Amazing Holidays in India

I visited Bangladesh years ago, but sadly I’ve never been to India but I shall get there one day!

So I have asked my friend, Baan to write a few words for me to give us feel of this incredible country and what we can expect from holidays in India.

Baan writes:

"The first thing I would like to say is that self-discovery is the best quest for any traveler. For the more adventurous it is a virgin destination that offers a variety of adventure opportunities, fascinating diversity, endless choices; and exotic India welcomes you.

There is more to India than just its diverse culture.

You will find inhospitable peaks, rocky crags, forbidding ice fields of heights of over 6000 meters, safaris in the harsh deserts, the cool soothing waters of India's unexplored islands - these are just a tip of the iceberg.

So if you're looking for adventure travel India will not disappoint.

Some things are not common knoweldge, for example although mountaineers have plenty of scope in the Indian Himalayas, trout fishing is possible too at the Himalayan foothills and the Nilgiri Hills of the south.

There's skiing at Gulmarg in Kashmir, Auli in Uttarakhand, Kufri, Narkanda, and Solang Nullah, in Himachal Pradesh can be a rewarding experience. Ski courses that sound a real bargain are offered in some places, but you should book these well in advance because skiing is a very popular activity in India.

And of course you can go trekking in Himachal, Pradesh, Darjeeling, Uttarkhand, Sikkim and also at remote locations of Western Ghats at Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Kerala.

Wildlife tours in India:

Spectacular wildlife and nature in India is another amazing attraction. For the nature lover, India offers more than 450 national parks and sanctuaries. For example, the Marine National Park in Andaman is a place where you can see turtles, octopuses, dolphins, and rare starfish, sea cucumbers and sea horses. And of course there is the tiger and the elephant to admire.

Indian Culture:

Try India off the beaten track at Kullu Valley; travel over the Rohtang Pass to Lahaul & Spiti and visit Keylong. Visit remote tribes of north east India, dance with them, stay and learn about their unique culture in that difficult terrain.

Spend the night at the elegant Neemrana Fort, have a special dinner at the famous Chokhi Dhani in Maharashtra. Go for an Elephant ride at Amber Fort in Jaipur. Take an early morning Ganges boat ride at Varanasi. Learn Kathakali dance at Cochin, and sleep over in a Houseboat at Alleppey.

India has so much to explore, you can just slip out of the cities and you will never know where you are.

Beauty of the Indian countryside:

Southern India has a pace of it own. Kerala is a colorful kaleidoscope full of surprising countryside like nowhere else. It is a land of lagoons that are studded with lively palm-fringed white sandy beaches. Mist shrouded mountains look down on limitless stretches of lush vegetation. It is truly very, very beautiful.

Apart from Kerala, remote areas of the north east like Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, and Mizoram are some of the most beautiful rural places on earth.

I would say that it is better to travel in India with a tour guide because they are experts and very enthusiastic. They will make sure you have a fantastic time.

You will benefit from their intimate knowledge of the country, its past and present. They will help you with all matters regarding the well-being of your trip and ensure that everything goes as smoothly as possible. Also, your travel guide will be able to assist you should you have an emergency while on tour.

Women are safer when escorted by locally aware guides and traveling in smaller groups rather than going alone in India is better for many reasons and I strongly recommend it.

Put in simple words, if you do go on holiday in India or tour around India, be aware of the choices you make, they will have an impact on you as well as on the country.

Please browse in advance advice and articles, and remember to be a responsible traveler. With the opportunity to travel far away, however, comes an added responsibility to all travelers to ensure that their activities do not upset or destroy the very cultures and environments they choose to visit.

I hope you have found my words useful and I thank you for your time.

Baan."

Thanks for your contribution to my Hub Baan, you make some very interesting points.

You will find a sumptuous feast in every part of India.

The Persian cuisine of north Indian food, the Mughal influenced fragrant rice dishes, such as pulav and biryani.

Eastern India has many varieties of fish based dishes, and the ghee based cuisine of western India is delicious.

Also, there are the finest vegetarian dishes of Gujarat, Goan cuisine mixed with Konkan and Portuguese flavors, South Indians' hot and spicy mouth-watering dishes like dosa and idli will be served in authentic restaurants - expect delicious regional food.