Nestled in the lush valleys of the Western Ghats, Mahabaleshwar is a perfect getaway for spending some quality time away from the din and rush of the city. It is located in the Statara district of the state of Maharashtra and the British used it as the summer capital of Bombay to escape from the scorching heat of the plains. In the present days, Mahabaleshwar is a popular tourist spot and also a pilgrimage site.The tourists are enthralled by its exotic greenery, beautiful gardens & breath-taking scenery.With a pleasant climate and many things to watch, your trip to Mahabaleshwar will certainly be a memorable one.
Location:
Mahabaleshwar is located at an altitude of 1372 meters.
Season:
Best time to visit Mahabaleshwar is October to June.
Languages Spoken
Marathi, Hindi and English
Clothing Since the climate is pleasant throughout the year, loose cotton attire is preferable. Although during winters light woolen clothes are advisable.
Reaching There: By Air Nearest airport is Pune, 120 kms.
By Rail Nearest railhead is Wather, but Pune, 120 kms is the convenient rail head.
By Road Mumbai - Mahabaleshwar via Pune is 290 kms. Panchgani - Mahabaleshwar is 19 kms. Pune - Mahabaleshwar is 120 kms.
Prime Attractions of Mahabaleshwar:
Lodwick Point - One of the great locations in Mahabaleshwar located at 1,240 meters above the sea level. Protruding towards pratapgardh from Mahabaleshwar plateau you will see the surrounding scenery with awe. Formerly known as SydneyPoint, it was renamed after a monument in honour of General Lodwick . He was the first European to visit Mahabaleshwar.
MountMalcolm It used to be the most famous building in the olden days. It was built in 1829 with magnificent architectural skills. Unfortunately, it has lost a lot of its old charm now.
Pratapgad Fort This is 24 Kms. away from Mahabaleshwar. The fort was built in 1656 by Moropant Trimak Pingle under the command of the Maratha ruler shivaji. It was here that the mighty general of Bijapur, Afzal Khan was killed by Shivaji. The fort has a great view.
Adventure Sports: Mahabaleshwar offers opportunities and facilities for a complete holiday. At the hill resort you may indulge in activities like boating, fishing, horse riding, trekking et al. You may even try golf at the nine-hole golf course of Mahabaleshwar.
Panchgani
Tucked away in Satara district, just 19 kms east of Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani is also amongst the most frequented hill resorts. The name is derived from the fact that it is located at the the centre of the five hills. The place is well known for trekking and other adventure activities. Climb atop "TableLand", a famous flat - mounted top, from where you can have a look at the vast plain below. The berry farms here are another tourist attraction.
Arthur”s Seat:
This place has been compared to the Grand Canyon of Colorado of USA! From this point, you could see the Konkan region to your left and Deccan region to your right!
Elphiston point: located about 10 km from Mahabaleshwar, is a popular picnic spot.
Echo Point: On the way to Arthers point you can see breath-taking scenery of echo point. The deep valleys and sharp cuts of mountains.
Lingmala, Chinaman and Dhobi Waterfalls - These falls are situated at the south side of the Elphinston Point ravine. Lingmala and Chinaman's waterfalls are 6km and 4km respectively from the town and are at the top of VennaValley.
VennaLake - The 2.4km VennaLake is the favourite hangout of most tourists. It offers both boating and fishing facilities with the added attraction of wayside stalls and horse riding. It is also known for its luscious strawberries The lake is spread around 25 acres.The main purpose of this lake is to supply water to Mahabaleshwar. It was built by the King of Satara
HUNTER’S POINT: This point was used by the Britishers during the pre-independence era to hunt tigers when they would come to drink water at a pond situated downside. It provides a good view.
WilsonPoint Also called as Sunrise point. The highest point. 4710 ft above sea level. It is a vast plateau. There are three masonary round platforms to see the sunrise. You are advised to see sunrise from platform no:2. You can see sunset also from this point.
