Bhandardara - Hidden Jewel of Maharashtra

Bhandardara is a small town that comes under Ahmednagar district, in the western part of Maharashtra. It is about 171 KM from Mumbai and 163 KM from Pune. It is a 4.5 hour drive from both cities individually. 

Most tourists visit Bhandardara generally for the purpose of overnight camping at the shores of Arthur Lake. The Lake was created by a Dam known as Wilson Dam, that was built during the British Colonial era. Wilson Dam was built in 1910 across Pravara river that flows across Bhandardara. It was built at 150 Meters above sea level and is one of the Oldest Dams in India. People visit Wilson Dam to see the Umbrella Falls which are caused due to water flowing out of this Dam. 

Arthur Lake, Bhandardara 

Wilson Dam & Umbrella Falls, Bhandardara 

Bhandardara is home to Kalsubai peak, which is the Highest Peak (5400 Feet or 1600 Meters) in Maharashtra. Kalsubai, with its height and view is popular for trekking and so are the hills near Kalsubai. Reaching it requires a physically demanding trek, as Bhandardara is on a hill. Near Bhandardara, there is Shendi village about 10 KM, which is home to Randhaa Falls that is a tourist attraction in itself. Other Tourist attractions near from Bhandardara are two Forts - Ratangad and Harishchandragad that tourists can go for hiking. 

Randhaa Falls, Bhandardara 

The nearest airport is in Nashik, which is about 90 KM, while Igatpuri Railway Station is about 45 KM away. State Transport buses are available from Igatpuri to reach Bhandardara. Regular buses are available from both Nashik and Igatpuri to reach Bhandardara, or you can also hire a taxi from there to reach the destination. 

Meghalaya - Wonder of the North-East

Meghalaya is a state in North-East India, sandwiched between Bangladesh in the South and Assam on the other three sides. It is known for its Tropical Forests and Heavy rainfall. The state is the wettest region of India, with the wettest areas in the southern Khasi Hills recording an average of 12,000 mm (470 inches) of rain a year. About 70 percent of the state is forested. The forests are notable for their biodiversity of mammals, birds, and plants.  

Elephant Falls, Shillong, Meghalaya

Duwan Sing Syiem View Point, Meghalaya

Cherrapunji is located 54KM from Shillong. It is known as "The Wettest Place On Earth", because it holds the all-time record for the most rainfall in a calendar month and in a year. Cherrapunji is known as "Sohra" in Khasi, the local language of Meghalaya.  

Umiam Lake, Meghalaya

Mawsmai Cave, Cherrapunji, Meghalaya 

The capital of Meghalaya is Shillong. It is reachable by road via National Highway# 6 from Assam (100KM from Guwahati, the capital of Assam). Shillong has its own Airport, located 33KM from the city and is an hour's drive by Road. At present, the Airport is serviced by Alliance Air, Indigo and SpiceJet having connections to Guwahati, Kolkata and Delhi. Mendipathar is presently the only railway station connecting Meghalaya to rest of India. Mendipathar–Guwahati Passenger train is the only service from that station as of now. 

Tourists who want to visit Meghalaya are advised to travel to Guwahati by Air or Train, due to its far more wide connectivity and then travel to Shillong via NH6. 

Pondicherry - French Riviera of the East

Pondicherry is situated on the Southern part of India adjacent to Bay of Bengal on Eastern Coast. Politically, it is a Union Territory (any settlement directly controlled and governed by Central Government of India), surrounded by South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. 

Seaside Promenade, Pondicherry 

Bay of Bengal, Pondicherry 

Pondicherry was captured and colonized by the French in Late 17th Century. It was liberated and transferred back to India in 1954, after a plebiscite conducted there. Hence, one can find remnants of French architecture and culture whoever visits Pondicherry. French is spoken by some people alongside Tamil and English. 

French War Memorial, Pondicherry 

A Church in Pondicherry 

Pondicherry is known to be close to Auroville, a spiritual township located 8 km northwest of Pondicherry. Auroville was founded in 1968 by Mirra Alfassa, a devotee of Sri Aurobindo who was a spiritual guru, poet and freedom fighter who lived from 1872 to 1950. Auroville was built as an experimental "universal township" that would contribute significantly to the "progress of humanity towards its splendid future by bringing together people of goodwill and aspiration for a better world".

Auroville's Maitri Mandir, near Pondicherry 

Pondicherry is 151 km from Chennai and 310 km from Bangalore (Bengaluru). Regular Trains ply from Pondicherry railway station to various cities in South India. Puducherry Airport, located 4 km from the main city of Pondicherry, is presently serviced by SpiceJet having regular scheduled flights from and to Bangalore and Hyderabad. 

