Few Indian Hill Stations You Must Visit During The Monsoons

These Indian hill stations are beautiful during the 

monsoons. Let this list help you plan the perfect 

monsoon vacation.
 

The common perception suggests that travelling to the hills is a bad idea during the monsoons. Agreed. We all know that the slippery roads and the landslides make them inaccessible. So, what does a mountain lover do in these times?

Well, not every hill station in this country is inaccessible during the monsoons. Instead, there are many places that become even better during this season. The rains simply bring out the best in them. Knowing this for a fact, here's a list of hill stations in India where you can travel to this monsoon.

Also read: Madhya Pradesh and Kerala among the big winners at the National Tourism Awards.

Wayanad

When somebody talks about the most picture-perfect monsoon destinations in India, Wayanad has to be on the top. The slopes of this destination in Kerala are carpeted by a layer of greenery that is so fresh that any nature lover would find it impossible to take her eyes off the view. While the tea gardens look gorgeous, trekking up to the Chembra Peak can promise you with stunning panoramic views of the place. And if you are in the mood for a sea beach visit, you can drive to Kozhikode, which is just 76 km away.

Mahabaleshwar

Located in the Satara district of Maharashtra, Mahabaleshwar is any Mumbaikar's favourite weekend getaway. After all, the place is home to the best of what the Sahyadri mountain range has to offer. Although the regular tourists avoid this place during the monsoons due to torrential rainfall, but it's also the best time to enjoy the charms of its unparalleled natural beauty. The waterfalls are fully alive, the slopes are filled with a thick vegetation of numerous floral species, and the air is filled with the sound of soothing bird calls.

Ladakh

When the discussion is about the best Indian destinations to visit during the months of August and September, it's a sin to miss out on Ladakh. A favourite among bikers, adventurers and tourists in general, this cold desert with its moon-like landscapes, towering peaks, snow-laden mountain passes, peaceful monasteries and beautiful lakes, can never fail to disappoint a person who likes to travel and explore. The month of September is even more suitable for a trip to this place, mainly because the roads are in better condition as compared to the other seasons, and the famous Ladakh Festival is also held during this time.

Agumbe

Home of verdant valleys and numerous waterfalls, Agumbe in Karnataka is one of the best monsoon trekking destinations in the country. Trekkers love the place because of its verdant charms and amazing views of the Arabian Sea from some of the high points on the trail. 

Blending beautifully with the natural beauty of the place are the heritage spots of this place which are there in the form of ruins of ancient temples dating back to the Hoysala Empire. Besides all this, Agumbe can also trigger nostalgia for many as it once served as a setting for the famous TV adaption of the book Malgudi Days.

Pahalgam

Anyone who has ever wanted to visit Jammu and Kashmir, must have heard about this place. Pahalgam is one of the most popular destinations in the state and is visited by travellers from all parts of the world every year. Situated at the confluence of streams flowing from Sheshnag Lake and the Lidder river, it is a place with some of the most stunning views you can get. Quiet surroundings and a pleasant weather make Pahalgam an ideal vacation spot during the monsoons.

Madhya Pradesh And Kerala Got Big Winner At The National Tourism Awards

Among the big winners in this year's edition of the awards were Kerala Tourism and Madhya Pradesh Tourism in particular.

 

 

Madhya Pradesh won the first prize in the category of Best State/Union Territory for Comprehensive Development of Tourism for being able to provide a complete and varied travel experience to tourists. The official awarding criteria by Ministry of Tourism stated, "With emphasis on better infrastructure especially in the field of power and roads, destinations in MP have become more accessible and tourist friendly.

 The state is aware of the employment generation potential of the tourism sector and pays special attention to training programs. Further, the aggressive and innovative branding campaigns make Madhya Pradesh the desire of every travel lover across the globe."

Having known that, take a look at Madhya Pradesh Tourism's latest ad campaign:

The second and third prize in this category were bagged by the state tourism boards of Gujarat and Karnataka respectively.