Falkland Point Below it the Artists Point also called as lovers point by some nature lover, presents beautiful koyana and valley below you.
MorarjiCastle Also worth a look is this old structure. mahatma Gandhi once lived here in 1945.
MAHABALESHWAR MARKET: The market place in Mahabaleshwar lies in the heart of Mahabaleshwar. It has lots of food stalls, restaurants, shops etc. All the novelties of Mahabaleshwar are available here.
What to buy
In Mahableshwar honey and strawberry crushes and jams are very famous. The place also has a wide variety of chikki (a famous local sweet).
Accommodation and Lodging:
Accommodation is not a problem in the hill resort of Mahabaleshwar. There are accommodation options that suit various budgets
Strawberries and Mulberries are the speciality of Mahabaleshwar. Don’t forget to try the Corn grown locally available in both roasted and boiled form. Corn pattice made from it are delecious. The food prepared with local vegetables have a unique taste and also try the small tomatoes which look like cherries!
Good and hygienic food is easily available at the many hotels and restaurants of Mahabaleshwar. You may feast on the Gujarati vegetarian meals, continental, Chinese and Mughlai specialties
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are popularly known as EmeraldIslands It offers you an eco-friendly tourist paradise. Its virgin chain of islands, tropical evergreen forests, sun kissed silver sandy beaches are adobe of natures. Tourists Come here to live in the worlds best beaches
For a laidback vacation, Andaman and Nicobar Islands are the perfect place to be. Virgin beaches, lush greenery and varied species of flora and fauna are some of the things that one can look forward to during the vacations here
Best time to visit Andaman is from October to May.
October to May is ideal for sight seeing and also to engage in water sports activities.
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LOCATION: Bay of Bengal CAPITAL: Port Blair HIGHEST PEAK:SaddlePeak - 732 metros CLOTHING : Cottons throughout the year IDD CODE: ++91-3192 (STD 03192)
BY Sea:Regular passenger ship services are available to Port Blair from Chennai, Kolkata and Vishakhapatnam and back. There are three to four sailings every month from Kolkata and Chennai to Port Blair and vice-versa. There is one sailing from Vishakhapatnam in a month. The voyage takes about 50 to 60 hours and the ship normally berths at Port Blair for about two to four days
By Air:
Andaman’s airport is at Port Blair. It is connected to Chennai and Calcutta. There are number of flights from Port Blair to other Airports. During the tourist seasons discounted airfares are provided by the airlines.
LOCAL TRANSPORT - The Directorate of Shipping Services maintains regular inter-island foreshore and harbour ferry services to cater to the needs of inter-island commuters. There are local buses, bicycles, motorcycles, auto rickshaws, and taxis available for local transport on the islands
Tourist Attractions:
JOLLY BUOY
It offers a breath taking underwater view of coral and marine life. It is an ideal place for snorkeling, sea bathing and basking on the sun kissed beach. Covered under Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Parks.
Corbyn's Cove
is a serene and unspoiled soft sandy beach in Andaman near to Port Blair. This beach is set in picturesque backgrounds of lush green coconut palms and pleasant scenary.
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Chatham Saw Mill
owned by Forest department, is credited as one of the biggest and oldest saw mills all through Asia and is located at the north tip of Andaman
HavelockIsland
This island offers beautiful sandy beaches and lush green forest. RadhanagarBeach (Beach No.7), Asia’s 7th most beautiful sea beach, is one of the attractive destinations for the tourists in the islands. Snorkeling and scuba diving facilities are provided in many beaches like Elephant beach etc. One can enjoy quite holidays in the lap of mother nature here.
