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Discover the best shopping places in Seoul, from Myeongdong to hidden markets, with practical tips and real experiences. If you’ve just come here after reading the first part of this mini-series, you already know that Seoul isn’t a city you explore in a straight line. It reveals itself in layers. Some obvious, some hidden, and some that quietly take over your entire trip without you realizing it. Shopping is one of those layers. Not the kind you plan for. The kind that slowly creeps into your itinerary and then refuses to leave. If you’re travelling with someone who loves skincare products, you’ll notice it almost immediately. If you are that person, then Seoul will feel less like a destination and more like a playground designed specifically for you. But even if you’re like me—someone who has always stayed miles away from shopping—you won’t escape it here. BTS' Flagship Icon BT21 I didn’t plan to shop in Seoul. Not even a little. I carried that decision with full confidence, almost like a personal rule I wouldn’t break. But somewhere between walking through streets glowing with storefront lights and casually stepping into “just one store,” that rule started to dissolve. Not dramatically, not in a single moment—but gradually enough for me to look back a few days later and realise that my “no shopping” plan had quietly turned into a running joke. Because that’s what Seoul does. It doesn’t push you to shop. It surrounds you with so many experiences—markets, streets, underground corridors, aesthetic cafés, curated stores—that shopping stops feeling like an activity and starts feeling like a natural extension of being there. And if you’re planning your trip, there’s one piece of advice you should take very seriously—travel light. Not metaphorically, but literally. Leave at least thirty to forty percent of your luggage empty. Because whether you intend to shop or not, Seoul will find a way to fill that space. This is not a complete list of every market in the city. That would be impossible. Instead, this is a journey through the places that shaped our experience—places that made shopping feel less like consumption and more like discovery. And if you want to plan how to fit these into your itinerary without feeling overwhelmed, the structure from our earlier Seoul guide will help you layer these experiences in a way that actually makes sense. We didn’t follow a strict plan while exploring these markets. But if you were to experience them in a way that builds naturally—from overwhelming to immersive to aesthetic to energetic—there is a rhythm to it and it begins at a place that almost every traveler ends up in, whether they planned it or not—Myeongdong. Myeongdong (Anchor Market Experience)   If Seoul had to introduce itself through one place, it would probably choose Myeongdong. Not because it is the most unique part of the city, but because it is the most immediate. The kind of place that doesn’t ease you in gently, but instead throws you straight into the energy of Seoul—bright lights, dense crowds, storefronts calling out for attention, and the constant movement of people carrying far more shopping bags than they probably planned for. We didn’t plan to start here. But somehow, like most travelers, we found ourselves walking into Myeongdong almost instinctively. And within minutes, it became clear why this place is often the first recommendation when people talk about shopping in Seoul. It’s not just one thing. It’s everything at once. On one side, you have rows of beauty stores, each one brighter and louder than the next, offering samples, discounts, and combinations that make you pause even if you had no intention of buying anything. And then there’s Olive Young—not just a store, but almost a ritual. You don’t visit Seoul and skip Olive Young. That’s just not how this works. Skin care product wave @ Olive Young What stood out immediately was how packed these stores were, regardless of the time of day. There’s no “right time” to visit. If you’re thinking of going, just go. Waiting for a less crowded moment is a losing strategy. And while you’ll find Olive Young stores across the city, there’s something about the Myeongdong ones—they feel more complete, more stocked, more central to the experience. If you’re even remotely interested in skincare, this is where your discipline will start slipping. But Myeongdong doesn’t stop at beauty. It spills out into the streets in a completely different form. As the evening sets in, the entire area transforms into what feels like an endless street food corridor. The air changes. You start noticing the smell before you even see the stalls—grilled skewers, sizzling tteokbokki, fried snacks stacked in neat rows, and vendors calling out to passing crowds. It’s chaotic, but not overwhelming. There’s a rhythm to it, and before you realise it, you’re no longer just walking through—you’re part of it. What surprised me, though, was not the food or the cosmetics, but the clothing. There are stores everywhere. Some flashy, some minimal, some trying too hard. And this is where a small but important realization hits you—Myeongdong is not where you find the best deals on clothes. It’s where you understand what’s available. If you’re not particularly brand-conscious, it’s better to resist the urge to buy immediately. The same styles, often at better prices, show up later in quieter markets and underground shopping areas. Myeongdong introduces you to options—it doesn’t necessarily offer the best versions of them. And that’s why, if you’re short on time and can only choose one shopping area in Seoul, Myeongdong still makes the cut. Not because it’s perfect, but because it gives you a compressed version of the city’s shopping culture—beauty, food, fashion, energy—all packed into a single, walkable experience. It sets the tone. But it also sets expectations that the rest of Seoul will either challenge or quietly outperform. Gangnam Style Just when you think you’ve understood Seoul’s shopping rhythm through Myeongdong, the city shifts gears completely when you step into Gangnam. Yes,  that  Gangnam—the one the world was introduced to through Gangnam Style. But beyond the pop culture reference, what you find here is something far more expansive and refined. Gangnam doesn’t feel like a market. It feels like a system. Starfield Mall, Gangnam District Everything is larger, more spread out, and noticeably more modern. The streets are wider, the storefronts more polished, and the overall experience less chaotic compared to places like Myeongdong. But don’t mistake that calm for simplicity—Gangnam is dense in its own way. It just hides it better. What stands out immediately is how diverse the shopping experience becomes here. It’s not just about clothes or cosmetics. It’s about lifestyle. You’ll find entire clusters dedicated to skincare and treatments—the kind you’ve probably already seen on Instagram while planning your trip. Clinics, beauty centers, dermatology spaces—all concentrated within this district, making it feel like the epicenter of Seoul’s global beauty reputation. Even if you don’t step inside, just walking past these places gives you a sense of how seriously the city approaches skincare. And then there’s the scale. Spaces like Starfield COEX Mall redefine what a mall experience looks like. It’s not just about shopping—it’s about spectacle. The famous open library with towering bookshelves feels less like a retail space and more like a visual landmark. Step outside, and the massive digital façade at COEX K-Pop Square adds another layer to the experience, turning the street itself into a screen. Gangnam also quietly introduces you to something you don’t fully appreciate until later—how seamlessly above-ground and underground shopping connect in Seoul. Beneath the polished streets, entire networks of shopping corridors exist, mirroring the city above but with a different rhythm. And that’s where the transition happens. Because once you start noticing these underground layers in Gangnam, stepping into a place like Goto Mall doesn’t feel surprising anymore—it feels like a deeper dive into something the city has already hinted at.   Goto Mall (The Underground Maze You Didn’t See Coming)   If Myeongdong is where Seoul introduces you to shopping, then Goto Mall is where it quietly tests how far you’re willing to go with it because nothing prepares you for this place. You enter thinking it’s just another shopping area connected to a metro station. Something functional. Something you’ll walk through, maybe browse a little, and move on. But within minutes, that assumption starts to fall apart. The corridors stretch longer than expected. The rows of shops repeat in patterns that feel familiar and confusing at the same time. You turn once, then twice, and suddenly you’re no longer sure which direction you came from. We got lost here. Not once, but multiple times. And not the kind of “this is fun” lost. The kind where you genuinely start depending on navigation to find your way back to an exit. If it wasn’t for Naver Maps, we might have just accepted that we now lived underground. But somewhere between getting lost and trying to retrace our steps, something interesting happened—we stopped trying to navigate and started exploring. And that’s when Goto Mall begins to make sense. Unlike Myeongdong, which overwhelms you with variety and energy, this place works differently. It’s more focused. More repetitive in structure, but surprisingly diverse in what it offers. Rows and rows of clothing, neatly arranged, often grouped by style or type. Shoes, accessories, small lifestyle items—everything placed in a way that makes browsing feel effortless, even when you’ve already walked more than you planned to. What stood out immediately was the pricing. This is where the shift happens. The same styles you saw earlier in more visible parts of the city start appearing again—but more affordable, more approachable, and often with room for negotiation. Bargaining isn’t aggressive here, but it exists. And once you realise that, your entire approach to shopping changes. You slow down. You compare. You start making decisions instead of impulse purchases. We ended up buying something we didn’t even plan for—an extra suitcase. Not because we needed one when we arrived, but because by the time we reached this point in the trip, it had become clear that we would. And strangely, Goto Mall felt like the right place for that decision. Practical, slightly chaotic, but efficient in its own way. There was also something else that made this place even more memorable for us—the timing. We visited Seoul in December, and the cold outside was sharp enough to make you constantly aware of it. But the moment you stepped into Goto Mall, everything changed. The warmth, the enclosed space, the absence of wind—it created a kind of comfort that made it very easy to stay longer than intended. What started as a quick visit turned into hours, without any clear sense of time passing. And that’s the trap. Goto Mall doesn’t demand your attention loudly. It quietly holds it. By the time you leave, you’re not just carrying shopping bags—you’re carrying the realization that Seoul’s shopping culture isn’t just about what you see on the surface. Some of its most interesting layers exist where you least expect them. But just as you start getting comfortable with this structured, almost mechanical rhythm of shopping, Seoul shifts gears again. From long corridors and endless rows, it takes you into something more personal. More artistic. A place where shopping slows down, becomes more deliberate, and sometimes even a little emotional. That transition begins in the narrow, character-filled streets of Insadong.   