Ufff, It’s a real tough one😉
Despite being asked this question so often, I rarely have a concise reply. Instead the answer is usually a shoddily constructed response, depend upon my mood, recent experiences, and current whereabouts.
I guess ’m not the only traveler who has trouble answering this question. Maybe it’s like asking a parent who their favorite child is. I’m not concerned that Norway will get its nose out of joint if I say I like Switzerland or Ireland better, there’s still a reason why I can’t name any one place as a sheer favorite. Though you will see more hilly places in my list than the beach-side ones...purely because of my obsession with hills…Though I have traveled extensively to some of the most exotic beach destinations as well, sooner or later I’m sure I will have my take on those fav places too starting from Seychelles to phi phi to Langkawi…
Here is a random list of places around the world where I’ve had impacting experiences…. experiences that have in turn made them into my favorite places list:
Ireland
This is one of the trips which I planned at a very last moment…I had such great time in this Winterland( place where weather with sometimes 2 seasons in one day!), don’t think will able to justify my experience in this small column😊 - Wild and rugged coastlines, long sandy beaches, lush green fields of wildflowers and heather, the Blanket Islands, ruined castles, archaeological monuments, warm Irish hospitality, and plenty of Guinness and Jameson.
We travelled and explored western & southern Ireland including Dublin, Kilkenny, Killarney (County Kerry to Dingle),Cork, Wicklow mountains (Greystones to bray cliff walk) and Galway(country side – Cliff of Moher to Aaron Islands)!this is one hell of a place which offers everything for kind of travelers from walking, to some great country music, history, tradition, rugged coasts, and craic😊
I traveled to the Atlantic west coast of Ireland in County Clare, which is home to the beautiful Burren coast. The Best of the Burren Way is our new long-distance walk in Ireland..I genuinely do think it’s the most welcoming city in the world. It’s also the perfect size for exploring. Drive just twenty minutes from Dublin’s city center (and less from smaller cities) and you will find yourself in the midst of what Ireland is famous for – fields that cover forty shades of green. I don’t know too many countries where this is possible from the center of its capital.
I don’t think I have to describe on their night life which is known to everyone…there pubs are legendary. Each and every town and city around the country are filled with traditional bars with great live singing Irish bands, more contemporary ones, as well as a ‘local hop’ (local slang for nightclub). I always loved the Traditional Irish instruments such as The Irish Fiddle, Banjo and Bodhrán (Pronounce Bow'Rawn) which play an essential role in making Irish Music unique, combine these together with the Flute, Whistle, Accordion and Banjo and you have a sound that just makes you want to clap your hands and stamp your feet!!!
Kashmir Circuit- Pahalgam, Sonmarg, Gulmarg, and Srinagar India
I wish if I can travel there often and can roam around freely the way I do in rest of the places in India.
Kashmir is heaven on Earth in real sense. Known for its surreal topography, stunning views, colorful culture, and cheerful people, Kashmir is definitely one of the most awe-inspiring places to visit in north India. The stunning Dal Lake in Srinagar, the gorgeous valleys of Sonmarg, the thrilling adventures of skiing at Gulmarg and the perfect serenity of Pahalgam make a trip to Kashmir complete with happiness. I can go on about this wonder land forever as my memories hasn’t faded even a bit …hope to visit there soon to relive all my happy moments.
Switzerland
I went to Switzerland two years ago and loved every moment of my two week long vacation. We didn’t drive around this time in the countryside, as we heard a lot about Swiss train and the network they have…I guess this was our best decision! What a connectivity they have, I instantly fell in love with this place because of pure easiness to move around.
Bern, Engleberg, Appenzell, Lausanne, Luzern, Lugano, Interlaken, Mürren, Zermatt, Sion, Sierre, Chur, Davos all these places are so well connected from Zurich that you really no need to keep packing your bags to stay in different location. You can make one place as your place and can easily do day trips all these locations.
The Swiss countryside rolls by and I can't help but fall in love. The trains are comfortable, clean, quiet and efficient. They go almost everywhere and they get to the place on time without too many hassles.
This country has a system that works. Starting from public transport, post, police, everything works perfectly.
Unlike many other western countries, the Swiss don't usually spoil their kids by buying them all the gadgets and gizmos but they encourage the kids to do more outdoor stuff like hiking, biking, skiing etc. There are plenty of stuff to do in any neighborhood. If you are an outdoor junky than this is the place for you :-) starting from Hiking / cycling/ skiing to some of the most beautiful pastures.
Spiti & Baralacha- Pristine land for true wanderers (Himachal Pradesh) India
Endowed with picturesque villages, gorgeous mountains, and panoramic glacier, Spiti Valley offers awesome and mind blowing views and is surely one of the most unconventional tourist destinations in the world. The vibrant monasteries add to the charm of the place that is already well known for offering ultimate spiritual serenity. We chose to start the journey from Shimla towards Tibet highway entering Spiti valley via Kinnaur and ending our trip in Manali via Kunzum pass and Rohtang pass. We infact visited three different and beautiful valleys Kinnaur, Spiti and Chandra. I can go on in further details but I guess that I will leave for my blog to explain my experience about this wonderland.
Key attractions: Bara Shigri Glacier, Tabo Monastery, Ki Monastery & Jispa valley
How to reach(easier and popular route) : Kullu Airport is 85 km and Shimla railway station (toy train) is 428 km from Spiti.
Munnar & Thekaddy (Kerela) India
Sprawling tea plantations surround the serene hills of Munnar, which attract adventure travellers hungry for paragliding, treks to Anaimudi (South India’s highest peak) and hikes originating at the confluence of three mountain streams.
The stone Christ Church, built by the British in 1910, is adorned with renowned works of stained glass, and Eravikulam National Park, about 10 miles away, is home to equally colourful wildlife, including the endangered Nilgiri Tahr (ibex), ruddy mongoose and 120 bird species.
another attraction is Thekkady just 2 hours from Munnar. beautiful Periyar Lake is worth a visit. you can choose boating or trek around this region. Both give you superb view of the lake and experience which you will cherish for very long time.
We first did the Tiger trail walk with guides, that allowed us to walk many hours around various parts of Periyar Lake, far from noises of the boat. The views are spectacular, on the forest nearby and the mountains farther. Furthermore, through hiking, you can enjoy those views with the added pleasure of hearing and seeing quite a lot of wildlife. Hikes around Periyar Lake highly recommended, just don't expect to see a tiger...
later we did go for boat ride as well which is equally nice..if you are with family you better go for this option.
Places of Interest
· Rajamalai (Eravikulam) National Park
· Tea Gardens
· Kolukkumalai Tea Estate
How to get there - best is to take a flight to Madurai and hire a car to reach Munnar or take over night train from Bangalore to Dindigul and then cab to Munnar which takes about 3-4 hours only with some most scenic views enroute.
Else people to come via Kochi as well which is damn tiring so always prefer the first two options.
Places to stay – depending upon budgets there are variety of places to stay. I prefer Chinnakanal over Munnar town to stay…so do check hotels in Chinnakanal.
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