Tag: Travel Blogger

A Well-Traveled Life Is A Life Lived Well

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Everyone will have their own pleasures in life. Whether you love a hearty plate of food or a fine piece of art, it’s these small luxuries in life that help to keep us alive and kicking. For some, it will always be travel. Travel is one of the few things in life that we spend money on, yet it makes us richer. From experiencing different cultures and meeting new people, to seeing some of the world’s most breathtaking sights and enjoying different climates, travel can really broaden your horizon.

So, it’s not all that surprising that more and more are enjoying a well-traveled life with their children. When you travel as a family, not only are you benefitting from a wealth of experiences, your children are too. You can help to shape their minds, perspectives and even their futures by filling their lives with travel. And, of course, you’re making lots of memories at the same time. If you’re interested in adding a lot more travel into your family life, whether you’re on a tight budget or not, here’s how you can do it and make a life full of travel work for your family.

Pack Well

Firstly, when you’re planning your travels, you’re going to want to be very selective as you pack. Whether you’re going on a summer-long adventure, or on a weekend trip, you want to make every item count. When traveling, it’s always best to pack as little as possible, so that you can get from A to B easily, but you also want to make sure you have all your bases covered. With everything from clothing for the right climate and any survival equipment you may need, you need to pack smart.

Do Your Homework

Alongside packing, you’re also going to want to make sure that you get all of your paperwork and research in order before you leave for your travels. Whether you need to sign up for the Visa Waiver Program before coming to the US, or getting something similar sorted for international travels, or find yourself some insurance, these are the things you should cover off as you plan your journeys.

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Shop Around

When it comes to booking your travels themselves, make sure that you shop around. If you’re on a budget, you want to make sure that you get flights or hotels for the best price possible – especially if you want to travel often. Traveling can cost you as little or as much as you’d like it too. You just have to shop around and be flexible with the places you’d like to stay or see at different times throughout the year. If you can grab a good deal on one place, snap it up now and see somewhere else later.

Make The Most Of Breaks

Another key trick to ensuring that your family can travel as much as possible is to utilize the school breaks well. Not only do you have a whole summer to fill with travels if your schedule permits it, but you can also get a lot done in short week breaks or even in a weekend. By being flexible and even working with plans last minute, you could see a lot more of the world.

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Plan Cultural Experiences

When you start to travel more, you’re opening yourself and your family up to so many incredible cultural experiences. Even if our beautiful United States, there is a lot of heritage to take in – so make sure you see it. It’s a great way for you to boost your kid’s education and ensure that they learn about their history, as well as the history of other cultures around the world. It’s these kinds of experiences that can nourish their little minds as they grow.

Try New Things

It’s always great to open yourself up to new experiences, but the idea can really come alive when you travel. With a wealth of different activities, foods, cultures, experiences and more, available to you, start to say yes to things when you’re traveling. You may find yourself on so many different adventures by just being open to trying new things.

Encourage Exploration

And finally, while you’re traveling with your family, encourage your children as much as you can to embrace every experience. Encourage exploration and curiosity and adventure in them. Not only will this allow them to open up their minds and see things differently, but you’ll also be installing a hunger for travel in them, which they can go on to use in their futures or enjoy with their own families as they grow up.

 

 

The Unexpected Joys Of Packing

When you have a tripped planned, whether it’s a camping trip or a luxury break one of the things you need to do well before you leave is pack. Now, a lot of people hate packing. They see it as a chore to be over and done with as quick as possible. So then can get to the airport and get on with their trip. But not me. For me packing is a joy, as well as a very valuable exercise and below I will explain why.

It helps you transition from everyday life to vacation life

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One of the biggest benefits packing your suitcase is that it helps you get from daily life into vacation life. It’s a symbol that the waiting and dreaming are almost over and you are about to embark on that adventure that you have planned for ages.

All those times you have dreamed about laying on the beach with a cocktail in your hand when you were having a hard day at work, or with the kids, and it’s all about to come true. Packing helps you build you excitement, and that is why it can truly be a joy.

Of course, it’s not so much fun if you haven’t got everything you need to hand to make it as pleasant an experience as possible. So remember to get the washing and ironing done before hand. Then you will just have those last travel items to purchase before it’s bon voyage!

