With Summer Vacations Around the Corner, Have You Made Your Holiday Plans as Yet? Here are 10 Stunning Places to Visit for Vacation Right Here in India (2019)

Being a land of many wonders, varied cultures and breathtaking destinations, India is abundant with its versatile atmosphere, climate, languages & dialect, food, religion & rituals, heritage & aesthetics, and more! People who’re always on the move and lead hectic professional lives rarely get to spend time with their families. Hence a family holiday is the best way to gather with your loved ones and enjoy a blend of rural and urban destinations with varied holiday opportunities for the entire family to explore.

Holidaying with Friends is always a popular getaway and one filled with adventures, road trips and frolicking memories. Emerging as one of the dream destinations for adventure holidays, India now has offerings of a variety of adventure sports and tours like trekkings, paragliding, water sports, snorkelling, scuba diving, camping & rock climbing, with exploring wildlife as well.

With its fascinating culture, premium facilities and entertainment activities, India also has a lot to offer in terms of romantic getaways, honeymoon destinations, et al. Sun-kissed golden beaches, steamy sunsets, azure oceanic waters, lush greenery, delicious food, candlelight dinners or evenings by the moonlit coastlines with rich cultural performances and entertaining events; there’s a lot for couples in terms of love-filled holidays!

Nestled in the northern state of Uttarakhand, in the foothills beside the river Ganges, is Rishikesh, popular as one of the most prominent Yoga capitals of the world. With hordes of ashrams and innumerable meditation and yoga classes, Rishikesh is a spiritual centre for the seeking minds and considered a gateway to the Himalayan shrines of Kedarnath, Gangotri, Badrinath & Yamunotri, surrounded by sylvan hills.

With pleasant weather through most part of the year, the best time to visit Rishikesh is from mid of September through to May. Rishikesh is famous also for rafting on the Ganges river, with September-November and then March-May ideal for river rafting, peppered with rapids, with the ultimate option of taking a dive from 20ft off a ridge into the water! And one of the most popular activity to embark on is taking a sacred dip in the Ganges with reputed healing features.

You can also explore other adventurous activities like bungee jumping at Jumpin Heights, kayaking, body surfing, trekking and camping at the Camp Gold Coast. For the spiritual travellers, there’s a whole array of temples, shrines and tourist places to visit, including the Bharat Mandir, Neelkanth Mahadev Mela, Lakshman Jhula, Gita Bhavan, Swarg Ashram, Triveni Ghat and more!

Snuggled between the snow-clad mountains of the Pir Panjal and the Dhauladhar peaks, Manali’s one of the most prominent hill stations in India. With breathtaking views of lush green forests, expansive floral meadows, flowing blue streams and an eternal heavenly mist with a lingering fragrance of pines, Manalis is a romantic paradise. With its clean roads, heartwarming eateries, small and cheap market areas, Manali has a selection of museums, shrines, quaint little villages with contrasting upscale streets, trekking trails & river adventures to boast of.

One of the most frequented spots in Manali is the Solang Valley with some really magnificent sights of the landscapes, the slopes being a famous skiing destination during winters & a paragliding retreat during summers. For the adventure enthusiasts, the valley offers horse riding and zorbing activities as well. The best time to visit Manali is October through June and some other popular tourist attractions here include the Rohtang Pass, the Beas Kund Trek, Hadimba Temple, Vashista Baths, the Great Himalayan National Park, Manikaran and the Hampta Pass Trek amidst few others.

Pushkar is a town, skirting the Thar Desert of Rajasthan. As one of the oldest cities in India, Pushkar is a preferred destination for tourists from all over the world, surrounded by hills on three sides. Its rich architectural heritage, ancient history and the essence of its roses that is exported worldwide, makes Pushkar quite fascinating. The Pushkar weather is dry mostly with cooler nights and warm days. Despite it being a desert region, Pushkar receives rainfall intermittently and the best time to visit here is November through March.

