We went to three villages in the Kayah State of Myanmar, most prominent of all them being the Pan-Pet village where Padaung women live. These women wear brass rings on their necks which weight from 10kg to 20kg, for their lifetime. I was happy to know about the practice of Community-based tourism (CBT) that is being followed in these villages and the other two being, Hta nee La Leh and a Pa’O village. Then we also went to see two interesting caves around the Loi Kaw region apart from enjoying our time knowing people at the local market, night market and relishing a Burmese platter.
From Bagan to Inle, our journey reached its third phase. On our first day, we did a day hike to Loi Khaut to meet the Pa’O Tribe. Aunt Nyatse prepared a Burmese feast for us. After our lunch, we hiked down to Nyaung Shwe and had dinner at the Inle Night market. Next day, on our cycles, which we rented from our hotel, we reached at the Nyaung Shwe jetty point to start our Inle boat tour. We spotted the leg-rowing fishermen of Myanmar, saw lotus weaving and shan paper making, apart from the procedure of making a Bagan umbrella.
Bagan is a beautiful ancient city in Myanmar’s Mandalay region. Over 10,000 temples and pagodas were constructed in the Bagan plains 250 years back. We made our way to Bagan from Yangon via a VIP Volvo bus service. Here are the top things to do in Bagan, best sunrise and sunset spots to go to, some ancient temples of Bagan, how to rent an e-bike in Bagan, where to stay in Bagan etc. From here we head to the Shan state to explore the Inle region.
I flew from India (Kolkata) to Myanmar in December 2019. The first thing that I did was to absorb the city of Yangon while exploring local attractions and loads of Burmese food. We enjoyed our day slowly traversing in Burma’s circular Railway which is a great opportunity to see the city outskirts. On some days we visited various local markets to understand the lifestyle of Burmese people. I visited Shwedagon Pagoda too with a local friend on my last day in Yangon.
I was happily spending my unplanned days in Leh, Ladakh unknown to the fact that I would be leaving sooner than anticipated. After exploring Phyang and a homestay, the Phyang monastery, the unexplored Shang valley and the majestic Spituk and Thiksey monasteries; I got to know that Article 370 and 35a have been removed from the state of Jammu and Kashmir. This gave Ladakh a status of Union Territory.
Road trip to Leh has always been a dream and when it came true while I was gaping at the gorgeous Leh highway while coming from Nurla, I couldn’t believe it. I kept my first day in Ladakh’s Leh district a bit chilled out. I enjoyed my day with my host family in Leh and spent a few hours at the Leh main market. I also visited the school where 3 Idiots was shot, Druk White Lotus school. After this, I had to go to the actual Rancho school in Phey. Sonam Wangchuk, the founder of SECMOL, an alternative education-based school runs on sustainable measures of living.
More than being curious to find out if they were really the descendants of Alexander The Great, I was excited to spend some time knowing how they are like around travellers, a major reason being them shown as an absolutely mysterious Indian tribe. After spending adventure-filled days in Kargil district, I travelled in a local bus to Aryan Valley which falls on Khaltse-Batalik-Leh route.
The Kargil War Memorial in Drass sector takes you back in time and makes you realise the cost of war. One can also see the hills like Tololing and Tiger hill which were captured and became a ground to months-long India-Pakistan 1999 Kargil war. I was fortunate to meet a person who served as a civilian during the war. Later I explored the lesser-known side of Drass, the Mushkoo Valley, a great place for brown bear expeditions. Following the Srinagar-Leh highway, we went up to hiking to Phokar, a cave monastery apart from Shargole. The second Chamba of Kargil region, the Mulbekh one, we saw later during the day. My day wrapped with some cute little girls from Poyen. The next day I had to leave for Aryan Valley.
Is it the most beautiful place in Ladakh? Like a green patch amidst the barren mountains, Kargil’s Suru Valley is definitely a road trip worthy destination. I took the trip covering several spots in between. We spotted the mighty Nun and Kun peaks, saw the Miatrey Chamba at Khartsey Khar, went up till Sankoo Town and returned via Trespone on the way back. I also stayed in Panikhar Village and realised what a beautifully developed village it was.
