Popular Waterfalls in India

India has not only beautiful monuments and architectural structures but also beautiful nature. The monsoon gives the best natural scenery, rivers are full and flowing, and monsoon decorated the valleys with sparking waterfalls, wonderful lakes, green trees and beautiful flowers.  There are the beaches of Goa, the backwaters of Kerala and the hills of Ladakh, some amazing waterfalls which are active during the monsoon season. Here is the list of few famous falls in India, these are not the highest or the huge, but they are definitely some of the most beautiful.

1. Nohkalikai Falls, Meghalaya

Meghalaya have with number of beautiful waterfalls. One of the most amazing of the them is the Nohkalikai Falls, which are also the third largest of India with a height of about 1100 meters. These falls are in full flow almost throughout the year.

2. Dudhsagar, Goa

 It is created by Mandovi river in the state of Goa, with an height of 1,020 ft. It also known as “Sea of Milk” is one of the highest in India. It is surrounded by high peaks and greenery of the Western Ghats. Dudhsagar is one of the worlds most exquisite and during the monsoon season it become one of the most visited natural tourism spot in Goa.

3. Jog Falls, Shimoga, Karnataka

Karnataka have some of the highest streams of India, but Jog Falls do not figure in the top 10 highest of the list. It is created by Sharavathi River in Shimoga District of Karnataka. Its height is 830 ft. The spray and the enormous flow of water can be seen during the rainy or monsoon season. Its surrounded region is beautifully covered by the lush green grass and trees.

4. Kune Falls, Maharasthra

The Lonavala-Khandala area is blessed with several beautiful streams during the monsoon season. Kune Falls are beautiful among the rest of the other. These are 200 meters high and 3 tiered.

5. Shivasamudram Falls, Karnataka

Karnataka is known as “State of Waterfalls in India”.  It has noisy falls a few kilometers from each other. Cauvery Falls in Karnataka stand out for their sheer volume. They are one of those few streams in India which are active even during the dry months.

Western Ghats- Bio-diversity Hub

India is a country with diverse culture and festivals. It majorly attracts tourist for the variety of culture. It has huge history and historical monuments. It has many natural sites like beaches, waterfalls and snow capped mountains. There are pilgrim places and temples which has been tourist attractions for years. Along with that India also has wild life and forest which can attract tourist that like travelling to unusual locations.

There are sanctuaries like Bannerghatta in Banglore, Kaziranga which are developed sites for tourism. There are other forest like Sunderban in West Bengal which are unexplored and rich in flora, fauna and wild life. Western Ghats is one such unexplored location of India. They are spread across 8,000 km spanning across the states Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. They have been nominated by UNESCO as world heritage site for the various flora and fauna it has homed.

Western Ghats is the range of mountains older than the Himalayan ranges. It has huge significance. It is located in western parts of India, extending from Central to South Western regions. It is not just home to various species but has also influential for monsoons in India. The stretch has at least 325 scarcely visible floras, fauna, birds, animals and also fishes. These endangered species needs to protected and preserved. Adding Western Ghats to world heritage site will help in preserve and adding statutory warning to avoid any further harm. 

Coastal Wonders of India

India is blessed with long impressive coast line. It is surrounded by Arabian Sea in West, Indian Ocean at Southern tip and Bay of Bengal on the East. It has approximately 7,514 km of coastal area. This area is calculated by including the islands of India, the Andaman and Nicobar islands in Bay of Bengal and Lakshadweep islands in Arabian Sea.  The main land area is approximately of 6100km.

There are 9 political subdivisions in India that form the coastlines. Of these 9 subdivisions there are 7 states and 2 union territories. Gujarat is the state with longest sea coasts in India approximately around 1290 km. The coastal area is well known for its sandy beaches. There are varieties of sea food available across the coast lines. This cusine comes along with its local flavors. Many popular beaches are also major tourist attraction for many activities.

There are many beaches that help the tourism business in the country. The main land coastal area comprises of following states: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal.  The coast line is dotted with major ports that help in trading. These ports extend from Kandla, Mumbai, NavaSheva, Manglore, Cochin to eastern coast ports of Chennai , Tuticorin, Vishakhapatanam and Paradip.

Beaches across country are major holiday locations. Many of them host water sports and recreational activities. The most popular beaches in India are of Goa. Goa’s tourism majorly promotes the coastal area for tourist attraction. Konkan, Alibaug, Mumbai are few popular coastal regions of Maharashtra. Kerala attracts tourists for its bachwater lagoons, scenic coasts and its rich culture.