Andaman Water Sports Complex
It is a renowned sports complex in India and is a unique sports complex offering many adventurous water sports activities
Jarwa reserve
Government of India reserved some of the regions of Andaman Islands for the tribes Jarwa in Andaman. This Jarwa reserve is part of the dense forests in two islands of Andaman. Jarwa, the first inhabitants of the Islands, is one of the four aborigines of Andaman Islands
Cellular Jail
This is presently a revered shrine dedicated to great Indian freedom fighters sacrificed their lives for the Independence of the Mother Nation, is situated at Aberdeen near Port Blair
NeilIsland: This beautiful Island with lush green forest and sandy beaches is the vegetable bowl of Andaman. It provides an ideal holiday for eco-friendly tourists. Beautiful beaches at Lakshmanpur, Bharatpur, Sitapur and the natural bridge formations on the sea-shore are the attractions.
Long Island
A breathtaking Island breasting beautiful sandy beaches, coconut plantations and evergreen forests, Long Island in Andaman is a very popular attraction for the nature loving tourists. The island can be approached by the fisherman’s vessel hired from Phoenix Bay Jetty.
BarrenIsland : This is the only active volcano in India. This island is about 3 Kms. in crater of the volcano, about half km away from the shore. This island can be visited by special boats which are scheduled by the DSS weekly.
Port Blair
Port Blair is capital and largest city of the Andaman and Nicobar island group, with a population of around 100,000. Spend a day or two here walking around and enjoying fresh seafood and seeing a couple of the nearby sites.
Chidiyatapu Chidiyatapu is the southern most tip of South Andaman. As its name this is favorite destination for bird watchers. Its lush green mangroves, forest cover with numerous chirping birds and the Sylvan Sands make it an ideal picnic site. A very beautiful beach named Munda Pahad near by is very famous amongst the local people. There is a forest guest house situated on the top of a hillock providing a fabulous view of isolated islands, breath taking sunset also called the Sunset
RossIsland:RossIsland, which is accessible from Phoenix Bay Jetty through a boat ride, is situated at the entry region of Port Blair harbor. RossIsland encloses an attractive swimming pool, a cute museum Smritika established by Indian Navy. Mt HarrietMt Harriet is an ideal place for bird eye's view of the outer islands and the sea. It was the summer headquarters of the Chief Commissioner during British Raj. 365 m high,
SamudrikaMarineMuseum, SamudrikaMarineMuseum, run by the Indian Navy, is located at Delanipur in Andaman. This museum is meant to create awareness on various aspects of oceanic environment. The SamudrikaMarineMuseum has five sections dealing with history of Andaman Islands, Geographical information, people of Andaman, Archeology and finally the Marine life.
KalpongKalpong, the only river of Andaman flows from here. Ross and Smith, the twin Islands joined by a bewitching sand bar, is travelled from Diglipur by engine dingy
ViperIslandViperIsland, named after the ship wreck event of a British trading ship named “Viper' located near Port Blair. ViperIsland is a serene beautiful tourist destination and can be approached by harbor cruise originating from Phoenix Bay Jetty in Port Blair.
NicobarIsland: The Nicobars abound in coconut palm, casuarina and pandanus trees. The fauna of Great and Little Nicobar islands consist of Giant Robber Crab, long-tailed Monkeys, Nicobarese Pigeons and Megapode, a rare bird found in Great Nicobar. The Indira Point the southernmost tip of India is GreatNicobarIsland. Car Nicobar, is covered with cluster of coconut palms and enchanting beaches
Other than Passport, Visa, Identity Card, etc. some things are further essential to be brought in your luggage like: FIRST-AID KIT, NEWSPAPER, TORCH, SCISSOR, NAIL CLIPPER, UMBRELLA/SUNSCREEN etc.
Goa, a tiny emerald land, with its natural scenic beauty, attractive beaches and temples famous for its architecture, feasts and festivals and above all hospitable people with a rich cultural milieu, has an ideal tourist profile Get swept away by the spectacular sunrises and sunsets, sunbathe and stroll along it's wide and serene beaches, Goa is the place to spend a much needed holiday.
Location:
Goa, a tiny emerald land of 3,702 Sq.Kms. on the west coast of India. Located in the SahayadriRange in the Western Ghats with the Arabian Sea on its west,
Season:
The best time for visiting Goa is during the months of October to March. This is the ideal time, as the monsoons cross over to the Indian mainland after pouring on the land of Goa.
