Andaman and Nicobar

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a group of islands at the juncture of the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, and are a Union Territory of India.

The territory is 150 km (93 mi) north of Aceh in Indonesia and separated from Thailand and Burma by the Andaman Sea. It comprises two island groups, the Andaman Islands and the Nicobar Islands, separated by the 10° N parallel, with the Andamans to the north of this latitude, and the Nicobars to the south. The Andaman Sea lies to the east and the Bay of Bengal to the west.

The territory's capital is the Andamanese town of Port Blair. The total land area of the territory is approximately 6,496 km2 (2,508 sq mi). The capital of Nicobar Islands is Car Nicobar

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Places Of Intrests =>

Cellular Jail

also known as Kālā Pāani (Black Water), was a colonial prison situated in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. The prison was used by the British especially to exile political prisoners to the remote archipelago. Many notable dissidents such as Batukeshwar Dutt and Veer Savarkar, among others, were imprisoned here during the struggle for India's independence. Today, the complex serves as a national memorial monument.

Baratang

less commonly known as Baratang Island,  is an island in the Andaman Islands, India, with an area of approximately 238 square kilometres (92 sq mi). It is one of the main islands of the Great Andaman group, a closely set archipelago in the Bay of Bengal,

Baratang contains the only known examples of mud volcanoes in India. These mud volcanoes have erupted sporadically, with recent eruptions in 2005 believed to have been associated with the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. The previous major eruption recorded was on 18 February 2003. The locals call this mud volcano jalki.

Barren Island

is located in the Andaman Sea, one of the most easterly of the Andaman Islands. It is the only confirmed active volcano in South Asia. Along with the rest of the Andamans, it is a part of the Indian Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and lies about 135 km (84 mi) northeast of the territory's capital, Port Blair. The first recorded eruption of the volcano dates back to 1787. Since then, the volcano has erupted more than ten times, with the most recent one which started in September 2010 and continued through January 2011

Havelock Island

with an area of 113.93 km, is the largest of the islands which comprise Ritchie's Archipelago a chain of islands to the east of Great Andaman in the Andaman Islands. Havelock is situated 57 km North East of Capital City Port Blair.

Neil Island 

It is an amazing beautiful island with lush green forests and sandy beaches. This island is located at a distance of around 36 kms from the Port Blair. This is a perfect outing and holiday destination for the Eco-tourists.

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Cuisines =>

Seafood is the order of the day. From upscale restaurants in Port Blair to local dhabas on Havelock, fish abounds. Be prepared to pay a little more for good fish and seafood dishes than for standard indian food, but it's well worth it. Basic Indian food is also available, and as cheap as on the mainland in most of the small dhabas. Resort restaurants on Havelock can also whip up a limited set of more or less Western dishes, but the resort restaurants are pretty expensive for Indian standards.

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How to Reach=>

By plane

For now the only way to reach the Andamans by air is from the Indian mainland to Port Blair.Flights can fill up in peak season and immigration doesn't look kindly on people arriving without confirmed flights back, so it is always advisable to book a return ticket and change the flight date if you decide to hang around longer.

Port Blair's Vir Savarkar Airport is probably one of the most quaint and idyllic airports in India. There is a scenic view point where the whole airport can be seen. There are no night flights as the airport is handed over to the Indian Air Force after 3pm. 

By sea

It is possible to take a ship from Kolkata (~60 hrs), Chennai or Visakhapatnamwhich takes almost 4 days to arrive in Port Blair. It is less expensive, however, at only 1961 RS (as of Nov. 2011). Facilities are basic, though and many prefer to sleep on the deck rather than in the cramped bunks. The ferries can take up to five days to arrive depending on weather and various other variables... this can be quite frustrating for many. 

..... Have a Windy Vacation on Shroes ....  :-))

for more audio visual stuff do check out YouTube channel : Exotic Vacations

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Mount Abu

Abu Parvat or Mount Abu is a popular hill station in the Aravalli Range of Rajasthan state in western India. It is located in Sirohi district. Mount Abu is 58 km from Palanpur (Gujarat). The mountain forms a distinct rocky plateau 22 km long by 9 km wide. The highest peak on the mountain is Guru Shikhar, at 1,722 metres (5,650 ft) above sea level. It is referred to as 'an oasis in the desert', as its heights are home to rivers, lakes, waterfalls and evergreen forests. The ancient name of Mount Abu is "Arbudaanchal"

The town of Mount Abu, the only hill station in Rajasthan, is located at an elevation of 1,220 m (4,003 ft). It has been a popular retreat from the heat of Rajasthan and neighbouring Gujarat for centuries. The Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1960 and covers 290 km² of the mountain.

