ContentsBinsar......................................42

Shivpuri................................. .45

Summer Holidays: West ................................... 43

Khandala.&.Lonavala.............49

Lavasa.....................................54

Panchgani............................... 57

Mahabaleshwar.......................61

Matheran................................65

Calangute.&.Baga,..North.Goa...............................69

Best Summer Holidays ....... 4

Summer Holidays: North ................................... 6

Srinagar.................................... 7

Dharamsala.&..McLeod.Ganj...........................12

Manali......................................17

Shimla..................................... 22

Nainital................................... 27

Mukteshwar............................ 32

Ranikhet................................. 37

Colva.&.Benaulim,..South.Goa............................... 73

Summer Holidays: South ..................................76

Madikeri.................................. 77

Adventures.in.Coorg..............80

Ooty........................................85

Coonoor..................................90

Wayanad.................................94

Bandipur.................................99

Kabini–Nagarhole................ 102

Summer Holidays: East & NE ......................... 104

Darjeeling............................ .105

Kalimpong.............................110

Digha.&.Around.................... .113

Kohima.................................. 117

Shillong................................. 120

Gangtok.&.Pelling................ 123

Index ..................................128

Acknowledgements ..........138

© Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permissionSample chapter

Select the beSt deStination

Choose the holiday best suited to your family needs, depending on your timeframe, budget and interest. The opener spread of each destination gives you practical information in a nutshell, while the following pages give you the best sights, accommodation, eating, nightlife, shopping and activities.

adVance PlanninG

The moment spring is in the air and the days start getting longer, city dwellers are ready to take off. There’s hardly anyone who doesn’t take a summer holiday. In other words, tickets (bus, train or air) are expensive and hotels are sold out. Don’t wait till the last minute to make a plan; even if you are driving down to your holiday spot, book rooms

in advance. Hotels in the hills usually hike their tariff for the peak season (April-June); however, early birds may get good discounts on bookings made in advance.

What to PacK

Mountain holidays: The weather at a hill station up north can be totally different from one in the Nilgiris. When planning a visit to Himachal Pradesh or Kashmir in April, you must pack one or two heavy woollens and boots.

Season Special• Shikara ride on Dal Lake,

Srinagar (p7)

• Boating at nainital (p27)

• Zorbing at Manali (p17)

• Strawberry picking at Mahabaleshwar (p61)

• Trekking to Matheran (p65)

• Rafting in coorg (p80)

• Trailing elephants at Wayanad (p94)

• Jeep safari at bandipur (p99)

• Toy train ride to darjeeling (p105)

• Sunrise at Pelling (p123)

Best Summer HolidaysWe’re going where the sun shines brightly/We’re going where the sea is blue/We’ve seen it in the movies/Now let’s see if it’s true…The fun and magic of summer holidays is perfectly summed up in this old Cliff Richard song. We have tried to represent the best holiday destinations from all over India, some short and convenient; some long and ambitious.

Quick FactsSuMMer MonthSThe months of April, May and June are what we refer to as summer, but in some places, the season kicks in as early as March.internet acceSSApart from luxury resorts and a few homestays, you may not find internet access or wi-fi in the places to stay. A valid photo

identity is a must if you are visiting a cyber café.Mobile PhoneSExcept in Kashmir and the Northeast, you are likely to get decent network coverage.Money MatterSMost hill stations and beach towns have ATMs, though few and far between.

Beaches in Goa draw vacationers even in summer

Down south, a light shawl or cardigan is enough to keep you warm. What you do need to have is an umbrella – it can rain anywhere, anytime.

beach holidays: This calls for different kind of clothes and accessories – loose cottons, shorts, swimwear, beach hats and floaters. A good sunscreen lotion, not less than SPF 30, is a must.

other accessories: Sturdy shoes as well as open sandals, hats, shades, first-aid basics and medicines for cold, fever, stomach disorder and allergies. Bottled water, especially in the Northeast, is a must-have.

© Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permissionSample chapter

3 4Best summer Holidays

Why go?Watching waterborne life go by from a houseboat’s carved wooden verandah is one of Srinagar’s great pleasures, as are leisurely strolls in the Mughal gardens, strung out around the lake. Nonetheless, while the city has been relatively calm in recent years, visiting Srinagar without checking the latest security situation would be inadvisable.

GettinG there

Air: The airport is 1.2km behind a high security barrier, where there can be long queues for baggage and body screening. Air India, GoAir, IndiGo, Jet Airways, JetLite and SpiceJet all fly from Delhi.

GettinG Around

Taxi: Prepaid, fixed-price taxis cost `350 from airport to town.

Autorickshaw: From `25 for short hops to `600 for a full-day tour.