Goa is connected with Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Secunderabad, Tirupati via Londa junction on the Mirage-Bangalore sector of south central railway, and to Mumbai, and Mangalore on the Konkan Railway Corporation section. Convenient stations are Margao/Vasco and Karmali.
Fly away: The only airport in Goa is the Dabolim Airport, which is though a military airport but civilian flights also operate from here.The airport also handles apart from regular flights , chartered flights as well from countries like UK and Germany. Indian Airlines has direct daily flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Goa. Air India also operates from Goa.The airport is owned by the Indian Navy. Major airline operators such as Indian Airlines On Wheels: There are interstate bus services to Mumbai (16 hrs), Bangalore, Mangalore, Londa, Pune, Hospet, Hampi and Hubli. On Ship: Ship services between Bombay and Goa organised by Damania. Prime Attractions of Goa:
Vasco-da-Gama: It is 30 kms. from Panaji. A modem, well laid out city close to MormugsHarbour, has beautiful and extensive avenues. The air terminus of Goa at Dabolim lies on the outskirts of the city. It is also the railway terminus for passenger service in the South Central Railway.
Panaji: The capital of Goa and headquarters of North Goa District, a small a charming city on the left bank of silvery Mandovi River, with beautiful red-roofed houses, built in Latin style, also boasts of many modern houses, well laid garden, statues and avenue's lined with Gulmohar, Acassia and other trees. Enchantit panorama unfolds from atop Altinho (Hill Top). Mapusa: It is 13 Kms. from Panaji. The capital of Bardez Taluka, on the national highway, is the cross roads of the network of highways covering whole of Northern Goa. Weekly fair on Friday, is held at the modem streamlined market, attended by large crowds.
Wildlife in Goa The rugged western ghats make it an ideal haven for many species of birds and animals and also provide a corridor for migration. The western ghats called the Sahyadris in Goa, extend for a total of 600kms in Goa of their total length of 3702 kms.
Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary: This is Goa's only bird sanctuary, 1.8 Sq Km in area. A variety of local and migratory birds can be found on this island. Alorna Fort The Alorna fort is situated in the village of Alorna which is about 30 km from Mapusa and 10 km east off NH 17 from Malpem in Pernem AncestralGoaMuseum / Big Foot The Ancestral Goa museum/ exhibition is situated in the small village of Loutolim which is about 10 km from Margao and 25 km from Panaji. The musuem is also known as big foot.
Arvalam Waterfalls The Arvalem or Harvalem waterfalls, which cascades down from the mountains, from a height of 50 metres, is one of the most awe-amazing spots. It is situated at about 2 km from the small town of Sanquelim Boca De Vaca Spring Situated next to the Mahalaxmi temple, the Boca de Vaca spring is one of the two springs that exist in Panaji Goa.
CarambolimLake in Goa The CarambolimLake is situated approx 2 kms southeast of Old Goa in the Tiswadi taluka. It is excellent place of birding in Goa that supports a large population of herbivorous birds ChoraoIsland The Tiswadi island of Chorao is situated 5 kms from Panaji. The earliest settlers of the island were 10 families of the Goud Saraswat Brahmins
DivarIsland The beautiful DivarIsland that is rarely visited is situated across the MandoviRiver from Old Goa. A ferry connects the southern end of the island with Old Goa Dudhsagar Waterfall The Dudh Sagar waterfall is situated in the Indian state of Goa in Sanguem taluka. It is located 60 kms from the capital city of Panaji and is well connected with Panjim and Margao
Kuskem Waterfall The Kuskem waterfall is located in the Canacona taluka in South Goa. It can be visited whilst on the way to the Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary
Beaches of Goa:
The prime tourist attractions in Goa are, no doubt, its sunbathed golden beaches. Some of important beaches of Goa
