A romantic Cloudy View of a beach near Kailasagiri at 5 pm.
Road /Rail/Aerial Routes:
Since it is one of the major coastal towns in India. It is well-connected to major towns in India. Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Amritsar. It has connectivity from all around India by rail.
Vizag has a significant airport connected to major cities in India.
MAP:
bengaluru visakhapatnam road rail
The Calcutta National Highway is a smooth road to reach Visakhapatnam from either side. APSRTC bus service provides ample buses to reach there from major cities of South India. KSRTC and TNSTC (Tamil Nadu Transport) also provide connectivity there. In addition, private buses are available whose bookings can be done majorly on red bus.
Time to Visit:
Mid-Oct to Mid-March
Entrance to Indira Gandhi Zoo
Spend Time With:
Since this place’s visit was a continuation of the Araku Valley trip, I just boarded a bus to Visakhapatnam from Araku. And then it was all about local buses. It made local sightseeing convenient for me there. I reached in the afternoon at Visakhapatnam and I covered what I could in the span of 6-7 day hours I had…
Visakhapatnam local bus charges: 50-60 INR
Kailasagiri Tourism: 5 INR
Toy Train Ride: 150 INR
Food: 200 INR
To Chennai: 600 INR (same day left, so no hotel charges)
Tripura, a state sandwiched between Bangladesh and the state of Mizoram, is a bouquet of history. It’s a state of the art and culture, and you’ll love being a part of it and watching its glorious past.
Reasons why you must visit Tripura:
Unakoti hills in North Tripura are known for their Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati, Ganesh, and Nandi engravings on huge rocks. Dating back to the 7th–11th centuries. This is a bit isolated, but the greenery around it with a short trek makes up for the hassle you take to get here.
Ujjayanta Palace,Agartala
Tripura is well-known for Neermahal in Rudrasagar Lake, the former royal palace in South Tripura, India. What makes it captivating is it looks beautiful in the middle of the Lake.
The views from Neermahal are fabulous too.
An India-Bangladesh border ceremony happens every evening, which ain’t to be missed when you are here.
Ujjayanta Palace, was once a royal palace of the kingdom of Tripura. Which we now see as a museum, giving us an in-depth picture of Northeast art, culture, and history.
The Heritage Park of Agartala is a scenic park which helps you see all the famous tourist places in Tripura in this park itself, in the form of models. It is spectacular to watch.
The Sipahijala Wildlife Sanctuary is well known for its lush greenery. There are a variety of wild animals like the clouded leopard and spectacled monkey.
View of Rudrasagar Lake from Neermahal
Mekhlipara Tea Estate is a great place to see tea estates in Tripura, though Assam is the best place to see tea plantations
Location : Agartala is in the extreme south of Tripura state. About 300 KMS from Silchar. 550 KMS from Guwahati.
A view of Neermahal from the shores of Rudrasagar
Tourist Attraction on the spot:
Neermahal, Ujjayanta palace, Kalibari, and Heritage Park are some nearby tourist destinations around Tripura.
Guwahati(Assam) to Shillong. And then, Silchar to Kumarghat to Agartala
Heritage Park,Agartala
IMPORTANT NOTE FROM MY EXPERIENCE:
1)Agartala is best visited in winter. Somewhere from October onwards, as summers are harsh.
2)Visiting at Durga puja time will be best as you’ll see Agartala in full pomp and show. Plus, you can do sight visits later on as well.
3)Unakoti needs one day separately for sightseeing, as it’s far away from Agartala. Plus, the public transport is average at its best. So take a train to Dharmanagar/Kumarghat and then get a bus/shared car.
4)Roads are pretty good for the most part, and you’ll have no problem with food and facilities on the roads.
Neermahal-The view through…
RAIL: Agartala is well connected to the rest of India by the Indian rail network.
You can watch the below video to get a better idea! Do like and share if you find it worthwhile.
