Before I leave for Ahmedabad for 4 months of internship, here's a post to conclude my 100 journeys series. The score, as last time, is 13.
Without much ado:
20. The Lost Cave of Vietnam
Sample this : A recently discovered mammoth cave straight out of the wildest Indiana Jones and the Virgin Rainforest fantasies. National Geographic hasn't even finished surveying it yet. It helps that its in Vietnam - home to some exciting villes a la indochine (Hanoi and Saigon), apart from a string of excellent beaches and the spectacular Ha Long Bay.
The cave itself, christened Han Son Doong (Mountain River Cave) comes with its own rainforest, mountains and streams. I'm game. This is pure Indiana Jones / Lara Croft territory.
Who wouldn't? Yes its cliched and yes every celebrity worth his or her salt has romanced in this tropical paradise, but there's a darned good reason behind the same. This is eden as it was first imagined - a sparkling blue lagoon, a volcanic island, white sands, luxurious resorts, blah blah blah.
And to stay? A million options to choose from. Aman's Bora Bora Hotel, Orient Express' Bora Bora Lagoon Resort and Spa, Four Seasons, St. Regis. Here's one place where I'm convinced I'm positively lost about making recommendations.
If the most beautiful city in marke ting campaigns is not quite enough, there is the option of a million sexy Brazilians to satisfy all orientations going wild in the world's largest party.
Copacabana Palace is the grande dame; Fasano is the vanguard.
Don't expect luxury. For one, you're headed to little heard of and near dictatorial Uzbekistan. And then you end up in cities you'd vaguely remember from history. Bukhara, Khiva and Samarkand lead the pack in what promises to be a fascinating cultural circuit through this Central Asian wasteland : Three jeweled cities that were once the pride of the trading world and are now evocative towns crammed with architecture that I, for one, will never get bored with.
Authenticity? You won't find any reconverted mansions a la Damascus in these places : You still have the option of camping it out in a Medresse or a Serai!
16. Adriatic Cruise
Probably the last bit of sunkissed coast in Europe, and its the most stunning at that. Think cliffs, turquoise waters, sandy coves and medieval ports; and a nifty little yacht to ferry you between all of them. You can start off at Venice, and sail on to Athens (Piraeus) by way of Trieste (Italy), Piran (Slovenia), numberless Croatian (Brac, Hvar, Bag, Dubrovnik), Montenegrin (Sveti Stefan, Kotor) and Greek islands (Cephalonia, Corfu). Lots of fancy places en route, including the Aman at Sveti Stefan.
15. Nanda Devi and the Valley of Flowers
The Valley of Flowers is romantic enough : A lost, misty valley covered with a seasonal swathe of wildflowers. Add to that the Nanda Devi preservation zone which is one of the last bits of pretty Himalayan territory left (so much so that entry into the zone has only recently been allowed with not more than 20 visitors into the park at a time). This is wild at one if ts bests.
14. Bhutan
Thank god for restrictions : the cap on foreign tourists means that Bhutan retains its esoteric Buddhist enclave in misty and lofty mountains charm. The country is impossibly pretty, the culture impossibly charming, and the hotels impossibly luxe. Amankora, Uma Paro and Taj Tashi are star offerings.
13. Stargazing in the Atacama
Two rainless centuries mean that the Atacama has the clearest sky on earth and the most picturesque desert to boot. Landscapes here are often suspected to have staged clips of the NASA Moon Mission, and places like Valley of the Moon up the extraterrestrial ante. The landscape opens up to a vast, unhindered sky with the best stargazing possible on earth.
Explora en Atacama's lodge is an amazing place to be in, but there is a fast growing clutch of stargazing retreats.
12. Hiking through Arunachal Pradesh
This is India's Shangri-La. Rainforests hugging steep mountains above tumoltous streams crossed by root bridges to semi nomadic tribal settlements that move to avoid winter snow and share a deep faith in the lofty Tawang monastery set amid pine forests and glacial lakes parts of which are part of amazingly diverse national parks like Namdapha. Whew.
Arunachal is virgin territory. These are untouched forests, unclimbed mountains, uncharted rivers, un-documented peoples we're talking about, and if that isn't enough, the place is spectacularly beautiful to boot.
11. Pangong Tso by the Full Moon
Three Idiots nearly signed the lake's death certificate by turning this superbly picturesque lake into a bonafide safari destination in Ladakh. All is not yet lost, though, as visitor amounts remain regulated and the crowds vanish by dusk. Time your trip to a full moon and you might just be camping in the most ethereal spot on the planet.