Mauritius - Emerald of the Indian Ocean

Mauritius is a small island nation off the Eastern coast of Africa in the southern part of Indian Ocean. Its area is about 2040 sq. km. (790 sq. miles) and has a population of about 1.2 million people. 

The island is well known for its White sand beaches, Lush green forests and Sugarcane plantations. Its capital is Port Louis. As the island was ruled by French followed by British in the past, French and English both are widely spoken in Mauritius, along with native Mauritian Creole. 

Belle Marre beach, Mauritius

Ile Aux Cerfs (Deer Island), Mauritius

Many Bollywood movies and their song sequences have been shot in Mauritius since the 1990s. The island is popular amongst the well-to-do and affluent people in India for Honeymoons and Destination Weddings. 

One of the popular Places to visit is Ile Aux Cerfs, which is a french word meaning "Deer Island". Ile Aux Cerfs is popular for Water Sports like Jet skiing and Parasailing. Other places recommended to visit in Mauritius are SSR Botanical Garden, Chamarel village and Casela Park. 

Chamarel Water Falls, Mauritius

Majority of Mauritian people are of Indian origin and hence, Hindi, Bhojpuri and Tamil are commonly spoken here. Majority of the population practices Hinduism along with Christianity and Islam. The Local currency is Mauritian Rupee (MUR). 

Ganga Talao Hindu Temple, Mauritius 

Indian Tourists can enjoy Visa free access to Mauritius up to 90 days. The Island Nation has only one international airport - SSR Airport (Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport) named after the nation's first prime minister when it got independence from the British in 1968. Air Mauritius - the nation's flag carrier has direct flights to Mauritius from Mumbai and Delhi while Vistara offers direct connections only from Mumbai as of now. Tourists from other cities can fly via Emirates with a single Stopover at Dubai airport.  

Egypt - World's Oldest Civilization

 

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear of Egypt ? Pyramids !!

Egypt holds the distinction of being One of the Oldest Civilizations of the World. It has Pyramids that were built almost 3000 years ago. They are an Architectural Marvel in itself, considering the technology then available. Pyramids are basically Tombs built then to bury the dead people, after wrapping them with bandages and converting them into Mummies. 

A Pyramid at Giza, Egypt

Along with Pyramids, the other famous monument is the Sphinx, a mythical creature that looks like Half Human and Half Lion. 

The Sphinx, Giza, Egypt 

Anybody planning to visit Egypt for a Holiday must surely include three Major cities in the itinerary - Cairo, Giza and Alexandria. Cairo is the capital of Egypt and is famous for its Bazaars (Markets in Arabic), the City Museum and Nile River - Longest River of the World. Do pay a Visit to Mohammed Ali Mosque that is known for its Islamic Architecture. 

Mohammed Ali Mosque, Cairo, Egypt 

Giza is close to Cairo and it hosts the Pyramids and Sphinx as discussed above in this Article. Alexandria also has similar monuments just like the earlier two cities, including a Mosque, Catacombs and Amphitheater. Alexandria sits on the shores of Mediterranean Sea. 

Mediterranean Sea, Alexandria, Egypt 

Egypt offers 30 Day E-Visa to Indian Nationals. EgyptAir, the country's Flag Carrier, has direct non-stop flights from Mumbai and Delhi to Cairo. 

For other cities, there are flights to Cairo through Gulf-based Airlines like Emirates, Etihad, Jazeera Airways, Oman Air and Qatar Airways which connect Indian Cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad etc. to Cairo via a stopover at their respective Hub cities. Please check with each of these Airlines to know the exact Flight Schedules and Fares for each Flight. 

Bahrain - Pearl of the Persian Gulf

 

Al-Fateh Grand Mosque, Bahrain

Bahrain is a Tiny Island Nation situated in the Persian Gulf, close to Qatar. It is connected to Saudi Arabia and through that, mainland of the Arabian Peninsula via a causeway called King Fahd causeway. The capital is Manama, a city whose size and population is less than the western suburbs of Mumbai.

Bahrain unlike UAE and Egypt, is not really popular amongst Tourists to the Middle East. However, it does have its own magnificence and grandeur in the Arab world. Tourists to Bahrain can experience a blend of Islamic and Arabic cultures in the form of Mosques, Forts and Souqs. Since the discovery of Crude Oil in this island in 1932, Bahrain has rapidly transformed from a medieval Arab kingdom to a Modern City State offering excellent infrastructure and an affluent lifestyle equivalent to any city in the Western world. 

Bahrain has its own Museum for the Quran - The Holy book of Islam called Bayt Al-Quran, which has a varied collection of Qurans from various parts of the World written in different time periods. It has its own International Racing Circuit for Formula-1 (F1) cars that happen once in a year. 