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Places Of Intrests =>

Nakki Lake 

A beautiful lake surrounded by hills on all sides. It is said that various gods dig the earth with their nails (nakh in Hindi) and that's how it derive its name. One can enjoy boating in the lake. Charges are normal - Rs. 75 for half an hour for 2 seater paddle boat and Rs. 150 for half an hour for 4 seater paddle boat

Guru Shikhar 

At 1722 meters above sea level, this is the highest peak of the Aravali range 

Toadrock

Natural Formation of Rock like a toad. Nice to have a look  

Dilwara Temples 

Beautiful Jain temples, carved of white marble, built between the 11th and 13th centuries AD.

Trevors Tank 

Trevor’s Tank is a picturesque location just 5 kilometers from the main town of Mount Abu, and one of the Mount Abu region’s most popular tourist destinations. It is a nature lover’s paradise that is named after the British engineer who built it.

Achalgarh 

A short distance away, a fort built in the 14th century by Rana Kumbha of Mewar. Also houses Jain temples, Achaleswar Mahadev Temple (1412AD) and the Kantinath Temple (1513AD. If you are an adventure lover then this place will provide you a good spot for hiking. instead of taking usual routes hike for the temple

Honeymoon Point

Nice place for honeymooners 

  

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Cuisines =>

Mount Abu is Very Good place for both Veg And Non Vegetarians. There are many ice cream shops near Nakki Lake, they provide a wide variety of delicious ice creams. If you are in Mount Abu then these ice creams are must try.

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How To Reach =>

Mount Abu is a part of Sirohi district of Rajasthan. The nearest railhead is Abu Road, about 25 kms away, in the lowlands. Abu Road is on the railway line from Ahmedabad to Marwar Junction (onwards to JaipurDelhi or Jodhpur). and

There are daily bus services available to Mount Abu from cities like Baroda and Ahmedabad.

At Abu Road, car-taxis and cabs are available as well as state transport and private buses to take you to Mt Abu. 

Njoy at the top of of the mount have a fantastic vacation ...... !!!

for more audio visual stuff do check out YouTube channel : Exotic Vacations

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Darjeeling

Darjeeling is a Himalayan city now in the Indian state of West Bengal. Darjeeling was a part of Nepal, but the British took it from Nepal while it was ruling India. It is internationally renowned as a tourist destination, along with its tea industry and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is "hill town headquarters" of Darjeeling district with a partially autonomous status within the state of West Bengal. The town is located in the Mahabharat Range or Lesser Himalaya at an average elevation of 6,710 ft (2,050 m).

Darjeeling is a part of the Eastern Himalayan zoo-geographic zone. Flora around Darjeeling comprises sal, oak, semi-evergreen, temperate and alpine forests. Dense evergreen forests of sal and oak lie around the town, where a wide variety of rare orchids are found. The Lloyd's Botanical Garden preserves common and rare species of plants, while the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park specialises in conserving and breeding endangered Himalayan species. The town of Darjeeling and surrounding region face deforestation due to increasing demand for wood fuel and timber, as well as air pollution from increasing vehicular traffic.

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Places Of Intrests =>

Himalayan Zoo 

(Padmaja Naidu Zoological Park), (shares the premises of HMI). It has a good collection of animals found in the Himalayan region

Japanese Peace Pagoda

This impressing building is part of a grid of around 30 pagodas spanning the whole globe. Constructed by the Japanese Buddhist Nippon-Myopic Order, the one at Charlimont on the outskirts of Darjeeling was consecrated in 1992. A small temple just lies alongside.

Tiger Hill 

Ideal to visit early morning when the first rays of the sun kiss the Mt Kanchenjunga and give it a golden color. To visit the hill, one needs to get up at 3AM in the morning. You can taste some excellent tea on your way to the hill, which will provide much needed warmth on cold Darjeeling mornings. When getting into a taxi at 4AM keep in mind that they are shared taxis and your driver might wait around in vain for others to join your taxi causing you to miss the sunrise! Those traveling alone or as a couple might want to squeeze into an already occupied jeep to insure full viewing pleasure. Though it has executive lounge (Rs.40/- per person) and special lounge (Rs.30/- per person), nothing beats having view from open area as you can have a full panoramic view from outside avoiding crowd in the lounge. The early you can reach, the best place you can find to stand inside or outside the observatory tower. If you are late, you may find standing behind many people and a lot obstructions to feel the sunrise and magic lighting on Mt. Kanchenjunga. You may also need to walk a lot to reach there via a stiff ascendent road.   

Observatory Hill

Observatory hill is the oldest site in Darjeeling. This hill is also known as the “Makal-Babu-Ko-Thaan” in local area. It is said that a Red Hat Buddhist Monastery stood at this very spot. Nepal people destroyed this monastery in the 19th century.