The south eastern coast has Andra Pradesh as state with longest coastal area. Tamil Nadu has most famous Marina Beach with Orissa and Kolkatta having the beautiful beaches. India is well known for its natural beauty all over the World.

Shimla - The beauty of nature.

Shimala is a beautiful hill station situated in Himachal Pradesh a State of India. Shimala is also known as Simala. It was discovered by British in 1819. The name ‘Shimala’ derived from the name of goddess ‘Shyamala Devi’.

Shimala which was known as summer capital of India has blessing of nature. It has marvelous green ground and snow covered peaks.  There are many locations in Shimala where one can visit. Annandale, Chadwick falls, Chapslee,  Christ Church, Churdhar Sanctury, Gurakha castle,Hatkoti, Jkhu Temple, Karyali Lake, Padam Palace, Tattpani, The Holme, Baaisakhi, Chander Naun, Dagshai are some of the locations.

The Shimala trip cannot be said to be complete, if one does not visit the seven hills of Shimala.

1. Prospect Hill in western Shimala.

2.  Summer Hill in Western Shimala.

3. Observatory Hill in western Shimala.

4.  Invererarm in Western Shimala.

5.  Bantony in central shimala.

6. Jakhoo in central Shimala

7.  Elysium in north-western Shimala.

Now a days as theurbanization at Shimala has increased. The malls of the city are also part of tourist attraction. However the malls are modified from colonial impression to Indian influence, which is a determinant factor of Shimala.

Apart from the malls, the theatres in Shimala are also those much famous. Bijao theatre is one of the prize winning theatre. It is famous for its quality of allowing sound to reach at every end of theatre harmoniously.  The general post office of city is also spectacular one.

Kerala State of India

Kerela is one of small state which is situated at the southwest of India. Kerala is a hot tourist spot since form 2000. This state had not major destination for travelers or foreigners. Keralians are most educated and well developed state in India. It is famous for high literacy rate and their communism. The main cause of literacy in Kerala goes back to Protestant missionaries. Most of Malayalis are Christian.

Kerala is most popular for religious functions and celebrations including ‘Pujas’ and ceremonies. It is greenest state, because of lack of industrialization.  The capital of Kerala is Trivandrum which is very beautiful seaside city located at seven hills.

Kochi (Cochin):-It is the great historical place and commercial focal point of Kerala. It is connected by Railways and flights with all major cities in India.

Thiruvanathpuram (Trivandrum):- Kanyakumari or Kodaikanal is most popular tourist place which is only 88 km faraway from Trivandrum. It is the meeting point of three oceans - the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. It is beautiful hill station and famous for sunsets, moonrise and sunrise over the water. Trivandrum has very clean roads and there are no beggars on the roads. Ashoka Beach is free from pollution which is one of  international standards level beach.

Indrail Pass for Foreign Tourists

Indian railway has its excellence in providing various beneficial schemes for its customers. Indrail passes is one of the important facility which are offered to International tourists or NRIs. International Tourist bureaus (ITB) are situated in many vital cities. Kolkata, Secunderabad, New Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, Chennai, Bangalore, Jodhpur, Mumbai, Varanasi, Ahmadabad are the important cities where the International bureau for the tourists are positioned.

These bureaus assist foreign tourists and NRI to make inquiry, book tickets and plan a journey etc. The bureaus issue the tickets to only those NRI and foreign tourists who have appropriate passports. Tickets are allotted against US dollars, pounds, Euros, sterling and Indian currency.

Foreign Tourists and NRI can purchase Indrail passes from International Tourist Bereau (ITB). These passes are sold only on providence of passport and visa. On getting this pass the tourist can travel over whole Indian Railway within the valid period. Yet these passes do not guarantee the reserved accommodation facility.

Inbound tourists can also purchase Indrail Pass from General Sales Agent abroad and Rail Travel Agent in India. The tourist holding this pass can reserve a ticket from any reservation office of Indian Railway. Every train has its foreign tourist quota and a tourist can get a ticket for any class. Rules of pass are printed on itself though if any tourist has any doubt and wants clarification he can contact to Delhi office of international

Tourist Bureau.
Address: International Tourist Bureau First Floor, Station Building,
New Delhi Railway Station, New Delhi- 110055
Phone : 91-11-42625156, Fax: 91-11-23343050

Hill stations of India

India is country with varied physical trait and experiences different climatic condition all over. Summers in the country are hot. Tourism in India blossoms in this season generally. Its vacation period here and people try to beat the heat by visiting cool places around. The mountains in the country are mostly located in Northern part and down to the West and South.