It ensure you will have the best time Something else that I love about packing is the way a little forward thinking can help you the best time when you’re away. All you need to do is think carefully about the items that are essential to you.

For folks with kids, it’s likely to be their bottle sterilizsers, the kid’s cuddly toys or their favourite game to play on the beach. For couple heading to a luxury, location is might be their Kindles, makeup, or sunscreen. So they can sit on the beach without a care in the world.

That means all you need to do is think about the things that will maximise your experience, and make sure to pack those. It make you feel calmer

Packing is also a great activity because it’s a way of putting any anxieties to rest. This is because you know if you pack right that you are prepared for any eventuality.

 Travel, while wonderful can also be stressful at times, and that is why it’s important to pack items that will minimise this. It could be a thing like a neck pillow for the flight or your insurance and travel documents, which will get you through the electronic travel authorisation system in place at many airports now. Or it could be the emergency number for the police and a few key phrases for when you get there.

 

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It helps you to look critically at what you have. Lastly, one of the most fun things about packing to be are looking for all the clothing items, jewellery and accessories to see what you have. Not only do you get to pick out the things that are most suitable. But you also get to see how blessed you are with all the item you do have. As well as rediscover some things that you might have forgotten all about.

Lemon Tree Hotels launch universally accessible hotels in Gurugram

The Lemon Tree Hotel Company, the third largest Indian hotel chain by asset ownership in the country, announced the formal opening of its twin properties in Gurugram, thereby becoming the largest owner of hotel rooms in the millennium city.

Adding a collective inventory of just under 400 rooms, Lemon Tree Hotel, Sector 60 and Red Fox Hotel, Sector 60, located just off Golf Course Extension Road and a short distance from the key business hubs also houses a separate Convention Center with commercial and office space making it the largest accessible MICE destination in Delhi NCR.

In line with the fresh, fun and spirited ambience of Lemon Tree, these properties promise to delight its upbeat guests with their vibrant interiors, scrumptious food, impeccable facilities and the distinctive warm and friendly services that Lemon Tree is known for.

Speaking on this occasion, Vikramjit Singh, President, Lemon Tree Hotels said: “We are delighted to reach a milestone of six hotels in the city. Gurugram continues to attract business and leisure travelers throughout the year and the launch of these twin properties along with a Convention Center, only brings to fore the potential of this market and LTH’s successful run here.”

With this launch, Lemon Tree group now commands a joint inventory of 530 rooms in the city.

Designed on the principles of universal design, these special hotels allow people of varying abilities to access all areas of the hotel with ease and offer specially designed room and multiple suites for differently-abled guests.

They are a part of a unique initiative adopted by the company, wherein, Lemon Tree has taken its initiatives on inclusion to a new benchmark. Not only are these hotels 100% accessible for people of all abilities, but are also run by a special team.

As part of the group’s HR strategy, we usually hire 12-15% employees with disability and a similar percentage of persons from the economically and socially marginalized disadvantaged segments (EcoSoc) of the society. In a first-of-its-kind endeavor, 70% of the hotel staff in Lemon Tree Hotel, Sector 60 is either from the Economically and Socially marginalized segments of the society (EcoSoc) or differently abled (Employees with Disability).

Aradhana Lal, Vice President, Sustainability Initiatives, Lemon Tree Hotels explains: “We truly believe in mainstreaming and including people with disabilities and those from the marginalized segments in our employee base and provide them the same opportunities as others in order to realize their full potential. This launch is special to us. We are proud to introduce our new hotels in Sector 60, Gurugram run by a truly special team

Strategically nestled between high-end residential societies, the twin hotels offer easy access to HUDA Metro Station, Leisure Valley and Sector 29, the entertainment district of the city, besides being 20 minutes away from Signature Towers, IFFCO Chowk and the Mall mile on MG Road.

Lemon Tree Hotel, Sector 60 has been designed with innovative interiors and inspiring artwork that make for an ambience that is refreshing, contemporary and stylish. It has an inventory of 104 stylish rooms and suites, a 24×7 multi-cuisine coffee shop – Citrus Café and a hip recreation bar – Slounge in addition to a business center, a fitness Gym and open-air swimming pool.

