Why go to a place that has already been plastered all over Facebook and Instagram when there are places those are mostly untouched and relatively undiscovered? Here are a few alternatives to overrated tourist destinations in India.
Wayanad instead of Ooty
Ooty in the Nilgiri Hills is the most popular hill station in South India. It is close to both Coimbatore and Mysore and is the district headquarters of Nilgiris. That’s the reason Ooty is visited by hundreds of thousands of people annually, most of whom are local tourists. What used to be a mesmerizing hill town is now filled with people and traffic.
Thankfully, Ooty is not the only hill station in the Western Ghat. Moving away from Tamil Nadu into Kerela, you will find Wayanad – a hill station with all the beauty of the Western Ghats minus the tourist crowd of Ooty. There are temples, lakes, caves and wildlife sanctuaries to explore. But most importantly, Wayanad boasts itself of lush green landscape, mist capped hills and above all, the serene environment of Western Ghat.
Spiti Valley instead of Ladakh
Ladakh is on the list of almost all adventure travelers in India, especially motorcyclists. However, as more and more riders and tourists from all over the country have visited the place, it has turned into another tourist trap. Most importantly, Ladakh no longer feels like a remote place anymore which was one of the reasons that made Ladakh an attraction among adventure enthusiasts.
If you want to feel the remoteness and untouched landscape of the Tibetan Plateau that once Ladakh was, head off to Spiti Valley instead of hanging around in Ladakh. Even after you have done the regular circuit in Ladakh – Pangong Tso, Khardungla Pass, Tso Moriri etc which are by now done to death, it is a better idea to head to Spiti Valley to witness its awe-inspiring natural beauty and rich Tibetan cultural heritage in this “middle land” between India and Tibet.
Narkanda instead of Shimla
Shimla – the capital of Himachal Pradesh has long been the preferred summer holiday destination from anyone in Delhi region. It was the summer capital of India during the British Raj and still has a lot of legacy buildings dotted around the town to remind us of its colonial past. But like most popular tourist destination, Shimla too has been spoiled by its own success.
If overwhelmed by tourists in each and every spot is not your idea of a perfect holiday in the hills then head off to Narkandawhich is only about sixty odd kilometers from Shimla. Those of us looking for a snowy holidays in the mountains, Narkanda is a much better bet than Shimla. Narkanda is one of India’s oldest skiing destinations and is a perfect place for some fun and frolic in the snow. It is also called the ‘Gateway to the Apple country’ with many vast apple orchards in the vicinity.
