Month: April 2018

Pondicherry is a peaceful yet adventurous place in India. To make your visit memorable, you can try these offbeat things to do in Pondicherry.

Water Sports

Paradise Beach and Karaikal Beach are popular choice for water sports in Pondicherry. You can indulge in boating, canoeing, kayaking, back-water sailing, and even camping at the beach side.

Holidaying in houseboat

The houseboats in Pondicherry offer an experience to relinquish the rest of your life. The boathouse takes you past paddy fields, dense coconut grooves, traditional villages, fishing nets, water lilies, and many more. On your voyage, you can also encounter turtles, crabs, kingfisher birds and many other rare aquatic species.

Tour the Anglo-French textile mills

The Anglo-French textile mill is a unit of Pondicherry Textile Corporation Ltd and is one of India’s oldest operating mills. Though today, it is equipped with automatic looms, you can still feel the authentic production process. You can even purchase some good fabrics at unbelievable prices here.

Meditation and Yoga

Sri Aurobindo Ashram and Auroville are popular in the world for their peaceful aura and their meditation practices. Pondicherry is a place of spiritual retreat and you can take peaceful walk around the beaches, spas, therapies, etc. The place is a heaven for those seeking a relaxing break from the routine.

Scuba diving and Surfing

You can also enjoy  Scuba Diving and Surfing in Pondicherry. There are private organizations offering these services. You can also indulge in surf safaris, tour the natural and man made coral reefs, pool diving, to name some.

You can also book an intercity cab in Pondicherry to travel from place to place hassle free.

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Shimla is a beautiful place, called as a heaven on earth. One would, of course, like to spend days in Shima, but if you have only a day’s time in here, you can visit the following places.

State Museum

This museum was opened in 1974. It showcases ancient sculptures, paintings, ethnic dresses, musical instruments, ornaments, etc.

Address: State Museum, Chaura Maidan Rd, Chaura Maidan, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh 171004, India

Visiting time: 10:00 AM to 02:00 PM; 03:00 PM to 05:00 PM

Time to spend: 1 hour

Next destination: Christ Church, 30 minutes drive

Christ Church

It is a second oldest church in North India. The Christ Church of Shimla displays neo-gothic style of architecture in a romantic surrounding.

You can also stroll around the Ridge, which is a large open space located at the center of Shimla.

Address: Mall Road, Lakkar Bazar, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh 171001, India

Contact: +91 177 265 2953

Time to spend: 1 hour

Next destination: Jakhoo hill and temple, 30 minutes drive

Jakhoo hill and temple

Jakhoo is an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman. Since it is situated on the Jakhoo hill, it is named so. The temple encompasses beautiful landscape.

Address: Jakhu Temple Park, Jakhu, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh 171001, India

Time to spend: 1.5 hours

Next destination: Rashtrapati Niwas, 40 minutes drive

Rashtrapati Niwas

The Rashtrapati Niwas of Shima was formerly a summer home for the British Viceroys of India. It is also known as Viceregal lodge. The present day, it is owned by Indian Institute of Advanced Study.

Address: Rashtrapati Nivas, Observatory Hill, Near Summer Hill Railway Station, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh 171005, India

Visiting time: 10:30 AM to 05:00 PM; Monday closed

Time to spend: 1 hour

Next destination: Shimla railway station- Kalka, 35 minutes drive

Kalka-Shimla railway

It is a narrow gauge railway route from Kalka to Shimla. The route traverses through dramatic hill views and villages. It is also one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in India.

Address: Kalka Shimla Railway, Himachal Pradesh

Time to spend: 1 hour

You can also hire a car on day rental in Shimla and enjoy sightseeing hassle-free.

Route plan

Useful Links-

Serene places to visit near Shimla

Distinct festivals of Shimla

Shimla: a food tour

The Legacy of Shimla

If you have only one day to spend in Kodaikanal, you can visit the following places-

Guna Caves

Guna caves lie between three massive pillar-shaped rocks. The site was discovered in 1821.

Address: Golf Links Road, Tamil Nadu 624101, India

Visiting time: 08:00 AM to 05:00 PM

Time to spend: 1 hour

Next Destination: Pillar Rocks Viewpoint, 10 minutes walk

Pillar Rocks Viewpoint

This is a site with pillar-shaped rocks and offers a great view of the mountains.

Address: Pillar Rocks Rd, Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu 624101, India

Visiting time: 09:00 AM to 04:30 PM

Time to spend: 30 minutes

Next Destination: Coaker’s walk, 20 minutes drive

Coaker’s walk

It is a perfect place to stroll with nature. The place offers relaxing and rejuvenating environment.

Address: Coaker’s Walk, Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu 624101, India

Visiting time: 07:00 AM to 07:00 PM

Time to spend: 45 minutes

Next Destination: Bryant Park, 10 minutes walk

Bryant Park

It is a recreation park with a manmade lake. You can take a walk, cycle around, or take a boat ride in the lake.