Madhya Pradesh Tourism was also among awards in other categories with the Heritage Walk of Bhopal winning the Best Heritage Walk award along with India City Walks for the Built Legacy of Mughals (Old Delhi Heritage Walk) being the joint winner in this category. Apart from this, the monuments of Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh won the award for being the Best Maintained and Disabled Friendly Monument.

Another interesting award winner from the state of Madhya Pradesh is Art Ichol, a destination that serves as a platform for creative individuals to create, share and promote their works of art in a picturesque environment, which won the award for being the Best Innovative/Unique Tourism Project. This video shows a sneak peek into the project:

Kerala Tourism, on the other hand, won as many as six awards in the marketing category for states. Three out of the six awards the tourism board received were for states in the Tourism Promotion and Publishing category, including the one for 'Most Innovative use of Information Technology' - social media/mobile app. The Wayanad initiative, which has transformed the hilly district's economy through intensive participation of the local people, was selected for the award in the 'Responsible Tourism' category.

Sargaalaya Arts and Crafts Village at Iringal, a small but thriving village in Kozhikode, fetched the award for Kerala Tourism in the Rural Tourism project category.

"The awards are a heartening and robust reaffirmation of our Responsible Tourism initiative, which has emerged as a trailblazing tourism product for the entire country. We also received three national awards for our brilliant marketing initiatives which are designed to woo travellers from both inside the country and abroad," Kerala Tourism Minister A C Moideen said in a press release.

Kerala Tourism Director U V Jose said the national awards have come in the wake of Kerala Tourism winning two PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) Gold Awards for its brilliant marketing initiatives.

Kerala and the Spice Routes, a coffee-table book designed by Stark, won the award in the category of Excellence in Publishing in English language.

The book takes readers through the Malabar Coast that was the starting point for Kerala's spice trade with the rest of the world.

 'The Great Backwaters', a brochure in German language, details out the unique, standalone and once-in-a-lifetime experience of the Kerala backwaters to the international travellers, was adjudged the best in foreign language segment.

The third award for Kerala Tourism in 'Tourism Promotion and Publishing' category came for its most innovative use of information technology for the website designed by Invis Multimedia and social media managed by Stark Communications.

Kerala Tourism has 12.8 lakh Facebook followers, the largest figure for any Tourism Board in India. Turtle on the Beach, Kovalam, was the adjudged the best hotel in the Five Star category; Coconut Lagoon, Kumarakom, bagged the award for Best Heritage Hotel in Classic Category; Coconut Creek Farm and Homestay, Kumarakom, was given the award for 'Best Incredible India Bed and Breakfast Establishment' approved by State Governments / Union Territory Administrations' and Somatheeram Research Institute and Ayurveda Hospital Pvt Ltd, Thiruvananthapuram, was declared the Best Wellness Centre.

Interestingly, Yes Bank Limited was also among the award winners in this year's edition. The bank won the award in the Most Responsible Tourism Project/Initiative category for its Edge of India initiative, which focuses on developing cooperative tourism models to ensure livelihood security of local communities.

The project has been carried out in four villages--Bageshwar, Ranikhet and Pithoragarh districts of Uttarakhand and Purulia in West Bengal. The Project helps to realize the potential of heritage and set up tourism businesses through a cooperative model to ensure that the benefits percolate to the entire community. The communities get trained and assisted in creating a self-sustaining tourism business model.

On receiving the award, Rana Kapoor, Managing Director & CEO, Yes Bank said, "Yes Bank is honored to be the first Bank to receive the prestigious National Tourism Award from the Government of India, for its unique 'Edge of India' initiative which is focused on developing cooperative tourism models to ensure livelihood security of local communities. This significant national recognition further inspires us to continue working closely with the Government, industry, local communities and all stakeholders in the Tourism value chain to create an enabling policy environment to fully unlock India's Global Potential in Tourism - an engine of economic growth and job creation."