Rock Garden 

Its a beautiful place with a small waterfall. This place has got varities of flowers landscaped in the rocks. Females can also get dressed in the local dress and take pictures

Batashiya Loop 

Batashiya Loop is basically a place where the legendary toy train makes a loop. there is a Gurkha martyar memorial here. There is also a landscaped park. if you go early in the morning (before 8 am) you can get the glimpse of a local crafts market here  

 

Nightingale Park/Srubbery Park. 

It is about 2-5 kms from Darjeeling Railway Station and walkable from the Chowrasta. It is a beautiful park with a package of cultural program performed daily during the tourist season and its opening time is 4.00 p.m. and closing time is 8.00 p.m. The park has recently been extensively re-developed, and now comprises of a giant Statue of Lord Shiva, a temple, and provisions for live-interactive entertainment. The best time to visit the park is in the evenings. Entrance fee is charged and nominal charges for photography may also be required to be made by the visitor. You may think alternative of Tiger-hill to see the sunlight magic on Kanchenjunga from this Park. Good spot for photographers. This place is not very crowded and you can enjoy your photography from here. Nice landscape is visible from this park

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Cuisines =>

Several eateries which dish out North Indian, Nepali, Tibetan, and continental fare dot the area around the Mall.

"Momos", a steamed Tibetan delicacy are a staple food offered by almost every eating joint.

Keep in mind that everything closes pretty early in the night (The town goes to sleep before 9PM). So, do keep something in stock to eat, if you are planning to stay up late.

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How To Reach =>

By plane

 

The nearest airport is Bagdogra, near Siliguri, 96 km from Darjeeling.

All other cities major cities can be accessed by taking a flight to Delhi/Kolkata and connecting.

Getting to and from Nepal can be tricky, despite their close proximity. One can catch a share jeep to Siliguri and a bus to the Nepalese border, changing buses in Nepal. . It is more expensive than organising your own transport but they make a concerted effort to look after you and will help you out if the situation becomes dicey (particularly with strikes in Nepal), they cannot be recommended highly enough and this is unusual for India.

By taxi/shared jeep

Siliguri is the nearest town connected to the mainline rail network. Ample transport is available to Darjeeling from here. The most popular modes of transport are taxi (usually shared by three to four passengers), shared jeep (ten passengers) @Rs.150/ to Rs.200/ depends on time.

Shared jeeps depart regularly, from several locations around town. They leave when full, and are a cheap, fast and reasonably comfortable way to get to Darjeeling.

If you have arrived by train at NJP, you can take a taxi or shared jeep to reach Darjeeling from the booking counter at the taxi stand in front of the railway station. There is also a prepaid taxi stand in front of the train station. Note that if you arrive too late for the jeep to make a return journey from Darjeeling, you may end up paying more, e.g. Rs.200 per person. The prepaid counter will tell you that no jeeps are available, so you'll have to find one via a fixer or by negotiating directly with drivers.

Tourists often opt to buy an extra seat or two to have more space for the 3 hour journey up to Darjeeling! Luggage is carried for free on the roof. Jeeps may stop for a snack and toilet break on the way up (normally a few km short of Kurseong). 

By Train

New Jalpaiguri (NJP) near Siliguri is the nearest station on the main inter-city line. Direct trains to NJP run from Delhi (approx 27 hours) several times a day. If you are traveling from Kolkata (Sealdah Station) the best train for you will be Darjeeling Mail (circa 12 hours) running nightly at 10:05PM. 

 From there (NJP), the famous Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR), known to all as the 'Toy Train' completes the journey to Darjeeling. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway was the first, and is still the most outstanding, example of a hill passenger railway.It is now listed as a World Heritage Site declared by UNESCO.

 Have a amazing vacation in darjeeling ....  :-)) 

for more audio visual stuff do check out YouTube channel : Exotic Vacations

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Nainital

Nainital is a popular hill station in the Indian state of Uttarakhand and headquarters of Nainital district in the Kumaon foothills of the outer Himalayas. Situated at an altitude of 2,084 metres (6,837 ft) above sea level, Nainital is set in a valley containing a pear-shaped lake, approximately two miles in circumference, and surrounded by mountains, of which the highest are Naina (2,615 m (8,579 ft)) on the north, Deopatha (2,438 m (7,999 ft)) on the west, and Ayarpatha (2,278 m (7,474 ft)) on the south. From the tops of the higher peaks, "magnificent views can be obtained of the vast plain to the south, or of the mass of tangled ridges lying north, bounded by the great snowy range which forms the central axis of the Himalayas.

