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High above misty valleys and foaming rivers, ensconced in swirling clouds and perched on an escarpment, lies Cherrapunji (4,500 feet). This is a stunning location and the year-round rain earned Cherrapunji coveted entry long ago into the Guinness Book of World Records as the wettest place on earth, the place where the rainfall can be recorded in feet rather than in millimeters.

Made using Indian Rubber Tree, also known as Ficus Elastica, this bridge is one of the popular attractions of the place. In addition, it is also considered as one of the unique examples of bioengineering. Long ago, Cherrapunji in Meghalaya had earned the coveted place in the Guinness Book of World for being the wettest place on the earth. This is one place all over the world, where the rainfall can be recorded in feet rather than in millimeters.

The name Meghalaya literally means “Abode of the Clouds” and as the name suggests it is one of the wettest places on the earth receiving the highest rainfall in the world with Cherrapunji holding Guinness book of World record as the wettest place on earth.

Cherrapunji is perhaps the only place in India, which has just one season: the monsoon. The rainfall varies from heavy to medium to light, but there is no month without rain. Another surprising fact about Cherrapunji is that it rains mostly at night. Day-to-day activity is not really disrupted by the rain.

Visakhapatnam Tourist attractions have turned the picturesque south Indian city of Vizag, Andhra Pradesh, into one of the greatest tourism centers of the country. The port city of Visakhapatnam is an amalgamation of natural beauty and modern development. Its green hills, golden beaches, the long coastline and its religious sites have made the city a paradise on earth.

Visakhapatnam is very well connected with rail, road and air transportation. Some of the popular tourist sites in and around Visakhapatnam are:

* Dolphin’s Nose

* Indira Gandhi Zoological park

* Rishikonda Beach

* Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy, Simhachalam

* Vuda Park

* Kailasagiri Hills and Valleys, Hill Top park

* Lawsons bay Beaches

* Mudasarlova

* Ramakrishna Beach

* INS Kurusura Submarine Rishikonda Beach

Visakhapatnam has a rich cultural and historical heritage. Once part of the ancient empire of Kalinga, it has been ruled by eminent kings such as Ashoka and Krishnadeva Raya. It had also been a Dutch colony in the 18th century. Now a comfortable urban hangout, the city offers the best of both ancient and modern worlds. Visakhapatnam has a hot climate during summers, a pleasant winters and heavy rainy monsoons during June to September. Summers during March to May are oppressive and uncomfortable with temperature reaches a scorching level of 45°C or above and the high humidity level make the climate very sultry. Winters during December to February are somewhat pleasant and warm with temperature levels ranges in 18°C to 32°C.

Most of the religious festivals like Deepavali (October) and Navarathri (October-November) are also celebrated here with much festivities and show. Tourism promotion festival Visakha Utsav during the cold seasons (December-January) is very attractive with the traditions and culture in the form of sport events, music and dance, food fair, exhibitions, arts and crafts.

The Juhu Beach in Mumbai is one of the most famous Indian beaches. This beach is known to be the one of the most-visited beaches of India and is situated in ‘Ville Parle‘. It is located approximately 18 km from the city center and is a desired location for most film shootings. Juhu Beach borders a posh locality where most celebrities stay and therefore, it is quite common to find famous celebrities jogging along the sands of this popular beach of Mumbai.

An attractive tourist spot, the famous Juhu Beach is one of the most peaceful beaches and remains largest and frequently visited beaches of Mumbai, India.

Juhu Beach is a bourgeois paradise, filled to the gills with screaming children, courting couples and rowdy adolescents. If you want a more fancy excursion, however, retreat behind Juhu’s many five star hotels, for a steaming cup of coffee and a splendid view of the coast. The most popular of these beachfront hotels are the Sun and Sand and Holiday Inn.

Juhu Beach is easily accessible by road. Apart from taxis and autos, public transport such as MTDC buses and private buses from many areas of the city are available. Dadar Bus Stand is only 15 km from the beach.