I spent more than a week in Kargil to finally realise what an underrated gem and an offbeat travel destination it is. People crave to go to Leh and forget about Kargil. On my backpacking trip to the district, I ended up exploring places like the LOC village Hunderman which lies on the India-Pakistan border and is a live museum today. The scenic drives on Kargil roads take you by the side of various rivers and valleys full of apricot trees. Other places like Suru valley, Drass, Fokar, Mulbekh, Garkone in Aryan Valley should definitely be on your bucket list. There is so much to see in Kargil besides the War Memorial in Drass. There are mountains with which the war-history is attached to, there is a structure with which silk route trade history is linked and there are villages with people who are the witnesses to India-Pakistan 1971 and 1999 war.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-_lfr232N8
I got to enjoy a traditional fishing method where people gather in thousands to ethically catch fishes. Later, near the Bascon 4.0 venue, we saw traditional sports which was definitely an entertaining sight. Getting invited to the houses of the Galo Tribe was another highlight of this trip. Every time we were served a sweet rice dish, Red-Tea or Poka,.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qd0gSGCYpeE&t=60s
I got to spend 4 days in the home of the Galo Tribe. Basar is an unexplored region of Lepa-Rada district in Arunachal Pradesh. We were invited to attend the very sustainable tribal festival, Bascon 4.0 during 1-4th December in 2019. From venturing into deep forests during the day time to having a gala time with the tries in the evening, four days were spent crazily. BASCON witnessed a beautiful confluence of all the 22 tribes from Arunachal Pradesh in NorthEast India. It was a sight to behold. We went to Jolli as well, where locals say Yapoms live.
This was my first major spotting. We spotted two Asiatic male Lions in Gir forest. It was an experience only this video can describe. Later we moved to Junagadh city to see Uperkot Fort where Dhoom 2 was shoot, Girnar Mountain, Buddhist Caves, step-wells and Mahabat Maqbara. I also got various opportunities to relish Kathiawadi food.
I got to witness literal Jurassic park vibes at Raioli’s dinosaur fossil park near Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The 72-hectare fossil park is the world’s third-largest excavation site for dinosaur fossils. The museum additionally gives a detailed insight into the dinosaur life and how Raioli was a perfect hatching site for these species. This park exhibits fossils of 7 species of dinosaurs. Researchers have found 10,000 dinosaur eggs here.
I visited this Kartarpur Corridor between India and Pakistan twice. First, time was too special since I took my grandmother along with me to reunite her with the place she was born at, Lahore. Then I met some Pakistani friends who specially came from Lahore to meet us. I was so happy to see us Indian tourists being welcomed so warmly in Pakistan, especially by the Pakistani Army. The Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara got opened for Indian pilgrims in 2019 at visa-free access. It is one of the most significantly holy places for Sikhs since Guru Nanak Dev Ji spent the last 18 years of his life here. The nearby Ravi river was used for farming.
Auli in Uttrakhand is India’s famous skiing destination and for several reasons. The gorgeous 360 mountain views never fail to take your breath away. I reached Auli easily. I took a shared taxi from Urgam to Joshimath and then to Auli thereafter. In collaboration with NotOnMap, I stayed at a homestay called MOUNTAIN VIEW ABODE, which is located just 800m below Auli thus giving me an opportunity to hike via a hidden trail that goes towards Auli. The homestay overlooks peaks including Nanda Devi, HathiParvat, ‘Sleeping beauty’ and many more, and sits as an ideal destination for those wanting to take a vacation from the hustle-bustle of their daily lives. Staying in homestays is the best way to support these local people and contribute to their livelihood which is difficult to earn in these harsh regions.
Urgam is a piece of heaven in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district. The valley consists of several villages like Dumak, Salnam, Lyari, Devgram, Urgam village being the biggest of them. The valley is also home to one of the five Panch Kedar and Panch Badri, the Kalpeshwar Mahadev temple and Dhyaan Badri. I experienced the humble hospitality of Shri Ram Homestay located in the Devgram village of Urgam valley. In collaboration with NotOnMap, I experienced the vibe of living like a local. From Joshimath, there are regular shared taxis available which takes you to Urgam Valley. there are several treks which you can in Urgam including Bansi Narayan, Banga Pani etc.