Nainital is named after the goddess Naina Devi. It is located around Naini Lake in Uttarakhand

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Places Of Intrests =>

Nainital Lake

Also known as Naini Lake, it is situated in the heart of the city and it is owing to this lake that Nainital earned its name. The eye-shaped lake is a tourist hotspot and acts as a magnet for all those visiting the hill resort. Here, a person can either take a leisurely stroll or indulge in boating and enjoy the surrounding beauty. The northern end of the lake is called Mallital, while the southern one is called Tallital. The Lake Bridge that connects the two banks has quite a few shops as well as a post office, the only one in the world to be located on a bridge.

St. John in the Wilderness 

a church established in 1844 and is located on the north end of town (Mallital), about half a mile north-west of the Naina Devi temple. The church was so named by Daniel Wilson, the Bishop of Calcutta, who, after falling ill during a visit to Nainital in 1844 to lay the foundation of the church, was obliged to sleep in an unfinished house on the edge of the forest. (See excerpt from Josiah Bateman on the Literary references to Nainital page.) A brass plaque on the altar is inscribed with names of the victims of the Landslip of 1880.

Snow View 

is situated at an altitude of 2,270 m (7,450 ft) and located atop the Sher-ka-danda Ridge (north by north-east of the town centre), is easily reachable by cable car.Charges for cable car is Rs. 150 per person, Rs. 75 for child. Charges are for stay for one hour at the point. Timings are 10.00a.m. to 5.00p.m. On a clear day, it offers spectacular views of the snowbound high Himalaya, including Nanda Devi, Trisul, and Nanda Kot. The best time of the year for viewing the mountains is late October and November.

Naini Peak 

also known as China or Cheena Peak or Naina Peakis the highest peak in the town, with an altitude of 2,615 m (8,579 ft). and at a walking distance of 6 km (3.7 mi) from the north end of the town (Mallital). From atop the peak, one can not only see a broad swath of the snow clad high Himalaya, but also obtain a panoramic view of Nainital town itself. The summit is an invigorating hike from Nainital town; in addition, for the less energetic visitors, ponies can be hired in Mallital or on Snow View

Jim Corbett National Park 

 WikiMiniAtlas

in the Nainital district is India's oldest national park. The park, which is 63 km (39 mi) west by north-west of Nainital, contains a wide variety of wild life including elephant, tiger, chital, Sambar Deer, nilgai, gharial, King Cobra, muntjac, wild boar, hedgehog, common musk shrew (White-toothed shrew), flying fox (pteropus, megabat), Indian Pangolin, and nearly 600 species of birds.

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Cuisines =>

The eateries in Nainital reflect that with Punjabi staples being standard fare - most of the better eateries are in the Mall

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How To Reach =>

By plane

Contrary to popular belief, flying into Nainital is the fastest way to reach the hill station. Nainital is served by PantNagar Airport, located about 2 hours away which is well connected to Delhi. It is served by Jagson airlines and Kingfisher airlines. It is one of the least busy airports in the country, handling only 6 scheduled flights a week.

By road

There are daily bus services from Delhi. The buses leave from ISBT Anand Vihar delhi and are run by Uttarakhand Roadways.

Driving to Nainital takes 7 to 8 hours. From Delhi, it's highway driving throughout. NH 24 connects Delhi to Rampur via Hapur. At Rampur, turn and head north on NH 87 all the way up to Nainital. En-route halts include the Wonderland, Rwy crossing, Moradabad and The Cottage, Jeliokot.

By train

The nearest railway station is Kathgodam, 35 km away. Taxis charge Rs 250-300 to Nainital, you can also board taxis on sharing basis which would cost 75 per person. Most hotels will arrange for a pick up on prior request, Rs 600-900. You can also walk out of Kathgodam station, the bus station is only 100 meters away, take a bus to Nainital, its only 34 rupees per person

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Nainital Awaits traveler like U ... :-)) 

for more audio visual stuff do check out YouTube channel : Exotic Vacations

 

Mussoorie

Mussoorie is a hill station and a municipal board in the Dehradun District of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is located about 35 km from the state capital of Dehradun and 290 km north from the national capital of New Delhi. This hill station, situated in the foothills of the Garhwal Himalayan ranges, is also known as the "Queen of the Hills". The adjoining town of Landour, which includes a military cantonment, is considered part of 'greater Mussoorie', as are the townships of Barlowganj and Jharipani.

Mussoorie with its green hills & varied flora & fauna, is a fascinating hill resort and a fabulous honeymoon spot. Commanding a wonderful view of extensive Himalyan snow ranges to the northeast, & glittering views of the Doon Valley, Roorkee, Saharanpur & Haridwar to the South, the town presents a fairyland atmosphere to the tourists. Its history dates back to 1827 when Captain Young, an adventurous military officer, explored the present site & laid the foundation of this holiday resort which now has few rivals. Mussoorie is famous for its scenic beauty and hectic social life.