Insadong & Daiso (Where Shopping Becomes Personal)   After the structured chaos of underground corridors, stepping into Insadong feels like the city asking you to slow down. The streets narrow. The pace softens. The noise shifts from loud storefronts to quieter conversations, soft music drifting out of small shops, and the occasional pause of someone standing outside a window, deciding whether to go in. It doesn’t feel like a place designed to sell you things quickly. It feels like a place that wants you to look, notice, and then choose. And that difference changes how you shop. Here, it’s not about volume. It’s about detail. Small handcrafted items line the streets—souvenirs that don’t scream for attention but somehow stay with you longer than anything flashy. Traditional pieces, decorative items, things you don’t need but immediately start imagining in your home. And that’s where Insadong quietly does its damage. Not through big purchases, but through small ones that add up without you realizing it. You don’t walk out with one expensive item. You walk out with ten small ones you didn’t plan for. We learned that the hard way. Artist, Character and Caricature One of the most memorable moments here wasn’t a shop, but a decision. We came across artists offering caricatures—simple, humorous sketches that capture you in a way photos never do. It felt like something we shouldn’t miss. So we didn’t think too much. We stopped at the first place we saw and got one made. It was only later, walking further into the market, that we realized we had rushed it. There were better artists, better prices, and more variety just a few lanes ahead. It wasn’t a big mistake, but it was enough to teach us something important about Insadong—this is not a place to rush. The deeper you go, the better it gets. And just when you think you’ve understood the rhythm of this place, Seoul pulls you into something completely different again. Because not far from these quiet, cultural streets sits a store that feels like the exact opposite of everything Insadong stands for—and yet somehow fits perfectly into the Seoul experience. Daiso. We walked in expecting something familiar. Something like Miniso. Clean, simple, predictable. We were completely wrong. Daiso doesn’t feel like a store. It feels like a progression. Almost like a game you didn’t realize you had started playing. You enter on one floor, casually picking up one or two items, telling yourself you’re just browsing. Then you move to the next level. And then another. And with every floor, the resistance weakens. The objective becomes clear very quickly—try not to buy anything unnecessary. And you lose that game almost immediately. Every section pulls you in with something different. Kitchen items, storage solutions, travel accessories, things you didn’t know existed but suddenly feel essential. It’s not just the variety—it’s the pricing combined with usefulness. You start justifying purchases in real time. “This will be useful.” “This is too affordable to skip.” “We don’t get this back home.” At some point, I stopped pretending I had control. I was shopping for rooms I hadn’t even thought about before. Things for the house, things for travel, things that simply felt like they belonged in the cart because everything around me suggested they did. And the strange part is—you don’t regret it. Daiso doesn’t feel like overspending. It feels like discovering small, practical pieces of a lifestyle you didn’t know you wanted. By the time you step out, carrying more than you intended, you realize something subtle but important about Seoul’s shopping culture. It isn’t just about luxury or aesthetics. It’s also about accessibility, functionality, and the quiet satisfaction of finding something unexpectedly useful. But just as this experience starts to feel grounded and practical, Seoul shifts again. From thoughtful streets and functional shopping, it moves into something more visual. More curated. A place where appearance matters as much as the experience itself. And that’s where the next layer begins—in the aesthetic, almost cinematic alleys of Ikseon-dong.   Ikseon-dong (Where Aesthetics Meet Reality)   By the time you reach Ikseon-dong, Seoul has already shown you multiple sides of its shopping culture—fast, chaotic, structured, practical. And then suddenly, everything slows down again, but in a completely different way than Insadong. This isn’t quiet in a traditional sense. It’s curated. Ikseon-dong feels like a place designed to be seen. Narrow alleys lined with hanok-style buildings, each one carefully restored, each doorway hinting at something visually different inside. Cafés, restaurants, dessert spots—every space competing, not loudly, but visually. You don’t need to understand Korean to navigate here. The decision-making happens through glass windows, lighting, and presentation. You don’t read menus first. You look. And that’s where this place pulls you in. Every few steps, you stop. Not because you’re tired, but because something catches your eye—a minimal dessert setup, a café glowing warmly inside a traditional wooden structure, a restaurant where every table looks like it belongs in a photograph. It feels like walking through a series of carefully constructed scenes rather than a conventional market. Food journey begins here.. Entry to a cafe!! But beneath that visual appeal, there’s another layer that doesn’t show up on Instagram. For us, that layer was food. Being vegetarian in a place like this changes the experience in ways you don’t anticipate beforehand. From the outside, everything looks inviting. But once you step in, the uncertainty begins. Ingredients you can’t fully identify, menus you can’t completely interpret, and the constant question—what exactly can we eat here? Neha adapted quickly. She approached it with curiosity, asking, adjusting, navigating. I didn’t. For me, every decision felt cautious. I found myself defaulting to what felt safe—bread-based dishes, simple café options, anything that didn’t require too much interpretation. There was a hesitation that stayed throughout, a quiet awareness that while the place looked perfect, my experience of it would be slightly different. And yet, even with that struggle, there were moments that stood out. A well-made bibimbap at the right place. Glass noodles that exceeded expectations. Cafés where the ambiance made up for the limited choices. Slowly, the experience balanced itself—not perfect, but memorable in its own way. That’s the reality of Ikseon-dong. It’s beautiful. Visually one of the most compelling parts of Seoul. But your experience here depends on how you engage with it. If you’re open, flexible, and willing to explore, it rewards you. If you’re cautious, it still offers something—but in a different way. And maybe that’s what makes it interesting. Because by now, you’re no longer just shopping. You’re navigating experiences—some effortless, some slightly challenging, all part of understanding how Seoul works. From here, the city shifts again. Away from curated aesthetics and controlled spaces, into something more spontaneous. More energetic. A place where the streets themselves become the attraction, and shopping is only one part of a much larger experience. That shift happens in the vibrant, unpredictable energy of Hongdae.   Hongdae, DDP & APM Place (Energy, Excess, and Smart Shortcuts)   After the controlled charm of Ikseon-dong, stepping into Hongdae feels like the city suddenly turns the volume up. This is not a place you walk through quietly. It moves. It performs. It reacts. From the moment you enter, there’s an energy that doesn’t come from shops alone. It comes from people. Younger crowds, groups gathering around performers, music spilling into the streets from different directions at the same time. You don’t need to look for something to do here—something is always happening around you. Hongdae market street And that’s what makes Hongdae different from every other shopping area in Seoul. Shopping exists, but it doesn’t dominate the experience. Yes, there are stores—clothing, accessories, souvenirs, all of it present in abundance. But unlike Myeongdong, where shopping pulls you in, here it competes with everything else happening on the streets. You might walk into a store, step out a few minutes later, and find yourself standing in the middle of a crowd watching a dance performance you didn’t plan for. We spent hours here without realizing how quickly time was passing. Street performers were everywhere. Not casually, but seriously. Dance crews performing with precision, singers drawing crowds with powerful voices, small groups creating their own space in the middle of intersections. At one point, we found ourselves watching what felt like a mini football competition unfolding right on the street, surrounded by people cheering like it was an organized event. It didn’t feel staged. It felt alive. Somewhere within all this, shopping became secondary for us. Not because it wasn’t available, but because by this point in the trip, we had already seen similar products in other markets. Hongdae didn’t necessarily offer something completely new in terms of what you could buy—but it offered something else entirely in how you experienced the space. Even the well-known themed spots, like the Harry Potter-inspired cafés and restaurants, added to that immersive feel. It is not essential, or something you must plan your entire visit around—but if you come across them, they blend seamlessly into the atmosphere. Hongdae is where you go when you don’t want to follow a plan. But travel isn’t always about wandering endlessly. Sometimes, especially when you’re short on time, you need efficiency. A way to experience multiple aspects of a city without moving across too many locations and that’s where places like Dongdaemun Design Plaza, APM Place and DOOTA Mall come in. They don’t replicate the experience of markets like Myeongdong or Hongdae, but they condense it. At Dongdaemun Design Plaza, the experience feels more structured, more polished. The architecture itself draws you in before the shopping even begins. Inside and around it, you’ll find a mix of retail spaces that lean slightly towards the more refined and branded side of Seoul’s shopping spectrum. It feels curated, controlled, and easier to navigate. APM Place and DOOTA Mall, on the other hand, leans more towards volume and variety. It gives you access to a wide range of fashion options in a more concentrated format. Not as chaotic as street markets, not as aesthetic as Ikseon-dong—but efficient in what it offers. These places don’t replace the markets. They simplify them and depending on how much time you have, that simplification can either feel like a smart decision or a compromise. By this point in the journey, something else also starts to happen. You begin to feel the weight of it all—not physically, though that’s part of it—but mentally. The decisions, the comparisons, the constant exposure to options. Shopping fatigue is real in Seoul, and it builds gradually. What excited you in the beginning starts to feel repetitive. What once felt like discovery starts to feel like choice overload. This is when the final layer of this experience becomes important—not where to go, but what to skip. Because knowing what not to do is just as valuable as knowing what to explore. That realization came to us at Namdaemun Market.   