Off the beaten track, Indian travellers explore the uncharted

Off the beaten track, Indian travellers explore the uncharted

A rise in disposable incomes and changes in lifestyle patterns and exposure to the world through the internet have led Indians to explore offbeat destinations and spend much more on vacations, say travel experts.


Rakesh Chaudhary, an adventure seeker had trekked through several dense jungles and deep valleys around the India but was wondering where to go next. That was until he heard about Costa Rica. A week-long trip later, he did not want to return home from South America. "I had covered almost all of India and wanted something new. So, I chose Costa Rica and am proud of my decision. It's a mesmerizing place. I never wanted to come back to Delhi," Chaudhary, manager at an international bank, told IANS.


A rise in disposable incomes and changes in lifestyle patterns and exposure to the world through the internet have led Indians to explore offbeat destinations and spend much more on vacations, say travel experts. Those with deep pockets and spare time are heading to eastern Europe, Africa or even Latin America while others continue to flock to short haul destinations like Thailand and Singapore, but keep away from the general tourist spots. "An ever increasing number of Indian travellers are opting for places like Kao Mai, Phi Phi islands and Hua Hin in Thailand instead of just Bangkok and Phuket. The numbers of such people are rising," Manmeet Ahluwalia, marketing head of online travel portal Expedia India, told IANS. "Working professionals who can't afford a long holiday constitute the largest number of travellers to these short-haul destinations," he added.

According to another online travel portal, Tripadvisor, 35 percent of Indian travellers are heading out to offbeat destinations within the country and across the globe while 38 percent of them are spending more and more on summer holidays. "Adventure travel too is gathering steam as travellers opting for adventure activities such as outdoor camping, rafting, hiking and safari trips have seen a fillip from last year," said Nikhil Ganju, Country Manager, TripAdvisor India.


International holiday spots Iceland, Finland, Romania, Spain and Greece are emerging as the new favourites, indicating a trend to go off the beaten track. Meanwhile, several countries too are going all out to woo the Indian traveller, especially those looking for a change with food festivals, roadshows and business and trade fairs. "Keeping in mind the number of Indians now travelling around the world, India is definitely an important market," Haitham M. Al-Ghasani, Oman's Director of Tourism, Promotion and Awareness, told IANS.


Oman organised the second edition of its annual roadshow that covered several Indian metropolitans in February, promoting itself as a high-end tourism destination. Similarly, South African Tourism's (SAT) eighth annual five-city roadshow began in January in Mumbai as it showcased its popular destinations and varied culture. "As per our research, a majority of Indians love a mix of adventure and leisure activities. From bungee jumping to window shopping, South Africa is the perfect blend of both," said Hanneli Slabber, SAT's country head for India. According to the tourism board, 25,995 Indians visited South Africa in the fiscal ended February 2010. The figure rose to 30,304 in the fiscal ended February 2011 and settled at 28,684 in the fiscal ended February 2012.

Industry experts too feel that Indians are getting paid better and are venturing out more and don't mind spending on expensive international holiday packages. "Rise in disposable has led to a tremendous rise in the number of Indian travellers over the last few years and there is still tremendous potential left untapped," George Kutty, secretary, northern region of the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), told IANS. According to the Ministry of Tourism, the number of Indians travelling abroad in 1991 was 1.9 million, which rose to 12.99 million in 2010 with a compound annual growth rate of 10.5 percent. The number of departures in 2010 registered a growth of nine percent over 2009 as compared to 1.8 percent growth in 2009 over 2008.

Where will the British royals be travelling to this year?

Belize, the Bahamas and Jamaica

Prince Harry visited Belize, the Bahamas and Jamaica as part of his Diamond Jubilee tour. Given that it is was his first solo royal tour, we were pleased to see that he was on his best behaviour.


Read on to find out where the rest of the royals, including Wills and Kate, will be travelling to this year...


