Wednesday 1 May 2013

Honeymoon in Ladakh

Honeymoon in the monsoon months


Are you recently married or planning to get married in these monsoon months? After marriage you certainly would like to go out with your newlywed partner for a sweet honeymoon in some corner of India?

The answer from your side is certainly yes! But you are little confused and puzzled about your destination, right! As most of the places in India are blessed with rain in these months of monsoon, you cannot go out freely. I believe, regular travelers too do not like these months of monsoon as it creates lots of inconvenience while travelling.

But do not worry there are many places in the northern India which do not get affected by this south-west monsoon. So plan for your trip to those places of India where you will not get caught up with rain.

In the valleys of Kashmir there is a place named Ladakh. Not much explored, but a place where the pristine beauty of nature will endear you. Here is a place where you can commune with God Himself.

Ladakh is wedged between Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas in the south. Ladakh or Kashmir as a whole can be your best destination for touring or honeymooning in between the months of June to September in India. That is if you do not like rains.

Ladakh, situated at an altitude of around 3500 m and shadowed by the world’s highest peaks, is really a land of pristine beauty. The presence of white crowned high mountains all around makes the flowing river look tiny, along with glistening glaciers making their way through this picturesque land of Ladakh.

Being sparsely populated area and not much ventured by the tourists, this place is still maintaining its natural beauty.

Ladakh hardly receives any water from the rain; the main source of water in this place is the snow-melted water. The same water is used for irrigation through small streams, which is preferred by the farmers than rain water.

This land of many passes has Buddhist monasteries all around, which are really worth visiting. Other than the mesmerizing surroundings, the serene and peaceful atmosphere of the monasteries is so relaxing that it makes you forget all your worries.After this meditation hour of the morning, you can go for different outdoor activities like white water rafting, trekking, jeep safaris and mountaineering.

Shopaholics and foodies don’t worry.There are lots of things in your store too. The place is well known for the Ladhaki artifacts.


So you can shop Ladhaki artifacts such as Buddhist relics, Pashmina and Cashmere shawls and stoles. Foodies can savour the varieties of Ladhaki, Kashmiri, Tibetan and European dishes, which the place is well known for.

While visiting Ladakh, the nearby places that you can include in your itinerary are Leh, Khardung-La ,Zanskar, Nubra valley and Panamik.

So I think I have given one solution to your problem of choosing the destination. So what are you waiting for? Plan for your trip and make the arrangements right now.

One moment, sorry! I have forgotten to tell you of how to reach the place and the precautions to be taken while travelling.

There is an airport in Ladakh’s capital Leh, in which services are provided by Indian Airlines. From the airport there are regular buses and shared jeep- taxies to take you to your destination.

There is no rail facility in Ladakh, you can go there only by flight or buses. Now hurry up! Book your stay and flight as soon as possible, as the flights and hotels are usually full in the summer months.


Some Precautionary Measures:

· As Ladakh is situated at a great height you may feel sick on the first day, as body takes time to acclimatize with the surroundings, so you can consult your doctor before starting the tour for the remedy.
· Though you are visiting in summer, you need to carry woolen garments, as the atmosphere is quite cool there.
· Do not eat much before travelling by road to Ladakh, as you may get nausea while travelling through the hilly roads.

Friday 22 March 2013

Top Best Beaches of Karnataka


The State of Karnataka is a Prominent Tourism Hub and Attracts many Tourists from across the world. Karnataka has Many Popular and Famous Beaches all around, they are:

1.      Someshwar Beach:

Images of Karnataka Someshwar Beach

Someshwar Beach is one of the famous beaches of Karnataka, India located in Ullal at a distance of 9 km south from the city of Mangalore & 0.5 km from Someshwar Bus Stand. This place is widely known for large rocks called as ‘Rudra Shila’. 100 feet light tower is the major attraction at this beach. October to February is the best season to visit this beach.
This place is an ideal picnic location and has abundant palm trees and airy environment. Someshwara temple is one of the oldest and famous temples of Bangalore, sited very close to this beach. It is believed that the temple was built during the reign of renowned queen Abbakka Devi (16th century).