AIR: Agartala is well connected by direct/indirect flights to the rest of India
ROAD: The road from Guwahati via Shillong takes you to Silchar. It is followed by Kumarghat, and finally, the capital of Tripura-Agartala.
Map:
Unakoti-Agartala-Udaipur road guide map
Time to Visit:
The best time time to visit is October to Mid-March
Wide-angled view of Ujjayanta Palace
Spend Time With:
Family, Friends, Solo, Couple
Food and lodging
Hotels are readily available in Agartala and Silchar. No booking is necessary. You can go to Goibibo, Makemytrip, or Easemytrip if you need to make a booking. Local food is damn cheap. So, make the most of it!
Expense:
For a two-day trip to Agartala:
Neermahal, as seen from Heritage Park
Neermahal as seen from Heritage Park
Food: INR 100/person/day(3 times a day)X2
Transport: Consider INR 600 for local transport
Lodging: INR 800/day X2 at Agartala (two nights stay)
Entry Fees includes various places (varies):
Boating, entry fees, etc.: INR 300
Total: 3100 INR (Can go up to to 5500 INR if a Pvt car is availed)
I have divided the tiny state of Goa into three parts, and you might be wondering why so? And yes, I have covered states in one post because I saw a glimpse of important places and not the whole of it! But yeah, I covered almost all important sites. Though small, Goa has lots on offer; South Goa is just one of them. If you are looking for less crowded beaches with peacetime with yourself-South, Goa it is! Some beaches say Cola beach or Honeymoon beach, you’ll find merely a bunch of people and if you are lucky -none! What’s so special about South Goa beaches is the tranquility and clean beaches. If camping and picnic is something you love all day, be right here!
27 Reasons why you must visit South Goa:
Kayaking in the waters of the Sal and Nerul rivers of South Goa for an hour or two will be lots of fun, considering that these waters are super transparent and peaceful too.
Scuba diving in South Goa is a great way to go below waters and discover the sea world!
Jet skiing, surfing, banana boat rides, parasailing, and water scooters are some water sports mainly available on Palolem, Benaulim, and Colva beaches.
When you think of relaxing beaches, shacks come to the rescue, especially on quieter beaches like Patnem, Cola, Polem, and Cabo de Rama Beaches.
If it’s monsoons, then how can you miss Dudhsagar falls! Just grab a bag, light clothes, and raincoat, and go off to visit India’s most happening waterfall in Goa.
Polem Beach at dawn
A cashew-coconut product of fermentation known as feni is served as local liquor here in Goa; you shouldn’t miss that!
Goa Carnival, one of the main highlights of Goa, happens in February for four days, and you can’t miss the showcasing of Goa’s culture and traditions and the fun and music!
DJ at Neptune’s Point in Palolem beach is known for silent beats that get you grooving every Saturday night, so jump in!
The fireworks in the evening by professionals on many beaches is a beautiful event to be part of and awed at!
Galgibagh Beach
Majorda is a fantastic beach with beach shacks known for European bread, cookies, and cakes.
Zuri White Sands Resort on Varca Beach is well known for its Casino called Dunes.
Cavelossim Beach is known for its sandy beaches and fantastic sunset views. Also, River Sal is close by meeting the Arabian Sea.
Location: Cantona is 550 km northwest of Bengaluru and 100 km south of Panjim(Goa)
Talpon River with crystal clear waters
Tourist Attraction on the spot:
A lot of beaches— Palolem, Patnem ,Mobor ,Carmona, Varca, Zumbrai, Benaulim, Sernabatim, Colva ,Betalbatim, Betul, Sunset, Majorda, Utorda, Arossim Cansaulim,Canaguinim,Honeymoon, Butterfly, Cabo De Rama, Agonda, Cancona ,Fatrade, Velsao, Polem, Xandrem, Galgibagh, Talpona, Rajbagh, Patnem, Cola, ChhotaCola, Kakolem, Colomb beaches, Cabo De Rama Fort
Mumbai-Ratnagiri-Malvan-Margao-Cantona(South Goa)-Karwar(halt for the night here)
Honeymoon Beach -near Palolem Beach
IMPORTANT NOTE FROM MY EXPERIENCE:
1)Karwar undoubtedly is the best place to halt-Its in Karnataka; it is very close to the Goa border, and hotels are cheap with so-so rooms and decent food-if. But, you are getting to stay at 300-500 INR; what’s the big heck!