Gibraltar

The Earl and Countess of Wessex will certainly feel at home when they arrive in Gibraltar; this huge lump of rock isn't just a Commonwealth state but British overseas territory. There are helmeted bobbies, red telephone boxes and the dependency's residents can even vote for UK MEPs. In 2009 Princess Anne visited the tiny British overseas territory, although her visit angered the Spanish government, who slammed the visit as an affront to the Spanish people, due to their objection to Britain's continued role in the territory


Tuvalu

In September, Wills and Kate will pay a visit to the remote island nation of Tuvalu, which hasn't had a royal visit for decades. Let's hope the duchess has a head for heights - when her grandparents-in-law, the Queen and Prince Philip, last visited the country, in 1982, they were carried shoulder-high in canoes into the capital of Funafuti, and Tuvalu's government has confirmed the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be treated to the same reception.


British Virgin Islands

In March, the British Virgin Islands will be graced with a visit from the Duke of Gloucester. The royals are no strangers to the islands - princesses Beatrice and Eugenie are regular visitors to Necker Island.


Canada

When Charles and Camilla arrived in Canada in May, they fortunately didn't find any bad feeling regarding Prince Philips' famous blooper in 1976. During a visit in 1976, he told locals: 'We don't come here for our health. We can think of other ways of enjoying ourselves.' Charles was even able to endear himself to the Canadian public by indulging in a spot of DJ-ing during a visit to a youth centre!


Singapore

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will bevisiting Singapore in September, which means they might just be in time to catch the Grand Prix. How their security team will cope remains to be seen - Singapore is the most densely populated country in the world, with 6,430 people per square kilometre.


Malta

In the past, Malta may have been unfairly written off as one big retirement home (which probably wasn't helped by the Queen's decision to spend her second honeymoon there in 2007) but the Duke of Gloucester's planned visit has already boosted the country's tourism industry. Its citizens played an important role in the defence of Britain and its allies in the Second World War, particularly during the siege of Malta. In recognition of this, King George VI bestowed the George Cross upon the entire nation - making Malta the only recipient of a collective George Cross.


Australia

When Charles and Camilla visit this winter, we hope they don't repeat Prince Philip's 2002 faux pas. During a visit to Queensland's Cultural Park, the gaff-prone prince consort asked aboriginal William Brin: 'Do you still throw spears at each other?' The couple's itinerary is yet to be confirmed but it's expected to include a visit to the headquarters of the Royal Flying Doctor Service HQ (the world's largest medical practice).


India

In 2012 India will welcome the Duke of York. It's thought a visit to Delhi (pictured) be included in his official itinerary, although if he's expecting to check out the capital's statue of great grandfather George V, he'll be disappointed. When India became independent in 1947, it was quietly moved from its place in the city centre to the run down Coronation Park in the north of the city.


Trinidad and Tobago

The Earl and Countess of Wessex's visit in March comes during a particularly significant year - 2012 marks the 50th Anniversary of the islands' independence.

The 7 most breathtaking waterfalls in India

They are a photographer's ultimate fantasty, a filmmaker's wet dream come true and a dream-come-true for weary trekkers. Check out India's best waterfall destinations.


1. Shivasamudram Falls: Mandya, Karnataka, India; Height: 322 ft


If you have been looking for a quick getaway near Bangalore or Mysore, hop on to your bike now and head for Shivasamudram Falls.


Surrounded by hill forests of the Kaveri Wildlife Sanctuary, the place is a visual treat.

2. Athirappally Falls: Thrissur, Kerala; Height: 82ft


Mani Ratnam chose this enchanting waterfall to shoot parts of Raavan starring Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai.


If you wish to see huge mountains, deep valleys, dense greenery and a beautiful waterfall -- all in their full glory, visit Athirapally during monsoon.

3. Dhuandhar Falls: Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh; Height: 98 ft


Only 16 km away from Jabalpur city, Dhuandar Falls is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in central India. The picturesque beauty of this place has been beautifully captured in Shah Rukh Khan's movie Asoka.


Visit this place right after monsoons, preferably during Shivratri when the white rocks appear silver in the moonlight.


Don't miss the boat ride if you wish to access beautiful places that cannot be visited by foot.


Pick up beautiful souvenirs from road side shops that sell marble sculptures, paintings and customized gift items.

4. Dudhsagar Falls: Goa, Height: 1017 ft


If you are tired of visiting beaches in Goa, Dudhsagar Falls, 90 kms from Panaji should be an ideal choice for you. The entry is through a national park so one can spot animals and bathe elephants.


The falls look stunning post monsoon as it ripples with bubbling foam-like water. You might not get a cab but hire a bike and ride alongside the railway tracks!

