lake View villa named Kani Konna, which means the ‘Golden yellow flower’ (Cassia fistula), which is the state flower of Kerala. Our Premium Lake View villa at Fragrant Nature Backwater Resort in Kollam: The Premium Lake View villas at the Fragrant Nature Backwater Resort in Kollam has a large living room equipped with comfortable sofas, a centre table, air-conditioner, and a refrigerator. The living room opens up to the bedroom through a small passage having a cupboard and a luggage rack. The bedroom is spacious and is tastefully decorated with luxury linen. It has a king-sized bed, side tables with lamps, and a dressing/ study table with a big mirror in the front. This room is again equipped with modern amenities, including a satellite TV, air-conditioner, ceiling fan, and tea/ coffee maker. The attached bathroom is big with a separate shower area, hairdryer, and quality toiletries. The Premium Lake View villa at Fragrant Nature Backwater resort has contemporary décor. The lighting inside the room is purposefully kept warm to impart a relaxed feel to the body and soul. Once we entered the room, we left the outside world at the door. The best part about our premium lake view villa at Fragrant Nature Resort, Kollam, was that it opened up to a big balcony overlooking the backwaters on one side and to a private tropical open-roof garden at the other – both through large glass doors. The view of Paravur backwaters from the balcony was stunning, and we preferred sitting on the chairs in the balcony more than being in the room. The floor of the open garden was laid with pebbles along with a few plants that the birds visited every morning. We really appreciated how everything was placed so thoughtfully. We later learnt that all the other types of rooms at Fragrant Nature Resort, Kollam, were designed in the same manner, and each one of them was lake facing. They basically have 3 categories of rooms - Lake view rooms which are primarily housed in a separate building near entrance of the resort, Premium Lake view villas which are spread across the property and they have one special room - A private pool villa. Lake view rooms have easy access to parking areas and recreation facilities. Premium lake view villas as you may have already realized are spacious with verandah and living room. You can choose one closer to restaurant and swimming pool or choose one that is towards the far end of the property. The best room in the property is the private pool villa which we found ideal for honeymooners. The layout of the Fragrant Nature Backwater Resort in Kollam: The Fragrant Nature Backwater resort is laid out in a long stretch of land from east to west. The parking and reception are towards the east, along with the gym, kid’s playing area and the conference/ meeting rooms. Then comes the restaurant, followed by the swimming pool and amphitheatre. The entire property is landscaped and consists of two levels. The lower level has the Ayurvedic Spa centre and the boating dock. Wooden steps or bridges are built at various points to get from the upper level to the lower level. Further towards the west is the Sunset Bar or the Coffee Shop, Yoga Centre and the badminton court. Different types of rooms are spread in the gardens from east to west, each facing the waterfront. Everything at the property is surrounded by big trees, well-maintained lawns and flowering pots with cosy seating areas at every nook and corner. Food at the Fragrant Nature Backwater Resort in Kollam: The first-floor roof-top restaurant ‘Sandhya’ at the Fragrant Nature Resort, Kollam, has a nice view of the Paravur backwaters. Tables and chairs are placed at safe distances and sanitised every time a guest uses them. We really liked that there are baby chairs and a small play area to keep the kids indulged while their parents dine. The food we had at Fragrant Nature Resort in Kollam was freshly prepared and utterly delicious. When the guests staying at the property were more in number, breakfasts used to be continental buffet; else, we were allowed to order as per our taste. Orders for dinner were taken in advance by the evening, and the chefs customised meals as per our taste. Dinners mainly were a candlelight affair. We had requested a Sadhya lunch one morning, and the chefs were kind enough to accept our requests. Kerala originated Sadhya involves a variety of traditional vegetarian dishes served on a banana leaf. While placing each delicacy on our lunch leaf, the restaurant manager explained its importance and how it was made. We savoured the Sadhya food with our bare hands, and it was the most delicious meal we had on our entire Kerala trip. The traditional dessert named payasam was served at the end of the meal, and though our stomachs were full, it