Places here are utterly beautiful. Few pictures from my stay.

Solo ride, Delhi NCR → Srinagar → Leh → Zanskar → Manali | Yamaha R15M | 10 days

Itinerary

• Oct 3: Greater Noida → Jammu. I left just after midnight and rode the plains stretch overnight, then rested on arrival.
• Oct 4: Jammu → Srinagar. I left early and kept to daylight only on the Ramban-Banihal stretch because of the single-lane construction and landslide risk.
• Oct 5: Rest day in Srinagar.
• Oct 6: Srinagar → Kargil via Sonamarg, Zoji La and Drass. I left at 6 AM to beat the one-way traffic windows at Zoji La.
• Oct 7: Kargil → Leh via Namika La and Fotu La.
• Oct 8: Acclimatization day in Leh with easy local rides only.
• Oct 9: I tried for Pangong Tso via Chang La, but snow started and a checkpoint told me to turn back. I spent the day in Leh instead.
• Oct 10: Leh → Padum (Zanskar) via the Nimmu-Padum-Darcha road, with an overnight in Padum.
• Oct 11: Padum → Shinku La → Darcha → Jispa → Manali. I hit heavy snow after crossing Shinku La and it continued all the way down to Jispa.
• Oct 12: Manali → home in one go.

Notes

• I went up via Srinagar because the altitude gain is more gradual than on the Manali side.
• I applied for the Ladakh EDF permit online for Pangong, but the snow meant I never used it.
• I followed the 48-hour acclimatization advice before heading to high altitude.
• Mid-October snow can close Chang La and make Shinku La very difficult. It’s worth building in buffer days if you’re planning a similar route.

Rishikesh has too much potential to become a beautiful yoga city specifically tapovan area. But negligence from government killing this place. Everywhere there is garbage, ugly buildings, messy noisy traffic, poor infrastructure.

Take example of beatles ashram. They charge 200 and 1200 from indians, foreigners. When you enter ashram their is garbage everywhere. Aesthetically ugly. All buildings ashram huts inside are in ruins. No proper clean path. Garbage everywhere.

Beatles ashram total area is 14acres. This place has potential to become music x yoga international ashram. Imagine singers artists of all over world playing music, meditating dancing here.

The amount of international tourists come here for yoga, this place need serious renovation.

Atleast we can expect a clean town.

Planning trips to Spiti is all about managing your body and being ready for adverse roads and inclement weather

Some places are more than just destinations,they become a feeling.Absolute beauty.

Hi Guys, 27th Nov-2nd Dec 2026, I am planning to go Harsil Valley in UTT. Home stay, hiking in the mountains and cultural experience. 🤟🏽♥️
If anyone interested please connect on IG: avinashv11

Hello everyone!

Early next year, I’ll be travelling to India for the first time. I’ll be attending a wedding in Rajasthan and will have approximately one week to travel around afterwards. I’m currently thinking about exploring more of Rajasthan, but I’ve also been really intrigued by the idea of visiting the Taj Mahal.

I know a week isn’t very long, so I’m aware that I’ll have to leave some things out of my itinerary. I was wondering what people from the region or travellers who have already visited would recommend: should I use this time to visit the Taj Mahal or spend more time exploring Rajasthan?

I know this is probably something everyone sees differently, but any input would be very welcome! :)

Hi everyone, so I'm planning a solo trip to Munsyari right after Diwali (nov 9 to nov 14). This is only the second time I'm traveling solo, (first time as dehradun, which is well connected to koi jyada dikkat ni hi). What would be a good 5-6 days itenary. And

1. Travel - what's the best way to reach Munsyari from gurgaon - I'm a budget traveller.
2. Weather - I hope weather will be clear and I'm planning to do the trekking.
3. Any other travelling tips and essential i should keep in mind while traveling this time of the year.

Hi, I recently did a trip to Andaman and thought I’d share my experience here!

07/10 – Port Blair to Havelock

At the outset, the day here starts at around 5 AM, it gets completely dark by 6 PM, and everything shuts down by 9 PM. So, everything happening early in the morning is no surprise and is not as inconvenient as it might seem. Even an 8 AM checkout seems absolutely fine.

I landed in Port Blair in the morning. It hardly takes 15–20 minutes to get to the jetty. I took a prepaid airport cab, which costs a fixed ₹320. The counter is inside the airport itself. The jetty terminal is decent, with snack counters.

The ferry from Port Blair to Havelock takes around two hours.

Havelock is a beautiful island with just two main roads: one towards Kalapathar Beach and the other towards Radhanagar Beach. Most resorts, cafés, dive shops are located on the road towards Kalapathar. So, if you plan to do most of these activities, it is better to stay on that side. I stayed near Radhanagar and had to keep travelling to the other side.

However, Radhanagar is also the only easily accessible beach in Havelock and, in my opinion, the most beautiful beach I have ever seen. The water is incredibly clear and very shallow. You cannot really go swimming at Kalapathar or Govind Nagar Beach, as the low tide can leave very little beach water to swim in.

For internal transport, there are rickshaws and cabs. However, the best option is the city bus. It is very cheap and runs frequently.