From Delhi to Rudraprayag and finally, to Joshimath, I had no travel guide but only local people besides me. Near Auli, I made my way to a pahadi homestay in a village between Auli and Joshimath. The homestay, MOUNTAIN STUDIO, has an amazing story behind. From a mere cowshed to a cosy room, the humble homestay just keeps your heart. In collaboration with NotOnMap, I experienced the most offbeat homestays in Uttarakhand in India. The video also contains a list of things to near Auli and Joshimath LIKE 1. Auli Skiing Site and Auli Ropeway 2. Gurson Bugyal and Kuari Pass Trek 3. Valley of Flowers Trek 4. Stopanth Trek 5. Badrinath pilgrimage 6. Niti Pass and Village
I experienced the best homestay in Chopta Tungnath. In collaboration with NotOnMap, I experienced the most offbeat homestays in Uttarakhand in India. The first one was near Chopta and Ukhimath in Rudraprayag district, the AKASH GANGA HOMESTAY in village Hudu. HAVE YOU EVEN HEARD ABOUT HUDU? This is all about experiencing the Garhwali lifestyle of Uttarakhand. I took a bus from Delhi to Rishikesh, then to Rudraprayag and further took local taxis to Ukhimath and Village Hudu where this homestay is. I eventually became a part of their family, one of the most fulfilling experiences when one travels. People go for the trek of Tunganath, Chopta, Chandrashila and Deoriatal. What they don’t know is that these local people are ready to welcome them with open hearts. Staying in homestays is the best way to support these local people and contribute to their livelihood which is difficult to earn in these harsh regions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frjZVR4zyJc&t=4s
Naggar is a gem of a place with rich history and so much to offer architecturally in the form of the magnificant Naggar castle. Apart from the Naggar castle, one can also check the Nicholas Roerich Art Gallery, Uruswati Himalayan Folk Art Museum and Tripura Sundari Temple. This castle was built around 1460 A.D in a unique blend of western and Himalayan styles by Raja Sidh Singh of Kullu. The architecture of the region is a typical Himachali Kath-Khuni architecture with pagoda styles temple. The town is situated on the left bank of Beas river. A hike to Jogni waterfall is a must when you are in Manali. Tucked towards the Vashisht village, the waterfall looks absolutely stunning from up and close. Jogni (Jogini) waterfall trek is an easy 45 minutes hike from its base.
Along with spending some time in Old Manali, I had the chance and the courage to travel daily in local transportation in order to explore some villages and other places nearby. Hallan Village, Jana Waterfall and Naggar were some of them. The vlog gives you a brief about the things do in Manali and also how one can commute from Delhi to Manali. For complete details, you can refer to my blog on my website. www.theiffyexplorer.com (here you can also find a list of places to see in Manali) In Old Manali, places like Hadimba Temple, Sayali Madev Temple are worth a visit. In the third part of this series, I will also take you to Jogini waterfall. More Offbeat Manali has places like Naggar and Naggar castle, villages like Hallan, waterfalls like Jana waterfall etc.
We got invited to Solang Valley Resorts for a fun staycation. The three days turned out to be absolutely relaxing but fun as well. We did horse riding, tube sliding and whatever was possible on heavy snow. The place where we stayed at, organised some amazing in-house activities for us and took us to a property tour which told us so much about the history of the valley.
Wild encounter with elephants at Assam`s Manas National Park. Jeep Safari in the jungle
We literally crossed the border that too via a bamboo bridge! In Kalamati, Bhutan was just in front of us. Then we spent an insightful afternoon at a Bodo village called Koila Moila.
Have you ever heard of Bodoland, a tribal place in Assam? Let me take you through it via Dwijing Fest. Assam has got lots of offbeat places and Bodoland is one such place in North Assam. See this festivity of the Bodo Tribe through the lens of The Iffy Explorer. Huge thanks to Assam tourism for having me here as one of the Ambassadors of Bodoland.
Igloo in India? Really? And you thought you had to spend dollars to see it! Come, take the journey with me in our own India where Manali is more than you think it is. Thanks to HIGHMOUNTAINS.IN for such memories and one epic journey to Sethan full of adventure.
The hidden lakes of Sikkim will make you book a Sikkim Trip right now! Also explore our journey to the isolated Nathang valley and the last day in Lingtham. Thanks to OUR GUEST DIARY for providing such an amazing experience around Sikkim homestays.
Things to do in Dzongu and the hyped Pang Lhabsol will give you the real taste of offbeat Sikkim. Nathang, Lingtham, Zuluk; Stay tuned to know more about these offbeat Sikkim places.
Watch this video to know what actually offbeat Sikkim is. Dzongu Valley! Heard of it? Nathang, Lingtham, Zuluk; Stay tuned to know more about these offbeat Sikkim places. Thanks to OUR GUEST DIARY for providing such an amazing experience around Sikkim homestays.
Have ever visited the Golden Temple on the day of Baisakhi? or do you know about a place called Pul Kanjri?
Ever wondered what offbeat destinations and delicious food stops Amritsar has to offer? I explored some gems of this city which you obviously need to know for the next time you go there.