2)A day shall be okayish, but you need two days to cover all of south Goa, and yes, it’s time taking, and you’ll be on the beach to relax-not to the marathon!
3)Have a tent and camping essentials so that you can rest all day watching clean beaches and calm seas. Let the drinks join in!
4) There’s a lot of walking uphill and downhill on beaches like Cabo Da Rama or, say, Cola Beach, so you must have some stamina to walk quite a bit and then have some rest. Through forested areas, though!
5)Public transport is limited in south Goa with fixed timings. For remote places like Cola, it’s even less numbered-so plan things accordingly; sometimes, you’ll need to walk for kilometers and trek down beaches because of lack of public transport.
Talpona Beach
RAIL: Cantona is the nearest railway station where few trains stop; otherwise, Karwar can be the next better stop.
AIR: Goa Dabolim Airport, Panaji is the nearest one-50-60 km is what it takes(2 hrs)
ROAD: Roads are good all over, goa-just a bit of hard luck with local buses. KTCL buses might help in a few places. The Mumbai-Mangalore route also runs through Goa, so it’s easy to be here anytime with frequent bus services.
Map:
South Goa Map 1(Velsao-Margao-Betul)
South Goa Map 2 (Betul Fort-Cabo De rama-Canacona-Polem)
Time to Visit:
October ends in February. Even Feb end becomes a tad warm!
Cola Beach-Best in South Goa
Spend Time With:
Friends, Groups, Couple, Family(selected areas)
Food and Lodging:
Hotels are there in Cantona region and a few dispersed over Pallolem-Polem region but, advise you to save bucks and be at Karwar where the so-so accommodation will hardly cost you a grand.No bookings in advance if Karwar is your choice otherwise, better book one using Goibibo or Makemytrip or Yatra websites if peak season is when you be here. Food is a bit of an issue price-wise as most hotels will be on the beach side, and some beaches are barren of facilities. So better get some bread-cookies and snacks and spend your day-add some fruits too in your diet.
Expense:
A 2 day trip to South Goa with a one-night stay at Karwar:
Mobor Beach
Food: INR 100/person/day(3 times a day)X2
Transport: I will take INR 300 for public transport and INR 500 for Pallolem-dolphin-honeymoon boat rides(as walking is trekking through lost jungles here)-INR 800 in total!
Lodging: INR 700/day X1
Entry Fees include various places (varies): Zero it is!
You must have heard much about Sun temple, but where is that located? Yes, you are somewhat correct- the answer is Konark -And if you ask me-is it must visit? My answer is yes, yes, and yes because of the beauty and the architecture this temple offers. You’ll find a secluded, clean Chandrabhaga Beach a few kilometers ahead. Puri is another 50 km from Konark, and you’ll find the Jaganath temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu and a crowded Puri beach. Bhubaneshwar is a city of history and caves(Udaygiri and Khandagiri) with museums filled with historical facts.
11 Grand Reasons why you must visit Puri, Konark, and Bhubaneshwar:
The 700-year-old Sun Temple at Konark, built during King Narsimhadeva, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with 24 wheeled chariots driven by seven horses. This is a not to be missed destination if you are in India.
Chandrabhaga Beach near Konark
Puri has a beautiful beach, not to forget an enormous crowd as well, and is a top surfing destination in India.
One of the four dams, the Jagannath Puri temple, constructed in the 11th century, is the starting point for the famous Rath Yatra in July. If you can be part of this auspicious event, do take part but beware of the rush!