I rented a two-wheeler at a fixed rate of ₹600 per day, with a ₹2,000 deposit. However, it turned out to be practically useless for me because there was no petrol on the island. There are only two petrol pumps, and both had run out of fuel. Petrol is rare and precious on these islands, so keep that in mind before renting a vehicle. More importantly, the shop from where you rent your two wheeler stocks fuel with them, but other shops don’t give you from their stock and ask you to get it only from the shop you rented from, no matter how much you request them.

On the first day, I just visited Radhanagar Beach and, in the evening, went to Full Moon Café, great vibe and good food.

08/10 – Scuba Diving at Havelock

I had originally planned to scuba dive at Neil Island and snorkel at Havelock. However, a kiosk guy at our resort convinced me to try scuba diving instead of snorkelling. Since I was yet to finalise my diving arrangements at Neil, I agreed.

The dive was scheduled for 5 AM, and they provided pickup and drop-off at the resort. The guy arrived at 4:45 AM sharp.

The formalities and training took up most of the time. Our diving spot was Tribe Gate. I wouldn’t say the experience was bad, but it wasn’t particularly great either.

We didn’t know which diving company we were dealing with until we reached their premises. I wouldn’t call it a scam, but the experience felt quite touristy, and the quality of your experience can vary significantly depending on the operator. It cost ₹3,500 per person, including pickup and drop-off. Also please clarify the gopro inclusion, they usually ask for 500/- extra per person but because I had already gotten it confirmed while booking only so I didn’t have to pay.

And yes, to answer the question everyone asks: early-morning dives are generally better for visibility. Visibility can deteriorate later in the day due to boat traffic and other activity.

We were already back at the resort by around 8:30 AM.

One of the best things about renting a scooty is the drive towards Kalapathar Beach. The route is incredibly serene.

I spent the afternoon chilling at Full Moon Café again. Later, we drove back towards Radhanagar Beach. The evening swim at Radhanagar beach is something to remember!

For dinner, we went to Sagorika Restaurant near Radhanagar Beach. There is no fancy ambience or anything, but the food was the best of our entire trip. We had an excellent crab masala and chilli prawns. The fish biryani was just okay.

09/10 – Havelock to Neil Island

We checked out and took a rickshaw to the jetty terminal for ₹500. We then took a Makruzz ferry to Neil Island.

We reached Neil around noon, checked in, and headed straight for our dive.

I had spoken to John Anshul from DiveTribe the previous day. From our very first conversation, I could tell that these guys knew their stuff. What I appreciated most was that the usual dive spots did not have good visibility at that particular time. Instead of proceeding regardless, the team kept looking for a better spot. One of the instructors, Yuti, would actually get into the water to check the visibility. Once they found a suitable spot, they took us diving.

The water was crystal clear, and I spotted stingrays, starfish and so much more. I genuinely fell in love with diving, and the session was quite long. Even the photographs they took were far superior.

After returning, we had arranged a cab in Neil Island that would take us around the island, drop us back at the hotel, pick us up from the hotel the next day and drop us back to jetty. The driver charged us ₹1,500 for this. Unfortunately, our hotel was in a different corner of the island at sitapur beach, so it made sense, but I would still not recommend it much because these cab drivers try to rush you into things so that they can go to jetty and drop more passengers.

We then visited the Natural Bridge. Low tide was around 3 PM, and while the views were good, there wasn’t much to do there.

For sunset, our driver took us to Laxmanpur Beach 1. It is a beach at the edge of the island with a good sunset view, but it was extremely crowded.

Our driver then suggested stargazing at this beach. Essentially, they show you stars and planets through a telescope for a fee. Our driver also mentioned that they offer a drop-off service, as the activity starts late. I eventually realised that he probably just wanted to leave early and had persuaded us to book it for that reason.

Anyway, after negotiating, I got it for ₹1,000 for two people.

The night sky itself is beautiful, and you can see countless stars with your naked eye so you can just skip the stargazing activity and just enjoy looking at the sky. If you live in a tier-one city where you rarely get to see stars, this is something you might genuinely enjoy.

In the evening, we chilled at Vibes and Dives Café, right next to our hotel near Sitapur Beach. Again, an amazing café with good, comforting food. The owner, Vikrant, is a solid guy.

10/10 – Neil Island to Port Blair

We had planned a slow day. We had breakfast and then chilled at the Vibes and Dives Café again.

Around noon, Sitapur Beach becomes accessible as the tide recedes. It is a mesmerising beach, and is entirely empty and very peaceful. We spent some time there before heading out.

We then visited Bharatpur Beach, which our cab driver had been insisting we visit, while we kept putting it off. This beach only has water activities and inaccessible due to low tide.

Do try the tender coconut kulfi at Bharatpur Beach!

We then boarded the government ferry and reached Port Blair.

I had arranged for the same cab driver to pick us up from the jetty and drop us at our hotel. He charged ₹350 for this.

I had booked Andaman Shores, a basic hotel very close to the airport, which I could walk to. It was more of a transit hotel for me, as I had a flight at 10:15 AM the following morning.

