New Delhi: Travelling is a hobby for most of us and we love exploring new places, meeting locals and trying out local dishes. Travelling not only makes us feel refreshed but also gives us whole new experiences and broadens our perspective. We tend to look out for long weekends or vacations and plan out trips in advance. Whether it's hills, mountains, deserts or valleys, tourists flock to vacation spots whenever they get a chance.
Here are some of the popular places in India that you may visit to end the year on a fun note:
1. Mahabaleshwar:
The place is majestically bordered by some breathtaking panoramas and is encircled on all sides by lowlands and lush vegetation. As the Queen of Central India's Hills, Mahabaleshwar is one of Maharashtra's most well-known tourist destinations. With stunning vistas, calm lakes, historic shrines, and gushing waterfalls, the area offers a wide range of leisure and recreation opportunities. Strawberries from Mahabaleshwar, which are well-known, will undoubtedly provide a pleasant touch to your trip.
Hindus also revere Mahabaleshwar as a significant pilgrimage site because it is where the Krishna River originates. It is often used as a base to visit the magnificent Pratapgad Fort, located an hour away. The months of November through February are the ideal ones to visit Mahabaleshwar. It is a wonderful time to go sightseeing because the temperature during this period ranges between 10 and 24 degrees Celsius. This is also the time when strawberries are grown here, making it the perfect time to visit.
2. Wayanad:
Wayanad is a gorgeous hill town with an abundance of plantations, woods, wildlife, and a rich cultural way of life that is tucked away in the pristine Western Ghats. In Wayanad, you will be astounded by both the diversity and the magnificence of nature for this place is full of waterfalls, tributaries, tea plantations, and a lot of dense deodar forests. It offers places to observe some of the most breathtaking sunrises and sunsets as well. In addition, you can explore a variety of tourist destinations such as Meenmutty Falls, Chembra Park, and the Edakkal Caverns.
The temperature in Wayanad remains more or less constant throughout the year, but the best time to visit Wayanad is between October and May.
3. Rameshwaram:
Rameshwaram, a picturesque island in Tamil Nadu, is where Lord Rama built a bridge connecting Sri Lanka and India. Beautiful temples can be found there, tempting us to explore the nation's rich cultural legacy. The Ramanathaswamy Temple is known for its spectacular prakaras, which have enormous sculptured pillars on either side. It also features the longest corridor in the entire globe. Agniteertham is well-known for its holy waters, where pilgrims pray in memory of their ancestors. The five-faced Hanuman Temple is home to the floating stone that was used to construct the bridge connecting India and Sri Lanka.
The best time to visit Rameshwaram is between October to April. Winters are cool which makes it a pleasant season for sightseeing and visiting neighbourhoods.
4. Darjeeling:
Darjeeling, which served as India's summer capital during the British Raj, is now one of the most popular hill resorts in the country. From here, you can see the Kanchenjunga peak, which is the highest mountain in India. Monasteries, botanical gardens, a zoo, and the longest cable car in Asia, the Darjeeling-Rangeet Valley Passenger Ropeway, are a few key tourist attractions. You can enjoy the beautiful sunrise over the mountains may be seen in all its blazing splendour from Tiger Hill. The famous toy train in Darjeeling established back in 1881 is conferred the title of World Heritage Status by UNESCO. The train begins its journey from the plains and rises to over 2000 metres above sea level, offering breathtaking views of the mountains.
The best months to visit Darjeeling are April through June because of the lovely weather. Nevertheless, a lot of people also favour going there in the winter, from October to December. From October through March, the weather abruptly changes; by the end of October, a faint chill engulfs the region. The coldest part of winter, from mid-November to early January, has temperatures between 7 and 5 degrees Celsius.
5. Majuli:
Majuli is primarily populated by Tribals, which is why people adore this place so much. The majority of the year is spent in floodwaters on the Majuli island, which is sandwiched between two Brahmaputra channels. When the monsoons end and the area's dazzling beaches become visible, the farming population of Assam returns to the land. Another reason for its popularity is its distinctive and fascinating culture, which is why it is sometimes referred to be Assam's cultural capital. All of the festivities observed here are cheerful and lively. Raas, the biggest festival in the town of Majuli, is really thrilling and fascinating to watch.
Winter is a wonderful time to explore Majuli, which is a stunning river island, and the atmosphere is lovely due to the mild weather and stunning views.
6. Coonoor:
Coonoor, the second-largest hill station of the Western Ghats, is one of the three stunning Nilgiri hill stations. This location is ideal for a summer getaway because it is surrounded by tea plantations on the slopes, peppered with several attractions, and blessed with cool weather all year long.
It is a lovely location because of the lush vegetation, the well-kept hills, the Colonial culture, and the breathtaking scenery. In the hills overlooking Coonoor, there are also several historic villas and guesthouses that are ideal for a getaway or a weekend away.
The winter season is the best time to visit Coonoor when the climate stays mostly cold and pleasant and is ideal for nature lovers and adventure buffs.
7. Khajjiar:
Khajjiar is a lovely, tranquil town close to Dalhousie that is well-known for its hills, lakes, ethereal meadows, and apple orchards in the surrounding Rota and Ladi villages. You will undoubtedly fall in love with Khajjiar because of its ravines, waterfalls, vast meadows, and breathtaking views of sunsets. It is excellent for a day vacation or overnight stay and is frequently referred to as the "mini-Switzerland of India." It is renowned for its picture-perfect meadows. A tiny lake sits in the heart of the meadow, where you may relax by yourself or engage in adventurous activities like paragliding, zorbing, and horseback riding.
Many kingdoms over the years, notably the Rajputs and Mughals, have been tremendously impacted and inspired by the captivating beauty of this location. The Khajji Nag temple was built in the 12th century and has been attracting devotees ever since.
The entire year can be spent at Khajjiar. The natural splendour of Khajjiar is comprised of wide expanses of dense forests and lush meadows, and the mild climate only enhances it. There may be snowfall on occasion, and the winters, especially January and February, can be rather chilly.
8. Tawang:
A pleasant family vacation may be had in the picturesque village of Tawang, which is a wonderful combination of majestic landscapes, misty rivers, and magnificent waterfalls. Tawang is rich in monasteries, with the Tawang Monastery being the most well-known and revered by Buddhists. Tawang is a spot that would charm you with its pristine natural beauty draped in the aroma of religion. Your list of locations to visit here should also include the lovely Tipi Orchid Sanctuary. Along with this, one can indulge in the region's distinctive cuisine to give their taste buds a taste of Tawang.
Tawang is at its best from March to September. It is a fantastic location in the summer and for the majority of the monsoon season, but it is a freezing spot in the winter. The monsoons are significantly cooler, while the summers are pleasant. However, during winter, the temperature lowers to 1-3 degrees Celsius, and the snowfall may make it difficult to get around.