left our hearts wanting for more. We were licking our fingers by the end of it. The Coffee Shop or Sunset Bar at the Fragrant Nature Backwater Resort in Kollam: On the westernmost end of the property at Fragrant Nature Resort, Kollam is a coffee shop named ‘Ritulahari’. Right outside the café is a spot that offers fantastic sunset views over the backwaters. This area doubles up as a yoga centre in the morning. Honestly, when we booked our stay with Fragrant Nature Resort, we felt that since the property is in-land, we will miss the sunsets as opposed to the beachside stays. But we were so wrong. We were amazed to find such picture post-card perfect sunset views with from this spot at the resort. Due to COVID regulations, the café was closed, but we can totally imagine how incredible it would be watching the sunset while sipping a cup of coffee. The Paravur Lake Backwaters at the Fragrant Nature Backwater Resort in Kollam: As we already mentioned, the entire five acres of land of the Fragrant Nature Resort in Kollam is located on the banks of Paravur Lake, exactly where the Ithikkara River meets the lake. The undisputed main attraction of staying at Fragrant Nature Resort is sailing the backwaters and meandering through the mangroves. The resort has its own houseboat, country boat, paddle boat and speed boat, along with a dedicated boating dock with ample seating areas. Paddle boating is complimentary for all the guests staying at the resort, whereas ride in the speed boat and houseboat is nominally charged. One of the mornings, we went for a one hour of sailing in the Paravur backwaters in a houseboat. The big Kettuvallam (houseboat) was traditionally built with bamboo poles, coconut fibres, bamboo mats, coir ropes and wooden planks. It had a thatched roof cover over wooden hulls. An experienced staff member from the resort navigated the boat through the green-blue water of the backwater canals. He also allowed us to get our hands on the boat’s wheel. It felt like a journey through another world as we glided past paddy fields, coconut groves, temples, wildlife and tiny villages. We came across several fishermen in their country boats and villagers going about their daily lives. The relaxing experience gave us a chance to switch off from the stress of life, meditate on the views and slow down to reconnect with nature. Other amenities at The Fragrant Nature Backwater Resort in Kollam: Ayurvedic Spa Centre: The ayurvedic spa centre at The Fragrant Nature Resort, named ‘Prana’ is the major highlight catering to guests who look for rejuvenation or medical therapy. The state-of-the-art spa is equipped with traditional massage tables and has warm subdued lighting that immediately relaxes the nerves. Authentic massage oils and Ayurvedic medicines are used by experienced medical practitioners to treat ailments. After consultation with qualified doctors and expert dieticians, the chef in the restaurant prepares personalised meals for the guests to help enhance the effect of the treatment. Indoor game area and Gym: The Fragrant Nature Resort, Kollam houses a dedicated recreation room in one of its buildings. It has games like carrom, chess, table tennis, and foosball which helps keep the kids as well as the adults engaged. The gym at The Fragrant Nature Resort in Kollam is housed in the indoor game area and has some basic workout equipment. The best part about the gym is that it has big glass windows that overlook the Paravur lake backwaters. Swimming Pool: The outdoor swimming pool at The Fragrant Nature Resort, Kollam, is big, clean and well-maintained. It is aptly built amongst nature, surrounded by trees and gardens. It has varied depth levels for swimmers of different categories. Badminton Court: The badminton court at The Fragrant Nature Resort, Kollam, was a surprise. The concrete open air court is a welcome recreational activity for children and adults alike. The rackets and corks are kept right beside the court for ease of use. Gardens: Well-manicured gardens are mushroomed all over the property at The Fragrant Nature Resort, Kollam. The well-tended gardens have paved pathways to take a leisurely walk and relax on one of the benches overlooking the serene lake. The acres of lush greens are surrounded by tall trees, palm oasis and exotic flowering plants. We loved reading books for hours together in one of the many seating spots in the resort's garden. Children's play area: A small area with swings, slides, see-saw and merry-go-round is built near the pool at The Fragrant Nature Resort that the kids will surely love. Souvenir Shop: The small in-house souvenir shop at The Fragrant Nature Resort, Kollam, sold a few traditional attires, authentic spices and little trinkets like jewellery and hand-made