The major hill stations of the country are hence in the Northern part or in Western Ghats. In North most of the hill stations are located in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim, West Bengal, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. Jammu Kashmir is a state situated on Himalayan Mountains. The state has many picturesque locations. Jammu is hill station that lies bit lower to Kashmir and hence is bit hotter than the Kashmir. It has the famous pilgrimage to Vaishnav Devi shrine and contains many beautiful gardensin vicinity.

Himachal Pradesh, located below Jammu and Kashmir has many famous hill stations. Kullu and Manali are most famous holiday places. The snow clad mountains offer skiing at beautiful valleys and make the place more attractive. Haridwaar the famous pilgrimage city is located in Uttaranchal State. River rafting is another famous activity amongst the tourists. Dalhousie, Dharamshala are other famous hill stations in Himachal Pradesh. Toy train at Kangra valley offers a ride to  tourists around the beautiful valley and is also major attraction.

Gangtok, Assam, Darjeeling, Mizoram are the hill stations located in the Eastern part of country. The area is actually surrounded with foot hills of Himalayas. Many cities are located on these hill ranges, amongst them Darjeeling in West Bengal, and Sikkim State are very popular. 

The beautiful Western Ghats originating from Gujarat-Maharastra border expand across Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala State. The Western Ghats and ends at Kanyakumari the last tip of India. The Western Ghats had been listed in the much coveted list of the heritage sites and has many hill resorts situated in its forest regions.  

Adventure Sports in India

In India in early days tourism involved visiting place of pilgrimage. Later on people started traveling across country over for a holiday. Even then tourism was restricted to visiting those beautiful yet easily accessible locations. The consideration of adventurous holidays was rarely done. This was due to lack of facilities. Adventure sports were rarely popular and were out of comfort.

Adventure Sports and holidays evolved lately when these areas were explored. India has beautiful mountain ranges, scattered all over to provide adventurers with best of trekking experiences. Right from regular one day or two day treks to trekking Himalayas are becoming very popular. Trekking in Himalayas does require training and there are such centers like Himalayan Mountaineering Institution that train people for expeditions.

The training is required only for long treks and there are several short treks available for tourist. Base camp setups, medical facilities, trained trekkers are assigned for such trips. This makes treks and trips fun for tourists.

The other sports including adventure water sports like diving, rafting have also evolved across India. Today one can enjoy diving at Goa, Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar islands. Proper guidance and equipments are available for amateurs in these resorts. Tourists can enjoy diving and explore the depths of sea. The coral rifts at Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar are major attraction.

River rafting is another adventure sport that adds adventure to the holidays. Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Sikkim are few locations were one can enjoy it. Most of the mountainous rivers now are developed as rafting sites with proper facilities available. There are many other adventure sports like para sailing, water biking and various ride that one can enjoy.

Rappelling and rock climbing are explored adventure sports across India. They can be done at various mountains across India. The training and kits for same are now easily available. Many one day and overnight stay tours are available. There are several clubs who periodically arrange such trips. Interested candidates can check with groups and enjoy the experience.

There are several other sports like Skiing, road trips, wild life safaris that India is offering. The facilities are improved and trained guidance is provided for interested candidates. This step has improved experience of holidaying in India.

Tourism a business

India is a delightful country to travel. Indian railway network is one of the biggest networks so far in whole world. This network was set since the British Era period.  Indian railway has since then emerged as one of the huge industry so far. The wide spread network of railways has helped tourism. It is now possible to reach remote location using this reliable service.

Tourism in India evolved as business with help of railway industry. Considering the history of India, weather around and picturesque location, this sector grew rapidly. India has varied culture and there exists distinct religious influence across states. It has rich wildlife sanctuaries and many adventurous places to visit. Climate across every state is different. Villages untouched attract tourists. Many heritage sites around country have has captivated tourists. Even the foreigners have ensured steady income for many in this industry.

Tourism is main source of income and growth across many states. Such places are maintained by governing bodies to grab attention of tourists. This business is actually enhanced in every state. Government of country has also placed huge interest in maintaining the attraction of the important sites.

There are various traveling options provided other than railway. Betterment of roadways across country has also helped generating revenue in this field. Hotels and resorts in country also attract tourists from across the globe. They are improving their services and also making travelers stay comfortable.

Cuisines of India are rich and very famous. Indian spices have always made travelers desiring for more. There are vast variety of cuisines available across the Nation. The famous curries also add to great traveling experience. The country since long time started placing its strong foot in this industry attracting tourists by considering its strong point. This industry has much to offer and has always helped in growth.