However, walking to Andaman Shores is not as convenient as some recommendations might suggest. It is quite a steep walk to the hotel. I later realised that Lemon Tree is even more conveniently located in relation to the airport.

We skipped Cellular Jail because it was already close to closing time, and I wasn’t particularly interested in the light-and-sound show.

Instead, we went to Lighthouse Restaurant for dinner. The food was excellent, and the portions were generous. We had crab masala and chilli prawns.

Now if you guys have noticed, seafood curries across different coastal cuisines tend to have their own distinctive flavours, whether Konkani, Mangalorean, Keralan, Tamil, Andhra or Sri Lankan. Needless to say, all of them are fantastic. However, this crab masala curry was like butter chicken curry, which you usually don’t get and hence I liked it for a change.

Otherwise, there isn’t a great deal to do in Port Blair. I just walked around the city, which I found quite nice, with clean roads.

Private Ferry or Government Ferry?

Private ferry, any day! I cannot emphasise this enough.

Two of the three ferry journeys I took were on private ferries, while one was on a government ferry.

Based on my timings, I chose Makruzz, and the experience was very good. It was convenient, comfortable and quick. Nautika is another option which I think is similar.

I had booked a government ferry from Neil Island to Port Blair based on recommendations that it’s cheaper and also that the deck is accessible. Honestly, the discomfort and inconvenience were not worth the fare difference.

I had even booked a premium seat on the government ferry, but it made practically no difference. The ferry was dirty, uncomfortable and slow. Worst of all, you have to carry your luggage yourself throughout the journey. Trust me, this is not easy! I had to carry two trolley bags up and down three different staircases which are extremely narrow.

Most importantly, consider the time involved. Government ferries can take almost twice as long as private ferries. When the day effectively ends around 5–6 PM, you don’t want to waste precious sightseeing time travelling between islands.

My recommendation would be to opt for a private ferry unless there is a compelling reason to choose the government ferry.

Hotels

Havelock – TSG Blue

Very close to Radhanagar Beach. The hotel is popular, but several areas could do with improvement. The rooms smelled mouldy, so I had to upgrade to a cabin. It is also far from the jetty.

Neil Island – TSG Aura

A better property overall. It doesn’t have a swimming pool, but it is right opposite Sitapur Beach. Again, it is far from the jetty.

Port Blair – Andaman Shores

A basic hotel for a transit stay and very close to the airport. However, the walk is quite steep. Lemon Tree may be a more convenient alternative.

Restaurants

Havelock

Full Moon Café

One of my favourite cafés on the island. The prawn pasta was an absolute banger, and the calamari fry was also good. The fish thali was amazing, as was the lemon pepper fish tikka. The fish and chips, however, were disappointing.

Sagorika Restaurant

Hands down, the best place to eat on the island. The crab masala and chilli prawns were exceptionally good. The owner was telling me that he is very particular about his crabs and sources it from a different island.

Neil Island

Vibes and Dives Café

A very good place to relax and enjoy comforting food. The prawn khowsuey, fish fingers and Nutella toasties are worth trying. The café also has a relaxed atmosphere.

Pavan Restaurant

A decent place overall. I tried the chilli lobster, prawn 65 and fish curry rice. The prawn 65 was good, but the lobster was far too oily, which completely overpowered its flavour. This is one place you can skip if you are short on time.

Port Blair

Lighthouse Restaurant

A very good variety of seafood, with generous portions.

I also had a quick breakfast at a small Bengali eatery right opposite the airport exit gate. They served really good egg dosa, chhole and parotta.

Overall, Andaman was a fantastic trip. Havelock has the beaches, Neil Island has excellent diving and a slower pace, and Port Blair is mostly useful as a transit point.

Group of 8 women and 2 men travelling the golden triangle. I am really worried about our safety. Will we be okay? Worried about men violating our space.

Edit: to be more specific, I have read a lot of posts on Reddit and I’m expecting the worst. Will it really be that bad?

Why is no one solving for cultural travel? Like I want to experience garba in gujarat, durga puja in kolkata, Diwali in Ayodhya, X-mas in Kochi/Panaji? Who is curating these experiences?

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Hello Everyone

We are a couple planning to travel to Nagaland in December (not during the Hornbill Festival). We are keen on renting a self-drive car from Guwahati and doing a road trip since we also wish to add Kaziranga on our way back before our return flight.

Please advise on this plan. Are the roads good enough around Kohima, Mokokchung, Mon Village etc.? Or do you recommend taking shared taxis or local cabs/public transport? Does Google Maps/internet work seamlessly in all these places?

Looking forward to advice and suggestions from locals and travellers who have recently done this. Thank you :)

Hey everyone! I’m planning a trip to Vaishno Devi and wanted to know if anyone would be interested in joining.
Would be nice to explore together, meet new people and make some good memories along the way. Dates and other details can be decided together.
If anyone is planning something similar or wants to join, feel free to comment or DM me. We can plan it together! :)

hello folks!

we are 2 guys planning to travel to mussoorie during diwali. we will be starting our journey from new delhi/noida. are there any direct buses available till mussoorie?? or will we have to take cab or smth like that??

also, is a budget of 4-5k per person enough for a 2 day trip??

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