Can it get any better? this 111 metre jump uses the falls as a backdrop and is arguably the most thrilling one available. Not only does this mean travelling to the quintessential 'Once Upon a Time in Africa' locales, you get to see a natural wonder and experience it in a way like no other.
Add to that are amazing luxury hotels strewn on both sides of the falls, like the colonial era Royal Livingstone.
09. Meet a Geisha in Kyoto
The Japanese fantasy makes it to Number 9. In simple terms, travel to Kyoto ('The Most Japanese of Japanese Cities'), soak in all things Nippon and round it off with a delicate tea ceremony hosted by a Geisha. Culture curry indeed.
Junk the luxurious hotel. Opt for a luxurious Ryokan, a traditional lodge. Think total zen : tatami floors, wood soak tubs, delicate gardens, futons and so on. Tawaraya is the pick, being old, famous and oh-so-luxe.
08. Horseback Riding in Patagonia
A spectacular windswept landscape that sits amid mountains, glaciers, stormy seas and absolute desolation? I'm game. Straddling across Chile and Argentina, Patagonia is positively awe-inspiring and equally rewarding. Its rich history of ranching makes it an amazing place to hone your equestrian skills.
Explora en Patagonia Hotel Salto Chico is the darling of regional awards, and has an excellent equestrian holiday up its sleeve as well. And what to say about that jaw-dropping location...
07. Trek from Padum to Darcha
How do you get to Padum? Being at the heart of Zanskar, India's most isolated inhabited region, it means almost a week of continuous travel out of Delhi, by road, across the highest passes on earth. And that too for only 4 months a year. Once you do reach there and be numbed by the sheer scale of the landscape, you start trekking across it. En route are more spectacular landscapes, higher mountains, more desolation and awesome monasteries. Searching for Shangri-La? Well, you'd be walking right through it. This is a 7-8 day trek and fairly popular with those who have the will to reach the Zanskar valley. Warning, a new road promises to reduce the travel time by a day but it would also mean that unwanted tourist influx. Do it while you can.
06. Roadtrip through Spiti
Moving further south, this lost valley in the higher Himalayas escapes definition. Its surreal, to say the least, and a roadtrip through it is probably the biggest adventure of it all. Roads, at places, are literally carved out of vertical cliff faces. In other places, they dont exist at all. In still others, its a moonscape like stretch in small plain. The sky is endless, the mountains high, the air fresh. Throw in some nifty monasteries and some absolutely awesome lakes (the Chandratal) and you've got me shouting Woah! Again, this is a place which is reachable for only 4 months a year. Shangri-La list extended.
05. Basejumping at Geirangerfjord
Being one of the largest Nordic fiords give Geirangerfiord some veritable credibility. Once you reach it and appreciate its raw beauty, you can choose to jump off it. Try BASE jumping, the simple act of freefalling off a reasonably high position and the parachuting off to safety. You can't do it alone, and training procedures are very rigorous. Find a trainer and away you go.
The Juvet landscape hotel is not exactly nearby, but is arguably the most amazing fiord-stay you can find, with its collection of hi-design timber boxes with picture windows seemingly plonked in the heart of Nordic wilderness.
I like how they walk. Plus, they mean heading to Antarctica. If there is any virgin territory left on earth, it is this. And though it'll probably kill me, I'd like to make it in winter to be able to catch Aurora Australis. The sheer geology of the frozen continent leaves many wonders up for exploration, if you do manage it somehow.
The Tsangpo originates in Tibet and follows a linear path across it to suddenly take a U-turn and swing into India, becoming the Brahmaputra, descending almost 4000 metres in a tiny speck on the map. This is one of the least explored places on earth, the gorge rumoured to be the largest, and the landscape legendary. Few expeditions teams have crossed it, and they don't have a high mortality rate to boast of either. My appetite is whetted.
Dream of the devout? I'd come solely for the landscape and the cult. Venturing into Tibet to the holy mountain and see its reflection in the lakes below. To add to the mystique are the origins of the lake : the virtuous Mansarovar, and its twin, the antichrist, Rakshastal. This place is surreal, literally.
To cap my fascination with Trans Himalayan traverses, there's the Chadar Trek. In the winter, the Zanskar river freezes (as does the whole of Ladakh and Zanskar). While temperatures dip 20 to 30 degrees below 0, the people come out and celebrate a multitude of festivals (while being locked to the outside world). And while Zanskar slips into icy desolation, the frozen river turns into an icy highway connecting it to the bigger towns of Ladakh and the Indus Valley. The intrepid fly in and attempt a two-week long walk in and out of the valley on the frozen Zanskar. You sleep in caves behind frozen waterfalls, battle breaking chunks of ice, and discover a winter landscape like no other.