handicrafts. Amphitheatre: Also known as the Kala Kendra, the open-air amphitheatre area at The Fragrant Nature Resort, Kollam is located close to the swimming pool and is used for local traditional performances and stage shows. The staff at The Fragrant Nature Resort were always on their toes to serve and help us. They were extremely polite, always smiling and showered us with immense hospitality. The housekeeping staff decorated our rooms and the surrounding with beautiful flowers each day, which we found really nice. Stay at The Fragrant Nature Backwater Resort in Kollam to feel closer to nature. Cruise on the lake, pamper yourself with a relaxing traditional spa treatment, stroll in the gardens, watch sunsets, stargaze at night, have a glimpse of the rustic village life, participate in yoga and reconnect with nature. You can also plan on visiting tourist places around Kollam which includes the amazing Jatayu's earth center while staying at Fragrant Nature. The resort makes for a great stop when travelling from Cochin/ Alleppey to South Kerala or even as a day trip if you live around Trivandrum area. You can book yourself a leisurely stay at The Fragrant Nature Resort in Kollam through their website or any other travel portals mentioned below: Did you like our review of The Fragrant Nature Backwater Resort, Kollam? Let us know in the comment section below. Pin below images for bookmarking this article for future. PIN THESE IMAGES

Blessed with abundant greenery, wettest place on earth, crystal clear rivers, high hills, flat plains, countless waterfalls and amazing culture, Meghalaya is probably the most beautiful state in India. Not only would you find Meghalaya endowed with immense natural beauty, if you go about understanding the ways of this part of the world, you will without a doubt be left startled. Nicknamed as 'Scotland of the east' by British empire, Meghalaya also boasts of 'Asia's cleanest village' - Mawlynnong adjudged by Discover India magazine. Meghalaya has kind of remained cut-off from mainstream India just like other North Eastern states. This has allowed it to preserve its true spirit and prevent itself from the rapid commercialization seen in many other parts of India. Meghalaya has thus remained relatively pure both in terms of geographical landscapes and heart's of people and culture of the state; and this is what makes it a must visit place for travelers. In this blog - Introduction to Meghalaya, we will talk about the best time to visit Meghalaya, its culture and .spend some time understanding its geography. In this travel series - 'The Meghalaya Odyssey' we give you a glimpse of the people, the culture and the ways of life in Meghalaya in detail. The series should serve as a one stop travel guide which gives you all the information required along with recommendations on stay, activities and itinerary so that you can plan your own trip to Meghalaya. This is the first article in the series - 'Introduction to Meghalaya' we introduce Meghalaya to you and give you a basic understanding of people and culture of this state. 'The Meghalaya Odyssey' is a series of 10 travel blogs and 2 photo blogs. Check out other blogs in the series by clicking on the below mentioned links or photographs: 1. Introduction to Meghalaya - This article 2. Plan your trip to Meghalaya 3. ​Shillong Travel guide 4. Mawphlang Travel guide 5. Sohra (Cherrapunjee) Travel guide 6. Sa-I-Mika Resort @ Cherrapunjee 7. Mawlynnong - A Photostory 8. Mawlynnong (Asia's cleanest village) Travel guide 9. Experience Dawki, Shnongpdeng and adventure sports on Umngot river 10. Amazing Dawki, Shnongpdeng and the river Umngot in Meghalaya - A Photo blog 11. A Complete Travel Guide to Jaintia Hills 12. Mawsynram & Mawlyngbna Introduction to Meghalaya - Location of Meghalaya Meghalaya in India is a horizontal shaped state sandwiched between Indian state of Assam to its north and east and by Bangladesh in its south and west. One of the seven sister states of North East India, Meghalaya has a unique mix of terrain which ranges from steep sub-Himalayan plateaus to sudden plains all within 300 kms of length and 100 kms of breadth. Introduction to Meghalaya - Understanding Geography of Meghalaya The state of Meghalaya can be divided into 3 distinct parts which have their own distinct tribes, languages, customs and attire. Each of these tribes have many a things in common too such as- the religion followed is Christianity, social system adopted is matrilineal and major occupation is agriculture. - Garos - Western Meghalaya Khasis - Central Meghalaya Jaintias - Eastern Meghalaya Garos who inhabit Garo hills of western Meghalaya and some in Bangladesh are originally a Tibeto-Burman race. Despite having migrated from Tibet, a major