Namdaemun, What to Skip & What Stays With You   By the time we reached Namdaemun Market, we had already seen multiple versions of what shopping in Seoul could look like which is probably why this stop felt different—not because it lacked value, but because of  when  we experienced it. We arrived in the morning, expecting the same kind of energy we had seen in other parts of the city. The same movement, the same pull. But instead, what we found was a slower, more functional space. Shops focused largely on clothing, many of them leaning towards wholesale. The kind of environment that feels more transactional than exploratory. And that contrast matters. Because Namdaemun isn’t necessarily a place without merit. It’s a place that depends heavily on timing, intent, and expectation. If you’re someone looking for bulk purchases, specific items, or a more traditional market structure, it might work for you. But if you arrive here expecting the layered, experience-driven shopping you’ve seen in places like Myeongdong or Hongdae, it can feel underwhelming. For us, it didn’t click. We walked through parts of it, paused briefly at a few stalls, tried to find a reason to stay longer—but that connection never really formed. And instead of forcing it, we made a decision that most travelers hesitate to make—we left. Without completing it. Without “covering” everything. And that, in hindsight, was one of the better decisions of the trip. Because Seoul is not a city you conquer by ticking every location off a list. It’s a city you experience by knowing when to move on. That realization becomes clearer when you step back and look at everything together. From the overwhelming introduction of Myeongdong, to the disorienting depth of Goto Mall, to the thoughtful charm of Insadong, the playful excess of Daiso, the visual storytelling of Ikseon-dong, and the raw, unfiltered energy of Hongdae—each place adds a different layer to how you understand the city. And somewhere across all these places, one thing remained consistent. The way the city is designed for people. There’s a certain thoughtfulness in how everything connects. Infrastructure that works without demanding attention. Public spaces that feel maintained, respected, and shared in a way that makes the experience smoother without you actively noticing it. It’s not something you write down as a highlight while you’re there—but it’s something you carry back with you. And maybe that’s what defines shopping in Seoul. It’s not just about what you buy. It’s about how seamlessly it fits into everything else you experience. By the end of the trip, we weren’t just carrying extra luggage. We were carrying moments—some impulsive, some well thought out, some unnecessary, but all tied to places that made them feel meaningful. So if you’re planning your own Seoul shopping experience, don’t try to do everything. Start where the city naturally pulls you. Let it unfold the way it wants to. Buy what makes sense, skip what doesn’t, and don’t hesitate to walk away from places that don’t resonate with you. Because in a city like Seoul, knowing what to leave behind is just as important as knowing what to take with you. And if there’s one thing you will take back for sure—it’s the realization that even if you didn’t plan to shop, Seoul had already made that decision for you. Before we close here is a Shopping tip that saves money, a thank you note for sticking till end :)  Shopping in Seoul isn’t just about what you buy—it’s also about how you buy it. One of the easiest ways to save money is by taking advantage of tax refunds available to tourists. Many stores, especially for clothing, cosmetics, and lifestyle products, provide invoices that allow you to claim a refund later at the airport. It’s a small step, but across multiple purchases, it adds up noticeably. Always ask the store staff about eligibility before you pay. And if you’re planning to claim that refund, give yourself extra time at the airport. Incheon International Airport is extremely efficient, but also extremely busy. Between check-in, immigration, security, and tax refund queues, time moves faster than expected. We nearly missed our flight and were only saved by a delay. Reaching the airport at least three to four hours early isn’t just a suggestion here—it’s a necessity. Till next time   Travel, Mi Amor

Before you get excited about destinations, this blog helps you understand what actually makes a road trip work — planning, pacing and practical decisions. Roads have been one of the oldest communication channels the world has known. At times, they feel far more real than the Instagram or Twitter feeds we scroll through every day. Even today, with flights, trains, and buses connecting cities faster than ever, road trips continue to hold a special place for many of us. Somewhere in Leh Over the years, I have been on road trips lasting a few hours to journeys stretching over weeks — not just across India, but internationally as well. It often makes me wonder what truly makes some trips memorable. Yes, we have made mistakes. Yet we still talk about drives we did back in 2016. Clearly, there are patterns and decisions that shape a good road trip. This blog is an outcome of the many journeys we have taken as a couple, with family, and with friends. Road trip trinity - Road, Water, Sunset!! Whenever I am on the road, with my hands on the wheel or the handlebar, I feel as if a blanket has wrapped itself around me. I enter a zone — like standing in a flat grassy field with a soothing wind on my face. It does not matter how many cars are on the highway or whether I am crawling behind a truck. Of course, I lose my cool at times. I complain about drivers with zero civic sense. But the moment your favourite music starts playing, you automatically begin singing along. Suddenly, it does not matter that you have a big presentation the next day, the kids have school, or there is a grocery list waiting when you reach home. For those moments, it is just you, your vehicle, and your travel partner — if you have one. To ensure these moments last longer than expected — and that you enjoy the journey instead of constantly rushing to reach — planning becomes essential. At the most basic level, every road trip depends on two things: Destination and Time on hand. In the Indian context (excluding islands), it is usually easy to decide whether a destination should be reached by road or by another mode of transport. Interestingly, the destination often becomes more of a convincing story to get your trip partners excited about the journey. If reaching the destination quickly is the real goal, taking a flight is perfectly fine — you can always rent a vehicle later to explore nearby places at your own pace. With the quality of roads improving rapidly and new expressways being built, distances are shrinking in practical terms. For example, if you have a few days in hand and are based in Mumbai or Pune, driving to Delhi is now realistically a two-day plan. A halt somewhere near Ahmedabad or Udaipur, and you are comfortably in Delhi the following day. It never ends At the same time, there is no fixed definition of what distance makes a road trip. A few hours on the road or multiple days of driving — both qualify. What changes over time is your endurance and confidence as a driver. I began with journeys where six hours of driving felt exhausting. Today, if required, I can stretch to ten or even twelve hours in a day. The difference is rarely enthusiasm — it is usually better planning and understanding of one’s own limits. From my experience across different terrains and group drives, a practical benchmark for many travellers is around 400–500 kilometres a day , which roughly translates to eight hours of driving excluding breaks. This number is not a rule — expressways, mountains, traffic conditions, and weather can change everything. On one extreme drive from Pune to Ganpatiphule, we covered barely 300 kilometres in almost 15 hours. That day reminded me that road trips are governed more by time realities than distance ambitions. Once you accept this simple truth — that journeys from Point A to Point B will take time — the way you plan road trips begins to change. You stop chasing kilometres and start thinking about sustainability, comfort, and experience. With feasibility understood, the next step is preparing the elements that actually make a road trip successful. One of the first and most underrated aspects is vehicle readiness. Driving often feels glamorous — hands on the steering wheel, open highways ahead, music playing — almost like participating in your own version of an F1 race. In reality, mechanical preparedness determines whether the journey remains enjoyable or turns stressful. Over the years, we have driven through the deserts near Jaisalmer, the rugged landscapes of Spiti, and icy roads towards Tawang — often in a simple hatchback. These experiences taught me that vehicle capability matters less than vehicle condition. Before most long trips, I ensure the car is serviced, tyres are in good shape, and basic checks like engine oil levels are not ignored. You do not need to be a mechanic to go on road trips, but having a basic awareness of your vehicle builds confidence and prevents avoidable delays. If you are travelling internationally and relying on rental vehicles, choosing a reliable provider and inspecting the car before starting your journey becomes even more important.   