Top 10 travel destinations of 2011

We list destinations Indians travelled most to this year, and why. The compilation includes five domestic and five international destinations, but in no particular order.

1. Goa: Goa is a veritable mix of sun, sand and psychedelic. And unlike Miami or Vegas, it has some something for all ages, and just everyone has a reason to experience the 'Goan holiday'. Its endless stretch of sand beaches bordering an azure Arabian Sea, palm-fringed sunsets, lazy strolls by the seaside, manic parties on full moon nights, free flow of Feni at a beach shack, quaint churches and warm local folks...Goa is for those who want to take a pause and let the world pass by, and even those who wish to make the most of their social life.

2. Shimla: Shimla abounds in natural bounty and looks picture perfect. The small hill station amidst the lofty snow-clad Himalayan ranges, surrounded by lakes and lush green pastures look as though an artist has painted them. The unique thing about Shimla is that it still retains its colonial charm and this creates an ambience that is not found anywhere else in India. Shimla is one tourist destination that can be visited any time during the year. Summers are warm with cool and pleasant evenings while winters are bone chilling and the temperatures can fall below zero. But this difference is what makes Shimla all the more special! You can travel Delhi to Shimla by Air!

3. Rajasthan: Rajasthan can be best described as a 'potpourri of colours', for you find them everywhere, and in great bright shades. Walk down an artisan village forgotten in time and you'll be struck by the colours on a local woman's dupatta, in the glass art of an artist, in his painted wooden dolls, in the gemstones studded on jewellery, on the door of a Sarpanch's cottage, in the sandstone havelis...just everywhere you look. And that is why tourists through the year find their way to the artistically rich towns of Udaipur, Jodhpur, the historical city of Chittorgarh, not to mention, 'pink city' Jaipur and the gateway to the Great Thar dessert, Jaisalmer.

4. Port Blair: Port Blair is the gateway to the tropical paradise of Andaman & Nicobar Islands. There is more to this serene harbour town than its endless stretch of pristine white sand, mangrove wilderness and a teeming marine life. With Marco Polo being the first official visitor to the island town, and a history of tug of wars between the British and Japanese during World War II, a day at Port Blair can be very engaging. So, before heading for a cruise to Havelock Island, spend some time exploring its wealth of museums, marine water sports complex, or simply soaking up the scenery.

5. Ooty: 'Udhgamandalam' reduced to Ooty by the British for difficulty over pronouncing it correctly, is a quaint hill station in South India, and a favourite of trekkers trying to get the best of the Nilgiris. Largely commercial these days, in off season it pays to stroll around the sylvan surroundings complete with old-world stone cottages, flower-heavy creepers spilling out of the fence, a tall line up of pine trees, shaded trails and surrounding tea plantations. Here photographic opportunities abound and so do the pleasures of everyday life, like sharing a cup of tea with a local.

6. Thailand: Its official! Indians simply going to Thailand, whatever the occasion. From newly weds flying in for a few days at the beach haven Phuket, to friends ushering in the New Year with a beach party in Pattaya, to bargain hunting down the streets of Bangkok, Thailand has something for everyone. A holiday in Thailand may come for a humble price, but to behold the beauty of the emerald waters of Krabi, the evergreen limestone islands of Ko Tao and Kho Phi Phi Don, its colourful monasteries and simple folks, is priceless.

7. Singapore: Considered a zero-crime country, Indians find it very safe to travel around Singapore, and not to mention party till the wee hours. Clarke Quay, a historical riverside quay is the ultimate hub for party goers what with some truly impressive floating pubs and restaurants offering the best in cuisine and music by world best DJs. Singapore offers innumerable options to avid shoppers; a lot of them even go there for an exotic spa treatment followed by a trip to Sentosa that houses the Universal studio, and squeeze in a visit to the underwater aquarium.