Boat: Shikaras charge `20 for short houseboat-to-shore hops. Posted

per hour rates (`300) are negotiable.

Note that it’s tough to find an autorickshaw or boatman after 8pm.

ClimAte

Average summer temperature (April–September): 21°C (min), 28°C (max).

durAtion of StAy

Five days.

GreAt for

Quick FactsSummer Holidays: NorthThe Himalayan ranges north of Delhi have long been the city’s safety valve – allowing you to abandon the heat and dust for clean air, sparkling streams and scented pine forests.

• Srinagar (p7): Indulgent houseboats, Mughal gardens.

• Dharamshala & McLeod Ganj (p12): Mini Tibet, seat of the Dalai Lama.

• Manali (p17): Superb mountain views, adventure on the River Beas.

• Shimla (p22): Toy train rides, colonial architecture, sprawling bazaars.

• Nainital (p27): Boating, horse-riding, languid forest walks.

• Mukteshwar (p32): Pine forests, rolling valleys, fruit-filled orchards.

• Ranikhet (p37): Colonial cottages, walking trails and mountain views.

• Binsar (p42): Pristine forests, birdlife and animal sightings.

• Shivpuri (p45): White-water rafting in the Himalayan foothills.

The picturesque route to Bhimtal

Top Dal Lake awaits tourists

© Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permissionSample chapter

5 6SRInagaR

SrinagarLakeside city

Shikaras on Dal – a Srinagar fixture

1 SightsDal LakeWhether you sleep on one of its wonderful houseboats or just stroll along the Boulevard, serene Dal Lake is likely to be your main memory of Srinagar. Mirror-flat waters reflect the peaks of the Pir Panjal mountains while gaily painted shikaras glide by. These gondola-like boats, hand-powered with heart-shaped paddles, are used to take visitors on tours of the lake’s floating communities. Nehru Park is a good starting point for visiting the early morning floating vegetable market.

Shankaracharya ViewPoiNt, Hill SAcred Site

Thickly forested Shankaracharya Hill is topped by a small Shiva temple built from hefty blocks of ancient grey stone. Previously known as Takht-i-Sulaiman (Throne of Solomon), it’s now named for a sage who reached enlightenment here in AD 750, but signs date the octagonal structure as 5th-century and the site

is even older. Access is by a winding 5.5km road from Nehru Park (`150 return by autorickshaw). Walking isn’t advisable, given the population of wild bears. The temple is five minutes up a stairway from a police checkpoint where you must leave phones and cameras.7.30am–5pm

Mughal GardensSrinagar’s famous gardens date back to the Mughal era. Most have a fundamentally similar design with terraced lawns, fountain pools and carefully manicured flowerbeds interspersed with chinar trees, pavilions and mock fortress facades.Built for Noor Jahan by Jehangir, Shalimar Bagh (adult/child `10/5; 9am–dusk Apr–oct, 10am–dusk Nov–Mar) is the most famous garden. However, Nishat Bagh (adult/child `10/5; 9am–dusk Sat–thu) is more immediately impressive with steeper terracing and a lake-facing panorama.Pari Mahal (dawn–dusk) is set amid palace ruins high above the

lakeshore. The ensemble looks intriguing when floodlit at night and viewed from afar. Bring ID for police checks on your way.

Hazratbal MoSQue

Several kilometres north of the Old City, Srinagar’s main university area extends around the white-domed Hazratbal Mosque. This building enshrines Kashmir’s holiest relic, the Moi-e-Muqqadas, supposedly a beard hair of the Prophet Mohammed. The mosque backs onto Dal Lake through heavily guarded prayer lawns.

Mosques, Old CityThe distinctively spired 1730s Khanqah Shah-i-Hamadan (Khanqah-e-Muala; Khawaja Bazaar area) is one of Srinagar’s most beautiful with both frontage and interiors covered in papier-mache reliefs and elaborately coloured khatamband (faceted wood panelling). Non-Muslims can peek through the door but may not enter.The Jama Masjid (Nowhatta) is a mighty 1672 mosque with room for thousands of devotees between 378

roof support columns.Pir Dastgir Sahi (Khanyar Chowk area; 4am–10pm) is a Sufi shrine with a spired tower, wooden filigree work outside and a colourfully faceted interior with some beautiful papier-mache work.