With vehicle readiness in place, the next step is understanding the road you are about to drive on. One simple habit that has helped me over the years is doing a dry run of the route before the actual journey. All it takes is entering your starting point and destination into Google Maps (or any navigation app you prefer) and spending a few minutes observing the route instead of blindly accepting it. Notice which cities or villages fall along the way. You can often tell whether you will bypass a city or drive through it by observing how the road curves around the city label. Zooming in slightly also helps identify whether you are primarily travelling on State Highways (SH) or National Highways / Expressways (NH). This small exercise sets realistic expectations. State highways in India are often two-way single roads with limited food options or clean rest stops, while national highways usually offer better lane discipline, multiple carriageways, and more frequent facilities. A route preview also helps you mentally map milestones — allowing you to plan natural break points rather than stopping only when fatigue forces you to. Once the route is understood, the focus shifts from the vehicle to the driver. Long road trips are not just about how far your car can go — they are about how sustainably you can keep driving. Over time, I have realised that driving continuously for two to three hours and then taking a short five to ten minute break allows you to stay fresh for much longer durations. These breaks do not have to be elaborate meals or sightseeing stops. Even a quick stretch, a short walk, or a cup of tea can reset your body and mind. Food habits also play a surprisingly important role. As we move into our late thirties and beyond, our stomachs tend to protest against erratic eating patterns. Waiting too long in the hope of reaching a “better” food outlet often backfires. Having something light at regular intervals — even if it is not a full meal — usually saves more time and discomfort than pushing through hunger. Over multiple trips, I have learnt that managing energy levels is as important as managing fuel levels. Speaking of fuel, cost awareness is another practical layer of road trip planning. Fuel prices in India vary significantly from state to state, and a little preparation can lead to meaningful savings on longer journeys. Checking fuel price differences beforehand and filling up strategically near state borders can reduce overall trip expenses. For instance, fuel in Rajasthan is often noticeably more expensive than in neighbouring states like Haryana or Gujarat. A simple decision to top up before entering or immediately after exiting such regions can make a difference over a multi-day drive. Another underrated contributor to both cost saving and comfort is patience. Maintaining a consistent speed, avoiding unnecessary overtaking battles, and driving with a calmer mindset often improves fuel efficiency while also reducing mental fatigue. On some long drives, I have been pleasantly surprised by the mileage gains that come simply from smoother driving. Patience, however, is not a switch you turn on overnight — especially on Indian highways. It is a habit built over many journeys, and I still consider myself a work in progress on that front. Finally, beyond planning, preparation, and patience, there is one factor that quietly shapes every memorable road trip — confidence. Not just your own, but also that of your travel partner. There have been moments when we have driven into completely unknown conditions. I vividly remember returning from Tawang towards Tenga (Arunanchal Pradesh) when unexpected snowfall led to icy roads — a situation far more dangerous than regular snow. The car slipped more than once, and I could feel panic building inside me. At that time, Neha’s calm presence and steady reassurance helped me stay focused and drive cautiously through the stretch. We have faced similar situations on narrow interior roads in Sikkim as well. I often become uncomfortable in unfamiliar terrain, while she pushes me to keep going. We eventually overcome the challenge — although I do get a well-deserved lecture later for being adventurous in planning and nervous in execution.   Road trips, in the end, are not just tests of distance or endurance. They are tests of trust, adaptability, and shared resilience.   By now, if road trips are truly your thing, you would have realised that they are rarely about covering the maximum distance or ticking destinations off a list. They are about how thoughtfully you prepare, how patiently you drive, and how well you adapt to what the road throws at you. Every journey teaches something new — about your vehicle, your limits, your travel partner, and sometimes even about your fears. If you have discovered tricks, lessons, or experiences of your own, do share them with fellow travellers. Road trip wisdom is rarely owned by one person; it is built collectively over miles and memories. At the end of it all, roads remain beautifully ordinary. Sometimes they are brick, sometimes smooth concrete, sometimes gravel, and at times nothing more than dust and dirt stretching into the horizon. Yet these ordinary paths carry extraordinary stories. Roads never truly come to an end. It is only we who step away from them — pulled back by responsibilities, routines, and the many roles life demands from us. Some people live their entire lives on the road, and they deserve immense respect. But whether you are a seasoned roadster or an occasional traveller escaping the city for a few days, the road welcomes you the same way — without judgement, without hierarchy. And perhaps that is why we keep returning.   Travel, Mi Amor.

Seoul is a city where history, modernisation, culture, and tradition intertwine. Exploring it properly requires a little thoughtfulness, and perhaps a sense of what excites you most when travelling. The question most travellers eventually face is simple:  Where do you start in a city like Seoul? The answer, at least for us, was to explore the city the way you would peel an onion —  one layer at a time . Ihwa Mural Village - Seoul have cite viewpoints A lot of it depends on where you decide to make your base in the city. Most online suggestions will recommend staying in  Myeongdong , and honestly, the suggestion makes sense. Myeongdong attracts a large number of tourists, and almost every sightseeing route or day trip seems to pass through this area at some point. But hotels and Airbnb hosts are aware of this as well.   Unless you are staying in hostels, you will likely have to shell out a little extra money to stay in Myeongdong. We considered staying there too, but we were not ready to pay the price. Instead, we settled for a  single-room style apartment just two subway stops away from Myeongdong , which turned out to be a much more reasonable option. Once the base was decided, the next challenge was figuring out how to actually explore the city without constantly travelling back and forth across Seoul. We had already discussed public transportation in our  Seoul planning blog , so here we focused on finding the most practical way to move around the city. The approach that worked best for us was surprisingly simple. We created  zones . Using Myeongdong as the central point, I started building a long list of places we wanted to visit. Then, using Google Maps, I divided them depending on whether they were located  north, east, west, or south of our stay . This simple exercise helped us understand which places could naturally be combined on the same day instead of travelling across the city repeatedly.   For example, locations such as  Bukchon Hanok Village, Gyeongbokgung Palace, and Insadong  all fall roughly north of Myeongdong. Instead of spreading them across multiple days, it made far more sense to club them together and explore that part of the city in a single outing. The result looked something like this. # Starting Locations Time to travel Direction Combination 1 Myeondong Bukchon Hanok 25 min North 2 Myeondong N Seoul Tower 32 min South 3 Myeondong Cheongeycheon Stream 18 min North Night 4 Myeondong Gyeongbokgung Palace (including K cultural museum) 24 min North Do with 1 5 Myeondong Insadong 16 min North Do with 3 6 Myeondong Gwangjang Market 16 min East Evening 7 Myeondong Hongdae Street 30 min West This simple zoning approach made planning surprisingly easy. Instead of worrying about dozens of places across the city, we could focus on exploring  one direction of Seoul at a time . The list of places we eventually identified came from multiple sources. Some were obvious tourist attractions, others came from market and restaurant recommendations we found on Instagram. A few were discovered through travel blogs, and many simply appeared while browsing Google Maps and falling into one rabbit hole after another. Slowly the list grew longer. Starfield Library in Starfield COEX Mall, Gangnam   What started as a few must-see places turned into a fairly extensive collection of attractions across Seoul and beyond. To make sense of it all, we categorised them so that it became easier to decide which ones suited our travel style and which ones could be skipped. The table below captures the complete list of places we considered while planning our trip. Places Category Our recommendation Gramdeal - Seongsu Market   Gwangjang Market Market   Insadong Market   Myeongdong Market   Hongdae Street Market, Busking (Street Performances)   Petite France Amusement (Little Europe) Been to Europe? Skip Daedunsan Mountain Suspensio bridge Far from Seoul Can be skipped N Seoul Tower Modern Infra Can be skipped Yeolrin Songhyeon Park Modern Infra, Sculpture park Can be skipped Cheongsong Ice valley and fountain - Far from Seoul Natural Can be skipped Garden of Morning calm Natural Different Tongyeong - Dpirang (Night Activity) Digital theme park Different, can try Bukchon Hanok Village Historic Do not Skip Gwanghwamun Square Historic Do not Skip Gyeongbokgung Palace Historic Do not Skip DDP Modern infra Do not Skip Gangnam and Library in mall Modern Infra Do not Skip Cheongeyecheon Natural Do not Skip Yeouido Modern infra, seafront Evening spot Chuncheon/Legoland Another city / Amusement Fan of Legos? Why not Harry Potter Café Café Food average, Ambiance amazing Changdokgung Palace Historic Into History, Yes, skip if get bored Lotte Tower Amusement Love Amusement park, do try Bulguksa Temple Another city Only if want to try besides Seoul, Busan Gyeongiju Another city Only if want to try besides Seoul, Busan Jeonju - City Another city Only if want to try besides Seoul, Busan Andong hahoe village Far off city Only if want to try besides Seoul, Busan Haensa Temple Historic, Another city Only if want to try besides Seoul, Busan Everland - Theme park activity for Christmas Amusement Prefer Lotte, else if looking for festive vibes Gangchon Rail park - Activity Amusement