India: 6 places to visit!

On the TOP of my list, get ready to feel at home by the generosity of the locals and be blown away by some captivating, magical locations in Leh-Ladakh, This is exactly where I fell in love with traveling and knew I was never gonna be the same again! At an altitude of 11500ft, Leh-the capital of Ladakh, serves you with smiling faces, humble people, cute-naughty local kids, and yumminess of momos & thukpas at dirt cheap prices. In the city centre and on the outskirts, lie tons of undiscovered roads filled with natural beauty and a bunch of Tibetian monasteries. Lots of space to get lost and feel at peace, anywhere and everywhere you look, your senses are gonna be fulfilled. For the adventurists- Ladakh is home to the world's highest motorable road - Umling La Pass at 19,300ft (even higher than the base camps of Mt Everest in Nepal) So get those motorbikes & jeeps ready, for you are in for an adrenaline rush. So many unique lakes and terrains to discover, I remember camping and spending a night at the Pangong Tso Lake and being hypnotized by the surreal beauty of it, oh, and did I mention I caught 6 shooting stars in one night?! The less polluted terrain offers magnificent star sightings in the night sky. Here are some popular places for you to check out & activities to do in Leh-Ladakh: - Pangong Tso Lake - Nubra Valley - River rafting a 28km glacier-melted Zanskar River - Winter Chadar Frozen River Trek - Hemis Monastery (these are just a few, trust me, this place has too much to offer) AND, its the safest destination is India for Solo Female Travelers!

Imagine looking up and finding yourself surrounded by palm trees and lush greens glowing with the setting sun... Imagine exploring the backwaters on houseboats and kayaking the small lanes which lead to meeting the ocean under vast blue skies... Imagine a gut reset with rice & coconut-based delicacies... Imagine tripping over well-spiced seafood & eating in a banana leaf... Imagine a week of ayurvedic treatments and massages to nourish your body, and refresh your soul... Imagine, the best of both worlds- hill stations & beach towns... Imagine your mouth drooling over the local tea & coffee varieties.. Imagine doing unique adrenaline adventure activities to actually meeting the wild animals and birds in their sanctuary.. Imagine being immersed in the culture by visiting local temples, watching Kathakali & Mohiniattam dance performances to watching the country's biggest boat race festival to shopping traditional clothing & jewelry that make you feel like an Indian god/goddess.. Kerala's got it all for you! If there's any state that hits a wholesome checklist for traveling, this place is it! If you want to explore South India in its essence-Kerala has to be the top of the list followed by Tamil Nadu. Here are some of my top Kerala destinations for you to check out: - Wayanad - Varkala (the lesser commercialized & much clear/smaller replaceable destination to Goa) - Munroe Island - Alleppey - Kochi - Munnar - Periyar If you are looking for a refreshing trip to nourish you in and out whilst getting integrated with the local culture in pleasant weather- Kerala is your place.

Call yourself a monsoon person? rains are your love language? Welcome to the 'Wettest Place on Earth' In Sanskrit, Meghalaya translates into ‘abode of clouds’ and it truly depicts that. Due to its far-off location, it's still an untouched gem of India. Though the popularity and convenience of transport have slowly been evolving. It rains about 267.8 days of the year! This place is definitely a must for all nature and adventure lovers, waterfalls are the eye candy with lush green vegetation in a tropical climate. -Dawki- Umngot Lake & River serves some of the clearest & cleanest water you will come through in Asia. -In Cherrapunji you can visit to see the famed single and double living root bridges. It's a fascinating site alright to see the wonders of mother nature. -Visit the 'Scotland of the East', the capital of Meghalaya and a haven for musicians -Head to -Mawlynnong, which has been labeled as Asia's cleanest village. -Caves (over 1500 of them, some of the longest and deepest in India) & Waterfalls (magnificent is an understatement) & Treks (kind of comes with the territory)!!! There are tons of popular and unpopular options for you to choose from, and with a promise that most will leave you pleased. The ancient tribes have managed to preserve & protect the nature of this beautiful state. Not only that, they are some of the world's largest matrilineal communities! Talk about Women's Power, ay! So make sure to speak to & stay with a local tribal community or family.