Address: Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu 624101, India

Visiting time: 09:00 AM to 06:00 PM

Time to spend: 45 minutes

Next Destination: Kodaikanal Lake, 10 minutes walk

Kodaikanal Lake

It is yet again a manmade lake in the area. The lake captures the beautiful natural sceneries and a boat ride is simply adorable. You can also walk around the lake and explore the local market.

Address: Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu 624101, India

Time to spend: 1 hour

Next Destination: Chettiar Park, 15 minutes drive

Chettiar Park

It is a recreation park with landscaped lawns and playing area for children.

Address: Chettiar Park Road, Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu 678242, India

Visiting time: 09:00 AM to 05:00 PM

Time to spend: 45 minutes

Next Destination: Kurinji Andavar temple, 5 minutes walk

Kurinji Andavar temple

It is a temple dedicated to Lord Murugan. The temple is surrounded by beautiful kurinji flowers.

Address: Kurinji Andavar Temple Road, Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu 624101, India

Time to spend: 45 minutes

Next Destination: Silver Cascade falls, 20 minutes drive

Silver Cascade fall

It is a picturesque location with a natural, steep waterfall.

Address: Kodaikanal Ghat Road, Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu 624101, India

Time to spend: 45 minutes

You can also book a multi-city cab in Kodaikanal for your entire trip and hop around the places without worrying about changing buses every now and then.

Route plan

More about Kodaikanal-

Explore nearby places

Worth trying food in Kodaikanal

How to reach?

Geographically, Bikaner is located in the northeast of Rajasthan. It is about 330 kilometers from Jaipur, the state capital city. Amidst the sandy Thar Desert, camels are not the only option to reach Bikaner.

Well, jokes apart. In this read, we bring to you the possible routes to reach Bikaner and when to prefer which option.

Reaching Bikaner by plane

There is no direct airport in Bikaner and the nearest one is the Jodhpur airport. It is about 251 kilometers from Bikaner. You can opt taxi to reach Bikaner from Jodhpur airport.

If you are an international traveler, we suggest landing at Jaipur airport, which is an international one. Again, from Jaipur airport to Bikaner, you can easily get a taxi or cab.

Reaching Bikaner by train

There are two railheads in Bikaner, and the city is well connected with other major cities of India through railways. You can find frequent trains leading to Bikaner. From the Bikaner railway station, you can hire local transport to reach your stay location.

If you are traveling from colder and coastal regions, we suggest keeping light cotton clothes in your travel bag, as you will experience an entirely different climate as soon you approach Bikaner.

Reaching Bikaner by road

There are plenty of bus services connecting Bikaner with Delhi and the cities of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. You can also opt for self-drive or private cab to reach Bikaner. The road condition is good and although the traffic is less, the route is safe.

Best time to visit Bikaner

The period between November and February is the best time to visit this city. This is the winter season in India and the climate is mild, apt for sightseeing and traveling.

We suggest visiting Bikaner in the starting week of June, only if you wish to escape crowd and ready to roast yourself in sun.

Rest of the time is good, you can enjoy the seasons in Bikaner according to your schedule.

Useful Links-

Important festivals and things to do in Bikaner

Shopping in Bikaner

Plan one day trip to Bikaner

Popular food of Bikaner

Popular places to visit near Bikaner

In this read, we bring to you the less traversed places near Nainital. One of the biggest advantages of visiting these places is- you can skip the crowd.

Moradabad

Moradabad city was established in 1625 by Rustam Khan. It is named after Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan’s son Prince Murad Baksh. Some of the great sites in this city include Kailash Mansarovar Shiv Mandir and Sai Mandir. We suggest strolling into the streets to feel the culture and calmness of the city.

Distance between Nainital and Moradabad: 115 kilometers, 3.5 hours drive

Book a cab from Nainital to Moradabad

Ramnagar

It is a small town in the Uttarakhand state of India. During the British Rule, tea gardens were developed in Ramnagar. But these tea gardens have been closed for a long time. You can visit this town to get an answer to why.

Distance between Nainital and Ramnagar: 65 kilometers, 2 hours drive

Book a cab from Nainital to Ramnagar

Jim Corbett National Park

It is a wildlife sanctuary in the Uttarakhand state. The place presents rich flora and fauna. The main attractions of Jim Corbett National Park include Royal Bengal Tigers, leopards, elephants and birds.

Distance between Nainital and Jim Corbett National Park: 151 kilometers, 4.5 hours drive

Book a cab from Nainital to Jim Corbett National Park

Bareilly

It is a developing city in the Uttar Pradesh state of India. It is also a hub for manufacturing furniture and cotton, cereal, and sugar trade within the country. Some important sites to visit in this city are-

• Mahant Shree Kalugiri Ji Alakhnath Temple
• Trivati Nath Mandir
• Dhopeshwar Nath Temple
• Biabani Kothi

Distance between Nainital and Bareilly: 141 kilometers, 3.5 hours drive

Book a cab from Nainital to Bareilly

Meerut

It is an ancient city and archeological survey has found settlements in this region from the Indus Valley civilization era. The city is compact and you will enjoy the close association of people here.

Distance between Nainital and Meerut: 238 kilometers, 5.5 hours drive

Book a cab from Nainital to Meerut

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