 5. Soochippara Falls: Wayanad, Kerala; Height: 656 ft


Soochippara Falls in Wayanad, also known as Sentinel Rock Waterfalls is an ideal spot for budget travellers who do not want to spend money on costly water parks.


Visit during the monsoon and take Meppadi route to enjoy scenic views of some of the best tea estates in Wayanad.


The best attractions in Soochippara Falls are the tree top huts presenting a distinct view of the Western Ghats. The waterfalls have a cliff face which is ideal for rock climbing. 

6. Attukal Waterfalls: Munnar, Kerala; Height: 196 ft


Set amidst hills and jungles, Attukal Waterfalls is the most noteworthy tourism attraction in Munnar.


The place is known for its tranquility, majestic falls and beautiful locales and is ideal for long trekking and hiking.


The falls are at their glorious best between September and May. When there, make sure you stop and have a Masala Chai whilst watching the falls crash.

7. Bhagsu Waterfall: Mcleod Gunj, Himachal Pradesh; Height: 7112 ft


Bhagsu Waterfall in McLeodganj is a small but an incredibly beautiful place. The waterfall became popular after an Israeli movie Hummus Curry was shot here. Only 20 minutes walk from the popular Bhagsu Temple, it is an ideal place for those who like to combine a spiritual trip with a small getaway.


The hilly terrain can make the trek a little tricky but the view after reaching is absolutely worth it! Pick up local handicraft souvenirs from shops on the way.

Meghamalai – A walk in the clouds

 If you're looking for a quiet escape to untouched, pristine lands, less of which seem to be remaining every day, then Meghamalai's your answer. Tucked away in the clouds of the Western Ghats, this little-accessible mountain range offers gorgeous views of lush green mountains, dense forests, teal lakes and, above all, peace.


Pruning tea at the Woodbriar estate. The amused workers asked me to give up my job.
Meghamalai, also called the High Wavy Mountains, is located on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border and can be reached by road from Theni via Chinnamanur, the nearest town. The drive can be a little unsettling on the narrow, winding, muddy path which shows little sign of human activity; it took us almost half a day to traverse the last 40 km of the road. The climb is exhilaratingly steep, with a view of the peaceful Manalar Dam nestling in the valley. The kachcha road then leads to a tar road at the beginning of a sprawling 6,000-acre tea plantation which houses two large, spacious bungalows run by the Woodbriar Group. Scrumptious food and the sounds of birds greeted us at the Sand River Cottage.

The High Wavys Dam nestling in between the mountains.
We soaked in the warm hospitality and the cool mountain climate. Mornings at the cottage were spent in an almost meditative state watching layers of clouds play hide-and-seek with the peaks. A visit to the WoodBriar Tea Factory took us through a behind-the-scenes journey of the fascinating processes that go into the making of our morning beverage. We drove up to Vattaparai in Upper Manalar, famous for its animal sightings, but the clear morning was wrapped in thick fog within minutes, forcing us to go back. Cloud Mountain does live up to its name!

Tea estate in Meghamalai
One afternoon, a plantation worker came running into the bungalow, saying he saw a group of elephants nearby. We set off in the car and after some time, the driver stopped abruptly.
"What happened?" I asked, and was much amused by his embarrassed reply: "Elephant doing bathroom!"

An elephant in the forests of Meghamalai
He pointed to a large dung pile that lay on the road. We got out of the car and walked some distance. Hiding behind the tea bushes we spotted a family of elephants, complete with grandparents and kids, walking in the forest. We made our way back to the car in awed silence and on the way, spotted a bison in the distance and found (much to my delight) tiger scat on the path. I even picked up a porcupine quill.
Long drives in and around Meghamalai are beautiful, with the view alternating between dark-leaved woods and light-green plantations. If you're lucky, you can spot some rare wildlife like the Grizzled Giant Squirrel and the Great Indian Hornbill. These mountains are also home to the one of the world's rarest bats, the Salim Ali's Fruit Bat. From the Maharaja Mettu View Point, one can get a panaromic view of the hills, extending all the way to the plains. The misty mountains of Meghamalai are something out of a fairytale. They invite you to walk, trek, breathe, disconnect, relax and experience a bit of almost tangible transcendence.
Ramya Sriram is an editor, writer and artist of sorts based in Hyderabad. She runs The Tap, a webcomic dedicated to stick figures, and creates customized designs on order. She loves traveling, especially when it involves filter coffee and long train journeys.