Something different (far from Seoul) Nami Island Amusement Very different, do try but far from Seoul The list of places can start looking overwhelming after a point. While planning our trip, we felt the same way. There seemed to be too many places and too many possibilities, and it was easy to feel lost while trying to organise everything into a sensible itinerary. That is when we discovered something interesting about Seoul that can make exploring the city far more engaging —  the Seoul stamp trails . This was the first time we had heard of the concept, and unfortunately it happened a little late in our planning process. But once we started reading about it, the idea immediately felt fascinating. Across Seoul, many historic and tourist attractions are connected through  designated stamp trails . These trails link several locations together so that travellers can explore the city while following a themed path. At certain points along these trails you will find  small old-style post boxes containing stamp pads and stamps . If you are carrying a notebook, you can stamp it at each station as you progress through the trail. There are  28 such stations across the city , and each stamp represents a place you have visited along the route. As you walk through the city, you will notice small markers telling you which trail you are on and where the next stamp station might be located. The stamps are usually placed at the start, important milestones, or the end of these trails. It turns the simple act of sightseeing into something more playful. Instead of just moving from one attraction to another, you are slowly collecting a story of the places you have explored. By the time we discovered the stamp trails, our itinerary was already mostly fixed. Reworking the entire plan around the trails would have been difficult, but we still liked the idea of collecting at least a few stamps from Seoul.   So we looked for alternatives. During our search we came across a small shop in central Seoul called  T.I.M.E , where travellers can stamp their notebooks with a collection of Seoul trail stamps. Walking into that shop felt like discovering  Alibaba’s treasure . There were stamps everywhere, each representing different trails and locations across the city. We happily pulled out our small pocket notebooks and started stamping them one after another. By the time we were done, our notebooks were filled with impressions of Seoul that felt far more personal than any typical souvenir. Travel souvenirs are usually magnets or postcards that eventually get forgotten in a drawer. But a notebook filled with stamps collected across a city feels different. Each stamp reminds you of a place, a walk, or a small discovery you made along the way. Seoul quietly offers that experience through its stamp trails —  if you are curious enough to notice them . After going through all the possibilities and experiences the city offers, choosing where to go in Seoul can still feel overwhelming. If you prefer a simpler approach and want to experience the essence of the city without trying to cover everything, a shorter list works just as well.   The following places capture a good balance of Seoul’s history, modern character, and everyday city life. Focusing on these will allow you to experience some of the best aspects of the city without constantly rushing from one attraction to another. Places Category Lotte Tower Amusement Tongyeong - Dpirang (Night Activity) Digital theme park Bukchon Hanok Village Historic Changdokgung Palace OR Gyeongbokgung Palace Historic Gwanghwamun Square Historic DDP Modern infra Gangnam and Library in mall Modern Infra Cheongeyecheon Stream Natural Markets have been removed from this list and separately captured for you to pick.   Cheongeyecheon Stream, right in centre of Seoul Going through Seoul was one satisfying experience for us, it was complex and even though we missed some places we left content with our visit to Seoul.   Stay a little bit longer to experience more and get to know city more in our series blogs accessible through links below   Travel, Mi Amor

A ten day experience to interiors of Rajasthan and Gujarat; on a personal vehicle There is no shortage of gems in India and almost every state boast of attraction that puts it on the world map. We went off on a journey to explore some of the roads less traveled and experience magnificent architecture, natural wonders and connect with nature at the same time. Some of these places we had visited years back, however, it stayed back in our minds, and we always thought of visiting them again. This time we had company with us @Oblong shots . The simmering sun of December meant perfect weather for travel and enjoying roads with good company. Quick Links: Cities covered on the trip Day wise itinerary Food Options Stay Options One State, many wonders, silky roads and one of the finest food offerings, that's right, and above all changing landscape with blink of eye and this is Rajasthan for you. We planned to cover some of the architectural jewels of Rajasthan, embrace nature’s phenomenon in Gujarat at Kutch concluding with the pristine beaches of Diu while spending 10 days on road and traveling approximately 3250 KMs. We hit and enjoyed the following cities on the trip: 1. Jodhpur (Small Detour – Ajmer Dargah and Bullet baba temple) 2. Jaisalmer 3. Bhuj / Rann of Kutch 4. Diu 5. Chittaurgarh (via Ahmedabad) Day wise itinerary: Day 1 : Get set Jodhpur : As always, we planned to leave early in the morning and cover maximum journey with the sun hanging on the top. So we left around 5:00 AM from Gurugram (Gurgaon) and took a breakfast halt around Kothputli (Old Rao Hotel) before reaching Ajmer around 10/11 AM. This was our first-time visit to a Muslim holy place (Ajmer Sharif Dargah), so had some struggle in adapting to rituals and practice. It was a good experience overall and we left little enriched in our culture and heritage. Our next detour was Bullet Baba temple, an unusual deity in remembrance of Om Banna, where people offer whiskey as devotional offerings. It's hardly a ten fifteen-minute detour however worth it. Our next halt was for lunch at Pali and then straight to the elegant structure, Mehrangarh fort. It’s hard to overlook such an immense fort Overlooking the blue city. In vicinity to the fort is Jaswant Thada, a resting place for many noblemen and members of the erstwhile royal family of Jodhpur. We also had plans for visiting Umaid Bhawan Singh palace however it was shut for tourists due to Covid-19. Our day ended with finger-licking Pyaaz Kachoris and Mirchi Vada from Shahi Samosa Day 2 : Onwards toward Jaisalmer : We started our day early around 7 AM towards Mandore (known for its Ravana temples built inside a garden full of monkeys) enjoying the architecture of Mandore garden, and further on to Jaisalmer. You will not be disappointed in your travel as roads are as smooth as butter and worth swooshing over. We reached Jaisalmer by noon and had ample time exploring the “living” fort. Our first visit was to the ancient Jain temples inside the fort and its amazing carvings. The temple follows strict opening/closing timelines. The wall cravings in all these temples will leave you in awe of the architecture and the peace will easily port you into another dimension. King and Queen palace are in the vicinity of the temple. However, its upkeep and maintenance are at a lower level in comparison to Jodhpur palace (maybe because it is a living palace). The place is swarmed by guides, and it's totally at one's whim to either visit the palace on your own or take a guide. If you are very much interested in knowing more about royalties, I suggest taking a guide package to cover the palace, Patwaon ki Haveli, and few more locations in the 3km radius of the fort. One can have delicious food around the palace, there are multiple restaurants, and you can choose from Indian, Continental, Italian, Chinese cuisines. We covered the temples, Cannon point (there are two, please visit the only one which is on the left of the king/queen palace) followed by Patwaon ki Haveli (around 2 km walk one side from the palace or you can take an auto, do not take the parked car out, or else the probability of getting stuck in traffic is high). In between, you can do shopping as well, the streets inside the fort are filled with shops selling souvenirs and more. The perfect end of the day will be with a perfect sunset and there is no better place than Bara Bagh just outside the city for one. It is a block of cenotaphs (or chhatris as fondly called by locals built) in remembrance of late royals and it is said that they were built on banks of a lake which has now dried up and greenery has taken over. You can sit back and relax and watch the sun melt over and passing through a horde of windmills, leaving behind the best of the orange hue with clouds colored with a tinge and floating like huge cotton balls. Day 3 : Paradise roads of Jaisalmer : We left early in the morning and had breakfast near the castle (Pakwaan), and left for Tanot temple via Longewala. It is a feeling of unusual calmness traveling on the roads which have desert as far as your eyes can see. What makes the roads of Jaisalmer even more picturesque are the inline humongous windmills marking the horizon. Curvy roads make you sing at top of your voice and enjoy the serenity. Those empty road shots that you have been craving will be satisfied here. There are two routes that you can take from here. Either visit the Tanot temple first and then cover Longewala or the other way round. In our case as the direct road from Jaisalmer to Tanot temple was under repair we had to take Jaisalmer – Longewala – Tanot and backtrack it. We went on to Longewala and experienced the “Indian” in us while enjoying history, relating to the “Border” movie as if everything you saw in that movie has come to life. Drive from Longewala to Tanot used to be a single-lane road however it has been now renovated to a four-lane highway and you will swim with the wind as you travel, and it will be nothing short of surfing in your dreams. Tanot temple holds a lot of significance and history of miraculous events during the infamous Indo-Pak war as none of the missiles/warheads that landed inside the temple premise went off. The temple is maintained by Army and is a must-visit as you may come across a warhead skeleton kept there. On the return, we took a small detour in between Longewala and Tanot and it was a narrow road, single lane, with huge sandhills as you move. This single-lane driving is something that you will never come across anywhere. It was like taking a car for a ride in heaven. Some of you may relate to it and some may not but this drive is something that we are going to take with us when we depart from this world. You can find a lot of food options in Ramgarh, a small town between Tanot and Jaisalmer