8. Maldives: Of the South East Asian destinations, Maldives is probably the costliest. The colour of the flat sea of Maldives is something to be experienced. The resorts tucked away in the palm wilderness are an extension of the natural environment that lets you take in the scenery, dine alfresco on the deck overlooking the splendid coral reefs, or enjoy a quiet walk by the seaside. Maldives is known for its brilliant underwater life making a snorkelling experience here a fulfilling one.

9. London: London is a city of contrasts. Here busy walks merge with tree-lined boulevards, new age architecture share space with the Medieval ones, swanky restaurants compete with old-fashioned dining. Aside from London's iconic landmarks like the Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square, it is also a gateway to Scotland, Paris, and of course the quaint British countryside. In London everyone's on the move, but people still find time for artistic indulgences like music, painting, writing, handcrafting, just anything creative.

10. Switzerland: Yash Chopra may have captured all of Switzerland's tulip gardens, snow-capped peaks, a carriage ride on a snowed down road, the meadows with cows grazing in them, but the culture, the richness, the setting of this country is something you can experience by spending a few days here. While a cable car ride to the summit of Mount Titlis can be exhilarating with an endless white landscape stretching into distance, there is serenity in exploring the still lakes and gardens of Lucerne, and most importantly the Chapel Bride and Water Tower. Offering the best in chocolates and cheese, Switzerland is certainly not overrated.

Delhi to Shimla

Road Trip from Manali to Leh Ladakh

Leh at every step of the breathtaking views-Manali highway, long after the images imprints. In the summer, on the road from the Kullu valley, a stream of buses and Enfield motorcycles in the world, most other road Motorable, 5328m Dizzying Heights with a visit to. The very surface, dirt from the glacial streams on the rough cut is different from the Asphalt. Different river basins with a 485-km ride Sarchu camp at night with a height of 4,000 m on the highway takes about 24 hours for 3 months on July 15 and 15 (between.) every year. Second season, is closed due to snow.

From Manali, the Rohtang pass road (3900m) for at the beginning of a long climb across the Beas. Sewer as you progress in the reform as long as the eternal snow on the idea, Pastures of grass between the coniferous forests. With just under a breakfast stop for Dhabas to close. There is a temple near the top of a rock, from where you get crown of a great view of the upper Beas valley.

Rohtang La (la means ‘Pass’ in Tibet) Lahul and Spiti means for the difficult areas is the entrance. 5000 passed between the two - meter summit, one in the region to have the most treacherous. Sometimes people suddenly fall season were stuck. Rohtang literally "" means the bodies of the funds.

Gleaming white in the Chandra Pal Valley Massif offers exciting insights to the bottom of the slope to Rohtang. The road is where the river reaches Koksar. Parathas I can not forget, we had it. They were Aaloo parathas, stuffed fried, but served with a saucy Tibetan oil. Finger-licking irresistible!

The next few hours were some of the most beautiful in the whole trip. Since the slopes of the valley with the road works, you can see the high peaks and hanging glaciers. Sacred mountains Rangcha a strong shield around the base of the lunar-Tandi on how to bridge on the river after which Keylong Valley Bhaga Bhaga rivers with your guidance, beyond Keylong, the Bhaga valley broadens. All buses in Darcha stop for lunch here only. A roadside Dhaba with a hot cup of Tibetan Thupka is a favorite. This soup is a dish of Chinese noodles. Tibetan sauce complements the taste of the Thupka. We called Momo Tibetan court was like a delicious samosas.

If you Baralacha La, which are Darcha blow your mind, the road towards the mountain of red wine a row and yellow, green, Boulders How to Zingzing on the bar is rising from the ground than it is uninhabited. The "Twelve" three valleys, Bhaga, the moon and the head of the forms to Yunan horned. By the time you get to Sarchu Serai you'll be ready for a night's rest, which is in a tent. It's a high; straight at the bottom tip of the plane is next to the river Bagha. You dhabas-dal some temporary rice for dinner. To 4:30, you have to watch 5lth further to the visit of several layers of warm clothing protection that do not stop trembling with.