Buddhist centre, Garos seem to have embraced Christianity during British rule of India. Divided across 5 districts, Tura is the main urban center of Garos. While there are plenty of tourist destinations across Garo districts, most of them are unexplored and few tourists visit this part of Meghalaya due to local disturbances and violence in the past. Things are however slowly changing. Khasis who form the majority population as well as hold maximum area in Meghalaya are also one of the biggest tribes in North east India. Spread across parts of Assam and Bangladesh, Khasis are originally considered to be a Mon-Khmer race who migrated to this region (Mon refers to Myanmar and Thailand while Khmer empire used to prevail in present day Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam). Divided across 4 districts - Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya lies in Khasi hills. Along with Mawphlang, Cherrapunjee, Mawsynram, Mawlynnong, Dawki etc. Khasi hills are the most popular tourist destinations in Meghalaya and in this series - The Meghalaya Odyssey, we will cover primarily Khasi region. Jaintias who reside in Jaintia hills of east Meghalaya also have origins similar to Khasis. Spread across 2 districts, Jowai is the main urban center of Jaintias and is often frequented by tourists. A smaller clan compared to Khasis and Garos, Jaintias are largest producers of limestone and coals in Meghalaya and one would easily come across trucks full of these natural minerals being exported to Bangladesh. Introduction to Meghalaya - Little bit of history Meghalaya has known to be inhabited since neolithic age when man first began farming. Though little is known of prehistoric times due to limited archaeology done in the state, beliefs suggesting both a volcanic eruption wiping of civilization and presence of sea in this region are popular in local folklore. Details about origins of tribes of Meghalaya too is something that seems to be inferred by linguists based on similarities observed in languages. Though Garos, Khasis and Jaintias had their own kingdoms, history of Meghalaya is clear only after arrival of British in India in 19th century. After various structural changes through British and in independent Indian rule, Meghalaya became an autonomous state with its own legislative assembly only in 1972. Introduction to Meghalaya - Culture of Meghalaya Understanding culture of Meghalaya will leave you as much in amazement as its landscape would: Matrilineal social system The peculiarity of the tribes of Meghalaya is that they follow a matrilineal lineage. The history of family is traced through the women. The property is transferred to the women mainly the youngest daughter and as per the norm, the husband of the youngest daughter has to stay at her place after the wedding. Children often bear the surname of the mother. Both men and women are free to earn their livelihood. This is particularly interesting when most of the world is fighting for equal rights for women, these tribes since centuries have been empowering women through their social systems. English Though each tribe, Garos, Khasis and Jaintias speak mainly Garo and Khasi language and there exists various other related forms, the official language of Meghalaya is English. Meghalaya is only one of the 6 states in India whose primary official language is English (The other 5 being other north-eastern states apart from Mizoram) Cleanliness This is an integral part of the Meghalayan culture. Every corner in the state is spic and span. Cleanliness is a subject that is homeschooled to every Meghalayan kid by their parents especially in villages. You can read more about this in our travel guide to Mawlynnong. Music Meghalaya, like most of North east India loves music. Everyone we met could sing, play musical instrument and feels music as a part and parcel of their lives. You might be surprised to know that the title of 'Rock capital of India' goes to.... Shillong!! Kwai People of Meghalaya have a culture of chewing Kwai – betel leaf to keep warm in the otherwise cold weather. Even the kids are allowed to chew Kwai and the poorest of households would offer you Kwai if they cannot offer you food Football Unlike the numerous cricket pitches seen in every state of India, Meghalaya has abundant football fields. Everyone, including kids and adults love playing football in their past-time. Almost every village we passed through in Meghalaya had a football ground!! Attire Though men have evolved with time and restrict to their traditional attire –‘Jymphong’ only during festivals; the women are still seen wearing their traditional attire named ‘Jainsem’. Beaded jewellery with varied colors and designs adds to the beauty of Jainsem. The women also tend