where we had our lunch munching Kachoris and Mirchi vada to our hearts desire. En route to Sam dunes, we went to the Kuldhara village (some claim haunted) and Khaba fort. These locations have mystery written all over their presence as these places are known to be abandoned overnight due to tussle with the feudal lord. The most amazing thing is no one knows where the villagers suddenly disappeared overnight in thin air. Location is not scary as the story however it gives a glimpse of how closely knitted people were. It is something very different from the royal life of Rajasthan. No doubt roads leading from these locations till Sam dunes are worth a drive. Our last stop for the day was Sam sand dunes desert campsite. On reaching your camps you can take a camel ride to the top of dunes to enjoy a mesmerizing sunset (included in the deal with the stay) and by shelling few bucks more you can enjoy the ride deep into the dunes on camel carts. We stayed back and enjoyed the sun settling down for the night. In the camp, you will enjoy entertaining performances and local singing, which is a delight, and for us, the next enjoyment session was the ultimate Night Desert Jeep Safari. We left around 7:30 PM right after snacks and we went on to drive of a lifetime across the desert, jumping and swaying over the dunes in pitch dark with nothing but the moon lighting up the sky. Deep inside the desert and rampaging on our jeep we took a break to enjoy a small bonfire out in nowhere which our jeep drive organized for a small sum. Our experience was like a sine wave, hitting max thrill on the crest and equal tranquillity on troughs. We ended our night on a high with the ultimate Rajasthani dinner – Dal Baati Choorma and moved to our tents. Day 4 : Bhuj awaits – We were now ready to leave Rajasthan behind and move on to Bhuj (we recommend you travel to Udaipur for this day and enjoy lakes, and castles before moving to Gujarat however we had personal reasons to skip Udaipur and march towards Bhuj). Road conditions take a 180-degree turn as soon as you move from Rajasthan to Gujarat. State borders roads are in a pathetic state. Bhuj is an industrial complex and there are multiple manufacturing sites in and around Bhuj. Bhuj city is just like any other city but one thing is for sure it feels very spacious when you enter the city. This day most of the time was spent on the road and it was late in the evening till we reached our destination and called it a day, as for the next day, white sand (salt lakes) were calling. Food Options: Enroute Jodhpur: There is no end to breakfast options on way to Jaipur and forward, even before reaching Jaipur, you can find all popular chains like KFC, Burger King, Dominos, Pizza Hut, CCD, Barista, now Starbucks as well, and the Dhabas offering Indian, Chinese to your desires. Pali: GarhGirvar resort has become an unconventional stop for us in Rajasthan when going towards Jodhpur / Udaipur, it is an amazing rest over, with an amazingly ambient restaurant. Food is also worth the visit (maybe little on the expensive side) however the service is great. Jodhpur: Without a doubt, kachoris are a staple diet in Jodhpur, even if you are following a diet, please skip it for the kachoris and which better place than Shahi Samosa for kachoris. Jaisalmer: Restaurants are in abundance in Jaisalmer, we had our lunch at a restaurant behind Jain temples, Jaisalmer Oasis restaurant , though it was on the third floor in a nested society however staff is very courteous and the food is fresh and delightful. You can try other restaurants as well, however, do inform staff to make Indian food preparation as they are habitual of preparing meals to the likings of the foreign visitors. Stay Options: All the cities that we covered in this writeup have some amazing stay options and as most of the time we were in the car travelling, stay actually meant to spend night in a comfy place and move to next city. So we picked economical locations throughout this trip and following are our suggestions: Jodhpur: Preference in Jodhpur was to stay at a location that is near the attractions and not some distant resort so we picked up Fern Jodhpur for our stay. It is prime location located and provide parking space as well. We did not try food here so can’t say much about food however support staff is amazing and highly cooperative, and they do have Covid guidelines followed to the dot Jaisalmer: As soon as you are trying to enter Jaisalmer you will be approached by bikers to assist you in finding hotel, caution: DO NOT STOP, many tourists have complained on harassment from these fellows, mind your driving and move towards your destination. Jaisalmer have some amazing properties listed and no doubt you will get good options if you explore. We chose Wanderlust Guest House as it was located outside the Fort hustle however still had multiple food joints nearby in case if you thought of exploring them. Mr. Padam, owner is very helpful and supportive, and you can get a packaged deal for desert camp as well. For our stay at campsite, though almost all camps will offer you similar kind of package, it will have a free camel safari, dinner and breakfast, tents with common washroom / attached washroom. We have tried few camps before as well, however this time we went ahead with Melody Moonlight Desert Camp , and the best thing about this camp is it is exactly opposite of sand dunes where general audience from various camps "visit" sand dunes. With this, we come to an end to the first half of the trip covering Rajasthan. Rajasthan’s beauty cannot be covered in six days however, you can be content by visiting three cities – Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Udaipur. We have made numerous visits to Rajasthan and sure we will be returning for more in time to come. Also, our spend and breakup will come as part of subsequent blog. Have a good read..

One North Indian hill station which is known to almost everyone across India is Manali. This blog covers this station in vanilla flavor. Have a quick read and enjoy your next visit to Manali Quick Links : Ideal number of Days Day wise itinerary Food Options Spend Breakup Manali is among the most sought-after destination in North India with tourists pouring like monsoon rain throughout the year. Over the past few years, in addition to local tourism, it has become a religious stay for everyone visiting Leh/Ladakh or Spiti valley. Manali has a lot to offer from enthralling mountains and serene waterfalls to paragliding and ziplining for adventure junkies. Many off-beat destinations have popped up around the city for those trying to avoid commercial and crowded locations in Manali central. This itinerary is a blend of cherry-picked destinations covering the most popular locations in and around Manali for the summer season. Manali never ceases to amaze, even if you visit after few months it will still have something new or something you missed the last time you were here Ideal number of Days : If you are specifically visiting Manali to explore its beauty and scenery, 5-6 days are good enough if traveling by road from Delhi/NCR and 4-5 days. In case if you are reaching Manali by flight Nearest airport is Bhuntar Airport in Kullu. If you are traveling by Car from Delhi NCR, we suggest you leave an evening early and cover the plains journey till Mohali / Rupnagar. And then from Mohali / Rupnagar, we suggest you leave as early as possible in the morning , like 5ish to avoid traffic jams. Day wise itinerary : Day 1 : Travel from Rupnagar / Mohali to Manali. From Rupnagar (if you are leaving from Mohali, then maybe after an hour) travel distance is around 265km and takes around 8-10 hours to reach Manali (unfortunately it was Friday and we were subsumed by traffic at all places, so for us it took 14 hours). You will find most traffic around Mandi and Kullu. As we are talking about Himachal, there will be construction/patchwork through and through. You can find a few good options for meals in Mandi, other than that most will be small-time Dhabas and Maggi outlets. Once you reach Manali, depending on the time, you can recce local area and get a feel of the place. Leverage parking areas to explore around on foot, otherwise, traffic jams are more common than street vendors in Manali  Day 2 : Deepak Tal via Atal Tunnel – If you are a road trip enthusiast then this day will be a delight for you. We left at a good time in the morning towards Atal Tunnel through Leh Manali highway covering en route – Solang valley (15 min from Manali) – Atal Tunnel (40 Min from Manali) and Sissu, the first village after Manali towards Leh. As soon as you leave Atal Tunnel, the way splits in two, one towards Leh and the other towards Kaza. The landscape changes drastically as soon as you leave the Atal tunnel behind. There will be an urge to stop at every hook and turn of the road and capture every view, so be ready and keep your devices charged. The road till Deepak tal will take you through Keylong and Jispa; and is smooth as butter except for few rough patches, our hatchback sailed smoothly with little challenge. Deepak tal is a small yet pristine water body with most of the crowd left far behind. Though it is incomparable to Chandra tal (in Spiti) , the aura around is energetic and flows with positive vibes. You can also try some good monasteries around Keylong if not interested in traveling this far. You can find decent famiy restaurants in Keylong for food and snacks Day 3 : Rohtang pass – Must visit place for Manali. You can hire a cab very easily as there is a huge number of operators in Manali for the Rohtang pass. At Rohtang Pass, you will get to see and feel snow even in peak summers, most of it will be in patches, not too thick but good enough to enjoy. Keep your expectations from this snow very low as most of it will be mud stricken with activities like – Yak riding, Skiing, Tube slide, and more going in full flow. However, the view from the top is nothing but extraordinarily breathtaking. You can explore the area on foot to experience “on edge of the world” feeling. There are multiple waterfalls when you go uphill to Rohtang however if you decide to go towards Kaza from Rohtang, there are more beautiful waterfalls on the other side. Cab drivers will give you the option to return via Atal Tunnel (do choose this option) but be wary of twists and turns downhill as it may trigger motion sickness among a few. Day 4 : Local and One nearby destination (Manikaran / Kullu – Nagger Castle): On our last day in Manali we had an option to exert or spend it relaxingly so we gave Manikaran a skip and decided to go to Kullu instead. We visited Nagger castle, a small medieval castle located on a little detour from Kullu, it is easily approachable and can be found full of IT millennials/ Gen Z leveraging WFH in Covid times. Nagger castle is good but it can be skipped and not