You head to Lachlang La (5,059m) from Sarchu, the second highest pass on the highway, before descending to Pang at 4,500m. 3 km from Pang is the extraordinary Moray Plains (4,800m), a 45-kilometre-long plateau encircled by rolling hills and brilliant white Himalayan peaks.

LA Dibring Tanglang on the road, one of the main camps for the climb to 5328m spinning begins. The best in the world and you have to reach it in time, then his nose started bleeding a little can be done. This is a symptom of altitude sickness. (More on that later), but. From here the Himalayan Karakoram Range, Ladakh video signal that you are. The road to our old Indus (Sindhu) valley is. Indus River, for thousands of years is the lifeline of India. It is a world (Indus Valley civilization) in the oldest civilizations fed. It is; of course, think in terms of the big river.

From Manali entrance to Ladakh is Upshi. This is where the Indian Army, which finished construction and for maintenance of the highway project. Strong in view of the Himalayan region cut off a road maintenance is very difficult. As the freezing point of the project is called, is amazing. Read a road board: "If you want a road to the moon, then contact Himank" please. And we have no exaggeration!

(40 km) from Leh Upshi on the way, there's high peaks with Gompas homes and villages is crowned. The solid stone structures Gompas Buddhist monasteries, but the big temples. The first impression was that the industry green with patches of the desert teachers. The first things you notice a Carillons prayers are with the tires. As Leh above sea level is 3,505 meters, the highest degree a tourist experience altitude sickness. The symptoms constant headache, dizziness, drowsiness, and stuffy nose is bleeding, and include / or lack of breath. It is because your body has not yet acclimatized to the comparative lack of oxygen. So the tourism department suggests you take complete rest for at least 48 hours. Since we can not afford such a rest, we were dealing with the 24 hours before breaking out.

Since we are not already booked accommodation, we went to a hotel / guesthouses. Many of them were filled. Half a kilometer before we run, we were tired. Most of the family who did not have any place so that they were sorry women is managed by the guest house, run! A lovely "Julay" (Ladakhi "Hello"), and also welcomed us with tea.

Ladakhi capital of Leh, sprawls from the foot of a ruined Tibetan-style palace - a maze of mud-brick and concrete. Leh, the capital of the state in the seventeenth century, when his farm here Sengge Namgyal Shey, 15 km southeast of the head of the closer - Khardung China in the Karakoram Corridor. (Khardung to bring the world's highest, 39 kms from Leh) is.

Ladakh is a travelers and trekkers' paradise. Backpacks come with their foreign, is growing in different directions. The charm and the former Palace and cities Namgyal Gompa Tsemo included around. A little walk in the fields, Shankar Murals ports and a modern tantric deity Avalokitesvara line thousand small monastery. Just within the reach of picturesque villages and wires in Gompas Shey, a seventeenth century abandoned palace, and Tiks Gompa Hemis Gompa is amazing, this area is the largest site. Of a sitting Buddha Tiks is a large statue.

Leh, the power is very bad. Most of the time, including the night, there was no electricity. By our candlelight dinner is a lot to be forced. Through satellite telephone connections, it is very comfortable with the call by India's hard to connect. Leh after about 8 months of the world for one year is cut, they (such as construction materials, etc.) for 3 months during the season as the most important things will happen. The only consolation is that almost all the air through the year round has been involved. But the villages on Manali - Leh highway remains completely closed for 8-9 months in a year. Try / Visit Delhi to Shimla!

Delhi to Shimla

Hotels in Shirdi

Indian Holy City Shirdi offers variety of accommodation options for every need and price range. You can choose from government approved Dharamshalas or various hotels from Budget Hotel to Luxury 5 Star Hotels. Most of the accommodation in Shirdi is near to Sai Baba Temple and one can reach to temple by walking only.