Places Of Intrests =>

Kempty Falls 

about 15 km from Mussoorie, this now over-built spot is a popular tourist destination. Catch a taxi or a bus from the Library stand. 

GUN HILL

One can enjoy the trolley ride to gun hill to view the spelendid view of all the city and ice capped himalaya. Trolley charge is Rs 55/- for up and down.lots of photographer with the traditional dress are available there 

Bhatta falls 

on the way back to Dehradun from Mussoorie nice option to have a look at Bhatta Falls. 2-km trek, 3kms away from Mussoorie. Mussoorie Lake is also another option to relax on the same route. Boating is also available there 

Happy Valley 

a couple kilometers from the Library end of the Mall, Happy Valley is a 5,000 strong Tibetan settlement. This is a beautiful spot for a short hike. Taxis and possibly bicycle rickshaws ply this route.

Jawahar Aquarium 

mall road, very nice collection of fishes

Lal Tibba.  

A scenic 5 km uphill walk from Picture Palace to the highest point in Mussoorie. Passes through Landour Bazaar.Old light house is the nice thing to see there

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Cuisines =>  

Mussoorie is well occupied with multicuisine restaurants to serve tourists. One can have north indian dishes with wide range of variety. 

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How To Reach =>  

Mussoorie is conveniently connected by road to Delhi and major cities.

The closest rail station is Dehradun (capital city of state uttarakhand). Taxis are easily available for Mussorie as are buses at regular intervals.

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Wish U have Joyful Vacation There...... :-)) 

Kanyakumari

Kanyakumari  is a town in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. It was also referred to as Cape Comorin earlier. Located at the southernmost tip of India, it is the geographical end of the mainland. The district in Tamil Nadu where the town is located is called Kanyakumari District. The closest major cities are Nagercoil, the administrative headquarters of Kanyakumari District, (22 km (14 mi)) and Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala (88 km (55 mi)). The town is a popular tourist place in India.
Cape Comorin was the southern limit of Tamilakam (the ancient Tamil country).

Kanyakumari is the southernmost town of the Indian mainland. The land mass in and around the town is hilly and uneven, with many commercial buildings and hotels at the upper crest of the land mass with the sea visible below. The old areas of the town, where the local population lives, are on the lower side. Many of the locals carry out fishing, fish processing and other maritime professions.

Places Of Intrests =>

Vivekananda Rock 

is about a hundred meters from the shore and a regular ferry service exists between the mainland jetty and the rock. The tickets are Rs 20 for a ride. The Rock has two Mandaps (halls); one belonging to Swami Vivekananda and the other belonging to a Holy Foot. The Holy Foot is a foot shaped carving found on the rock and is believed to be the footprint of Goddess Kumari who stood on this rock on one leg and performed the Tapasya (penance). The Rock memorial has a tall statue of Swami Vivekananda whose photographs are not allowed to be taken from inside the hall. Below the statue was mentioned the year of death of the Swamiji and the "probable" dates when Swamiji attained Samadhi on the rock. Here you can see both sunrise and sunset and it is one of the main tourist attractions here. Golden Hues of the Horizon are very impressive with a silhouette of the Rock Memorial. Timings: 7:30 am to 4:00 pm. You should enter main gate to the jetty for ferry before 4 pm, after that entry is denied. Nobody is allowed there after sunset, so if you were planning an evening visit hurry up and leave well before sunset so as to watch it from the beach. The last ferry leaves the island around the sunset time with all remaining visitors as well as the staff.

Vivekanandapuram 

is the headquarters of the Vivekananda Kendra and the centre spreads over an area of 100 acres. There is a well stocked library within the premises. It is well connected. Buses are also regularly available from Vivekanandapuram to Kanyakumari. One can enjoy absolutely breathtaking views of sunrise from the beaches of Vivekanandapuram. It has its own boarding & lodging facilities, a post office and a bank on its premises.

Thiruvalluvar Statue 

is dedicated to arguably the greatest Tamil poet, philosopher, and saint Thiruvalluvar. The rock supports a huge statue of the saint carved out of many rocks that were then joined together. It was inaugurated fairly recently. The statue is about 133 feet long which corresponds to 133 chapters in the greatest epic written by the saint – Thirukkural. Tourists can climb up to the feet of the statue. The view from this point is quite breathtaking! It is a very entertaining and enlightening piece of work and inspires one to lead a very principled and moral life. It is a must read for anyone who visits this place and it is advisable to spend at least half an hour specially dedicated for this exercise. Such is the beauty of Kanyakumari that a lot of people find themselves attracted to it. Mahatma Gandhi too could not resist its charm, and there is a place here dedicated to him called Gandhi Mandapam. This is the place, as told by locals, where one could witness the 'Sangam' (confluence) of the three oceans. Gandhi arrived here and succumbed to the beauty of the place as described in his beautiful words inscribed below his portrait in the Mandapam. After he died, his ashes were brought to this place. The Gandhi Mantapa is engineered in such a way that at the place where the ashes were kept stands a small stone which is said to receive the Sun’s rays only on the 2nd of October, Gandhi's birthday, every year through a small hole on the roof.

