Where are you backpacking to- this holiday season? 

Eighteen- months into the pandemic, we are all responding with our different coping mechanisms. When we think about traveling, what comes along is anxiety and the need to rehabilitate the idea of human connection; even though the internet is a boon in this pandemic, many of us have experienced isolation and struggled to do – alone. 

What is the mode of liberation from the pandemic chaos if not traveling? 

Isabella Eberhardt wrote, “Now more than ever do I realize that I will never be content with a sedentary life, that I will always be haunted by thoughts of a sun-drenched elsewhere.”

Traveling for leisure is now a matter of conservative privilege, the travel industry is now setting out to develop new strategies for reviving demands, which majorly depends on ‘mass vaccination’ roll-out. 

‘Closed’, the dusty placards hang outside caféterias, gardens, theatres, museums, and major tourist spots around cities, the stalemate is gradually uplifting and opening doors for new developments and scopes into the ‘new-conventional’. 

Studies show that traditional demands have gone down, from 13% the prior year whereas 20% presently. Travel corridors and destinations, getting their share of a make-over in this post-pandemic world. 

Are we ready with our backpacks? 

Munnar, Kerala – The Kashmir of South India

                               Image source: munnar.holidays

Munnar, a small town in Kerala’s, the Western Ghats, is home to an exquisite hill station. Munnar, located at an elevation of 6000 feet in the region of Idukki, was the British rulers’ summer retreat during colonial times. It’s famed for its lush woods and endless stretches of tea farms, and it’s also home to endangered wildlife like the Neelakurinji and Nilgiri Tahr. Due to its pristine valleys, mountains, and diverse species of flora and wildlife, it is one of South India’s most desired tourist attractions.

Puducherry – Paris of the East 

                                   Image source: Trip101

Now that Puducherry tourism has opened its doors to the tourists, Puducherry, known as India’s “French Capital,” is a lively city on the country’s south-eastern coast. This French Colony offers a diverse range of activities and attractions, including unspoiled beaches, heritage buildings, French and Tamil districts, ancient temples and churches, and a colonial atmosphere. Our suggestions are below.

Darjeeling, West Bengal – The Queen of Hills 

                           Image source: East Mojo 

On a foggy day, riding on an antique Toy Train from the 1880s, the “Mecca of Tea,” with over 80 functioning tea gardens scattered across acres of land. Darjeeling is a sight that will have your heart racing in pleasure, and the tourist attractions in Darjeeling are a sight to behold. 

Pelling, Sikkim – The Whimsical Hill Station

                                   Image source: East Himalaya

A lovely town in Sikkim’s West region has overtaken Gangtok as the state’s second-most popular tourist attraction. The main attraction of the site is the beautiful view of the Khangchendzonga and neighboring peaks, which are located 10 kilometers from Geyzing and 130 kilometers from Gangtok. 

Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh – The Land of Apple Orchards 

                             Image source: Dreamstime.com

Located in the Himalayan Dhauladhar range, is a great place to get away from the city. Kasauli, with its misty alleyways, cobblestone roads, wonderfully constructed avenues, and flowering gardens, will delight you with its old-fashioned feel at every turn. Kasauli is a fantastic vacation for readers and writers who can find lots of inspiration amidst its pure beauty and tranquil environment, as it is the birthplace of Ruskin Bond.

Kaas Pathar, Maharashtra – Maharashtra’s Valley of Flowers 

                   Image source: Condé Nast Traveller India

The Western Ghats biosphere includes the Kaas Pathar, a volcanic-rock plateau in Maharashtra’s Satara district. Kaas is known as Maharashtra’s answer to the Valley of Flowers because of its massive carpets of flowers that bloom towards the conclusion of the monsoon season.

The urge to feel liberation through traveling and the hope of immunization is helping people to overcome the apprehension; the world is reinstating steadily. Let’s get vaccinated, put on our masks, and turn back to the skies! 

Written by: 

              Shristi Chatterjee