Red Fox Hotel, Sector 60 is an economy business hotel and offers 154 smart rooms and suites, a multi-cuisine coffee shop – Clever Fox Café, a Cyber Kiosk, an efficient meeting room, a well-equipped fitness centre and laundry service. The hotel welcomes guests with its fresh bold interiors as well as crisp and clean rooms and delights with its unbeatable value and reliable safety standards.

With the opening of this new property, Lemon Tree Hotels now owns and operates 40 hotels in 23 cities with over 4100 rooms and over 4500 employees.

A long vacation where your fun, excitement and even work is taken care of! Enjoy the REMOTE LIFE

Who would not want a vacation thats long enough to indulge in luxury, exploring new places and sometimes just to unwind, but most of the times the worry of our work getting suffered always cuts down on our vacation. But not anymore, those who seek loooooong vacations can now do so without any apprehensions, you wanna know how..?

Remote Life is a program that allows a person to travel the world and work from anywhere with likeminded people. The Remote Life was launched on 5th of December 2016 and in just about a few months they have already been able to garner 670+ registrations for this years program.

The program brings together professionals, freelancers, digital nomads and entrepreneurs to work, live and travel. It aims to get more and more people out of their cubicles into the real world. Work should not come in the way of travel, and this is where remote life helps you bridge the gap.

What does your program include:

  • 24*7 workspace with high-speed internet
  • Private bedroom in villa/apartment
  • Flights between destinations
  • Visa, Insurance & local SIM
  • Daily local cuisine/meals
  • Airport pickup & drop
  • Community events
  • Lots of pictures!
  • Local ambassador
  • Professional workshops
  • Meetup with local entrepreneurs

Here is a glimpse of what it would actually be

This could be your Vila in Bali..
Your office on the beach-Ko Lanta
Your personal working space, no kidding

Speaking on the concept Nischal Dua, CEO & Founder, The Remote Life, said, he was inspired from his own travel plans and during one of his trips to Himalayan Base Camp, the idea germinated. His main main aim was to let everyone enjoy travel without hampering their work, his goal is to provide people the perfect work life balance, out of this world travel experiences while also maintaining their professional requirements.

Over the last few years, Nishchal Dua has built 2 companies and traveled 7 countries in a row. His mission is to help people in changing their work lifestyle.

In addition to it, he is a serial entrepreneur, frequent traveler & trekking freak. With The Remote Life, he is aiming for a diverse, balanced group with people from different backgrounds, experiences and regions. Everyone is verified through public social profiles and the founder himself makes sure to personally call up before finalizing the participants.


How does The Remote Life Work

  • They take care of the research, organization, and booking of the flights, stay, desk space, and everything else so that one can see the world, without leaving his/her work. Well, Remote Life does not provide remote jobs infact Remote Life is a group of like minded people that travel the world while working, not a holiday or vacation package.
  • Cost: USD 1300/month
  • www.theremotelife.com/south-east-asia-trip

So what are you waiting for, log on today and give your work life a whole new meaning, travel the world without compromising on your work! Enjoy

3 Months | 3 Countries | 30 Extraordinary People

Destinations: Indonesia, Cambodia & Thailand

LURM to create ripples of ecstasy through its revelry in Jaisalmer…!

LURM 2016 is a new rage among youth as the festival hits the commoners amidst beautiful Sam Dunes this December. Basis its extravagant facets a perfect blend of food, music, fashion, film, adventure, camping, beer and wine will be observed at the carnival. Spread across 34 acres of land, the place overtures more than 2000 camps to get hold of almost 13000 people. While close to 200 films from 15 different countries shall constitute the cinema part, nearly 100 food outlets would exhibit the best of the cuisines from all over the world. The target audience implicates only adults from the tier-1 or tier -2 cities while tourists from China, Japan, European countries are also going to be there.