Our Lady of Ransom Church - 

Located on the shoreline of the Bay of Bengal, the 100-year-old Church of Our Lady of Ransom is dedicated to Mother Mary. The Church, which is one of the most beautiful churchs in India, looks beautiful against the backdrop of the beautiful blue sky.

Baywatch 

is a water theme amusement park at Sunset Point and is home to India's first wax museum. 

sunrise/sunset 

the actual geographic south point of India is a few kilometers to the West of Kanyakumari's point and the big Thiruvalluvar Statue. It has a nice stone boat shed, a big Virgin Mary statue, some rocks, and if you walk down onto the sand and rocks, best of all no other people! If you are getting a bus from Nagercoil station, the first bus of the day should just get you there in time. Ask to get off at the Virgin Mary statue, buses go both ways all day so you'll easily be able to resume your trip. 

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Cuisines =>

The food in Kanniyakumari is more of the classic South Indian style. It is mostly vegetarian, and maybe even some Tamil favorites including iddlis, sambar, dosai, and related are available. Typical South Indian vegetarian food is available. In some cases, they may serve you the food on the traditional banana leaf. South Indian food is more of an acquired taste for some people from the Western part of the world. It is different, but still good. Do not expect much as far as Western style breakfast foods or western style foods.

Meals available at Kanyakumari are of the classic South-Indian type with rotis (roasted unleavened flatbread...perhaps similar to Mexican style wheat tortillas).

North-Indian style meals are available in some Rajastani/Punjabi style restaurants.

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How To Reach =>

By air

Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) of neighbouring state Kerala, is the nearest international airport, with direct flights from the Middle East, Singapore, Maldives and Sri Lanka. And is served by Air-India, among others. From there it takes about three hours by train or bus or taxi. The taxi charges are pretty cheap, about Rs 9-10 per km, and should be around , for a trip to Kanyakumari from the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.

 Alternatively, if you cannot reach Thiruvananthapuram directly from your place, you can reach Chennai (Madras) the state capital and then take either train or bus to reach Kanyakumari. Note that travelling to Kanyakumari is a bit tiresome via road, especially for Westerners, as the travel time is about 14-15 hours and the climate is pretty hot (30-35 degrees during summer and 25-30 degrees during winter) through out the year. Insist on a II tier air-conditioned coach as this is pretty cheap,  A local flight travel to Thiruvananthapuram is also a viable option, but the ticket prices are slightly higher, In India, the faster you book/plan your travel, the more you save on tickets.

Alternatively reach Kochi, Kozhikode (Calicut), Bangalore, Bombay, New Delhi, Kolkata and then by train.

By train

Very well connected and serviced by rail to all major cities in India like Chennai, Trivandrum , Kochi, Bangalore, Bombay, New Delhi, Kolkata, Coimbatore etc. And from here starts longest train route in India, Kanyakumari to Jammu.

By bus

Buses are frequently available from Thiruvananthapuram,the closest major transport hub. Long distance buses are available from Chennai (Madras), Coimbatore, Madurai, Bangalore etc

....Have a soothing stay there ..... :-))

 

 

Ooty

Ootacamund officially, Udhagamandalam sometimes abbreviated to Udhagai or Ooty is a town, a municipality and the district capital of the Nilgiris district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Ootacamund is a popular hill station located in the Nilgiri Hills. Originally occupied by the Todas, the area came under the rule of the East India Company at the end of the 18th century. Today the town's economy is based on tourism and agriculture, with manufacturing of medicines and photographic film also present. The town is connected to the rest of India by road and rail, and its historic sites and natural beauty attract tourists.

Places Of Intrests =>

Located in the Blue Mountains of the Western Ghats, Ooty draws a large number of tourists every year. Lofty mountains, great lakes, dense forests, sprawling grasslands, miles of tea gardens and eucalyptus trees greet the visitors en route to Ooty. The hill station itself is a land of picturesque picnic spots. It used to be popular summer and weekend getaway for the British during the colonial days, later it was made into a summer administrative town. It is situated at an altitude of 2,286 meters above sea level.

