Do all the honeymoon tales that you hear from your friends sound similar? Maybe, you need to go ‘off the beaten path’ and bring in new stories from less taken journeys by others.
You do your research well before planning the nuptial holiday. You know exactly what all is there. You have seen all possible tourist spots nearby with your mighty search-engine. The pictures, the road to take, the guide to hire and the whole itinerary is well planned. Too much! You know it is too much. You will end up telling your friends the same old stories like any other honeymooners, how they had planned it, where all did they go. Above all, with almost everyone with a story from your would-be honeymoon destination you have less to explore. You don’t want to make your journey monotonous by replicating the itineraries of a million others who have been to the same location, bought same stuff and had the same experience?
Try on new places and new journeys. Your relationship and bonding is different. Make your honeymoon stand-out too with these locations in India. When you return, you’ll have enough stories to cherish and re-live the romance later on.
Lahaul-Spiti, Himachal Pradesh
Who wants to reach the destination when the path is as beautiful as on the way to Spiti Celebrate your togetherness at the top of the world in this range of idyllic Himalayas, one of Asia’s great road trips. Untouched and serene, this land of lamas is far from the hustle and bustle of life and will give you both the much required seclusion. You could spend a day experiencing a moment of complete silence with just the two of you holding hands whereas on other days you could be camping, bird watching, doing safaris, indulging in cultural activities and going vroom on a romantic and enthralling motorcycle ride. The snow clad mountains, Chandratal Lake and Spiti river will allure your spirits. Satisfy this thirst with activities like skiing and trekking. Ride on a yak and tour the Himalayas, the experience you’ll get only in Spiti. You will need an Inner Line Permit to get access to this paradise. Jeep Safaris from Kullu-Manali are the best way to reach here. The gateway to Spiti, Kunzum Pass provides astonishing views of the Bara Shigiri Glacier, Losar (famous for the streams) and Pin Valley. Other interesting places in Spiti include Kaza, Lhalung and Kibber. Keep your cameras ready, you will never want to miss any landscape.
Sights to see- Chandratal Lake, Tabo, Dhankar Gompa, Gramphu, Rekong Peo
Hotels- Sakya Abode, Kunphen Guesthouse and Deyzor Guesthouse.
Lakshadweep
Lakshadweep has islands so untouched and chaste that you won’t like to leave it. Islands like Kadmat, Bangaram, Agatti and Minicoy are the most beautiful and the best to give you solitude with your partner. If your honeymoon has to be less sight-seeing and more about spending time with each other, Lakshadweep is what you need. Just lie back on the pristine virgin white sands of the beaches and let nature pamper you. Go cycling on the beaches, try traditional fishing, take a village tour and finally fill the days with water sports, scuba diving, snorkeling, jet skiing and kayaking. Although you may have to compromise on your mobile networks sometimes, but keeping your smartphones away for a few days will only bring the two of you closer. Lakshadweep is easily accessible by airways to Agatti, while cruises from Cochin are also a good choice to reach here. The real attraction of the islands lies under the water– the pristine archipelago lagoons, the warm waters and the unspoiled coral reefs.
Sights to see- The whole Lakshadweep Archipelago; you won’t want to miss on anything.
Hotels- Kadmat Island Resort, Bangaram Island Resort, Agatti Island Beach Resort.
Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh
You must have heard tales about the serenity of Tibet. Come and live that serenity in Tawang – India’s own Tibet. Tawang is an ideal place for your ‘together time’ with beautiful Sangeshar Lake in the back-drop. It has the perfect ambience and the creative set up to make your honeymoon all the more special and cozy. Feel the romance flowing in the arms of your partner back-dropped with snowy hills. Magical attractions of Tawang will make you fall in love with this place. Do pay your tributes at the historical monasteries here. Watch the Monastic masked dance, attend the Monpa New Year in February-March and get the blissful feel. As the belief goes, ‘the festivals chase out evil spirits’ considered to be the bearers of diseases and misfortunes. To reach here you can take a flight to Tezpur which is closer, but Itanagar and Guwahati are the busier airports. You would require an Inner Line Permit to unlock your way to this beauty.
Sights to see- Galden Namgyal Lhatse Monastery, Zimithang, Gorsam Stupa, Khinme Monastery, Tatsang Gompa and Singshur Nunnery, Sangeshar Lake, Chong- Chugmi Ranges, Tawang Chu River, Tawang Gompa.
Hotels- Hotel ZAX Star, Gakyi Khang Zhang, Hotel Tashi Ga Tsel, Dolma Khangsar Guest House.
Valparai, Tamil Nadu
A paradise, Valparai is a hill station right in the environs of majestically green spread of Anamalai Hills and forests all around. Lose yourself to the wilderness, the green meadows of the long stretched tea plantations and melt in the warmth of each other. The 64 km drive from the nearest town Pollachi to Valparai is in itself an exotic experience. En-route you are marveled by the wide variety of floral and faunal delight from the Indira Gandhi Wild-Life Sanctuary. See the vibrantly coloured hornbills from those childhood books come alive. Coimbatore is the nearest popular city from where this heavenly place is just three hours away. It is a hill station where the manmade tea and coffee plantations coexists with the dense forests, wild waterfalls and whispering streams. The salubrious climate, musically gurgling streams, the rainbow-creating waterfalls and lush green landscape endow you with a memorable escape in the arms of each other perfect for your Honeymoon. Morning mist hanging over tea plantations, serpentine roads and the wilderness are inviting enough. What you should definitely not miss here is the Grass Hill. It is a great place for honeymoon if you are up for a short, but relaxing and soothing holiday.
Sights to see- Balaji Temple, Chinnakallar Falls, Birla Falls, Nirar Dam, Sholyar Dam, Karamalai Annai Velankanni Church, Grass Hills, Chitti Vinayagar Temple, Monkey Falls (Chinna Kutralam), Tiger Valley etc.
Hotels- Stanmore Bungalow, Sinna Dorai’s Bungalow and Birar Tea Bungalows.
Honeymoon is out and out a personal affair. It has to be exclusive and special. By making one of these places your honeymoon destination where there are just intimate moments between you and your love, you will surely be left with memories of a lifetime. Honeymooning at such exquisite places, high-on privacy and natural abundance will only brew love and romance, leaving you asking for more of each other.
