10 Off-Beat Places Within the Country for Weekend Getaways in 2019, If You Needed Yet Another Reason to Travel Across India!

India is a traveler's delight offering a multitude of options - whether you’re looking for a perfect beach spot, or an escape to the hills, or a long backpacking endeavor, or a quick escape for the weekend, you’ll find it all.

Moreover, Indians take hospitality seriously, because here a guest is considered like a god, and the same is also well reflected in gestures no matter which place you are travelling to, and you will get to witness the same especially if you stay in a home-stay with the locals to get a first hand experience of Indian hospitality.

As a plus point, India is a perfect place even for budget travels. Whether you're looking for basic accommodation facilities, like hostels or home-stays or luxurious properties like heritage hotels, there are various options available for both. There are also other hacks to travel cheap when on a budget where you could volunteer at places, travel on the local buses instead of the cabs, in order to save a lot of money.

Apart from such diverse landscapes spread across the country, India is a land popular for its cultural diversity where there are so many layers of traditions and ways of living seeped in different parts of the country.

There of-course is an urban-rural contrast in lifestyle which you get to witness, but moreover, there are state wise festivals, languages, food, traditions - all of which would serve a traveler's curiosity, widening their perspective every time he or she would step into a new place.

There is Bombay - the city of dreams which houses the popular Bollywood Film Industry, along with it’s loved roadside chaat and the heritage which the city showcases even today.

There is a Paradise with beaches, old buildings and a party culture in Goa.

There are the Himalayas to take your breath away, to give you the calm to just pause and relax, and to serve your adrenaline through adventure activities in the form of various hikes and treks in the great mountains.

There are religions and unique traditions seeped in cities like Varanasi, Pushkar and Vrindavan among others.

There is so much a traveler can learn when in India, through experiences by interacting with the locals or by witnessing the cultural diversity as each place in India has something unique to offer.

India is a nature lover’s delight for you’d find it all here. There are mountains providing the panoramic breathtaking views, cold desserts, lakes, beaches, waterfall.

You could go to the Northern or Southern Hill Stations for a blissful escape or to serve your adventurer soul. You could go to sit by the beach and enjoy the sunset.

India is a popular tourist destination for its natural abundance and one could also enjoy and learn about the diverse flora and fauna which are spread across different travelling spots.

Now that you have all the reasons to explore India, we’ve compiled a list of some lesser-known hidden gems in the country - far off from the touristy destinations. We’ve also covered different regions so that you can pick between different options - Beaches, Hills, Lakes and more.

Scroll below to read more.

Situated in Karnataka, Gokarna is your perfect replacement for Goa, with its beautiful beaches to quiet surroundings and less commercialized as compared to Goa.

Gokarna is a perfect beach place with five beaches - Om Beach, Gokarna Beach, Kudle Beach, Half Moon and Paradise Beach. It’s your place to be if you’re looking for some quiet place and you can take walks in the narrow and empty lanes to enjoy yourself.

To reach Gokarna, you can either take a train from Madgaon station in Goa or an overnight bus from Bangalore. There are many hostels and hotels in Gokarna or you can also stay at shacks on the beach to make the best of the beaches.

When in Gokarna, make sure you trek to Paradise Beach and camp their overnight and if you’re lucky, you might get to see Planktons here.

The perfect time to visit Gokarna is in December when the weather is great and the travelling vibe is at its peak where locals and foreigners set up small flea markets on the beach in the evening which is also followed by random music performances like drum circles or other.

A lesser known gem in the hills, Jibhi is now gaining popularity because of its lush green surroundings and mesmerising waterfalls. It is a beautiful place to be, which is barely commercialized and you could enjoy simple food and live in home-stays to get a very different experience of travelling into the mountains.

When in Jibhi, you should enjoy the beautiful waterfalls in the region and trek till Serolsar Lake.
To reach here, you need to take a volvo bus from Delhi until Aut and after that you can either take the local bus or a cab to reach Jibhi. The locals usually travel in the local buses and it's a unique experience, so if you’re looking for something similar, we suggest you take the bus. It’s also very cheap and does wonders if you’re travelling on a budget.

Located above Mussoorie is Landour, a place popular for its old world charm and quiet as a contrast to Mussoorie which is a popular tourist destination. This is also the place which is loved by the popular poet and writer, Ruskin Bond.

Landour is popular for its serene beauty, calm and the many bakeries, cafes and some elements of the tibetan culture. You could hike to the Pari Tibba Hill or get some tibetan jewelry from Sister’s Bazaar in Landour.

To get here, you could either take a beautiful 40 minutes walk or a cab from Mussoorie.

Rann of Kutch is a breathtaking white desert landscape in Kutch, Gujarat. It showcases the unique beauty of nature, especially during the winter months and on a full moon night, when Rann looks surreal.

