Top Five Offbeat Holiday Destinations in India

Bored of travelling to the staple marvels of India? Been there, done that? Tired of run of the mill tours? If you belong to this group of individuals, let’s add a bit of spice to your ‘have feet, will travel’ quotient. With just the right moolah in your pocket and the zest to tread the path less travelled, you can take on the role of a discerning traveller and enjoy the exoticism. Here's a list of topp 5 offbeat holiday destinations in India that is sure to cajole you.

Vihigaon Falls, Kasara, Mumbai

 

You should definitely strike off water skiing, river rafting, parasailing from your list of “most adventurous watersports ever attempted” because Vihigaon is going to give you the real high with a three-in-one water sport experience. Picture a slippery, mossy slope that you have to climb down (P.S. You just get a rope to help you do this) with a powerful current of water gushing over you – and this, right in the centre of a forest area.

Reachability: Vihigaon is best reaching using your own transportation.. It is located approximately 12 kilometres from Kasara.

Did You Know? Vihigaon offers this one-of-its kind adventure sport that involves rappelling, river tracing and down-climbing together.

Bishnupur, West Bengal

 

You will be amazed to visit the startling terracotta temples of this small town, which is the best example of classic Bengali style architecture. Apparently, since there was no stone in Bishnupur, all the temples were built from terracotta to worship god Krishna. What’s more, for all the ladies out there, Bishnupur is just the right place to bring out the shopaholic in you with an amazing range of designer Tussar silk sarees known as Baluchari.

Reachability: The easiest way to reach is to take any direct train plying between Howrah and Bishnupur.

Did you know? Some Baluchari sarees are woven with beautiful borders and have pallus accentuated with enactments of the Ramayan and Mahabharata.

Tranquebar, Tamil Nadu

 

Earlier a Danish settlement and now slowly transforming in to a beach haven, Tranquebar is a quaint village in Tamil Nadu. Experience a European aura amidst rural surroundings. Beautiful and unspoiled, one can see only a few unattended boats against the wavering sea. It is often referred to as “place of the singing waves”.

Reachability: The most convenient way to reach Tranquebar is to take a bus from Chennai.

Did You Know? There is a ruined pathway that ends at a point with the sea on all three sides; similar to Nariman Point in Mumbai.

Drass, Jammu & Kashmir

 

Drass is unbelievably cold in winters, so, when visiting this valley, be prepared for frequent snowfall and snowstorms. The exciting part of the region is that it’s a paradise for trekkers. You can go on the popular three-day trekking expedition from Drass Valley to Suru Valley. At an altitude of 3,300 metres, it lends a real high for adventure buffs.

Reachability Drass is easily accessible by buses plying from Kargil and Srinagar.

Did You Know? Drass is the second coldest place in the world after Oymyakon in Siberia.

Khajjiar, Himachal Pradesh

 

A serene hilly terrain in the Chamba district of HP, Khajjiar is a picture-prefect hill town with a unique charm attached to it. Khajjiar offers a rare combination of a stream-fed lake, meadows and forests, making it stand apart from other hill stations in India.

Reachability The easiest way to reach Khajjiar is by taking a bus from Dalhousie.

Did You Know? Khajjiar is known as India’s ‘Mini Switzerland’ due to its alpine topography.