2.      Murudeshwara Beach


Murudeshwara Beach is the pleasant and most popular beaches of Karnataka located in Mangalore. It is the famous religious place & tourist spot in south India. Popular Murudeshwara temple is sited very close to this beach. 20 storied Gopuram and a huge stunning statue of Lord Shiva is the major attraction of this beach.
This Beach is attached to the Arabian Sea roaring on the west and a serene river on the east. One can see the colorful fisher boats lined at the sea-shore. Tourists can enjoy a swim and pretty good sunbath on the pristine sands along with water sports and boating.

3.      Maravanthe beach

Maravanthe beach is one of the most beautiful beaches of Karnataka, situated at a distance of about 16 kms from Kundapura town and 55 kms from Udupi, Karnataka - India. October to March is the best season to visit this beach. This beach is close to the confluence of Sowparnika River and the Arabian Sea. Maravanthe beach is the ideal place for the relaxation and holiday vacation.

4.      Kaup Beach, Udipi

Images of Udipi Kaup Beach - Karnataka Tourism

Kaup Beach is one of the pleasant and beautiful beaches of Karnataka situated about 12 km to the south of Udupi on the coastal shoreline. It’s a perfect holiday destination for nature lovers and picnic spot for tourists. A ruined fort and an old 100feet high lighthouse are sited near Kaup beach which attracts many visitors to spend their weekends at this place. October to December is the best season to visit this beach.

5.      Surathakal Beach, Mangalore

Surathakal Beach is one of the common visited beaches, located on the shore of the Arabian Sea in the city of Mangalore, Karnataka. The name of surathakal beach is derived from the word ‘Shiradakal’ which means head stone in Kannada. It’s an ideal beach of Mangalore. A huge light house is sited close to this beach.

6.      Malpe beach, Udupi:

Images of Malpe Beach, Udipi Karnataka

Malpe Beach is one of the major and popular beaches of Karnataka located at a distance of 6kms from Udupi and about 66 km north of Mangalore. It lies towards the west of Udupi at the mouth of Udyavara River. Never ending coastline flanked by three rocky islands on its western side is the main attraction of this beach.

7.      Panambur Beach, Mangalore

Panambur beach is a beautiful beach positioned at a distance of 13 Km from Mangalore on the shore of Arabian Sea at Tannirbavi to south of sea port at Panambur and to the north of the National Highway. Panambur is the name of area where New Mangalore Port is located. It is a good picnic spot for the localities. October to February is the best season to visit this beach.

8.     Gokarna Beaches:

Pictures of Karnataka Gokarna Beach

GokarnaBeaches are one of the lesser known beaches of India, situated in the middle of Karnataka and Goa. There are four main beaches in Gokarna Town, namely – Kudlee Beach, Om Beach, Half Moon Beach and Paradise Beach.

9.      Kurumgad Beach:

Kurumgad Beach is very beautiful & enchanting beaches of Karnataka situated in the Uttar Karnataka district & can be easily reached from Goa, Bangalore, and Panaji. Kurumgad Beach is the perfect place to enjoy nature beauty & relaxation. This beach symbolizes the shape of tortoise. Water sports like swimming, fishing, boat rides, Beach volleyball, Tidal Pool, and treasure hunts are famous on Kurumgad beach. Octobers to May is the best time for visit this beach.

10.  Karwar beach:

Top Beaches of Karnataka - Karwar Beach

Rabindranath Tagore Beach, also known as Karwar beach is a unique beach and is well connected by road and railways. It is believed that the great Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore wrote his first play inspired from the captivating feel of this beach. This beach is famous for seafood, which is prepared in different styles with coconut and spice. Many Tourists Visit this beach regularly. September – May is the best time to visit Karwar Beach.

11.  Tannir Bavi Beach:

Tannir bavi Beach is one of the best beaches of Karnataka located in Dakshina Kannada at a distance of 12 kms from mangalore & 360 kms from Bangalore. This beach is the property of Mangalore Port Trust.

12.  Ullal Beach:

Images of Ullal Beach Karnataka

Ullal Beach is one of the best & Popular Beaches of Karnataka, situated at a distance of 12 kms from Mangalore on the south banks of river Nethravathi. This Beach is known for its neat sea shore and tranquil beauty. Many tourists who visit Ullal spend their weekends at this beach.