Dhauli Hill on the banks of Daya River is historically significant because it was where the Kalinga war was fought. A Shanti Stupa is at the top, giving a view of the life of Buddha and presenting travelers with splendid green scenery of Konark city and around.
The Sun Temple’s main attraction-The Chakra
Famous must-visit temples in Bhubaneshwar include the Brahmeshwara Temple, Lingaraja Temple, Mukteshwar Temple, and Parasurameswara Temple, which are known for impressive Kalingan architecture with intricate sculptures and carvings.
A Music Festival is held in January and visited by famous musicians and thousands of music enthusiasts, which is just 4 km away from the Biju Patnaik Airport and the Bhubaneswar Junction Railway Station.
Chandrabhaga beach organizes Sand Art Festival every year from 1st December to 5th December, a treat for the eyes as artists give their best shot to make sculptures out of the sand.
Location: Bhubaneshwar is 450 km south of Kolkata, and Konark is 50 km west of Bhubaneshwar. Puri is approximately 50 km from Konark or Bhubaneshwar; Chandrabagha beach is 5 km from Konark on the way to Puri-30 km ahead of this beach.
Udayagiri Khandagiri Caves,Bhubaneshwar
Tourist Attraction on the spot:
Sun Temple Konark, Chandrabhaga beach, in Bhubaneswar-Udaygiri-Khandagiri Caves, Lingaraja Temple, Nandankanan Zoo, State Museum, Tribal Museum, Shauli Shanti StupaRajrani, and Mukteswara Temples; Puri-
How to Reach Bhubaneshwar-Konark-Chandrabhaga-Puri:
Road Routes:
Bhubaneshwar-Konark-Chnadrabhaga-Puri-Chilika Lake
Regional Museum in Bhubaneshwar
IMPORTANT NOTE FROM MY EXPERIENCE:
1)These places are best covered in winters between September and February as summers are humid and warm and rains are cyclone-prone and downpour oriented.
2)If you add one more day to your itinerary, you can be at Chilika lake-start seeing the lake early, and you’ll be able to complete the central part of it by evening. December to February are the best months! Even Paradweep can be covered in 3 days trip, but you have to leave out a few tourist spots from any of these places.
3)Have an umbrella and a drink to beat the sun and sweat.
4)In Puri, you should avoid the majority of pandits crowding around you for worship. You need to ignore or excuse them.
5)In Chilika, you will get original pearls and precious stones at significantly fewer prices. Do check that out.
6)Chandrabhaga beach and caves/museums in Bhubaneshwar are two other things you can’t make ignore-simply magnificent.
Sri Jagannath Temple,Puri
RAIL: Puri and Bhubaneshwar have railway stations with good connectivity to other Indian cities.
AIR: Bhubaneshwar is the nearest airport.
ROAD: Road connectivity is superb to connect all these places, and PRIVATE bus transport is pretty good too.
Map:
Bhubaneshwar-Konark-Chandrabhaga-Puri-Chilika Map
Time to Visit:
September to February is the best time to be at these three places.
Lingaraja Temple,Bhubaneshwar
Spend Time With:
Family, Friends, Solo, Couple, Groups
Food and Lodging:
You’ll find plenty of hotels in any of these places, and flooding is not an issue. So chillax and enjoy the scenes. If still booking is on your mind, go ahead and book in advance using Goibibo, Makemytrip, or Yatra website.
Expense:
A 2 day trip to Bhubaneshwar followed by Konark and Puri has the following cost structure:
Rainy kinda weather at Dhauli
Food: INR 100/person/day(3 times a day)X2
Transport: For all these places, Public transportation is more than sufficient-will cost max INR 1000 altogether
Lodging: INR 700/day X2 (1 day in Konark and another day in Puri)
Entry Fees include various places (varies): Konark Temple, few caves/museums in Bhubaneshwar have fees-add it upto INR 300
Konark has a huge cluster of Temples
Total: 3300 INR
Nearby Attractions(Puri/Konark/Bhubanehswar-distances from Bhubaneshwar)