Without much ado:
20. The Lost Cave of Vietnam
Sample this : A recently discovered mammoth cave straight out of the wildest Indiana Jones and the Virgin Rainforest fantasies. National Geographic hasn't even finished surveying it yet. It helps that its in Vietnam - home to some exciting villes a la indochine (Hanoi and Saigon), apart from a string of excellent beaches and the spectacular Ha Long Bay.
The cave itself, christened Han Son Doong (Mountain River Cave) comes with its own rainforest, mountains and streams. I'm game. This is pure Indiana Jones / Lara Croft territory.
19. Honeymooning in Bora Bora
Who wouldn't? Yes its cliched and yes every celebrity worth his or her salt has romanced in this tropical paradise, but there's a darned good reason behind the same. This is eden as it was first imagined - a sparkling blue lagoon, a volcanic island, white sands, luxurious resorts, blah blah blah.
And to stay? A million options to choose from. Aman's Bora Bora Hotel, Orient Express' Bora Bora Lagoon Resort and Spa, Four Seasons, St. Regis. Here's one place where I'm convinced I'm positively lost about making recommendations.
18. Carneval de Rio di Janeiro
If the most beautiful city in marke ting campaigns is not quite enough, there is the option of a million sexy Brazilians to satisfy all orientations going wild in the world's largest party.
Copacabana Palace is the grande dame; Fasano is the vanguard.
17. The Silk Road
Don't expect luxury. For one, you're headed to little heard of and near dictatorial Uzbekistan. And then you end up in cities you'd vaguely remember from history. Bukhara, Khiva and Samarkand lead the pack in what promises to be a fascinating cultural circuit through this Central Asian wasteland : Three jeweled cities that were once the pride of the trading world and are now evocative towns crammed with architecture that I, for one, will never get bored with.
Authenticity? You won't find any reconverted mansions a la Damascus in these places : You still have the option of camping it out in a Medresse or a Serai!
Probably the last bit of sunkissed coast in Europe, and its the most stunning at that. Think cliffs, turquoise waters, sandy coves and medieval ports; and a nifty little yacht to ferry you between all of them. You can start off at Venice, and sail on to Athens (Piraeus) by way of Trieste (Italy), Piran (Slovenia), numberless Croatian (Brac, Hvar, Bag, Dubrovnik), Montenegrin (Sveti Stefan, Kotor) and Greek islands (Cephalonia, Corfu). Lots of fancy places en route, including the Aman at Sveti Stefan.
The Valley of Flowers is romantic enough : A lost, misty valley covered with a seasonal swathe of wildflowers. Add to that the Nanda Devi preservation zone which is one of the last bits of pretty Himalayan territory left (so much so that entry into the zone has only recently been allowed with not more than 20 visitors into the park at a time). This is wild at one if ts bests.
Thank god for restrictions : the cap on foreign tourists means that Bhutan retains its esoteric Buddhist enclave in misty and lofty mountains charm. The country is impossibly pretty, the culture impossibly charming, and the hotels impossibly luxe. Amankora, Uma Paro and Taj Tashi are star offerings.
13. Stargazing in the Atacama
Two rainless centuries mean that the Atacama has the clearest sky on earth and the most picturesque desert to boot. Landscapes here are often suspected to have staged clips of the NASA Moon Mission, and places like Valley of the Moon up the extraterrestrial ante. The landscape opens up to a vast, unhindered sky with the best stargazing possible on earth.
Explora en Atacama's lodge is an amazing place to be in, but there is a fast growing clutch of stargazing retreats.
This is India's Shangri-La. Rainforests hugging steep mountains above tumoltous streams crossed by root bridges to semi nomadic tribal settlements that move to avoid winter snow and share a deep faith in the lofty Tawang monastery set amid pine forests and glacial lakes parts of which are part of amazingly diverse national parks like Namdapha. Whew.
Arunachal is virgin territory. These are untouched forests, unclimbed mountains, uncharted rivers, un-documented peoples we're talking about, and if that isn't enough, the place is spectacularly beautiful to boot.
Three Idiots nearly signed the lake's death certificate by turning this superbly picturesque lake into a bonafide safari destination in Ladakh. All is not yet lost, though, as visitor amounts remain regulated and the crowds vanish by dusk. Time your trip to a full moon and you might just be camping in the most ethereal spot on the planet.
10. Bungee Jumping at Victoria Falls
Can it get any better? this 111 metre jump uses the falls as a backdrop and is arguably the most thrilling one available. Not only does this mean travelling to the quintessential 'Once Upon a Time in Africa' locales, you get to see a natural wonder and experience it in a way like no other.
Add to that are amazing luxury hotels strewn on both sides of the falls, like the colonial era Royal Livingstone.