Leh is the land of Lamas, the Buddhist Monks and is mainly populated by Buddhists and Hindus. Leh houses numerous Buddhist monuments, monasteries and study centers, Shanti stupa and Sankar Gompa are some of them. Leh has grown to a best trade centre in Central Asia, with many trading opportunities for the motivated and dedicated young traders and achievers. Shopping is an experience in Leh. One can spot many traders in the city selling out spectacular Tibetan motifs and jewellery, winter woolen clothes and decorated world famous carpets.

Attractions

Leh Palace

The steep climb to the stupa is worth the effort as it provides breath taking views of the beautiful Leh valley. If you are interested in the ancient history of Leh, then you should visit the 17 th century Leh Palace, although in a dilapidated condition. The Palace, which once housed the royalty, is now under the Archaeological Survey of India.

Victory Tower

Just above the palace on the Namgyal hill is the Victory Tower that was built in memory of Ladakh’s victory over the Balti Kashmir armies in the 16th century.

King Sengge Namgyal

Leh rose to prominence in the 17th century when King Sengge Namgyal shifted his court from Shey to Leh. Subsequently Leh became an important trade center on the famous Silk route. The avid interest in Leh tourism began in 1970 when Leh was opened to tourists.

Shanti Stupa

The Shanti Stupa is one of the finest monuments in Leh, although of recent origin. It is an international collaborative effort between Japan and Ladakh to preserve the relics of the Buddha enshrined by the Dalai Lama himself.

Abounding in magnificent temples and ashrams, Rishikesh occupies a prominent place on the tourist map of north India. This place holds a lot of importance for the Hindu pilgrims as it is the point from where the journey to the Char Dhams (four sacred spots) begins. Blessed with varied natural wonders, Rishikesh is an ideal spot for the pilgrimage and adventure tourism in the state of Uttarakhand (formerly Uttaranchal). Here, you will come across a number of fascinating attractions and some of the noteworthy tourist attractions in Rishikesh are:

Bharat Mandir:
It is an engrossing temple established by Adiguru Shankaracharya near in the 8th century AD. It is in the center of the old town on the Banks of the River Ganges. According to the ancient records, it is one of the oldest temples of Rishikesh and is among the most important places to visit in Rishikesh. In the inner sanctum, you will find an idol of lord Vishnu. Several old statues, coins, pots and other artifacts of historical importance have been found during recent excavations within the premises.

Rishikund
It is located adjacent to Triveni Ghat and is one of the most significant among the tourist attractions in Rishikesh. According to the legend, this pond was saturated by Goddess Yamuna and it mirrors the temple of Ragunath, which is devoted to lord Rama and his wife.

Triveni Ghat:
It is a sacred spot where the pilgrims swarm to for a holy dip. A large number of pilgrims throng in to this place every evening to attend the Ganga Arti that takes place at this Ghat.

Geeta Bhawan:
This is the oldest temple complex in the entire area and you can find the description of well-known Indian epic Ramayana and Mahabharata on its walls. Only peace and harmony seem to dwell at this place and it is must visit among the tourist attractions in Rishikesh.

Lakshman Jhula:
It is one of the most prominent landmarks at Rishikesh. This is a suspended bridge and was built in the year 1929. According to the beliefs, the river at this place is said to have been crossed by Rama’s brother Lakshman using a jute rope. To savor the panoramic views of the surroundings and the cool breeze, this bridge is an ideal spot.

Ashrams
The ashrams strewn all over the town are indisputably the leading tourist attractions in Rishikesh. On your tour to Rishikesh, you will come across lots of them. Most of them impart spiritual studies and lessons on meditation and well-being of the mind. Some of the leading ones are Paremarth Niketan, Sivanand Ashram, Yoga Niketan, Omkaranand Ashram, Vanprastha Ashram, Shankaracharya Nagar Transcendental Meditation Centre, Vithal Ashram and Yoga Study Centre.

Mizoram lies in the southernmost outpost of North Eastern India, the land of the Blue Mountains. Manipur, Assam and Tripura bind the northern end of this little island of tranquility with neighboring countries Myanmar and Bangladesh nestling most of the state between them.