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According to Sushil Wadhwa, Founder & CEO, TheStoreHunt.com, “LURM is going to be India’s first zero waste and biggest Desert Festival as it incorporates support from the elite institutions.” Wherein, fashion institutes are working for ‘Bamboo for sustainability’ concept, NID Alumni is making use of scrap, unused & recyclable goods to develop the entire ambience. Wadhwa reckons that the Flea Market set up being marketed by TheStoreHunt.con could have a Christmas Market kind of a feel like they have in Germany during the month of December. Besides, Pritesh Roy, Head of Piggy Bank Films is “proud to be mentoring the film festival which is sure to be different and worth.” 3337738880_7df2dfe1d2_z

The enticing food producer & corporate chef, Varun Bajaj gives LURM his own definition as, “Lovely concept, United planned, Retrieved location, Magnificent offerings” and adds “As name adds LURM is all about making your Christmas a gala time with a place of adventure added with fun and garnished with an essence of culture of India.” It is due to the presence of 25+ food exhibitors at the event who would showcase their talent live in front of their audience. Since a wide range of cocktails & drinks are going to be available to taste, Wine and Beer Festival Mentor – Archit Singhal affirms, “LURM Festival embodies the spirit of impossibilities”
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All sorts of music be it EDM, Sufi, Classical etc are going to make highlights owing to presence of all renown names such as Bemet, Twistedbass, CAS, UD & Jowin, Genus, Beyond 120, Nosh & SJ, Dilshad Khan, Tritha, Ustad Anwar Khan Manganiyar and group from Barmer, Sikar Gharana Ensemble, Imran and Friends, Aagamya, Across the Line, Ceaseless Juncture, Underground Authority, Dj Fintushami from Russia. In fact the National Award winning melody maestro Imran Khan says being associated with LURM “mainly because of varied music range which no other festival has ever done” He further looks up to his performance at the beautiful city, Jaisalmer.
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On being asked about the concept behind creating this festival, Tushar Sharma, Founder says “he has been passionately driven by music which has given him a glimpse into every culture of the Earth. Thus to bind people from any background – LURM happened.” Concurrently, Milind Bharti, co – founder believes that “LURM is the most revolutionary excuse which somehow managed to bring the best professionals to initiate innovation in India.”

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Undoubtedly, the festival has everything under one roof as it also bids for ‘Paramotoring’, an enthralling adventure aero sport with adequate safety measures. The mind-blowing fashion bazaar offers handcrafts, jewellery, footwear and other exclusive merchandise. Most of the popular names like the Mumbai festival, Book My Show, Red FM, 9XO, The logical Indian, , Elixir Coterie, Piggy Bank Films, Creative Karma and Thestorehunt.com are leading partners of the whole affair.
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Not to forget, LURM is according each possible aspect of ‘sensible partying’ and CSR activities. Where merrymaking and cleanliness do not go hand in hand very well, LURM Festival 2016 assures the prospect and takes up the heavy challenge of doing just the opposite. Irrespective of being a high power entertainment event, no use of plastic is encouraged; littering is not excusable and will attract penalty.  Festival team is taking extra measures to save paper to the optimum level – tear their business cards or event tickets; you will get a seed to plant a tree. No brochures will be given out for event details, everything will be digitized – on app and on screen details during event. It will even establish water purifier systems to provide water for no cost. Also each item available at the festival is completely saleable whilst the sale proceeds move to concern artisan.
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You now know where all roads leads to this December – to India’s first travel destination event with such high ecological concepts with equal value for entertainment. Be ready to party hard while taking care of Mother Nature.

A Kiwi’s Antar Yatra- An Intimate Pilgrimage You Need To Know About…!!

Travel has always been an integral part of every religion and not everyone is acquainted with the fact. Irrespective of the religion, pilgrimages have always been designed in such a way that the pilgrim encounters new experiences away from his/her vicinity. People are caught up so intricately in the web of life that they forget to see the world and explore a new perspective. A pilgrimage is one strict reminder.

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Kevin Duggan woke up to a similar reminder when he decided to visit India a second time. The same place where his sister Karyn Duggan had lost her life in 1998. Kevin had come a long way from New Zealand with his bike to traverse a considerable part of the Lesser Himalayas.

He had many unanswered questions and bringing a companion along would have defeated the whole purpose of the trip. Even after facing objections from his dear ones, the 53 year old set afoot on his journey alone!