The Japanese fantasy makes it to Number 9. In simple terms, travel to Kyoto ('The Most Japanese of Japanese Cities'), soak in all things Nippon and round it off with a delicate tea ceremony hosted by a Geisha. Culture curry indeed.
Junk the luxurious hotel. Opt for a luxurious Ryokan, a traditional lodge. Think total zen : tatami floors, wood soak tubs, delicate gardens, futons and so on. Tawaraya is the pick, being old, famous and oh-so-luxe.
A spectacular windswept landscape that sits amid mountains, glaciers, stormy seas and absolute desolation? I'm game. Straddling across Chile and Argentina, Patagonia is positively awe-inspiring and equally rewarding. Its rich history of ranching makes it an amazing place to hone your equestrian skills.
Explora en Patagonia Hotel Salto Chico is the darling of regional awards, and has an excellent equestrian holiday up its sleeve as well. And what to say about that jaw-dropping location...
How do you get to Padum? Being at the heart of Zanskar, India's most isolated inhabited region, it means almost a week of continuous travel out of Delhi, by road, across the highest passes on earth. And that too for only 4 months a year. Once you do reach there and be numbed by the sheer scale of the landscape, you start trekking across it. En route are more spectacular landscapes, higher mountains, more desolation and awesome monasteries. Searching for Shangri-La? Well, you'd be walking right through it. This is a 7-8 day trek and fairly popular with those who have the will to reach the Zanskar valley. Warning, a new road promises to reduce the travel time by a day but it would also mean that unwanted tourist influx. Do it while you can.
06. Roadtrip through Spiti
Moving further south, this lost valley in the higher Himalayas escapes definition. Its surreal, to say the least, and a roadtrip through it is probably the biggest adventure of it all. Roads, at places, are literally carved out of vertical cliff faces. In other places, they dont exist at all. In still others, its a moonscape like stretch in small plain. The sky is endless, the mountains high, the air fresh. Throw in some nifty monasteries and some absolutely awesome lakes (the Chandratal) and you've got me shouting Woah! Again, this is a place which is reachable for only 4 months a year. Shangri-La list extended.
Being one of the largest Nordic fiords give Geirangerfiord some veritable credibility. Once you reach it and appreciate its raw beauty, you can choose to jump off it. Try BASE jumping, the simple act of freefalling off a reasonably high position and the parachuting off to safety. You can't do it alone, and training procedures are very rigorous. Find a trainer and away you go.
The Juvet landscape hotel is not exactly nearby, but is arguably the most amazing fiord-stay you can find, with its collection of hi-design timber boxes with picture windows seemingly plonked in the heart of Nordic wilderness.
04. Feeding Penguins in Antarctica
I like how they walk. Plus, they mean heading to Antarctica. If there is any virgin territory left on earth, it is this. And though it'll probably kill me, I'd like to make it in winter to be able to catch Aurora Australis. The sheer geology of the frozen continent leaves many wonders up for exploration, if you do manage it somehow.
03. The Yarlung Tsangpo Gorge
The Tsangpo originates in Tibet and follows a linear path across it to suddenly take a U-turn and swing into India, becoming the Brahmaputra, descending almost 4000 metres in a tiny speck on the map. This is one of the least explored places on earth, the gorge rumoured to be the largest, and the landscape legendary. Few expeditions teams have crossed it, and they don't have a high mortality rate to boast of either. My appetite is whetted.
02. Mansarovar Yatra
Dream of the devout? I'd come solely for the landscape and the cult. Venturing into Tibet to the holy mountain and see its reflection in the lakes below. To add to the mystique are the origins of the lake : the virtuous Mansarovar, and its twin, the antichrist, Rakshastal. This place is surreal, literally.
01. Chadar Trek
To cap my fascination with Trans Himalayan traverses, there's the Chadar Trek. In the winter, the Zanskar river freezes (as does the whole of Ladakh and Zanskar). While temperatures dip 20 to 30 degrees below 0, the people come out and celebrate a multitude of festivals (while being locked to the outside world). And while Zanskar slips into icy desolation, the frozen river turns into an icy highway connecting it to the bigger towns of Ladakh and the Indus Valley. The intrepid fly in and attempt a two-week long walk in and out of the valley on the frozen Zanskar. You sleep in caves behind frozen waterfalls, battle breaking chunks of ice, and discover a winter landscape like no other.
Ta-Da
That wraps up the 100 journeys I so want to take. Hopefully this summer will help me wrap up most of my Himalayan desires.
Now, I leave for Ahmedabad for a 4 month training. Lots of sidetrips expected. Luxe-ist, as is cheesily said, will be back!