Tuesday 12 March 2013

The Trending Scene of Online Travel Market in India


There is currently a revolution going on in India, the revolution of growth, with primarily all major industries witnessing massive boom, but none looks more promising and fruitful than the online travel market in India. To illustrate the success and penetration of
online travel market in India, picture this, about a decade back the mention of travel meant standing in long queues at the railway stations for most Indians particularly since the airfares were seriously costly.

Coming back to modern India, the situation looks completely different; travelers can now book their entire trips online which include airfares, hotel stays, car rentals and much more, and that too at moderate prices without paying extra commission to local agents. In fact according to a survey, online travel industry in India contributes more than 70% to overall e-commerce market in India. The concept is simple, with the revolutionary growth in number of internet users and also the education levels in the country, the number of users visiting travel portals have increased considerably. According to a survey, the number of visitors to travel portals increased by 32% in 2011 to a staggering 18.5 million visitors. With an internet user base of 120 million and the changing perception of people who vouch for personalized packages and cheap deals, India as experts point would soon be the biggest online travel market in Asia. These are just some of the reasons that explain the phenomenal growth of online travel market in India which was poised at $8.4 billion value in 2011.

·   It's Cheap: The bottom line is that it's cheap. In this lucrative online travel market scene, the competitors are hungrier as the potential customers are unlimited and increasing. With the increase in number of airlines, hotels, car rentals companies and almost everything, consumer now has unbelievable choices and with the competitors willing to cut into each other's business, consumer gets the best at the least, meaning true travel experience at fraction of the costs. Picture this, about a decade back, Air India was primarily the major carrier but now with the advent of several low cost carriers and luxury airlines, there are loads of choices for users, also cost friendly ones.

·     It's Easy: With the advent of internet revolution, all one needs to do is go to a travel portal, enter his  requirements and price quote and get a list of all the flight fares and accommodation that match his requirements. It's really that easy, involves no mediators and guarantees the maximum transparency at the lowest prices.

·   Exponential Rise in Number of Users: The massive user base of more than 120 million users means that companies can make decent profits even by lowering their prices. As a result, companies now focus on bulk bookings and are not afraid to offer cheap deals because they know that the sheer size of the travel segment would ultimately put them in the plus.

With the way technology is reaching the far ends of India, the time is not far when this leader in South Asia Travel would manage the landscape of not only Asian but even World travel.



Author:
George
Travel Blogger


Friday 15 February 2013

Guruvayur Festival

Temple Festivals of Kerala epitomize royalty, grandeur and carnivals of India. And one of them is the Guruvayur Festival or the Guruvayur Ulsavam celebrated at the Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple in Guruvayur – known as the ‘Dwaraka of the South’- in Kerala starting from 5th of March.
This March, the little town of Guruvayur will bustle with activity as it celebrates the Guruvayur Festivals – Patahadi, Dhwajadi and Ankuradi that last all month. The Temple would be richly decorated by fresh-cut flowers during day and with multi-coloured blinking lights – thousands in a row at night and the streets would be lined with flower and light decorations with spiritual music in Malayalam playing at every nook and corner. Fireworks, decorative arch-ways, bunches of coconuts and plantain trunks which are planted by most doorways is what Guruvayur experiences every March.
Remembered for the elaborate ‘pujas’ in the Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple and the majestic Elephant parades in which Elephants adorned with ornate golden caparisons (nettipattam) parade along with hundreds of Lord Krishna devotees and the temple priests doing the drum-roll in the festival procession around the temples, the Guruvayur Festivals in March are dedicated to Lord Krishna and are much-awaited by the locals and tourists. During this month the Temple hosts several cultural programs daily. It is a feast to the eyes and the experience takes you to a whole new level of spirituality even if you’re not a Hindu.
Known to have more than 60 captive Elephants which are an integral part of the Temple Pujas & Processions, the Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple Board has constructed an exclusive, one-of-its-kind Elephant Palace to house these regal beings of which Gajarajan Guruvayur Kesavan is the most popular and celebrated elephant for his devout behaviour. Beside pilgrimage people from all over the country visit Guruvayur Temple during this festival because of the unique Elephant Race (Aanayottam) which marks the commencement of the festival where all the elephants along with their respective mahouts race against one another on the streets of Guruvayur.
Besides partaking in the celebration of the Guruvayur Festival, rheumatic patients also pay homage to the temple’s residing deity – Lord Krishna as it is a strong belief that doing so would relieve them of their suffering and ailments.