It is extremely popular for Rann Utsav, a festival which celebrates the local traditions in the form of dance, music and display of handicrafts. It takes place in the winter months and swiss tents are set up in the region for travelers and tourists.

To reach here, you could take a bus from Ahmedabad. The best time to visit the region is the winter months from November to February because otherwise the desert gets extremely hot.

Popular for tea estates in the country, Darjeeling is located in West Bengal. When here, one could get glimpses of the unique Bengali culture. Darjeeling Himalayan Railway has been declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and you must experience the joy of travelling in the very popular toy train.

Apart from the tea estates which this place is popular for, you should also visit Tiger Hill, Japanese Peace Pagoda, Singalila National Park.

Darjeeling witnesses great weather the entire year, so you can visit this hill station anytime.

Dharamkot is located above the popular hill station - Mcleodganj and offers a complete contrast from the popular destination of Mcleodganj. Dharamkot offers pristine sunset views and panoramic views of the Dhauladhar ranges.

There is a waterfall around Dharamkot, Gallu Devi Temple and Triund Trek, which you can explore when in Dharamkot. You can also visit the town of Mcleodganj and enjoy the Tibetan Culture, hop into different cafes and visit the popular Dalai Lama Temple.

To reach Dharamkot, you need to take a bus from Delhi to Mcleodganj and from Mcleodganj, you can either walk for about 45 minutes or take a cab to reach Dharamkot.

There are various hostels and home-stays in Dharamkot where you can stay and when here, make sure you visit the popular Heena Cafe and try their juices.

When it comes to Rajasthan, Pushkar is another destination that you must visit. The city is brimming with the colorful Rajasthani culture and traditions which can be seen through the colorful houses and many markets filled with local handicrafts.

Pushkar is a hidden gem in Rajasthan which has many cafes for you to enjoy the local food and you can also take camel safaris to enjoy the sunset at the desert.

The popular sights to visit is the Pushkar Lake and Brahma Temple which are considered extremely auspicious. You could also trek to the Savitri Temple to witness a beautiful sunrise with a panoramic view of the entire city.

A beautiful hill station close to the busy cities of Pune and Mumbai, Panchgani is a beautiful weekend getaway or a vacation spot. It promises the best of views and great weather.

You could stay at various hostels and hotels which are easily accessible in the region. Some of the popular spots include Venna Lake, The Sydney Point and the Dhom Dham. If you’re looking for some adventure, you could also do paragliding in Panchgani.

You must also visit the Mapro Garden to enjoy freshly plucked strawberries and Purohit Lunch home for some home-style vegetarian dishes.

A small town located in the north-eastern part of Kerala, Wayanad is a popular destination for travelers due to its amazing landscape filled with its tea estates, green lush forests and beautiful meadows.

It is a perfect place to be when looking for a relaxation time as Wayanad is where you will witness breathtaking sunrise and sunsets, and crazy night skies filled with stars. It is also an adventurer’s delight with the popular Chembra Peak Trek, which is one of the most popular treks in Kerala which would take you through beautiful landscapes filled with different flora and fauna.

Apart from this there are beautiful lakes and waterfalls around the region which you can enjoy.

Wayanad is a great weekend getaway from well-known places like Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Mangalore and Kochi.

Another place you must experience in India is Pondicherry, also popularly known as the French Capital of India, where you shall find beautiful French style home and cafes serving French delicacies. Apart from the unique french culture which Pondicherry entails, you could also enjoy the beaches with Paradise beach being the most popular one.

Some of the popular places to visit include Old Lighthouse, Ousteri Lake and the White Town. There are also many churches in the region which you can visit.

If you’re visiting Pondicherry for a long trip, then you can also sign up for various classes like yoga, pilates etc at Sita Cultural Center.

To reach Pondicherry, you could take a bus or a cab from Bangalore or Chennai.

Now that you know why you must explore India and some of the hidden weekend getaways, here are some things to keep in mind before you start your travel to avoid any hassles.

A lot of times certain areas only have limited network connectivity and only a few connections work properly. So, you should do some research about the place and check if there are any network limitations in that area. This usually occurs in the Himalayas as in certain far off places there is either no or limited connectivity.

If you’re travelling to a less-popular tourist destination, chances are that it would not be that developed in terms of the infrastructure which means not everywhere you would find an ATM. So, it’s always a good idea to keep some extra cash handy for any last minute expenses, or emergencies.

At certain places, weather can be tricky, and so the terrain. If you’re going to a place with unpredictable weather, packing a jacket is a good idea since it can get chilly. When travelling to places where you might be going for a trek, make sure you pack a good pair of shoes and trekking clothes.