A Trip To Discover Yourself –Travel to Lakshadweep

We have heard enough of ‘travel to know’ different cities and different people, their culture, diverse rituals. How about, travelling to a place where you can find yourself? A place, which not only gives you a chance to meet yourself but you, can also spend relaxed & lavish time to know more. A perfect haven to get away from presentations, board rooms & deadline rush, a small group of islands called Lakshadweep is your place.

Although flights & ferries- both the options are available, but the most panoramic way to reach this incredible group of islands is through a ferry (a boat or ship for conveying passengers) from the city of Kochi (also known as Cochin), Kerala. Only one of the islands has an airport, namely Agatti Aerodrome on Agatti Island having Malayam & Dweep Bhasha (Jeseri) as the most spoken languages on the islands.

Literally meaning 100 islands, Lakshadweep Island is a group of several islands, roughly covering 32 square kilometers in area. Once in Lakshadweep, surrounded by the unfathomable turquoise sea, under the gorgeous azure sky you are bound to forget the frets of ‘material’ world. To add the ‘other-worldly’ experience, the cellular networks don’t usually catch a preferable strength of signal, but for all your ‘important’ contacts the facility of satellite phones is definitely available – not that you would actually feel like contacting the ‘material’ world.

With unbelievable range of flora & fauna in the region- over 600 species of marine fishes, 78 species of corals, 82 species of seaweed, 52 species of crabs, 2 species of lobsters, 48 species of gastropods, 12 species of bivalves, 101 species of birds and since this area is one of India’s four coral reefs region, you can have amazing underwater as well as on land experience. Water sports and activities you can enjoy here are as such:

• Scuba diving
• Wind surfing
• Snorkeling
• Surfing
• Kayaking
• Canoeing
• Water skiing
• Sport fishing
• Yachting and
• Night-voyages into the sea are quite popular activities among tourists.

You can nibble on various lip smacking delicacies of sea food, especially tuna which are freshly available only here and hence, also exported to various locations from the place. Honestly speaking, the list of reasons why you should be traveling to Lakshadweep is really unending. The crystal clear waters, the lush environment, a place you’ll love to lose yourself.

Travel safe. Happy travelling!  

A Trip To Discover Yourself –Travel to Ladakh

Image courtesy: www.facebook.com/academyofstoners 

The land so barren and the passes so high, that only the worst of enemies or the best friends would visit 
this land…

(Ladakhi quote)

The feeling of being a wanderer by day, a camper by dusk and a star gazer by dawn, if you ever wanted to experience a life like this, then heading to Ladakh should be on top of your list. Ladakh – the paradise situated in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, lies between the Kunlun mountain range in the north surrounded by the main Great Himalayas in the south. Capable of making any individual feel so insignificant and small, that if ever, you wished to realize the vastness of the world, Ladakh is the place indeed.

The blissful location, situated at an altitude of 3500 mt. above sea level is the highest elevated city in India. And despite being such a parched land, Ladakh has a great diversity of birds — a total of 225 species recorded till date.

With Tibetan monasteries and fabulously ‘cool’ monks, it is but impossible not to realize where the place gets its charm and peace from. The air of this place has a naturally serene sense of enlightment and makes you feel closer to the creator. With stunning architectural views of Thikse Monastery, Leh Palace & Shanti Stupa, individuals will find themselves doubly blessed- with the amazing views as well as surrealistic peace of mind. The natural beauty of this place is simply heavenly. With so many valleys & mounts to explore, tourists and travelers usually prefer to head on their own in search of rarer sights & more stunning scenery. Bike rides, cabs, horses and yaks make travelling an interesting adventure in this part of the country.

Besides the spiritual experience, if you wish to have some extreme fun at such an extreme location – activities like river rafting, trekking & mountain climbing are available to add to your adventure. Different people have different reasons to go to Ladakh, but they all have same reaction when they return – overwhelmed by nature’s vastness & beauty. So when are you planning to experience the thrill & enlightment of such an irresistible setting?

Travel safe. Happy travelling.  

Dive in the fun of travelling – Scuba Diving!

Ever fancied swimming along with exotic fishes, exploring freely underwater the unique & enchanting treasures of sea? When it comes to making your holidays memorable, we assure you nothing comes close to an unusual & thrilling experience like scuba diving!