Hotels in Shirdi:

Sun n Sand, Shirdi (Price Range Rs. 3000 – 13500 approx.)
Add: 262, Bund Garden Road, Taluka Kopergaon, Shirdi.
Sun-n-Sand Hotel in Shirdi has 100 luxurious rooms with 5 Star facilities and this hotel is only a short walking distance from Sai Baba's Temple.

Hotel Sai Sahavas, Shirdi (Price Range Rs. 1450 - 1650)
Add: Behind Sai Udyan, Near Sai Baba Temple, Shirdi.
Hotel Sai Sahavas in Shirdi is just walking distance from ‘Shri Sai Baba Temple. It has 46 luxurious rooms that are elegantly furnished with a view to provide utmost comfort to guests. Rooms are also available for a short duration. This can be a very pleasant family stay during your visit to the holy place of Shirdi Temple.

Shraddha Park Inn, Shirdi (Price Range Rs. 2950 - 3800)
This Hotel has also 5-star facilities and services like all above to match the best in Shirdi City. This Shirdi Hotel is also just a 5 minutes walk from the said Sai Baba Temple.

Hotel Sai Leela (Price Range Rs. 900 - 1750)
This Hotel is a Sai devotee hotel within 5 minutes walk from the temple. They provide both AC and Non AC rooms. Buffet Service is also available for groups. This Hotel has the prime purpose of providing comfort and services to the pilgrims and devotees of Sai Baba arriving at Shirdi, for Sai Baba Darshan and for paying homage to the great mystic.

Hotel Saish, Shirdi (Price Range Rs. 1699 - 5750)
Add: Off. Pimplewadi Road, Behind Sai Udyan, Shirdi
Hotel Saish has well furnished 32 rooms with a colour T.V., AC, Direct-dial Telephone. Restaurant, Coffee Shop and Laundry service.

Delhi to Shimla

My Dream Vacation to Nainital

One of my friends from Bikaner wants to check his  Provident Fund Status and was visiting Nainital and I immediately proposed him to make it a family trip. So we decided to drive to Nainital via self driven car. Try / Visit Delhi to Shimla!

Day 00: We started from New Delhi at 1.00 pm with our families. As we move from Delhi by road, we cross Ghaziabad, Moradabad, Rampur, Rudrapur, Haldwani and Kathgodam. A relaxed drive with small stop over for lunch and snacks took 8 hours to complete this 305 km distance. Take NH-24 till Rampur and NH-87 from Rampur to Nainital and it is not a perfect long drive with about 35 kms of not so good road. As one of my friends suggested I took the Hapur and Moradabad by-pass without entering into main city and took left from Rampur. There are plenty of restaurants & midways to have small breaks and we took full advantage of it. Trip was not exhausting and we reached Haldwani at around 9 PM. Driving the curved hilly road to Nainital was a real adventure.

We did not have a hotel reservation but believe it or not we got a good accommodation with 50% discount at the night time. All good hotels in Nainital are having ample parking space. If you are having problem in getting a lake facing room, then it is advisable to go for a hotel little away from the mall road. Rates can vary from Rs600 to Rs 9000 (half in off season).

Other option is to reach By Rail: The town is well connected by the Kathgodam Railway Station, which is just 35 kms away from Nainital. Cabs charge Rs 450 to Nainital. You can also share a cab at Rs 75 per person from Kathgodam to Nainital. Most of the hotels can arrange for a pick up and drop facility on prior request for Rs 500-1000 depending upon hotel and car.

Day 01: Large and deep Naini Lake is almost everything in Nainital. There are a two seated cycle rickshaws available on Mall Road. Their rates are fixed at Rs 5 per passenger from one end of the mall to the other. The mall has smooth pavements, making it extremely walking friendly. Although people talk many interesting places around like China Peak, Snow View, Rope-way Trolley, Tiffin Top, Eco Cave, Suicide Point, Lovers Point etc, but you really feel cozy and very exciting here only. You can also try those for half a day sight seeing. We did that after a morning visit to Naini Devi Temple.