Pushkar has scores of temples, including a 14th century Jagatpita Brahma Mandir, in honour of Lord Brahma. The place is renowned for its charismatic Camel Fair which happens every year in October - November and the Pushkar Lake which is supposedly formed by the tears of Lord Shiv and the Brahma temple. With a majestic ensemble of temples, palaces, forts and lakes, the enchanting city of Pushkar has many opulent wonders like the Savitri temple, Paapmochini temple, Venugopal temple with many legends associated with their inception; the Merta, the Pushkar fair, Rose Garden, the Pushkar Ghat with 52 ghats and the Dargah of Khwaja Moin-Uddin-Chishti near Ajmer to offer for tourist attractions.

A hill station amidst green valleys, Lonavala is a part of the Sahyadri slopes which has an attractive and captivating ambience. 67kms from Pune and 95kms from Mumbai, Lonavala lies at an altitude of 622m and boasts of some beautiful places like the Lohagad fort, Rajmachi point, Lions point, Bhajas caves, Tiger’s leap, Pawna lake, Kune falls, Karnala Bird sanctuary, Bhushi Dam and the Karla caves. Spread over 38sq.km, Lonavala includes an assortment of caves, lakes, waterfalls and forts amongst its tourist attractions.

Among the few top activities you can indulge in at Lonavala is camping on the banks of the enthralling Pawna Lake, one of the most popular artificial lakes, located 10kms from Kamshet on the old Mumbai-Pune freeway. 8kms away from Lonavala is the Lonavala campsite which brings in a perfect blend of convenience and refuge untarnished by visitors. You can trek to the Duke’s Nose or locally known to be Nagphani and witness amazing visuals from atop a cliff, take a hot air balloon safari or treat yourself to an exhilarating climb to the Canyon valley waterfalls.

Surrounded by forests and set on a rocky highland is Mount Abu, a hill station popular in the Aravali Range in the Sirohi region of Rajasthan. Being the only hill station in Rajasthan it has been a celebrated retreat from the sweltering desert heat waves. With a unique blend of the flavours of Rajasthan, Mt. Abu is best explored for not only its lush greenery but also for its religious reverence, especially for the Jain community. Aside from its spiritual significance, lounging and relaxing with a boat ride at the Nakki Lake with a scenic backdrop of the Aravali range, trekking, rock climbing, visiting sunset point or jungle walking are some tourist attractions to enjoy.

Trekking on some of the captivating trails through one of the most ancient mountain belts in the world at the Aravali is both easy and challenging, while a camping expedition in between large rocks and lush green fields, and a vegetarian meal cooked on withered wood & leaves, by a bonfire under the stars at night will bring you the much-needed respite from your chaotic life back home. The Mt. Abu wildlife sanctuary covers approx. 290sq km of the hilly forest and includes a massive variety of flora and fauna with over 250 species of birds found here.

Capital to the Indian state of West Bengal and formerly known as Calcutta, Kolkata is located on the eastern banks of the river Hoogly. With a history of artistic, cultural and intellectual heritage, Kolkata is known as the city of Joy with a beautiful collocation of old colonial charm and the evolving stylish culture most millennials thrive on. Some unusual activities to explore in Kolkata would be to visit the Amitabh Bachchan temple, where along with his painting and an assortment of his movie stills, visitors can view a pair of his shoes from one of his movies; enjoy a fragrant and vibrant trip to the Mallick Ghat flower market at the foot of the Howrah bridge for a captivating ensemble of flowers or grab a breakfast in China Town before you set on a long day of sightseeing!

Kolkata’s architectural grandeur, pulsating culture and historic significance present all kinds of interesting attractions to travellers of all genres. From art galleries, colonial churches, ancient temples, ancient structures to shopping markets and eateries, there’s plenty to see and explore here. Significantly spiritual as well, the city is believed to be one of the 52 Shakti Peethas, and you can look forward to visiting some very well-known temples like the Kalighat temple, Birla Mandir, ISKCON temple, Belur Math, Dakshineshwar temple, in addition to other popular tourist spots that include Shaheed Minar, Alipore Zoological Gardens, Fort William, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Tipu Sultan Mosque, Aquatica Water Park and the Nicco Amusement Park. If you have time on your side, then don’t miss visiting the Sunderbans National Park, the Terracotta temples of Bishnupur, Shantiniketan or the beaches in Digha and Mandarmani.

