Top 5 Weekend getaways in India...

From my point of view.... 

Tired after a week’s hectic work? Feel as though you are in a mad rat race along the alleys of the concrete jungle around you? Do you miss those “quality times” with your family, spouse or your beloved? Time you took a day off and unwound! 

1. Lonavala

 

The first in the list is Lonavala. Lonavala, the jewel of theSahyadri Mountains, is not an unfamiliar name for Mumbaikars. This hill station at a height of 625 mtrs above sea level, in the Pune district is around 100 kms from Mumbai and 64 kms from the city of Pune.

 

It is famous throughout India for the hard candy sweet known as chikki and is also a major stop on the rail line connecting Mumbai and Pune. Lonavala comes to life during the monsoon season as the countryside turns lush green with waterfalls and ponds. Yet the laidback and peaceful atmosphere offered by this place makes it a weekend destination for any season.

Rajmachi point, Ryewood Park, Tungarli Lake, Valvan dam, Duke’s nose, Karla caves Lohagad fort etc. are the places of interest around this pristine hill town.

 

Accommodation of every budget is available here.

 

2. Pondicherry

 

If you are looking for a laidback, relaxing and refreshing weekend, Pondicherry is the right place for you. Pondy is around 160 kms drive from Chennai and you can reach there is no less than 3 and odd hours if you chose to travel in your own four or two wheeler.  The road to Pondy from Chennai is a scenic highway and you wouldn’t want to miss stopping at those spots where the sea kisses the shore, on the way. Well, there are the regular state transport buses connecting Pondy to Chennai too. Trains to Pondy from Chennai are also available.

 

The botanical garden, Barathi Park, Chunnambar boat house, Manakula Vinayagar temple, Sri Aurobindo Ashram etc. are some of the interesting places one can visit in Pondy. The Auroville city in Pondy is one place that you should not miss out on.

Accommodation ranging from budget to luxury is available here.

 

3. Connor

 

Not very far away from Ooty is this quaint little hill town called Connor. The nearest airport to this destination is the Coimbatore airport which is 90km away and a cab from here can take you to your hotel in not more than 3 and half hours.

 

This is another place where you can stretch and relax your tired bones and muscles. The climate is what makes the place an ideal place to relax. Connor has interesting places to visit such as – the Catherine Falls, the Dolphin’s Nose, the Droog Fort and the Wellington Golf Course. Also a stroll along the tea plantations holding the hands of your loved ones… Ah! How much better can it get? This is an ideal way to rekindle that flame of passion between the both which you thought got extinguished forever.

 

The place also offers some of the most sleek furniture sets, linen and a variety of fruit jams, if shopping is something on your mind.

 

Luxury hotels to estate guest houses are available here for accommodation.

 

4. Hampi

 

If you are a resident of Bangalore and sick of the night clubs and parties, longing to spend some quality time with your loved ones away from the maddening crowd of the city, Hampi is the right place for you. Hampi is situated at the banks of Tungabhadra river, 350 and odd kms from Bangalore. The village of Hampi is famous for its historical monuments which are the reminiscent of a glorious past of the Vijayanagara Empire. The demography is abundant with large stones which have been utilized to make larger than life statues of Hindu deities. One can see a structure of historic importance every quarter of a mile. Vijayanagara ruins are listed as the Group of Monuments at Hampi as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

If you can pack your bags and hit the road early in the morning,  the drive to Hampi wouldn’t take you more than 6 to 7 hours. Well, if you are a little late to start, you’ll have to hold your breath until you can creep through the Bangalore traffic and hit the Tumkur highway.

 

Hampi never claims of high class accommodation. You can find cheap lodges, guest houses and medium rage hotels to shelter yourself. Or if you are the kind who wants to have it in the out,  get out of town and across the river there are several lovely little places by the riverside along the road and pay next-to-nothing for a hut with patio and hammock, with river views and cows a few feet away.

 

5. Henry’s Island

 

Not many people might have heard of this little tranquil place at the shores of the Bay of Bengal. This is a must visit place for people who want to take a weekend break and who are residents of the most densely populated city of India, Kolkata.

 

Henry Island is a collaborative project of the fisheries dept and private organisation near the well known sea beach of West Bengal, Bakhkhali. Apart from the lonely Bay of Bengal, you can get a touch of great Sundarban here. The view from the watch tower is really mesmerising. If you got a car, Henry’s Island is around 10mins ride from Bakkhali. Else you can avail the rickshaw vans as well.

 

The two hour ride in the crude bhut-bhuti, a motorised country boat, from Frasergunj fishing harbour to Jambu Dwip, a small, uninhabited and forested island out in the sea, can be a thrilling experience.

 

There are two guest houses in Henry Island. These lodges belong to the Fisheries Department of West Bengal. Food is available as per the day’s menu of these guest house canteens.

 

Have you ever fancied stealing a kiss amidst the woods like in one of those Hollywood movies? Well, this is the place for you.

 

Source: India Syndicate

Image source: AFP and DGL