Vazhachal Reserved Forest unfurled in front of us – wet, evergreen, wonderful and, as beautiful things go, fragile. The windshield wipers were ineffective at times and the going was slow. Which was as it should be, for the forest is breathtaking. Here, in Vazhachal, is where ferns still live.

Banks rose from the sides of the road, covered in roots and ferns, fungi and moss. Rock-faces seemed to melt into rivulets as water seeped through and over them. Boughs and lianas were smothered in moss, and epiphytes were everywhere. Creepers hung from branches like curtains and every bend in the road had a frothy, white, gushing waterfall. It looked like a set from the movies. The bigger characters in this drama –Nilgiri Langurs, Malabar Giant Squirrels and birds – seemed to respectfully give way to the small, the immobile, and the green. The setting breathed and pulsed with life – from the smallest snails chomping on leaves to the fairy lantern fungi that defied my camera to catch its color. 

And then there were the impatiens – little pink, fuchsia and white flowers that grow on wet rock. Whole beds, small clumps, and lone sentinels bending and twisting but holding their own under waterfalls. The sun had pushed its way through the thick blanket of grey and briefly spotlighted a moss here, a fern there. Tucking two cameras and one pair of binoculars under my new rain-jacket, I jumped out and took in a lungful of fresh, drizzly forest air. 

Light was low and photography in that rain was a prayer. But for me, the quest for tack-sharp images respectfully retreated behind the grand drama of green that surrounded me. The dark of the rainforest in monsoon is what it is. Raindrops on every blade, every edge, every petal, every moss fruiting body, is life – as it unfolds. Hence, if blurry, grainy, and high-ISO images were to be a legacy of this trip, so be it.

Soaking wet by now, finding a dry corner of my t-shirt to wipe my lens clean was nothing more than a dream. My knees were muddy from kneeling to take eye-level shots. I’d found a couple of leeches on my neck, one on my face and one on my lip. I’d no idea what else was inside my clothes. I was faced with a choice. Wetness and leeches can make one miserable. But I had one glorious day in such a forest, and a few hours to simply soak it all up. And so I took all my leech-bloody-wetness thoughts and locked it up in a small compartment in my head. Then I threw the key away. Access denied to negative emotions, I chased snails and sloshed across a stream to see insanely huge fungi. Clambering up mud walls and slip sliding on leaf litter, I was laughing inwardly at the sheer joy of being there.

It was dark by now – the sun had given up the fight with the clouds and called it a day. I looked at my camera. Surely the lens would be kaput the next day. Fogged up at a minimum. And we’d probably see the highly endangered lion-tailed macaques up close, and I’d have nothing to photograph them with. Well, I thought to myself, there is a way out. I would just have to soak up that experience so deep that I’d remember it forever. Leaning back on the by-now-oh-so-wet Scorpio seat, I smiled a broad, satisfied smile.

Gorgeous: Underground resort in China

Sky-high hotels and resorts are invariably impressive – shooting up as if to kiss the clouds. But what if a resort was created inside a deep gorge - would it look equally spectacular? Here are some artist impressions of the Songjiang Shimao Hotel project by engineering and design consultancy, Atkins.

Songjiang Shimao Hotel is a resort that includes extreme sports facilities, visitor centre and a five-star luxury hotel with some levels of the hotel situated under water.

The unique resort is being built into an abandoned, water-filled quarry.

A naturally-lit internal atrium incorporates the existing rock face, with its waterfalls and green vegetation.

The design solution for the resort includes the use of green roofing and exploiting the site’s geothermal heat to generate electricity and heating.

 Atkins is providing the architecture, structural and civil engineering services for this leisure resort in China.

The resort includes extreme sports facilities, visitor centre and a five-star luxury hotel with some levels of the hotel situated under water.

Top 7 Summer Getaways

Top 7 Summer Getaways


The one thing that is synonymous with summer is holiday. 