Tourism in India

India is country with diverse culture. It has different climatic condition all around. The geographical features of India also vary as we travel from North to South and east to West. Country is segregated into several states. Each state has its own culture, language and food. It has also observed that every state has its own history and tourist attractions.

The country was invaded by many rulers. Mughals, British, Portugese have ruled parts of country for considerable time and hence we find the amalgamation of rich cultures all across the country.  The Indian rulers have also left their mark in form of various heritage sites.

The country is also blessed with natural beauty. India has coastal area stretching from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala in west to Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orrisa West Bengal.  Back waters in Kerala is famous, and salt water lake Chilka of Orrisa too. The coastal area is not just famous for beaches but also for temples, forts and many other historical monuments.

Central part of country is Madhya Pradesh and the Deccan plateau are well known for wildlife. Madhya Pradesh state located in Central India has a number of tiger sanctuaries. This state along with beautiful its wildlife and forests  is also known for the big fort in Gwalior Khajuraho Temples and Stupas at Ranchi.

Northern part of country is mainly marked by the mighty Himalayan Ranges. They stretch from Jammu and Kashmir in North to Sikkim, Gangtok in Eastern parts. Hence the states in northern region are generally cooler than the southern ones. The Western states like Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab also has desert areas and part of it ia always warmer.

The diverse beauty all over the country make it scenic and worth going around. Railways across India are the other reason for travel. This facility makes traveling easier and cheaper. Its one reliable service and all states are well connected with it.   India is hence attracting foriegn tourists every year in large numbers.

Monsoon: India during rains

India goes through a round robin of climatic conditions. It snows in the Himalayas most of the time with weak showers here and there. This region is enshrouded on perpetual cold, and experiences very little heat.

Most of India has a uniform climatic cycle but the intensity varies. The winters are cold up till Central India, down South the cold diminishes. Im summers extreme heat prevails almost all over India accompanied by discomforting humidity. This is at the beginning of the rainy season or the Monsoon. 

The Monsoon arrives after a peak of blistering heat. But the relief is short lived as humidity rises. Most of the country's road transportation is in a bad state but not as paralyzed as people believe. The slush hits the movement at the local level and people are not able to move freely which discourages tourism as well.

Paradoxically heavy rains augur romance. At  many hill resorts holiday destinations become lively afterwards. Some destinations like Pachmarhi, Mandu and Orccha in Madhya Pradesh and Kerala become fascinating with carpet of greenery all around. Rains initiate breeding and bring forth new life forms creating a continuous cycle of life and death.

Countryside becomes pleasantly green and tranquil. There is life all around with the end of inertia created by long spell of extreme heat. As the Monsoon ends the season becomes uplifting as heat and humidity disappear and mild but pleasant cold sets in during October.

This is the best period for sunbathing and enjoying the outdoors. Extreme cold sets in many parts of Northern and Central India during the X mas time and goes on till mid February. The mild weather sets in and lasts till mid March whence the heat begins to rise albeit gradually.  The cycle continues on its course giving rise to vivid and colorful characteristic flavor to India with every emerging cycle.    

Matheran Summer Retreat Near Mumbai

About hundred km from Mumbai and 120 km from Pune this quaint little paradise on the Western Ghats is far removed from the chaos of the industrial towns.  Matheran ecosystem is well conserved unit - non polluted and completely at peace.

Situated at the height of 2600 plus feet above the sea level, the region is less humid and hot than the plains below. The salubrious climate makes this as the best place for relaxation and recuperation in the State of Maharashtra.  

The destination boasts of many panoramic splendors amidst picturesque Sahyadri Forests of the Western Ghats.The hill resorts is also a good birding and wildlife watching destination. Hence large number of birders and nature lovers visit these forests.   

No vehicles are allowed within the confines of this summer retreat hence it is ideal for trekking.  The only vehicle that is allowed to ply on its laterite roads is the ambulance belonging to the local sanatorium. The Eco-friendly mode of transportation available are the peddle rickshaws, horses and ponies.

Matheran was discovered during the British Era by  Hugh Malet in eighteen hundred and fifty. Ever since then its popularity as a hill station has grown tremendously. The Matheran Hill Railway covers a distance of eleven km from Neral. This is a unique experience, and offers a wide view of the magnificent mountains as the journey proceeds.

Reaching Matheran:

The starting point is a the small township of Neral. From here one can hire a taxi till Dasturi Gate, avail bus service or simply trek along. The township of Neral is connected with Mumbai - Pune rail link.     

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Welcome to my blog. I will add many travel experiences here in India for your reading pleasure.

Ronal Dotson