Basically, in scuba diving, the individual carries a cylinder of compressed oxygen with him or her, instead of just holding breath or getting air pumped from the surface – which provides various obvious restrictions under water. Scuba diving allows people to become the part of the underwater world, even if it is (seemingly) for a brief moment. Scuba diving requires training, hence after a brief training session; you can simply plunge in the ocean & enjoy the time of your life!

If you wish to travel across globe, there are many exotic locations which due to their natural positioning & settings provide amazing underwater diving experience, few international places are:

• Red Sea, Egypt
• Costa Rica
• Gili Island, Indonesia,
• Great Barrier Reef, Australia
• Hawaii

However, if you do not wish to travel so far to experience something as remarkable as scuba diving, then we have at your service – breathtakingly gorgeous locations right here, in India where you can enjoy & experience this ultimate thrill! You would be amazed to know that the sheer variety of the marine life adds to the ecstasy and some enviable adventure destinations serve as the perfect base for adventure holiday in India.

Goa:Attractive corals, coloured and beautiful, shells and fishes all offer excellent exploration. The underwater visibility in Goa ranges from5-10 meters throughout the tourist season. And since the waters in Goa are safe and temperate along with the absence of riptide currents, it makes the waters ideal for beginners.

Andaman: Offers clear, warm water with one of the largest variety of coral and fish life anywhere on the planet! Also, Andaman & Nicobar Islands are one of the few undiscovered gems that have escaped the clutches of mass tourism, hence no rush & crowd, just the serene experience of underwater world. Best time to visit is from June to September.

Lakshwadeep: Consisting of 36 small islands, this group of islands is blessed with white coral sands, crystal clear water and rich marine flora of the Arabian Sea. The Natural coral reef, blue lagoons, delicate marine life-it is a definite must-experience for all. Best time to visit is November to May.

Travel safe. Happy travelling!

Heart Driven Journey

The New Year has just begun and like previous times- people promised themselves the changes they desired. Resolutions were made, lists jotted down and plans scheduled. But we all know what happens next. After few days of the old routine, some where the idea of change starts quivering, people start questioning their own need of things they desired & planned for. After all, they in fact are doing just fine without going after their so-called dreams.

True, what difference can fulfilling a mere heartfelt wish make – besides making you really happy, finding joy in your everyday simple life & feeling blessed, absolutely nothing. These are not the important things we need, success is what society demands for, and competition is what we should be prepared for. But has our lives really got confined to such narrow aims? Is corporate success, office parties & social status the only assets one should work & live for?

Pick up the lists made, and re-connect the plans you made. You wish to travel the world but you can’t find time to go your society park. Well, here’s a little secret – it’s all about your priorities. If you want to do something, you will find a way and if not, well, you’ll find an excuse. Grant yourself some difficult but heartfelt wishes today, so that your future self can be thankful for. Everyone is replaceable in professional world, but when it comes to your personal life – no one can be better at being you than you.

Words can only inspire you far enough to think, but putting your thoughts into actions is totally your call. This New Year, make more time for your family, friends & most importantly yourself. Do more of what makes you happy, travel places which totally amaze you, meet people totally different & in the midst of all this you may be lucky enough to find a better version of yourself. After all, Mark Twain has rightly said –

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.

Travel safe. Happy Travelling!

Spread your wings, time for paragliding!

Let’s face it – each one of us, in our childhood wanted to fly like a bird. To simply spread your wings, float on the clouds, soar like an eagle, who wouldn’t want that! Indeed this sounds like a child’s fantasy but now that you have grown up, you can actually make this dream a reality by ‘paragliding’ - an easy, thrilling & incredible experience!

In India the top paragliding locations are in

• Maharashtra
• Himachal Pradesh

These two states have the most number of sites while other places in the list are:

• Goa
• Kerala
• Karnataka
• Tamil Nadu
• West Bengal
• Uttrakhand
• Rajasthan

You can experience paragliding in two ways, firstly learning to be paragliding pilot & secondly through tandem paragliding. One can learn the basics of paragliding in two days & three days short programs available at various aero & adventure clubs. These programs certify the individual as elementary pilot depending upon the number of hours flown. After this, you are eligible to fly without assistance like a free bird, to where your heart desires. These training sessions are extensively planned & thoroughly safe. On an average, the fees for these trainings range from Rs. 7000/- to 15,000/- depending on number of days and the skills taught.