Mizoram is blessed with the most variegated hilly terrain in the eastern part of India. The hills are steep and separated by rivers which flow either to the north or south creating deep gorges between the hill ranges. Nature has bestowed Mizoram with numerous rivers like Tlawang, Sonai, Tuivai, Kolodyne and Karnafulli. The legendary river Tiu is the boundary between India and Myanmar. Mizoram is a treat for any tourist while traveling on the straight roads coursing through the thick forests and vibrant villages.

In the centre of town is the lively Main Market, where local farmers sell their produce. Almost the entire population of Mizoram (as of Nagaland and Meghalaya) is now Christian. Converted by missionaries who first came here in 1891 as a result of the schools they started. Mizoram has the second highest literacy rate in India.

Oral tradition reveals (there is no known recorded history) that the Mizos migrated from their homeland in China about 3 centuries ago, in search of new pastures and settled in these remote Mizo Hills (Lushai Hills). In the nineteenth century this region was annexed to Assam, under the British rule, as the Lushai Hills District and in February 1972, it became the 23rd state of the Indian Union.

Myanmar sits at the crossroads of Asia’s great civilisations of India and China, and looks out onto the vast Indian Ocean next to Thailand. One of South East Asia’s largest and most diverse countries, Myanmar stretches from the sparkling islands of the Andaman Sea in the south right up into the Eastern Himalayan mountain range.

The name of “The Garden City of the East”. Yangon was founded by King Alaungpaya on the site of a small settlement called Dagon when he conquered Lower Myanmar in 1755.

The main tourist destination in Myanmar is Bagan, capital of the first Myanmar Empire; one of the richest archaeological sites in South-east Asia. Situated on the eastern bank of the Ayeyawaddy River. The Magic of Bagan has inspired visitors to Myanmar for nearly 1000 years.

The country’s tourism infrastructure boasts five star properties, intimate boutique hotels and family guest houses in all the major centers, as well as stunning mountain and beach resorts. Myanmar also boasts one of the lowest tourist crime records in the world, so visitors can rest assured their holiday will be carefree from start to finish.

Named after Henry Havelock, a British colonial time General in the region, Havelock is the Andaman’s star attraction and thousands of tourists flock to this paradise on earth every year. The five main villages featuring their own unique beaches are Govinda Nagar, Radha Nagar, Bejoy Nagar, Shyam Nagar, Krishna Nagar. Radha Nagar beach is the best of the lot having been rated by the coveted TIME magazine as the best beach in Asia back in 2004.

The Havelock Island is approximately 55 kilometers northeast of the capital city of Port Blair with around two to three departures daily from Port Blair to the island. The ferry tickets are reasonably priced at 5 – 8 American dollars. Catamaran ferries are a little more expensive, and if time is your concern, Pawan Hans operates choppers from Port Blair to Havelock.

Once you’re on Havelock Island the best way to get around is on foot, exploring the various beaches, shacks and shopping places. Radha Nagar beach features pristine white sand with emerald colored reef and makes for a great place to spend an afternoon with some sumptuous seafood. Elephant beach, another tourist favorite, is walking distance from Radha Nagar beach, and what a brilliant walk it is indeed. If walking’s not your thing, an Auto Rickshaw will cost around 2 dollars or 100 Indian Rupees.Apart from rickshaws, one can opt to hire a cab or rent a two wheeler for a day which doesn’t cost more than 4 dollars a day or 200 Indian Rupees

SCUBA diving is by far the most enjoyable activity on Havelock Island and the Andaman Islands are not well equipped with speed boats and a recompression chamber at Port Blair. SCUBA expeditions for every appetite, beginner, intermediate and experienced are available on Havelock Island and are very reasonably priced. It’s a great way to explore marine flora and fauna up close and personal!

Apart from SCUBA, trekking is another famous sport at Havelock Island with many tour operators offering standardized guided treks. Unlike other islands in the Andaman and Nicobar Island group, Havelock offers many hotel and dormitory options to suit every budget. Café Del Mar and Wild Orchid are two places worth considering! Done with the sun and sand and you might want to head over to Village Number 3 which is the prime market place selling various local artifacts and accessories.