Bayt Al-Quran Museum, Manama, Bahrain 

Bahrain's currency is Dinar i.e. BHD. It is more expensive than even U.S. Dollar (1 BHD = 2.65 USD). The island country is serviced by only 1 Airport - Bahrain International Airport. It has connecting flights to India, Middle East, Africa and Europe. Air India and Gulf Air offer direct flights to Bahrain from Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Bangalore. 

Bahrain offers 14 Day E-Visa to Indian nationals at a price of 9 BHD. Please ensure to get the E-Visa at least 1 month in advance to avoid any last minute hassles. 

Camel Farm, Bahrain

F-1 International Racing Circuit, Bahrain 

Bali - A Paradise for the Wanderlust

Uluwatu Temple, Bali 

A Trip to Bali is an unique experience in itself. The only place in Indonesia where Hindus are in Majority, in contrast to a Muslim Majority nation, Bali has several Hindu temples dotted in its serene landscape. For those who are not keen on Religion and Spirituality, Bali offers amazing beaches and water sports to give you that required adrenaline rush and a dash of excitement.

Indonesia offers 30 day Visa on Arrival to Indian tourists. Visa costs 5,00,000 Rupiah (Indonesian currency) which comes to approx. 34 USD. Bali offers a wide range of Hotels and Resorts that you can choose from, depending on your budget and group size. 

Tanjung Benoa Beach, Bali 

In Bali, you can visit Tanjung Benoa beach to enjoy the sea and sand and water sports. Try the Jet ski and Parasailing for once. To enjoy Balinese Art and Drama, visit Kintamani, where they have plays where Artists wear colorful costumes and enact stories from Hindu epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata. Their dance and performances are worth a watch. In Kintamani, they have Coffee farm where you can taste various flavors of Balinese Coffee as well as Tea and Cocoa. Also, do visit the Silver emporium where you can see how they make various designer Silver utensils.  

     

Balinese Dance at Barong Shiva Temple, Kintamani, Bali 

Tasting Session at Coffee Farm, Kintamani, Bali 

My Travel to Phuket

 

Patong Beach, Phuket

I had visited Phuket, a Tourist Hotspot of Thailand, way back in 2019. When I landed at Airport, cleared the Immigration and came out of Arrival Hall, I felt like I was in Goa. Probably, that is Goa of ASEAN (I am just kidding !). 😄. ASEAN is a body of Nations of South-East Asia and obviously, Thailand is a member of it. 

Fantasea Show

Phi Phi Island

I say this because when I traveled from the Airport to my Hotel, I could feel the same climate, the same ambience, the same environment, only a different Language and Cuisine. Phuket definitely scores much higher than humble Goa in terms of Airport connectivity and Road infrastructure. Its High Time for our Leaders to ponder about it and seriously consider about upgrading the Popular Tourist Hubs of India.

Phuket has something for everything. For beach lovers, there is Patong beach and Phi-Phi island. For adventure seekers, there is Go-karting and Elephant Camp. For those who like Live Entertainment, there are several Pubs and Discotheques lining the beaches and busy streets. Also, don't forget the Fantasea Show, the "Broadway of Thailand". Its worth a watch.

Thailand offers 2 week Visa on Arrival for Indian Passport Holders. You can get Good Packages at reasonable prices if you book well in advance. Please check with MakeMyTrip and Yatra for finding the best deals for Thailand, especially to Phuket. 

Travel

Travel is the movement of people between distant geographical locations. Travel can be done by foot, bicycle, automobile, train, boat, bus, airplane, ship or other means, with or without luggage, and can be one way or round trip.Travel can also include relatively short stays between successive movements, as in the case of tourism.

The origin of the word "travel" is most likely lost to history. The term "travel" may originate from the Old French word travail, which means 'work'.According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, the first known use of the word travel was in the 14th century. It also states that the word comes from Middle English travailen, travelen (which means to torment, labor, strive, journey) and earlier from Old French travailler (which means to work strenuously, toil). In English we still occasionally use the words "travail", which means struggle. According to Simon Winchester in his book The Best Travelers' Tales (2004), the words "travel" and "travail" both share an even more ancient root: a Roman instrument of torture called the tripalium (in Latin it means "three stakes", as in to impale). This link may reflect the extreme difficulty of travel in ancient times. Travel in modern times may or may not be much easier depending upon the destination. Travel to Mount Everest, the Amazon rainforest, extreme tourism, and adventure travel are more difficult forms of travel. Travel can also be more difficult depending on the method of travel, such as by bus, cruise ship, or even by bullock cart.