Ooty has some of the finest & breathtaking places in india, one can have really memorable moments therein. 

Government Rose Garden

 

The Government rose garden (formerly known as the Jayalalithaa Rose Garden, Centerary Rose Park and is the largest rose garden in India. It is situated on the slopes of the Elk Hill in Vijayanagaram of Ooty town in Tamil Nadu, India at an altitude of 2200 meters. Today this garden has one of the largest collection of roses in the country with more than 20,000 varieties of roses of 2,800 cultivars. The collection include Hybrid Tea Roses, Miniature Roses, Polyanthas, Papagena, Floribunda, Ramblers, Yakimour and roses of unusual colours like black and green.

Ooty Botanical Gardens

 

The 22-acre (89,000 m²) Ooty Botanical Gardens was laid out in 1847 and is maintained by the Government of Tamil Nadu. The Botanical Garden is lush, green, and well-maintained. A flower show along with an exhibition of rare plant species is held every May. The Gardens have around a thousand species, both exotic and indigenous, of plants, shrubs, ferns, trees, herbal and bonsaiThe garden has a 20-million-year-old fossilized tree. plants.

Ooty Lake

 

Ooty lake covers an area of 65 acres. The Boat house established alongside the lake, which offers boating facilities to tourists, is a major tourist attraction in Ooty. It was constructed in 1824 by John Sullivan, the first collector of Ooty. The lake was formed by damming the mountain streams flowing down Ooty valley.The lake is set among groves of Eucalyptus trees with a railway line line running along one bank. During summer season in May, boat races and boat pageantry are organized for two days at the lake.

Stone House

 

Stone House is the first bungalow constructed in Ooty. It was built by John Sullivan and was called as Kal Bangala by the tribals (Kal means stone in Tamil). John Sullivan started building Stonehouse in 1822, acquiring land from the Todas at one rupee an acre.Today, it is the official residence for the principal of the Government Arts College, Ooty.

Toda huts

 

There are a few Toda huts on the hills above Botanical Garden, where Todas still dwell. There are other Toda settlements in the area, notably Kandal Mund near Old Ooty. Although many Toda have abandoned their traditional distinctive huts for concrete houses, a movement is now afoot to build tradition barrel-vaulted huts and during the last decade forty new huts have been built and many Toda sacred dairies renovated^.

Ooty Mountain Railway

 

The Nilgiri Mountain Railway was built by the British in 1908,and was initially operated by the Madras Railway Company. The railway still relies on its fleet of steam locomotives.NMR comes under the jurisdiction of the newly formed Salem Division. In July 2005, UNESCO added the Nilgiri Mountain Railway as an extension to the World Heritage Site of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the site then became known as "Mountain Railways of India.^"after it satisfied the necessary criteria, thus forcing abandonment of the modernisation plans. For the past several years diesel locomotives have taken over from steam on the section between Coonoor and Udhagamandalam. Local people and tourists have led a demand for steam locos to once again haul this section.

St. Stephen's Church

 

St. Stephen's Church is located on the road to Mysore in Ooty,in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the oldest churches in the Nilgiris district. The church dates back to the 19th century. Stephen Rumbold Lushington, the then Governor of Madras, who keenly felt the need for a cathedral exclusively for the British, in Ooty, laid the foundation for the church on April 23, 1829, to coincide with the birthday of King George IV. St. Stephen's Church was consecrated by John Matthias Turner, Bishop of Calcutta, on November 5, 1830. It was thrown open to public communion on Easter Sunday April 3, 1831. It came under the Church of South India in 1947.The architect incharge was John James Underwood, Captain, Madras Regiment.

Wax World, Ooty

 

A wax museum that houses life-size look-alike wax statues of personalities of Indian history, culture and heritage housed in a 142-year-old bungalow.

Ooty Golf Course

 

Ooty Golf Course is located in Ooty town.The golf course is set at an altitude of 7600 feet. It is owned by the Gymkhana club in Ooty. The course extends over 193.56 acresand comprises 18 holes.

Tribal Museum

 

The Tribal Museum is part of the campus of Tribal Research Center which is in Muthorai Palada (10 km from Ooty town). It is home to rare artifacts and photographs of tribal groups of Tamil Nadu as well as Andaman and Nicobar Islands and anthropological and archaeological primitive human culture and heritage. The Tribal Museum also displays houses belongs to Toda, Kota, Paniya, Kurumba and Kanikaran.