If any place could explain the word 'juxtaposition' the best, Mumbai-India's financial & entertainment capital showcases it in the best extremes! Also known as Bombay, this city should definitely be on your checklist to experience the madhouse our country can be. The most forward part of India, yet it offers a peculiar feel of melancholia and moodiness. Probably one of the few places you will visit in the world that will always be alive- we call it the 'city that never sleeps.' -British architecture in the South to Fort ruins amongst the wild -You can spot a variety of properties; from Asia's largest slum: Dharavi to the world's most expensive residence house owned by Dhirubhai Ambani, the owner of Reliance Industries. -Fun fact: Mumbai is an amalgamation of seven islands -Bandra & Colaba are the usual hotspots to get involved in this city's artsy & hip side. -From street food varieties to 5-star menus, the city's food range is extensive and you will be spoilt in the best way. -Make sure to dip into a nightclub to experience the desi music & rowdy vibes (be warned it can be overwhelming a space but fun too). -If you want to try the local stuff check out- Dhobi Ghat & Sassoon docks to start with. -If you are a Bollywood buff, checkout the Filmcity tour in Goregaon. -If you like it fancy, head straight to Colaba & Churchgate, get yourself checked into The Taj or The Oberoi and drive around some of the posh locations of Sobo and head over to fancy restaurants. But this city isn't like Delhi or Bangalore or Kolkata (the other major cities of India), it's got a feeling and heartbeat of its own, you just have to come here with no expectations and let this city take over, it will provide you with the friendliest of faces and scare you with some weird encounters, make you feel the humid weather and then leave you fulfilled with a satisfying art/music gig..I mean it when I say it's got it all, it's a beautiful chaotic mess! Whilst people usually head to Delhi thanks to the close proximity to the Taj Mahal, if you had to pick I would still choose Mumbai- better weather, less chances of being strolled around and overcharged, 10x safer for solo travelers (specifically females).

Transport yourself to royalty = visit the extravagant heritage-rich state of Rajasthan! Also known as the 'Land of Kings', they serve some of India's most unique and fine architectural gems, craved with colorful, intricate, magnificent designs these palaces & forts, are sure to leave you spellbound. The state has interestingly managed to maintain its strong tradition (not a strong point in an evolving nation yet) that you will spot in many nooks. From the voices of men singing goosebumps evoking folk music to watching ladies dance the Ghoomar (one of the traditional folk dances) to eating Dal Bhati Churma to camping in the Desert with the camels under the clear skies to wearing 'Lac' made jewelry that adds to the colorful Bandhej clothing, culture literally screams at you! Get your sunscreen, water bottle, and a bunch of hot & cold weather clothes ready, for you will have an experience of both in this desert state! Here are my top destinations in this state for you to visit: -Jaipur aka 'The Pink City' courtesy of the Prince of Wales. -Pushkar, the holiest town of Rajasthan, also holds the world-renowned Pushkar Mela (Camel festival- one of world's largest cattle fairs). -Jodhpur aka 'The Blue City', where the city is painted blue to keep the temperatures pleasant. -Udaipur aka the city of lakes, this one's for you royal romance lovers! -Ajmer, which serves as a major pilgrimage for the Islamic culture. - With all the above popular spots covered, one must indulge themselves in lesser-known villages and desert camps to get more to the core of the Marwari culture. While the regality of this place stands, so does its conservative attitude, so be mindful of what you wear and where you travel, and at what time of the day, especially when solo. Regardless, don't let any of that stop you from discovering this royal desert state!

Shimmering clear turquoise waters with colorful sunsets are calling for you! Once you have experienced India, let this be the last, great escape before your trip back home. People can sometimes forget about it, but these bunch of pristine islands are part of India, get your beach bag ready and head down here for the ultimate Indian getaway! Of 572 only 36 are inhabited and a small portion is open to travelers. The crystal-clear waters of the Andaman Sea feature some of the world’s richest and least spoilt marine reserves- perfect for sea walking, snorkeling, and scuba diving. The largest sea turtles in the world nest here. (Clearly, I am curious enough about them to mention it specifically.) History Fact: North Sentinel Island is home to one of the most isolated paleolithic tribes in the world. (Of course, you can't visit them unless you want to be shot at by arrows and die!) Some places to check out: -Port Blair -Havelock Island -Merk Bay Beach -Diglipur (North Andaman Islands) -Ray Hill, Mayabunder