Once the sun handicaps the city and it's inhabitants with the heat, it is time to wrap things up and embark upon a holiday. Summer holidays are meant to be the perfect getaways; away from work, the terrible heat and daily stress of life. There are many destinations to choose from depending on your budget and liking, so a summer getaway is always within reach.


1. Bali

There is no combination like that of the beach and the sunshine. It is always wise to hit a cool, beachy destination in the summer and soak up the sun. Bali offers this delight to tourists and is a perfect getaway destination. It offers a variety of accommodation options depending on your budget, so there is something for everyone.


2. Kerala

Kerala is indeed God’s Own Country. If you don’t want to fly abroad, then this is the perfect destination within the country for you. All you have to do is call up the Kerala Tourism helpline and you’ll be given a variety of holiday packages to choose from. Planning a holiday was never this easy.


3. London

London has unpredictable weather conditions, but then it is a favourite summer holiday spot. Getting a London visa might be difficult but once you get one, pack your bags and get on that plane. While you will be going to another city and not necessarily a ‘relaxed’ destination, London is sure to charm you. There are plenty of things to do in this city, and the food it offers is sure to please your palate.


4. Leh – Ladakh

This destination has only recently become a must visit place for all tourists. Right from snow-capped mountains, to deserts at high altitudes there is enough natural beauty to captivate your senses. If you haven’t already, you must visit Leh-Ladakh.


5. Rio De Janeiro

 This is an unusual decision but it is sure to pay off. A city of 6 million, Rio is sure to blow your senses. From a hip night life and tasty food, to 25 amazing beaches to lounge at, this city offers everything to add delight and fun to your life.


6. Shimla-Manali

The oldest and most preferred tourist destination of Indians, Shimla-Manali will not let you down. Here, you can enjoy the weather, the snow and the calm vibe.


7. Paris

One never needs an excuse to visit this romantic city, but if you need a season, then summer it is. With long days, and longer nights, Paris is every romantic's dream come true. Walk the cobbled streets, enjoy a long lunch at the roadside cafes, and lounge around in the parks. Most importantly, walk along the Seine and find a way back into love.


These are our picks for perfect summer getaways. By now, you should be adjusting your work schedule and planning your perfect summer holiday. If aren't already, get to it now!

Mount Everest is the world’s tallest mountain.

Mount Everest is the world’s tallest mountain.

Mount Everest is so famous for being so high that you’ve probably heard of it before. It has been known the world over since the early 1950s when Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzig Norgay first climbed to its awesome summit. Hillary surveyed Everest at the time and determined that it was 29,000 ft/8840m high – a figure amazingly close to the current reading of 29,035 ft/8850m, which was confirmed using radar and global positioning satellite (GPS) technology.Using state-of-the-art technology Professor Brad Washburn of the Boston Museum of Science, the world’s foremost mountain cartographer, and his team have calculated that earth’s highest elevation is actually 7 feet higher than the previous record. That makes the official height 29,035 ft/8850m. Thanks to some engineering whizzes at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who developed really light, high-tech gear, the work of Washburn was made easier because he was able to hand carry a radar device to the top of Everest where it could be positioned to measure the actual height of the mountain – underneath all that snow. GPS technology was also deployed near the summit, which uses satellite signal relays to take readings from the top of Everest. After months of crunching numbers

Washburn’s team arrived at the new, official world-record elevation.

They’ve also determined that the Himalayan Mountains are still growing higher, at a rate of about 2.4 in/6.1cm per year. That’s twice as fast as previously thought. A growth rate of 2.4 in/6.1cm per year doesn’t sound like very much. If you think about it, that means in the last 26,000 years the Himalayans have risen almost a mile into the upper reaches of the earth’s atmosphere!
When Hillary and Norgay climbed to the top of Everest they wore oxygen tanks. Because Everest is so high it juts into the upper reaches of the earth’s atmosphere, where there are much lower concentrations of oxygen than at sea level. What that means to folks trekking up the side of Everest is that their bodies get less oxygen from each breath they breathe while climbing. But their brains and muscles require the same amount of oxygen to perform as they would at sea level. That makes it especially tough to climb Everest.
Try to imagine what it feels like to climb up a mountain with very little oxygen in your body – you get dizzy, your nose, fingers and feet get numb and tingly, your heart thunders in your chest trying furiously to keep up with the muscles’ demand for oxygen. You feel sleepy, confused, downright stupid as your brain struggles to function on limited oxygen. Every step you take is extremely slow and plodding, requiring every ounce of will you have. Hillary and Norgay had extra oxygen to help them make the trip, but there have been a few people who have made the trip since who did it without the aid of oxygen – taking one step about every five minutes! About 4,000 climbers have attempted the summit of Everest, but only 660 have made it.


