Pudducherry - The Scuba Diving Paradise of India

Scuba Diving is one of those adventure sports which is on the bucket list of a lot of people, but is not the first priority when planning an adventure themed vacation. With a 7500 km coast line, India has some really good dive spots, recommended by PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) which should definitely be on the radar for any Scuba Diving enthusiast.

The joy of taking the first breath underwater, coupled with admiring an array of fishes and corals in their bright vibrant colors is enough to get anyone hooked on to Scuba Diving for life.

The only diving destination in India’s eastern coast is Pondicherry. The place is characterized by natural coral reefs, rocky pop-ups, man-made ridges and large plethora of marine organisms like jack fish, sea snake, manta rays and fan corals and the whale shark sightings. It is a perfect scuba destination for both, beginners and professionals.

It doesn’t matter if you are a certified diver or an aspiring one, these dive spots in Pondicherry, India should definitely be checked out. And you know what the best part is, the cost of doing any courses by PADI, Pondicherry by Temple Adventures is similar compared to other popular dive destinations abroad.

24 Treks for 12 months of 2017 - Part 1

2016 was a life changing year for me. I quit my job and changed the stream all together, started this blog, traveled to and explored around 10 new places and moreover I did my first trek in May 2016 and that has changed me completely.

Having started my trekking journey with Deoria Tal - Chandrashila in May followed by Kheerganga in August and now Triund and Jalori Pass - Serlosar Lake in December, I thought of compiling a list of 24 trekking destinations for the 12 months of 2017,  in India which one should definitely think of doing as suggested by travelers and trekkers themselves.

January

Chadar Trek

By Amrita & Agni ( Tale of 2 backpackers )

 A trek in January definitely involves extreme cold temperatures and hiking in the snow. But Chadar Trek is unique in itself as here you are walking over ice. The Zanskar River that flows with such aplomb during the summers calms down and freezes during this time of the year. A blanket of ice or 'chadar' forms over the river, and you have a trek route that can be an experience of your lifetime. Surviving temperatures as low as -10 degrees in the morning and -35 degrees at night is no mean feat. 

Lepakshi - some untold stories

Lepakshi is about 120 KM from Bangalore on the Bangalore Hyderabad highway.

History says , Where the legendary bird Jatayu fell, wounded after a futile battle against Ravana. And Lord Rama said - “Le Pakshi” — ‘rise, bird’ The proud legacy of Vijayanagara Empire at it full Glory. An empire which was the most powerful and richest of its time, not just in India but in the whole world.

24 hours in McLeodganj, India

McLeodganj is a very popular travel destination in Dharamshala. Being just 250 km (5 hours) journey from Chandigarh and around 475 km (9-10 hours) journey from Delhi, McLeodganj has become a hotspot for weekend trips and is frequented by travellers but usually jam-packed with tourists specially on long weekends.

McLeodganj has a lot to offer to all kinds of travellers alike. Triund trek – a 9 km trek from McLeodganj main square; and it is a foodie’s haven with all kinds of foods and cuisines available in the many cafes spread all over the town.

McLeodganj is best explored on foot and to enjoy the city it is recommended to park your vehicle in the parking lot near the bus stop for the duration of the stay .This does two things – Less traffic on the narrow roads and making your effort to keep the town pollution free.

The buses from Delhi usually arrive early in the morning by 6-7 AM which is the perfect time to start a day long food trail in the streets of McLeodganj.

Triund, McLeodganj - A Must Do Trek for beginners

Triund a small hill station in the Kangra district in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India is definitely a must go to place for everyone who visits McLeodganj. It is at a height of 2,828 m and is a part of Dharamkot. Unlike McLeodganj where one can reach via Bus, one has to trek a minimum of 6 KM to reach Triund.

A walk to Gallu Devi temple through the forests

A weekend in Goa for the modern Budget Traveller

Disclaimer - This post contains some affiliate links.So, if you were to book through these links, I would get a small commission at no extra cost to you.After all, I need to sustain my travels somehow.

Goa is a very popular coastal state very close to Maharashtra. It’s barely 600 KM from Mumbai (10 hours), 450 KM from Pune (8 hours) and around 560 KM from Bengaluru (9 hours).Close proximity to these cities result in Goa being the favorite hangout all year long.

The roads are in excellent conditions for all three routes and State transport and Private buses operate daily on these routes and in plenty.

There are a lot of reasons for Goa being a favorite among everyone like

• Goa has it all, from beaches to nightclubs to waterfall to forest sanctuary’s.
• The taxes levied are very less compared to other states and this results in cheap petrol and cheap booze. One can get a pint of beer for as less as INR 25 from a shop and a liter of petrol costs almost INR 5-10 less than other states.

Tips for travelers to cope up with the banning of INR 500 and 1000 notes in India

As everyone might already be aware that wef today ie 9th Nov 2016,  INR 500 and INR 1000 notes are not a legal tender anymore and render zero value.This is a masterstroke by PM Modi to curb the menace of black money in India.

So the big question is what to with the INR 500 and INR 1000 notes currently in possession.

4 places to enjoy Diwali in a Unique & Memorable way !

Diwali or Deepavali is the Hindu festival of lights celebrated every year usually in the months of October or November.

It is one of the major festivals of Hinduism and it spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair. The celebrations include millions of lights shining on housetops, outside doors and windows, around temples and other buildings in the communities and countries where it is observed. The festival preparations and rituals typically extend over a five-day period, but the main festival night of Diwali coincides with the darkest, new moon night of the Hindu Lunisolar month Kartika in Bikram Sambat calendar. In the Gregorian calendar, Diwali night falls between mid-October and mid-November.

8 things to do in Rishikesh, India - The Yoga Capital of the World

Rishikesh is a city, municipal council and a tehsil in Dehradun district of the Indian state, Uttarakhand. Located in the foothills of the Himalayas in northern India. Rishikesh is surrounded by three districts: Tehri Garhwal, Pauri Garhwal and Haridwar. It is approximately 25 km north of the city Haridwar and 43 km southeast of the state capital Dehradun. It is known as the pilgrimage town and regarded as one of the holiest places to Hindus. Hindu sages and saints have visited Rishikesh since ancient times to meditate in search of higher knowledge.

Rishikesh also known as the ‘Yoga capital of the World’ and the ‘Gateway to the Garhwal Himalayas’ has it all, from Temples to Adventure sports.

Here is my list of 8 things to do in Rishikesh.

A scenic High Altitude Trek to the Moon Rock (Chandrashila)

"Once a year, go somewhere you've never been before." - Dalai Lama

But as luck would have it, Deoriatal Chandrashila Trek is my 5th such outing (somewhere I've never been before) since Jan 2016 starting from Nainital in Jan, Corbett in March, Mussorie and Rishikesh in April.

Initially it was my brothers wish that we both to go on a trek in the vacations, but ultimately the whole family ended up going for the trek.It was indeed a pleasant change and a different sort of vacation together considering that last time we had gone on a long family vacation was to Andamans long back in 2010.

As this was going to be our first trek we did a lot of research on different websites regarding the different treks in Himanchal and Uttarakhand and ultimately decided on Deoriatal Chandrashila Trek considering that its a easy - moderate trek, considered ideal and best suited for first timers and also a bird watchers paradise.

Now that we had decided the location, we researched further as to which hiking company to choose from.We narrowed it down to Trek the Himalayas and India Hikes and ultimately chose India Hikes, and I must say, it was indeed a good decision.