Top 10 places to travel in India

“A journey is best measured in friends rather than miles”, these lines are well said .We all love travelling with our friend whether it is short trip or a long trip, what matters the most is friends .When you are with your friends; especially the best ones, everything seems to be more vibrant, livelier and cheerful. When you are in their company, even the boring lectures or gatherings get exciting and equally engrossing for you. Your college years are the best time for you to travel. College is that time when you’re no more a kid but still not an adult. Travelling to different parts of the country, seeing new things and meeting new people can go a long way in shaping you as a person. Here are top 10 places to visit in  India

• JAWANI IN MANALI

If your college is in Delhi or thereabouts, Manali is probably the first place you should head to. If you are planning for a thrilling vacation during the summers, Manali is the best place for you. The scenic beauty of this place is incomparable to any other places. The serene hills and the green valleys will beckon you to explore this place to its core. While you are in Manali visit some of the places like Hidimba Devi Temple, Rohtang valley, Solang Pass, Bhrigu Lake, Bijli Mahadev, Pin Valley national Park, Great Himalayan National Park, Ponda Dam and Manali sanctuary. Also spoil yourself with some adventurous activities like trekking, ATV ride, quad biking, helicopter ride, cable ride, paragliding etc.

• BIKING IN LEH

If you are an all-boys group, make sure you don’t miss this road trip. If you have girls along, well, it makes it all the more memorable! Rent Royal Enfields and get ready to put your endurance skills to test. All -you need to do: get geared up for some adventure, hit the road and reach nowhere! Passing mountains and villages, passing people who are going about their business in a more simple way what will get you appreciate both nature and simplicity.

• LAND OF HIGH PASSES –LADAKH

 Spectacularly jagged, arid mountains enfold this magical Buddhist ex-kingdom. Picture-perfect gompas (Tibetan Buddhist monasteries) dramatically crown rocky outcrops amid whitewashed stupas and mani walls. Colourful fluttering prayer flags share their spiritual messages metaphorically with the mountain breeze. Prayer wheels spun clockwise release more merit-making mantras. Gompa interiors are colourfully awash with the murals and statuary of countless bodhisattvas. Trying to hide away in the bosom of nature, well here is you call. Just don’t wait and get lured away to this exotic destination on earth. Make your bond stronger with your best friend as you visit Ladakh one of the most visited tourist destination in India.

• GATEWAY TO THE GANGES –RISHIKESH

Rishikesh is not all spirituality and contorted limbs; it’s now a popular white-water rafting centre, backpacker hang-out, and gateway to treks in the Himalaya. Known as the vibrant city Rishikesh is one place which has a lot of things to offer in its bosom. Also known as the ‘Yoganagari’ or the ‘Yoga Capital of the Country’ and the ‘Gateway to the Garhwal Himalayas’, this quaint city is known for its bountiful beauty, sanctity, adventure options and the magnificent places to visit in Rishikesh.  Talking about the places to visit in and around Rishikesh, the city offers a myriad and engrossing list to its visitors. River Rafting in Rishikesh is also an activity which should be on your bucket list.Jotted with sacred temples, pious ghats, tranquil ashrams and evergreen forests, this serene city has something for everyone.

• INDIA’S SWITZERLAND –COORG

The misty hills, lush teakwood and sandalwood forests, and acres of tea and coffee plantations of Kodagu are, in a word, stunning. Also known as Coorg and dubbed “The Scotland of India,” Kodagu is a postcard-perfect region of scattered villages and hamlets, which are the epitome of old-world charm. Kodagu is ideal for outdoor activities such as trekking, angling and white-water rafting, and major festivals like Keil Poldu (worship of weapons), Cauvery Shankaramana (return of the river goddess) and the Huttari (harvest) festival are a huge draw.

• PEARLS IN A SEA OF BLUE –ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLAND

Its lovely opaque emerald waters are surrounded by primeval jungle and mangrove forest, and snow-white beaches that melt under flame-and-purple sunsets. If your group has travelled on all of Indian soil, try plunging into the deep Indian waters! Jet pack to Havelock Island, take your bestie’s hand and go snorkelling beneath the azure waters and witness the splendid coral reefs, only to come back with unforgettable sights.

• Maati baandhe painjanee, Bangdi pehne baadli,Dedo dedo baavdo,Ghod-mathod baavdi-RAJASTHAN

Rajasthan is literally the Land of the Kings. It is home to the chivalrous Rajputs, and its battle-scarred heritage has bestowed legacies of pride and tradition. The upper echelons of this medieval society built magnificent palaces and forts, many of which are now glorious hotels and museums. College life is the best time to explore the unexplored. If never-ending stretches of sand is your thing then you should definitely visit Rajasthan! Camping on stretches of nothingness under gleaming stars will make you appreciate the raw beauty of India even more. .

• GO GOA GONE IN GOA

You don’t need anyone to tell you why Goa is simply the best destination to visit in your college days! Ever since you heard about that place as a kid, it has to be on your travel list. Add to all those evil intentions, the Sunburn Festival and a trek to Dudhsagar waterfalls and you’ll have experienced nirvana !

Goa’s biggest draw is undoubtedly its virtually uninterrupted string of golden-sand beaches. This shimmering strand of sand stretches along the Arabian Sea from the tip to the toe of the state, and each of the various beaches have developed their own personalities and reputations since the hippie days of the sixties.

• TREKKING IN TRIUND

Triund offers excellent panoramic views of the Dhauladhars along every bend of its trail. Once you reach the grassy meadows where the trek ends, the clouds descend to give you company and the view is absolutely spectacular! Those who forget to bring their cameras along will regret it for a long, long time.

• TROPICAL SYMPHONY-KERALA

A sliver of a coastal state in India‘s deep south, Kerala is shaped by its layered landscape: almost 600km of glorious Arabian Sea coast and beaches; a languid network of glistening backwaters; and the spice and tea-covered hills of the Western Ghat. Besides its famous backwaters, elegant houseboats, ayurvedic treatments and delicately spiced, taste-bud-tingling cuisine, Kerala is home to wild elephants, exotic birds and the odd tiger, while vibrant traditions such as Kathakali plays, temple festivals and snake-boat races frequently bring even the smallest villages to life

Travelling is a beautiful experience and you learn many things along the way. You will see new places, realize new things and will also make friendships that will last a lifetime. You will start feeling lot more independent and will come back a changed person. So don’t just plan, go for it because… you only go to college once. You will never have so much time again!