Boat Men will approach you on lake side mall road. They are very friendly and simple. Rs.150 is the charge or a complete round in the lake. Boating is a real pleasure and fun and you can spend evenings roaming on mall road (Burra Bazaar and Tibetan Market). Perfumed Candles and Brass Work Items are the real things to purchase.

Day 2: The first activity in morning is walking up and down the Mall watching the daily activity and shopping. Walks around the town are interesting and the hilly region is covered with Sal, Deodar, Pine, Oak, and other trees growing unto 6500 ft. at the higher altitudes. There are magnificent scenes of the snow covered Himalayan Range and some of the peaks that can be seen include the 7817 meter high Nanda Devi. During the pleasant walks around the town you will surely come across some Himalayan Langoors and rhesus monkeys. After walk and some snacks we took some snaps of the lake on the rope-way to Snow-view. After lunch we headed for Zoo. Before entering the zoo we spent some time to enjoy the entire area from top. The Hanuman temple at Hanuman Garhi is just 3.2 kms away and it was established by Neem Kiroli Baba. If you visit the temple in the evening, you can enjoy a very good view of the sunset.

Day 3: Bhimtal and Naukuchiatal. The twin city of Bhimtal -Naukuchiatal has good arrangements of peddle boat and these lakes are quite large where one can enjoy the fresh air and cold breezy temperature .These 2 cities has enough tourist accommodation as they have many hotels and resorts on the two lake sides. The hotels and resorts are of every range. From costly to moderately price for stay and off season the rates are too economical. These cities are just 20 Km from Nainital. The Grand Hill is one such hotel that gives a majestic view for the tourists.

Nainital over 6000ft above sea level and is cooler than Naukuchiatal and Bhimtal. Nainital hotel or restaurant from the main source of income in the year of tourism in all parts of the country come from the hills of Nainital busy to see the Queen of the round. Nainital is mid town to go to other tourist spots like Ranikhet, Almora, Kausani and other places of religious fervor. Experience in these cities, you believe that people with a lot of prayer, quiet life in the mountains of India, and live a holy life. Their homes with flowers and even in the kindergarten of good vegetables, fruit and lush green lawns of the daily supply to your life and luxury are friendly with. Cool Breeze all year, fresh uncontaminated environment, and economic transportation of the city a better place to recharge the energy builds. Bhowali, about the middle of the city are provided by local Theosophist, but Lodge Library and spiritual meeting that the International Theosophical Society, the Federation of society governed by the Delhi area. Kathgodam Naini hills Rampur, Sattal, Bhowali, Naukuchiatal, centuries old churches and temples, like many small towns with majestic views, natural look for your beauty is required.

If you have a more time then you must go to Ranikhet which is only 60 kilometers away. This is primarily a military camp in Kumaon, and thus in the same way as other cities have not developed. Nainital, Almora, Ranikhet route to a quick 3-day excursion to an interesting journey in the interest of the program can be made.

For the children in their tender age, the lake has always been a tourist attraction in the form of this life experience, as the water between the mountains is the source. Colorful boats on the lakes make the place run more children and tourists with various vessels beckon to be a good long drive Beauitful it a try. It has good in Uttaranchal tourism in the city are successful on the national and international tourist map is not given due publicity. Three years in the cities, especially in the summer thousands of tourists throughout the book are in the hotels and tourists in these cities, and parents with children make Beeline. Bhimtal Lake, Sattal and other picnic spots in a number of tourist attractions such as Iceland restaurant where Ghatokach of the Mahabharata fame with her mother live in these hills. Bhimtal and very difficult road trip in five hours from the highway is about 250km from Delhi and Railways in the form of a very safe and easily accessible, except for some small patches to wait. On the way to Nainital to Bhimtal a central location is Bhowali which has cantonment plus shoppers market with various temples famous as Ghanti Temple. Wishes of the devotees get fulfilled as one comes to these temples.

Nainital for the truth was a memorable visit.

Source: Provident Fund Status

Delhi to Shimla