to carry their children in a makeshift baby bag at their back Religion Meghalaya is one of 3 states in India with majority of population following Christianity, the other 2 being Nagaland and Mizoram. Almost 75% of Meghalaya's population are Christians compared to only 2.3% of total India's population as per Census 2011. Hinduism follows next and many sub-tribes are also known to worship nature and plant saplings Names You might be most fascinated by this but it is true that you would find many people in villages being named after most unusual english words you can imagine. We came across people named Shining and Forceful which was different, but still acceptable. But from what we heard, you can find people named after places like Argentina, Indonesia, Goa, Jerusalem to things like Sweater, Globe, Paper to planets like Saturn to just words like Holyland, Promiseland, Loveliness, Happiness, Request, Unity etc. Introduction to Meghalaya - Climate of Meghalaya The word ‘Meghalaya’ is derived from the Sanskrit word – ‘Megh’ meaning cloud and ‘Alaya’ meaning home; hence this state is also called as an ‘Abode of Clouds’. Meghalaya generally tends to have just 2 prominent weathers - Monsoon and Winters. As you might already have heard names of Cherrapunjee and Mawsynram - first losing its title of 'Wettest place on Earth' to second, it is obvious that the state receives plenty of rainfall. Moisture laden air coming from Bay of Bengal tends to converge into a narrow area due to shape of Khasi hills. The hills force this air upwards suddenly and constantly resulting in quick condensation and resulting heavy rainfalls. Little moisture laden air escapes resulting in less rainfall in other areas such as Shillong. Winters can be chilly and the temperatures can go sub-zero with higher places like Shillong being colder than lowly plains of Garos. Summer months are usually warm but constant urbanization and deforestation is slowly making them hotter. Introduction to Meghalaya - Best time to travel to Meghalaya The best time to travel to Meghalaya would actually depend on what is that you want to do there. We would divide the calendar year as shown below - Dec - Mar: Dry Winters - Suitable for trekking but you will miss out on most waterfalls Apr - May: Warm Summers - Better avoided Jun - Sep: Monsoon - Most people might feel uncomfortable due to heavy rains but is best time for waterfalls Oct - Nov: After monsoon - Decently fair time to visit waterfalls as well as do some treks As said earlier Meghalaya has steep plateaus which combined with incessant rains results in countless waterfalls. There might be sights where you find it difficult to count the number of waterfalls you are seeing. So the question is do you want to see waterfalls or are you fine getting to see few waterfalls but would prefer trekking going through many trails in the region? Most of the trekking trails close down and are not suitable during monsoon as the soil is just too wet and marshy. Oct - Nov or even early Dec might be preferable if you want the best of both. Heavy rains would have resided but waterfalls would still be fresh and some trekking trails would be safe enough. Since all of these waterfalls are rainfed and not snowfed, they dry up. Only few can be seen after January but those too have feeble water stream. PIN THIS IMAGE Hope you are as impressed by the people and culture of Meghalaya as we are and have gained a basic understanding of the state through our 'Introduction to Meghalaya' article. In the second article of The Meghalaya Odyssey, we brief you through various places to visit in Meghalaya and will help you plan a trip to this beautiful state of Meghalaya. Do let us know your thoughts about this article in the comment section below. #India #EastIndia #Meghalaya

Nature never ceases to surprise you in Meghalaya - probably one of the most beautiful states of India. Be it the so many gorgeous waterfalls or unique caves, be it the sacred forests or incessant monsoons. Perhaps that is why some of the tribes of Meghalaya worship nature. And perhaps that is why every tourist visiting Meghalaya cannot prevent falling in love with it. We too were already love stricken having seen most of the well travelled sections of Meghalaya. However Meghalaya sprung up yet another surprise in the form of Umngot river. The much famed Umngot river (also often called Dawki river) amazed us beyond words can describe at Dawki and Shnongpdeng - two small villages very close to Bangladesh border. While Meghalaya throws number of mind boggling landscapes and fascinating cultural aspects at you, the magic of Umngot river at Dawki and Shnongpdeng stood out as probably the most mesmerising experience for us. It might be best if we let the pictures to the talking. This is a photoblog supporting the travel blog on the same topic. You can read the travel blog here. 