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He cycled along Shimla- Narkanda- Rampur- Tapri- Reckong Peo- Spello- Pooh- Nako- Tabo- Kaumik- Kaza- Battal and all the way to Chattru in Spiti Valley. A 900 kms stretch on two wheels through mettle testing terrain. His idea was not to cover the distance from Point A to Point B but to ‘live’ the experiences that came along his way. Roadside workers inviting him over lunch, random stranger trekking a 50km patch over a mountain pass with him, pedestrians shouting out ‘Julley’ and many more overwhelming experiences is what emblazoned his quest. The ‘India’ Kevin had imagined ten years ago, was quite the opposite in reality now.

He felt spiritually connected to the place and feels that some part of his sister is still in that valley.

It was a mental challenge for Kevin to come back to India. He believed that harder the challenge is, greater efforts are required but if you meet that challenge; greater the rewards!

His rewards, as he genuinely puts it were, “meeting you (the 4Play.in Team) guys and having seven adopted Indian sons”.

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Everyone has a different way of traveling, some travel in groups, some aim in covering different spots on the globe but for Kevin, travel has a lot different meaning. Keeping himself in shape is what has helped him discover the world the way he wanted to.

Made of true grit and due to a passion for the outdoors, Kevin Duggan still going strong at the age of 53. Having completed one of the most prestigious endurance races on the planet, His quest for exploration has attained an undying character. Working regularly on his fitness level, he is quite a challenge to the status quo of modern athleticism.

Here is a video showcasing Kevin’s intimate pilgrimage journey.

The video is created by 4 Play. 4Play is India’s first adventure sports channel which curates stories from the outdoor extreme and adventure sports. They are the outcome of roughing it up in the outdoors, living on the cutting edge of what may be termed as extreme, and basking in the experiences that came along. For more interesting stories log on to http://4play.in and witness adventure sports like never before.

Ladakh based Drukpa Nuns bike across Nepal and India in 2500 km Cycle Yatra; reach Chandigarh

Chandigarh: Led by His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa, of the Ladakh based Drukpa Order, 500 monks and nuns cycled into India and reached Chandigarh as a part of their 2500 km journey to Hemis Monastery in Ladakh.

The Drukpa Order, which has come to be known for its insistence on gender equality and celebration of diversity regularly organises such events to highlight issues of global significance. The Cycle Yatra, which commenced in Kathmandu (Nepal) on 3rd July 2016 from one of the monasteries of the Drukpa lineage, has become an annual feature of Order’s efforts to promote awareness about the Environmental Crises in the region and inspire collaborative action to resolve it.

4 Picture of Drukpa Nuns cyclying through Dehradun

The two month long Yatra traverses through some of the most arduous routes in the Himalayan region amidst adverse conditions. From the quake-hit regions in Nepal, to the monsoon hit towns in Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Pathankot, Srinagar, Sonmargand Kargil (J&K) – The Yatra will culminate at Hemis Monastery, 45 kilometres from Leh. Where it is scheduled to arrive, prior to Naropa 2016 – a grand spiritual festival that is held once in every 12 years, celebrating the 1000th birth anniversary of the Indian Saint Naropa, patron of the Drukpa Lineage.

2 Picture of Drukpa Nuns cyclying through Dehradun

Picture of Drukpa Nuns cyclying through Dehradun

“The Himalayas have been the home of the Drukpa Lineage for over 1000 years now. Recently, the region has faced several environmental disasters that caused unwanted &unprecedented loss of life and upset the natural ecosystem. Our aim through this journey is to inspire people to be one with nature instead of being in a constant state of war with it. The Himalayas and the earth were formed millions of years before we were and it is our duty to respect them,” said His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa – the 12threincarnation of the head of the Drukpa Order.

Thuksey Rinpoche

His Holinesshas personally led the Cycle Yatra from Kathmandu and plans to complete 2500 kilometres all the way to Hemis Monastery in Ladakh – shattering the conventional concept of the role of the spiritual Guru.It is through his vision that the number of women being inducted into the Order has increased manifold since his accession. The nuns of the Drukpa Order are instrumental in the activities of the Lineage across the Himalayan Region and are fondly known as the ‘Kung Fu Nuns’ for the role they have played in resolving on ground issues.