 How To Reach =>

By plane

The Coimbatore airport is the closest to the hills at 3-1/2 hours by road. There are flights into Coimbatore from Singapore, Sharjah, Colombo and most parts of India including Mumbai (Kingfisher, Indian Airlines,Jet and Go Air), Chennai ( Kingfisher, Spicejet, Air India, Indigo and Jet) and Bangalore. The Mysore airport is about 4 hours away from Ooty by road and is serviced by an daily ATR service by Kingfisher Airlines and lies to the North of Ooty. The road trip is quite scenic from either airport

By train

The hills are connected to by a nightly train. The Nilgiri Express (Train No. 2671) leaves from Chennai at night, and reaches Mettupalayam (which Indian Rail spells Metupalaiyam), a small town at the foothills of the Nilgiris early the next morning. The train The Nilgiri Mountain Railway leaves Mettupalayam at 7.10 pushed by a small steam powered historic locomotive that is a remnant of Swiss engineered trains imported in the late 1800s. The steam train is much smaller, and can only accommodate a portion of the passengers that disembark at Mettupalayam.You have to book separate ticket for this journey (tickets can be booked through IRCTC(www.irctc.co.in) like any other rail ticket booking.), although many prefer the faster route of taking a cab or a bus from Mettupalayam.

The steam train takes a very scenic route, and the pace of travel will let you take in the beautiful scenery at leisure with stops at stations for the engine to take on water(the journey takes about 5-1/2 hours compared to 2 hours by road). The train uses a rack and pinion system to haul itself up steep slopes, and also to prevent the train from sliding down when stopping. The train is pushed from behind. There are brakesmen at the rear of every carriage who will apply and release hand powered brakes individually for that carriage. The train often travels only at 5 - 10 Kmph, allowing some adventerous passengers to disembark from the train and walk along the train. This practice is not recommended and can be dangerous, besides there is a good chance that the train will speed up, and you will be unable to get back on board.

If you don't have a confirmed ticket of that toy train then you would not get the chance to board in it as railways issue limited say only 30 tickets on the spot at mettupalayam starting at 5:00 AM , and at 1:00 PM at ooty for the full stretch journey from mettupalayam to ooty, and make sure that you have gained nearer position to the ticket window before it opens. 

By bus

There are buses and shared taxi vans that can be boarded from most parts of India to Ooty. If you don't want wake up early to take the train from Coimbatore, plenty of buses are also going to Ooty. The Coimbatore "new bus station" has frequent bus service to Ooty via Mettupalayam, and it takes around 3-1/2 hours to get there. On the way back in morning, some busses make a 10-15 minute stop over at Mettupalayam for breakfast. From the "new bus station" it takes about 25minutes by (another) bus to reach the Coimbatore railway station. From Kozhikode (Calicut) there are two government buses daily, leaving 05.00 and 07.00, travel time is about 6 hours. Mysore is served few times a day, too. From Kannur there is a KSRTC Bus starting at 7.30 am everyday and a Tamil Nadu Bus at 10PM everyday reaching ooty at 4PM and 7am next day respectively. 

By car

The Nilgiris are in Tamil Nadu, but it is quite near the borders of neighboring states Karnataka and Kerala. The hills consequently can be reached from within Tamil Nadu by travelling up a heavily forested winding road, with many sharp hair-pin beds. The road trip from any state is quite scenic, although the Coimbatore-Mettupalayam-Coonoor-Ooty road (i.e. the Tamil Nadu route) is the most travelled and well maintained. All roads to the Nilgiri hills are toll roads, although the tolls are quite nominal.

Ooty is 284 km from Bangalore by road. The journey takes about 8 hours, depending on the condition of the road. One can take a shorter route for which a diversion has to be taken at Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary. This route will take you past the small towns of Masinagudi and Kalhatti. This route will curtail the distance to Ooty by about 50 km. Keep in mind that this road is closed at night as it passes through the jungle, so you may actually have to spend a few hours at the check post which is closed invariably at night. Only good drivers should take on this road as it is very narrow and steep.You'll find some eateries and a fuel station in the town of Masinagudi. There are some wonderful resorts around Masinagudi town where one can rent a cottage. These places are a good weekend getaway for rest and relaxation. There are eating places between Bangalore and Mysore, and within Mysore, but from Mysore to Ooty one should carry some food, as there are very few restaurants. Start early if you can so that the drive through Bandipur and Mudumalai forest can be done leisurly taking in the occassional animal sightings. 

Cuisines =>

There are various restaurants in Ooty , mostly offering South Indian food, but some offer North Indian food.
One can also obtain some Chinese/Indo-Chinese food from restaurants such as Wang's kitchen, Shinkows and Western food such as pizza and sandwiches from chains like Hot Breads. Try avoiding Shinkows since most of the items are overpriced and the staffs there are rude.Do not miss trying Ooty's famous buns, varkis, cakes, and other baked goods, as well as fruit and nut chocolates.

 ....Have a Fantastic Stay There !!!