feel bad about it. Rest of the day, we spent visiting Hidimba temple (an ancient cave temple) and Local market road (MG road) for leisure and shopping. Do try 8 in 1/ 4 in 1 / 16 in 1 flavor ice cream (or as we know it – Softy) You can also opt for local places instead of Manikaran / Kullu depending on your interst and priority. Day 5 : Return to Delhi. Time has come to leave amazing sceneries behind and travel back to the regular routine. It is recommended that you leave as early as possible like 6- 6:30 in the morning to avoid all the rush. It took us 14 hours with multiple stops to return when we left by 6:30 in the morning. Food Options: Manali has a bouquet of eateries and restaurants with live music and amazing delicacies to offer. If you go by google maps, astonishingly you will find most of them have a rating above 4. Even dhabas have an average rating of 4.2, so there is a struggle to choose which restaurant to try. If we look at Food options geographically, there are good food options located on almost every road you take around New/ OldManali . Following are our recommendations: Corner House (MG road): Without a doubt, the best food we had in Manali. It was that one meal that was smooth on the palate, full of flavors and hitting all the right nodes from starters till Dessert. Courteous staff and on-time food delivery made us crave for more and we left with a slightly lighter pocket but full till the brim on the tummy. Il Forno (Near Hidimba Temple): Garden theme restaurant, with an outdoor and indoor setting, it offers some of the refreshing drinks from its garden fruits. Clay oven-based veg pizza was good but not that great. You will love the ambiance and if you have good company then an unforgettable time is confirmed. Food prices are on the upper side of the normal curve.   German Bakery (Old Manali): Riverside bakery with ample sitting space offers amazing delicacies like pies and coffee which are wholesome and amazing. You can have a full meal or dessert with coffee, depending on your choice Manalsu Dhaba: In case you are interested in simple yet yummy food try out Manalsu Dhaba just near the old Manali bridge, there are multiple dhabas around the old Manali bridge, all having 4+ ratings, depending on the crowd and your liking choose one. Roundez-Vous restaurant: Unfortunately, we visited this place when Manali was coming out of the second wave and almost all restaurants were struggling with staff shortage. The food here is premium on the pocket but average on taste buds. Clay Oven Pizza is not something that you will like and something which every restaurant is offering. The place has ample space and if your herd is huge in size you may try it out. Ride Inn: Away from the Manali’s restaurant honeycomb maze, Ride-inn offers stays and a thematic restaurant which is nothing like any other. The conceptual restaurant is all about drive machines, you will find so much artistry in the ambiance that you will fall in love with the place in a glance. They take time to bring food (observed some customers leaving without food) however it is worth the wait. Full of flavors and palatable.  There were some restaurants that we badly wanted to try however we couldn’t: Café 1947: Located on wide Leh Manali highway, we saw many reviews and videos suggesting this Café, however our hard luck, whenever we visited there was waiting for more than two hours and restaurant policy needs you to be physically there when your time comes on the waiting list. Opens around 1 PM in the noon and goes on till midnight (depending on local restrictions) Rocky Café: One of those restaurants which we were never able to reach due to distance between our stay and restaurant location, but heard that they offer among the best pizzas in town.  Renaissance: Known for its lip smacking Pizzas, this restaurant strictly follows timings. We could not enjoy its delicacies because we got held up by traffic and reached a little late. Our advice, do not take your car/taxi in Old Manali market to avoid getting stuck in traffic on steep slope.                 Some tips to have a good time in Manali: Staying location: Manali has amazing stays all around. Our plan is to select a property that is adjacent or a little far from the heart of the city. Due to the huge inflow of personal cars and cramped roads, you will observe people struggling and tussling over parking space. If you have your own vehicle prefer to stay on Goshal Road and enter old Manali through Nehru Kund, comparatively here traffic is low and there are good options to stay. We opted for Airbnb , as at times you get good options at economical prices If we could bucket Manali then there are three major areas: Old Manali where the hotels surround Mall Road, Old Manali bridge where most of the restaurants and hotels are, and then third will be Leh Manali highway crossing on the other side of Manalsu River. Traffic wise third area is most easily accessible and has the least traffic issues. In case you are going for a second pocket, we advise you to reach there through Nehru Kund and park near HPT Clubhouse or else you will struggle a lot to park your car and reach even by cabs. If you are visiting Manali in the summers, Solang valley offers nothing extraordinary, you can skip it completely. In case you want to try out adventure sports, then you may visit ; otherwise , it is like an open ground in between hills For Rohtang Pass , you can take your personal car by applying for a pass through  https://rohtangpermits.nic.in/ , you will be among the lucky ones if you are able to complete the process and make payment as well since the website is really slow. Another option is to take a cab by reaching out to local tour operators. One piece of advice though, bargain heavily as they start with skyrocket prices giving thousands of reasons. You can do multiple activities, hire a cab around INR 4k. Environmental advice: kindly bring back your plastic waste and do not dispose of it in Manali as hill stations do not have efficient waste management. This is for our own good and preserving precious locations. Stay options for Manali: Stay locations are always a personal matter. Some prefer a room in a hotel with hot meals available throughout and some believe in having a place with independence, we belong to latter category however at the end economical stay matters J Below are the options that we explored / stayed at during our trip: Farm stay at Rupnagar : As it was one night stay we made some compromise on the comfort and decided to stay at a Farm House, though house location is little deep in the village and reaching there may be troublesome, it was a good stay ( We stayed on the top floor, and were provided with coolers). Overall, a good stay with amazing fresh fruit breakfast. Hotel stay in Manali : Manali have truck load options in terms of hotel, however our priority was to stay a little outside the hustle bustle but yet reachable under 15 min so we decided to this location. We got a good deal on Airbnb in comparison to other booking sites. Our overall stay was good in this nice cozy hotel Spend Breakup: We spent in total INR 37k for this trip and the breakup was as: Stay spend : INR 15k approx for two rooms - four nights Fuel spend : INR 5k approx for petrol car Food : INR 6.7k approx (this is totally personal and depends on you) Misc : INR 10k Rohtang cab visit and other expenses ( also depends on your negotiation skills)

Just to the south of the Europe, lies the heart of the world, a place where intellectuality was born. A place where sun does not set in west rather it melts and leave a mark. I think I was in third grade when I first learnt about Trojan Horse and got fascinated with the story of Troy. Though I was never fascinated with Greece at that time, tbh till 2019 Greece was a distant land somewhere in Europe. I don’t know when my better half got fixated on Greece and pushed that we plan for scintillating Greek memories. Her wish = My wish Our plan was to try and find a balanced trip between the Greek mainland and well-known islands. When you explore Greek itineraries, you may get overwhelmed with choices and find everything pickable. You transform into a kid and want everything till the time reality slaps you, and you find your job, finances and other commitments standing on top and then you get serious about what to pick. We finally settled that we would spend two nights on the Greek mainland, and two nights in Mykonos followed by two nights in Folegandros and a night in Santorini. How did we finalize on these pitstops you ask? Sure, let's jump onto that. How to plan a perfect Greek tour? The answer is plain and simple. Decide on what you want to do in Greece. Your preference is island hopping; great go for it, you will not be missing anything if you do so. Your preference is experiencing history; great, the mainland has so many things that you can skip islands and will not feel bad about it. And in the end, you want both; now we are talking. Our one-week itinerary was distributed around the Greek capital, two of the most popular islands – Mykonos and Santorini and one mandatorily offbeat island(s) (it can be more than one). Now, this is quintessential that you select one of the many options and one island that does not regularly appear on Instagram or Facebook. Greece is so much more than Mykonos and Santorini, and personally, these both islands are awesome and everything, but if someone asks me, Santorini is an overkill, it is always crowded everywhere. Santorini was a mood killer and the only reason we spent a night here, was because it had a direct flight to Athens (Greek Capital), and I suffer from seasickness. We were more than happy with Mykonos and can revisit any day, and the third island i.e. Folegandros was personally my choice as I wanted an off-radar island and developed a liking as soon as I googled it. Most of the well-known islands are in the Cyclades group and you can pick any of them like Anafi, Ios, Paros, Naxos among others. What did we do when we were in Greece, that is a very detailed story and readable through the following links: 1. Day 0 and 1: Settling Down and leisure walk through History Boulevard 2. Day 2: Tete-a-Tete with the Sun and the Sea 3. Day 3: Commonalities of Mykonos 4. Day 4 and 5: Detoxifying @Folegandros 5. Day 6: Closure and Return So have a read and let us know how you feel about it. Before we sign off, I forgot to mention the best time to visit Greece is around September when the crowd is thin but at the same time, the weather is still good to enjoy almost summers in Greece. Though, peak season is March – June if you are a crowd-loving fan. In addition, to assist you in a way for better planning, you can go through our Greece logistics arrangement blog as well. Oh.. I missed to mention there is some smack-i-licious food options also mentioned here. Till Next time!! Adios Amigos!!