'The Meghalaya Odyssey' is a series of 10 travel blogs and 2 photo blogs. Check out other blogs in the series by clicking on the below mentioned links or photographs: 1. Introduction to Meghalaya 2. Plan your trip to Meghalaya 3. ​Shillong Travel guide 4. Mawphlang Travel guide 5. Sohra (Cherrapunjee) Travel guide 6. Sa-I-Mika Resort @ Cherrapunjee 7. Mawlynnong - A Photostory 8. Mawlynnong (Asia's cleanest village) Travel guide 9. Experience Dawki, Shnongpdeng and adventure sports on Umngot river 10. Amazing Dawki, Shnongpdeng and the river Umngot in Meghalaya - A Photo blog - This article 11. A Complete Travel Guide to Jaintia Hills 12. Mawsynram & Mawlyngbna Our first glimpse of Umngot river was near the Dawki bridge. Dark greenish hues of Umngot flowed between hills on both sides. Dark green in the center faded away towards the edges as the depth became less. The spectrum of greens with water of Umngot river turning almost transport towards the banks looked spectacular. The small boats in the river added gems to this crown of Meghalaya. Zooming in to check out the banks of river Umngot where the water is pretty transparent with light shades of green. Fishing boats are lined up here on tied to prevent it from floating away. Visiting this boating point and taking a ride is a must do for tourists visiting Dawki. The transparent water becomes dark greenish as you go inwards in the river Umngot as the river becomes little deeper. The shades of the river also seem to vary based on time of the day and how the light falls on the river. The colors also depend on your vantage point - the point from where you are viewing. It is thus necessary to spend more time around the river Umngot exploring it different times of the day and seeing from varying angles. Shnongpdeng another small village further away from Bangladesh border is also a magnificent place to witness the magic of river Umngot. As the river here remains pretty shallow, it gives you amazing views of the stony river bed. The green is much more faded and the water much more translucent at Shnongpdeng. Watching locals fishing from their boats is a joy at Shnongpdeng. Here a guy can be seen lighting his locally made cigarette and fishing. An occupation like this must have its own joy. But all need not be well. Fishing can be a struggle and when you might have a family to feed, the importance of collecting food for the day might be felt. We saw this woman a bit anxious, a bit helpless, a bit sad while fishing. We loved watching this old lady fishing. We passed by her number of times while Kayaking and made eye contact with her. She fished for the whole day and was back again the next day early in morning. Watching her felt like peeking into her life and probably she was doing the same. We had to click her and store the unspoken connection digitally. Apart from the crystal clear waters, Shnongpdeng in Meghalaya is also famous for water based adventure sports. Camping sites and adventure activity providers throng the banks of Umngot river at Shnongpdeng. There is also an annual watersport festival that happens in Feb-Mar in Shnongpdeng. You can see the preparations for water polo and a race in pictures below. It was difficult to believe how transparent the water was at Shnongpdeng when the sun was right above the river Umngot. Whether you are seeing down below while riding a boat or from the footbridge on top of the river, you cannot help getting amazed by the pebbles in the river bed and the abstract patterns formed by light. Capturing the top view of boats from the footbridge of Shnongpdeng with the pebbly river bed seen through transparent waters as backdrop would make any layman capture surreal professional looking photographs. These views had us stunned for quite some time and perfectly summarize magical Umngot river at Dawki and Shnongpdeng. Hope you are as amazed by river Umngot at Dawki and Shnongpdeng in Meghalaya as we are. We would suggest visiting such offbeat places while they are still offbeat. If you are wondering how to plan your trip, where to stay etc., you can read about Dawki and Shnongpdeng along with our recommended campsite - Pioneer Adventures in our travel blog. You can also read complete travel blog series - The Meghalaya Odyssey. PIN THESE IMAGES How did you find the pictures in this photo blog? Was Dawki and Shnongpdeng better than your expectations? Where you able to click more amazing pictures of river Umngot? We would love to know. Do drop your comments below or directly connect with us via email. Do share this blog if you liked it. You can see our other photo blogs here. #India #EastIndia #Meghalaya #Photoblog