If however, you do not wish to be a pilot & just want to go for one quick thrilling experience, tandem paragliding is your thing! A tandem ride helps you relish paragliding, without you having to learn it. Tandem paragliders are larger paragliding wings designed to carry the pilot and one passenger. The passenger sits in the front in a comfortable & safe harness and can enjoy the flight without any know how of flying. The tandem paragliding usually costs Rs. 2,500/- for a 10 minutes joyride, however, the average ranges to Rs. 7,000/- depending upon the time spent flying.

So this weekend, how about finally re-living your childhood dream? Paragliding is an absolute safe yet exhilarating experience and anyone from age 8 to 80 can do it. So this New Year, how about going beyond your own limits and just have fun.

Travel safe. Happy travelling.

Sky High Fun of Travelling: Hot Air Balloon Rides

This year how about exploring the same land with a different perspective? Adding a tinge of adventure & wonder to your holidays, simply to make them more magical! So here is a great idea to begin this year’s adventure traveling – Hot Air Balloon rides!

Hot air ballooning is a thrilling & mesmerizing experience and although new in India it is gradually seeing rise in demand. Previously, in India, only Rajasthan had the Hot Air Balloon adventure tourism assets, now however, state of Maharashtra will also be featuring this amazing tourism feature. Overall adding to the list of cities providing Hot Air Balloon services are-

• Jaisalmer
• Puahkar
• Udaipur
• Manali
• Pune (upcoming)
• Lonavala(upcoming)

These hot air balloon rides are charged usually on hourly basis and may range Rs.12, 000/- for adults, Rs.10, 000/- for each child aged 9-12 years old & Rs.8,000/- for each child of 6-8 years of age. These charges may however subject to change as per local & government rules & policies. The rides generally last for an hour, and reach not more than 5000 ft. in altitude.

Since the balloons float along with the wind, the passengers don’t feel the breeze and so the cold, hence you don’t have to worry about carrying an extra jacket for chillier temperature. The best time for riding a hot air balloon is always at sunrise (around 4:00 AM in summers & 5:00 AM in winters) or before sunset, and not to mention the rides are very much depended on the weather conditions. If the local climate gets too foggy or cloudy or overly windy, chances are that your hot air balloon will require a clearance from aviation department for further developments. It’s a safe, romantic & beautiful experience, and if you as well even fancy getting married in a hot air balloon – that is also possible!

So this year, pack your bags & head out to the gorgeous location of desert, forts and/ or mountains & valleys and enjoy the view from a different standpoint! The calmness, serenity of your transport & the marvel of land under your feet will leave you wanting way more! So what are you waiting for?

Travel safe. Happy traveling!

New Year Resolution: To Personally Experience At Least 5 New Cities This Year

On the occasion of a new beginning, what is better than making plans for not only improving your life but also making yourself happy? We say- absolutely nothing. And this only gets better when you add travelling in the list. In fact we suggest, for having awesome life experiences & happiness, explore new lands. We are not asking you to be Columbus & sail off in search of the unknown, no sir – all we are asking you to do is pack your bags & just go explore about distant cities, know about the people living there, their cultures, traditions, history and do this for at least 5 distant cities in a year!

So how to really explore a city that it makes you rich in experience by the time you are done with the travels? Here is a convenient sequence to explore a new city in the best way:

• Museum: It’s amazing to start where it all began. No please, not the big bang theory, we meant the history of the place you are visiting. The first day of your arrival you can always spare few lazy hours inside a museum & learn about the early days of the place. Benefits of this one are great –
  1. You get to know the early culture of the place, hence you can relate to the current traditions & rituals taking place in the area.
  2. Secondly, you get to know the specialty of the place – the things to look out for, the must-visit places around the area & probably the places you can skip, if you are on tight schedule.
• Local diners: To enjoy the delicacies in their most authentic form while learning more about the culture of the place, local diners are the best place.
• Night life: It is rightly said that the charm of a place is truly witnessed in the fall of night. Every city has its own unique night life style which definitely explains a lot about the youth & modern culture of the place.
• Monuments/ natural beauty: Explore & enjoy the beauty of the place, what makes it special and well-known. You can hire a local guide to show you around or you can get a personalized guide – travel book or app & enjoy the place in your solitary company.
• Market: the fun of shopping unique stuff which acts both as beautiful souvenirs & useful products as well.

Above all don’t forget to interact with the local people & experiencing everything unique of the area, after all attempting something new is what makes remarkable memories.

Travel safe. Happy travelling.