Sri Pratap Singh MuseumAccessed by a footbridge across the Jhelum through frightening coils of barbed wire, this historical museum features Mughal papier-mache work, weaponry and Kashmiri costumes. Bring ID.%0194–2312859; www.spsmuseum.org; `10; 10am–4pm tue–Sun

Kashmir Government Arts EmporiumThe former British Residency Building is now used as an elegant fixed-price craft showroom where, without sales pressure, you can admire copperwork, rugs, crewel (embroidered bedcovers) and intricately carved furniture. %0194–2452783; Bund; 10am–5.30pm Mon–Sat

top tip: Get oriented

Srinagar’s three main areas converge around Dalgate, where the southwestern nose of Dal Lake passes through a lock gate. Northwest lies the Old City, largely out of bounds during curfews. The commercial centre, southwest around Lal Chowk, can also face major disruptions but the Boulevard, facing a major concentration of houseboats, is usually comparatively calm as are the Mughal gardens.

© Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permissionSample chapter

SRInagaR 87

An appetising Kashmiri platter

top tip: renting a houseboatChoosing from 1400 boats is challenging. Some owners are super-friendly families, others are crooks – ask fellow travellers for first-hand recommendations. A few pointers:

• Categories: Houseboats are divided into categories. Deluxe boats are palatial, and often come with chandeliers, carved walnut panels and plush furnishings. Category A boats are comfy but less grand. Lower categories often lack interior sitting areas. Category D boats hopefully stay afloat.

• Prices: Officially prices are ‘set’, between `1100 (category D) and `4500 (deluxe) for a double room including all meals, but you might be able to negotiate down to just a fraction of that.

• Browsing: Thoroughly check out houseboats in person before agreeing to or paying anything. To tour a selection of boats, engage a shikara.

• Precautions: Don’t pre-purchase houseboat packages. Get a clear, written agreement stating what the fees cover.

Tell a friend, family member or hotelier or the Houseboat Owners Association (%0194–2450326; www.houseboatowners.org; trc rd; 10am-5pm Mon-Sat) where you’re staying.

Value for Money: Bagging carpetsCarpet-selling ‘factories’ line the road to Shalimar Bagh targeting tour groups. Unless you know how to assess a good carpet, consider the much cheaper chain-stitched gabbas (Kashmiri rugs with applique) or floral namdas (felted wool carpets). Be aware that your guide, driver or even hotelier may be getting hefty commissions. The Kashmir Government Arts Emporium (p9) is an exception, with fixed, marked prices.

4 AccommodationStaying on a houseboat (see box) is one of the city’s main attractions, but you might prefer to sleep the first night in a hotel while carefully selecting a suitable boat on the Dal.

Lalit Grand HeritAGe Palace HoteL ```

%0194–2501001; www.thelalit.com; Gupkar rd; ste from `20,000 Vast period suites in the Maharaja’s 1910 palace and a wing of (slightly) cheaper new rooms are all beautifully set above hectares of manicured lawns. When occupancy is low you might get half-price walk-in rates.

Hotel Broadway HoteL ``

%0194–2459001; www.hotelbroadway.com; MA rd; s/d `5750/7000; iWs Behind a drab concrete-slab facade the atmosphere is unexpectedly warm, rooms are ageing but well-tended and the large swimming pool is sparkling clean.

Residency HoteL ``

%0194–2473702; www.hotelresidencykashmir.com; residency rd; s/d/ste `4500/5500/7500; W A glass elevator whisks you up through a shopping-mall atrium to this small but professional business hotel.

Hotel Akbar HoteL `

%0194–2500507; hotelakbar.com; d `1500-2500 Its trump cards are the manicured garden with trellises of

blooming vines and the quiet yet central, lakeside location.

5 EatingAlcohol isn’t served in restaurants and there are just a tiny handful of bars, mostly in upmarket hotels such as the Lalit Grand Palace.

Mughal Darbar KASHMiri ``%0194–2476998; residency rd; 10am–10pm Widely considered the city’s best place to indulge in top quality Kashmiri delicacies. The better of the two separately managed dining rooms is upstairs above the popular bakery section.

Coffea Arabica MuLti-cuiSiNe ``MA rd; 9am–10pm This modern eatery has various fast-food-style serving stations (Arabic, Chinese, Italian) and a bookshop.

Nathu’s Sweets iNdiAN `

Blvd; 8am–midnight Brighter and more inviting than most of the dhabas dotted along the Boulevard, it serves inexpensive, filling and delicious veggie meals.

Cafe Robusta cAFe

MA rd; 9.30am–9pm Srinagar’s hip young set sip a selection of coffees or share sundaes and smoothies in a pseudo-Western lounge upstairs. All-day wi-fi `50.

7 ShoppingThe Boulevard has several emporia selling Kashmiri souvenirs, including elegantly painted papier-mache boxes and carved walnut woodwork, plus cashmere and pashmina shawls. Saffron, cricket bats and dried fruits are widely sold around Lal Chowk.

© Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permissionSample chapter

SRInagaR 109