One-hundred forty-two people have died trying.
Mount Everest is just one of over 30 peaks in the Himalayas that are over 24,000 ft/7315m high. Himalaya is a Sanskrit word meaning, “abode of snow“, which is so true. The snowfields which dominate many of the peaks in the Himalayas are permanent. Yes, they never melt (not even in the summer). That means there are glaciers in the Himalayas – lots of them. Mount Everest is permanently covered in a layer of ice, topped with snow. The “top” of the mountain at which the elevation was measured can vary as much as twenty feet or more, depending on how much snow has fallen on its peak. Scientists believe that the actual tip of the rock lies tens of feet below the ice and snow on its summit. There are current plans to use ground penetrating radar to get a reading of the actual height of the mountain beneath all that snow. Although the Himalayan Range is only 1,550 miles/2480km long, the average height of all the major peaks in the Himalayas easily makes it the highest mountain range on land.

Mountains aren’t just big piles of dirt, they’re made of solid rock. Believe it or not, the rocks that make up the Himalayan mountains used to be an ancient sea floor. Over millions of years, rivers washed rocks and soil from existing mountains on the Indian subcontinent and nearby Asia into a shallow sea where the sediment was deposited on the floor. Layer upon layer of sediment built up over millions of years until the pressure and weight of the overlying sediment caused the stuff way down deep to turn into rock. Then about 40 million years ago, in a process called “uplifting”, the sea floor began to be forced upward forming mountains.

What caused the sea floor to be pushed up toward the sky was the result of the action of plate tectonics. The theory of plate tectonics was developed about thirty years ago by scientists who discovered that the earth’s crust is made up of many “plates” which are constantly moving around. They are still moving around, even today, but the speeds at which they move are REALLY SLOW. In human terms the movement can’t even be seen, but it can be felt occasionally when we have earthquakes. Earthquakes happen when plate margins (edges) move past, or bump into each other. In the case of the Himalayan mountains, the continent of India is part of a plate that “crashed” into southwest Asia, but it didn’t stop when it hit. It continued to push northward, crushing and rumpling the earth’s crust, resulting in the mountains we see today. If you go back to the map of the Himalayas, you can see that the mountains look kind of like a rumpled blanket. India is still pushing northward today, raising the Himalayas even higher!
Scientists know this because they’ve been measuring the increasing height of the mountains. There have also been a lot of earthquakes recorded down deep in the mountains, which indicates continuing movement. The Himalayas are growing, but only about an inch a year. That’s not very much in human terms, but imagine how much that would be over millions of years! You may be thinking, “That would have been kinda cool to be here on earth 40 million years ago to be able to watch the Himalayas forming”. You would have been really bored, though. The movement that took many millions of years to form the mountain range is still taking place today, and I doubt you would stake out a camp at the foot of the mountains just to watch them grow. You’d be waiting a LONG TIME.

Hong Kong tops U.S. as most competitive nation

The United States is no longer the most competitive nation in the world, a title it once shared with this year's champion, Hong Kong. The U.S. slipped to second in this year's World Competitiveness rankings, compiled by the IMD World Competitiveness Center, giving sole bragging rights to Hong Kong.

1. Hong Kong has been ranked the world's most competitive economy for the second consecutive year according to the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) World Competitiveness Yearbook 2012. 

"Hong Kong is highly competitive vis-Ã -vis most other economies in the world, especially in terms of government efficiency, business efficiency and macroeconomic performance.

Germany

 Norway

Qatar

 United States of America 

Despite losing ground in this year's rankings, the United States remains at the center of world competitiveness "because of its unique economic power, the dynamism of its enterprises, and its capacity for innovation," the report from the Lausanne, Switzerland-based IMD School of Business said. 

The United States also has economic ties with virtually every economy in the world, which makes the direction of its economy.

 Singapore

 Switserland

Sweden

Taiwan

Canada