One of the 29 states of India, Arunachal Pradesh is resplendent with things to do and places to see! The magnificent landscape and stunning coastline, a selection of adventurous activities, hot springs, vineyards and cultural dos will keep you busy and entertained for long on your trip to AP. Surrounded by Bhutan on the West, China in the North & North East, Myanmar in the Southeast and Assam & Nagaland in the South, Arunachal Pradesh has many unexplored mountains, cultural exchanges, river rafting adventures, treks and sightseeing tours to offer.

October through April being the right time to visit here, Arunachal is best explored for an offbeat travel experience that includes enjoying nature’s beauty at leisure, camping, bird watching, tribal tours, motorbiking, root bridges, and/or wildlife. Popular for its rich orchid plantations in almost a 100 varieties, AP specializes in oranges and apples in Aalo and Bomdila. With an enriching blend of different cultures and traditions of varied tribes that inhabit Arunachal, a large number of festivals can be enjoyed throughout the year. Shopping here for handicrafts is a must, while its cuisine is quite a treat for your taste buds to experiment on. Some popular tourist spots in Arunachal Pradesh include Bhalupong for its scenic beauty, virgin forests & bubbling brooks, Dirang for its snow-clad Himalayan ranges, Itanagar-an exotic hill station, and Daporijo on the shores of Subansiri River with lush paddy fields & enchanting waterfalls.

Gokarna is a small temple town by the Arabian Sea, in the south-west state of Karnataka. With its virgin beaches and striking landscape, Gokarna is not only a pilgrim site but also a recent discovery for beach enthusiasts. Perceived differently by different people. Gokarna can offer serenity and a much-needed respite from life’s chaos for the exhausted, or purity and redemption to the seekers. Rich with coconut and palm trees, the ocean and clean sandy beaches, Gokara is special in many ways.

Few leading tourist attractions in Gokarna include the OM beach, which is popular for being shaped naturally like the sacred symbol of OM. The Kudle beach and the somewhat isolated Half Moon & Paradise Beach are also quite promising with a variety of water sports like the banana boat ride, parasailing and jet skiing. The Mahabaleshwar temple with a Shiv Ling, Yaana – a trekking & hiking location, Sirsi waterfall, the Namaste café with some delectable food and picture perfect setting, the city market place with a vibrant and beautiful assortment of trinkets, incense and export clothes are some other tourist attractions.

Popular for its gorgeous backwaters, Alleppey is also renowned for its traditional boat races, temples and beaches, with Ayurvedic spas and wellness centres of repute. Alleppey is one of the oldest and organized backwater towns in Kerela marking the Arabian Sea coastline. Nicknamed ‘Venice of the East’ Alleppey is a scenic delight with breathtaking views of the Krishnapuram Palace, St. Andrews Basilica, Haripada Sri Subrahmanya Swamy Temple and the Laccadive Sea.

Alleppey houses Kuttanad, also known as the rice bowl of Kerela, where passing through a houseboat you can see a lovely green medley of rice paddy fields, intermingled with coconut trees. These fields are drained by four major rivers of Meenachil, Pampa, Manimala and Achankovil, and is supposedly the only area in the world where farming is done up to 2 meters below the sea level. The best time to visit Alleppey is between October to February, during winters, when the temperature’s moderate making it the best time to explore the city.

A coastal city and once an ancient trading port in Kerela, Kannur is the 5th most populous city in the state. With a group of 5 beaches, the Payyambalam, the Adikadalayi, Meenkunnu, Thayyil and Baby beach Kannur is a perfect tourist attraction to enjoy leisurely strolls amidst the waves and sea breeze, far from the maddening crowd. Then, there’s Muzhappilangad, which is Asia’s longest drive-in beach with a shoreline of 5.5kms, a great haunt for the youth to relish their driving stunts like wheeling in bikes and drifting by the coastline.

St. Angelo Fort is a world heritage site and offers a mesmerizing view of the sea, with a musical fountain light and sound show that’s scheduled by the government at the lighthouse for 15minutes around sunset. Arakkal Museum, Muthappan Temple, Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary, Madayipara, and Kavvayi Islands are some other popular tourist spots to visit when in Kannur.

A blend of ancient culture and contemporary thought, India has the choicest holidays to attract tourists from all over the world with an assortment of spiritual, wildlife, adventurous, healing, and pilgrimage vacations.