For his tireless efforts, His Holiness has been conferred the title of ‘Keeper of the Himalayas’ by the United Nations.

About Drukpa Lineage:

The Drukpa Lineage (the “Dragon Lineage”) is an integral part of Himalayan and Central Asian legacy and culture. Dating back to the Indian scholar-saint Naropa, the Drukpa Lineage is woven into the history of Buddhism the geographic locales of India and Central Asia. It is strategically located along some of the world’s most significant historical trading routes and has over 1000 monasteries in the region. The state of Bhutan, honours the Drukpa Lineage as its state religion.

The present Gyalwang Drukpa is the twelfth reincarnation of the founder of the Drukpa Lineage, whose tenant of “service before self” and their zeal to convert compassion into action to tackle international challenges has earned the lineage a robust global following.

Why You Should Visit Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Gold Coast, Australia

Here is a very interesting travel story shared by Rebecca, enjoy!

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the Gold Coast’s top tourist destinations.
About an hour’s ride on the bus from Surfers Paradise where we were staying or about 18 minutes if you drive.
In Currumbin, you can see a wide variety of native Australian animals and birds from wombats to kangaroos, koalas, parrots, and the famous Rainbow Lorikeets.

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Feeding the Lorikeets is one of the highlights of the day. The feeding times are 8:00AM and 4:00PM. Guests hold out a dish of bread and water and they will come to eat and splash. The Rainbow Lorikeet is an Australasian parrot which is also found in Indonesia, Maluku, and Western New Guinea, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. It is mainly found along the eastern coast. It lives in rain forest, coastal bush, and woodland areas.

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Read More on Rebecca’s Blog

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Gokarna- Where Pilgrimage Meets Fun

Burgeoned alongside the western coast of Southern India in the North Kannada District of Karnataka State, the quaint town is pilgrims’ paradise & beach-lovers heaven. Bestowed with pristine beaches and timeless temples of Hindu deities like Lord Shiva, Lord Maha Ganapati, Goddess Bhadrakali and many more, Gokarna is termed as the ‘Kashi of South India’.

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Legend has it that Lord Shiva emerged here from Cow’s Ear – the cow being Prithvi1   And since then the temple town has been christened as Gokarna. The Mahabaleshwar Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is constructed in a Dravidian architectural style. It houses ShivaLinga2 and a 1500-year-old idol of Lord Shiva. Since centuries the temple has been witnessing priests, pilgrims and monks submerging themselves in religious rituals, offering prayers, meditation or performing religious ceremonies. The temple is abuzz with holy hymns and chants that emanate somniferous spirituality. There is an air of peace and serenity in every corner of the temple and a visit is enough for the visitor to get the soul rejuvenated. On an average day, the tinsel town wakes up by early sunrise. The two main streets that connect the town with surrounding districts are thoroughly washed and the residents then adorn it with Rangoli3. Holy chants begin resonating from every household and the fragrance of incense sticks fill the atmosphere with mystic peace. It seem like the whole town has woken up from a deep slumber only to transcend in spirituality.

Sandwiched between the hills and seas, Gokarna is blessed with four scenic beaches namely the pristine Om Beach, the quaint Kudle Beach, Half-moon & Paradise beach. White sands, crystal clear water and serenity of Om Beach beckons every backpacker. Its two semi-crescent shores that are naturally joined together, resemble the Hindu religious symbol ‘OM’ and the only how the beach got its name.  A short walk away from the Om Beach is Kudle beach that has graduated as a surfing destination and provides perfect waves for the surfboard to flirt with. The other beaches like Paradise Beach & Half-Moon Beach are nestled in a secluded location with fewer inhabitants.

The laid back nature, scenic locales, captivating ancient temples and virgin coastline places Gokarna in the bucket list of every tourist as a must see destination. And its epiphany sunsets, sun-kissed warm sands, breezy twilight, percussion of waves are a few daily shows performed by the Mother Nature that renders every traveler spell bound.

 

 

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