A Simple take on one of the basic question: Which Goa to visit - North Goa or South Goa? If there is one Indian city/ state which truly resonates with tourism, it is Goa. If we talk about millennials, be it our last years of graduation, initial few years of bachelorhood and job there would have been one friend, one colleague who would have popped this question – “Let’s go to Goa this year” and after numerous plan failures, breakups, or after getting married, every second or third Indian would have succeeded in executing their plan. And we can say surely, it takes not an itinerary but a simply fun mood to visit Goa. Pack summer clothes, book a flight, and arrive in Goa that’s all you need. After all, what’s Goa if not “Beach, Booze, Food. Repeat”. This is at least true for the first or second visit and if you are doing this for the fifth or sixth time, and you are loving it, then you are at the wrong place searching for an itinerary. We will not call ourselves experts in Goa planning. But we can say with utmost confidence, that Goa might be amongst the smallest states in India, but it is the largest in terms of tourism. Don’t trust us? Open Instagram and search Goa. You will get at least 200 different pages only for Goa promoting one or another thing. Without further ado, let's focus on why you are reading this blog? So basically, every second person can make a Goa itinerary, but we hope to provide a different perspective on how to plan your next Goa trip. After researching, planning, visiting, and learning from mistakes on what to and what not to do in Goa, we present to you how to plan your next goa trip. As we mentioned, it's all about perspective when visiting Goa. Goa has two facets. One which is calm, exquisite, green, vast, and expensive on the pocket, or what we call South Goa. Then there is spoilt with choices, hip, and happening, yet exquisite and a little less expensive is North Goa. So based on your company, budget, and expectations from Goa (or simply perspective) you should choose where you want to spend your holidays. Oh and expecting you are there for a holiday of max a week or less. If you are spending around ten days or more, you can divide your stay and cover both parts. We will suggest if you are spending 4-5 days and are interested in covering both, then please don’t. You will not be able to enjoy both as much as you want. The distance between two locations(North and South) is about 3-5 hours, depending on your stay location with Airport being somewhere in middle. When and Why to Choose either South or North Goa? Starting with South Goa, this is the place for relaxation, meditation, and connecting with your inner self. Below is a snapshot of what your day will look like: Waking early in the morning around 6-7 and wearing an additional layer as you feel chill in the air. You will take your vehicle and visit the nearest beach where you will find missing human souls. You will sit on the shore and play with soothing waves crashing at your feet. You will be back at the hotel/resort for your breakfast and dip in not so chilling swimming pool. You will get ready and decide to explore forts, and waterfalls near you, which probably will be an hour's drive or more depending on your choice. You will hop from one waterfall to another and have lunch in one of the amazing restaurants before heading to watch the sunset on another beach. There will be a couple of enthusiasts like you on the beach, clicking photographs for Instagram or recording the next Youtube video. By the time sun says goodbyes you will be tired but your mind will be full of energy. Your next stop will be the resort where you will get ready for the night and head to another restaurant right on the beach for live music and some booze. You head back to the resort late to enjoy the next day lazily. If not a party lover, then you will find architectural beauty spilling on the roads here. You can turn to visit monuments during the day apart from beaches in the morning and evening to have an eventful day. In North Goa, all the things are in close vicinity. You will get restaurants, stores, and stay locations in abundance. When you are out in your vehicle, you will probably reach one hotspot to another in a very short span, whereas traveling time in South goa is a little longer as all the spots are scattered. You will see civilization and huge gatherings in North Goa which is totally opposite of South Goa. Selection of location comes down to your budget, if you can spend some extra and look for a quality, distant peaceful time, prefer South Goa. If you are tight on budget and want a similar feel as South Goa, you can opt for Airbnb in North of North Goa, i.e. near Vagator beach. Another highly helpful tool, especially in Goa is Google maps. Search your stay property and work outwards to find locations that you can explore on your humane strength and pocket strength. Just to give an idea average room tariff in South Goa will be around 3.5-5k (10-20% higher than North Goa of a similar rated stay location) One piece of advice: You cannot cover everything if you are not in a “traveling profession”. Pick things that your group likes, which they agree on, and as per your capacity. Please do not blindly follow Instagram or YouTube Ideas. Goa is your fun destination; it does not need to be a traveler’s course. To conclude we will give you some good tourist spots from South Goa: Cabo De Rama Fort and waterfall right along with Cape De Goa Waterfalls like Bamanbudo, Netralim, Mainapi, Doodhsagar, and the list goes on Untapped beaches like Butterfly beach, Mobor beach, Palolem beach among others Restaurants: The Farmhouse (a personal favorite), Leda Balcao, Martin’s Corner Coming to North Goa, the following will be our recommendations: Chapora fort (Dil Chahta hai), Fontainhaas, Immaculate Conception Church (though it is very crowded almost at all times) Beaches: Though most of them are crowded like Calangute, Candolim however there are some quiet beaches like Anjuna, Vagator which are further in the north Restaurants: Baba au Rhum (must visit), Artjuna, Caravella Coffee house (another must-visit) but in any case, there will be endless options for you in terms of food and restaurants here. Various water sports like parasailing, banana ride, jet and many more at almost all the major beaches of the city but do bargain well for the best price In addition, we will not personally recommend scuba diving in Goa if you are a scuba enthusiast, though it's cheap compared to other locations, it is not at all worth a single penny. They try to create a fake scuba experience better to explore it in other locations. So that concludes our take on Goa, hope we helped you gain some perspective when visiting Goa. Adios!! Travel, Mi Amor

Two-part series on getting to know about the Maldives and whether you should visit Maldives. Through these two posts, We will be answering questions such as: What is Maldives? Private islands or Public Islands? Why visit Maldives? What is the best time to visit the Maldives? What are different types of private resort properties? How to choose a resort? If you are interested in answers to any of the questions above, I am sure the next 10-15 min read will be worth it. Heads up, this blog is the starting point of knowing Maldives better. If you are already aware of the basic geo and demographics understanding about the Maldives, please jump to Part II ( Why Maldives and is it worth it? ) Maldives has always been an exotic destination for many, and it has always been looked expensive, too good to be true, out of reach however, at the same time some may have ignored it considering it not value for money. Post-Covid, people have started looking at Maldives from a whole new perspective, given it is one of the “foreign” lands that were open and welcoming tourists from India. Generally, newly married pick Maldives as its basic offering - “honeymoon” setup is next to none. Locating Maldives Let’s start with understanding the Maldives demographically / geographically to better know and pick a location in Maldives for time to spend. The Maldives is a small group of islands located just below the Sovereign of India and Sri Lanka. It’s a Muslim-ethnic country and has strict guidelines on how to carry oneself in public. Important to note- you cannot carry liquor from your place to Maldives and if you are visiting public beaches, then you should follow the guidelines on what to wear. Coming via air route, you will land in Male, the Maldivian capital and biggest island in the Maldives. There are high rises, residential complexes, and everything you expect from a capital city with all sides surrounded by Sea (Yes Sea, Maldives is in the Arabian Sea). So, staying in Male will be like staying in any other beachside city. Maldives Atolls In Maldives, some of the islands are public islands that are accessible to all and can be visited by taking a public ferry and one can stay on different properties on these islands. Just like Andamans Islands (India). So, if in your opinion, new culture, new people are important as travel experience then opt for public islands. However, it will be less expensive to visit Andamans at any time for a similar experience. Coming to the exotic private islands, Maldives is a group of small islands clubbed into atolls – North Atoll and South Atoll. Most North Atoll islands are near to Male and can be reached easily with jet boat transfers whereas South atoll islands are a bit far and can be reached through seaplanes. Now if you are planning to go extremities of both North and South, you will need seaplane transfers. Most of the small islands are the size of a few acres (circumference of 2-10 km) which you can easily cover in hours. And individually, islands are owned by huge hoteliers. Hotel chains have set up islands as their property. There are many islands inhabited by indigenous people with no resort or hotel setup, which are off-limits for tourism until and unless you have been invited there by locals. If you are wondering whether you should plan for North Atoll or South Atoll? There is very little difference in terms of scenic views, luxury, or environment. Marine life around Maldives is very beautiful irrespective of the atoll. But it will only affect your decision to stay in the north or south if you are planning a sea excursion like snorkeling or scuba. Time to visit Maldives The best time of visiting the Maldives is from November – February. We chose November given prices are low and the weather is good. The same can be said for February when the temperature is almost similar, but the weather is too dry and chances for sunburns are high. Maldives package can be booked either for 3N/4D(3 nights/4 days) or 4N/5D and this is the ideal duration of time to spend in the Maldives. What Maldives Offer?  Maldives islands can be considered as a private retreat where you are only in touch with limited guests on the island and the company you went with. You can enjoy beach/pool swims, snorkeling, amazing food, photography, and enjoy the break from the never-ending race. Time at Maldives is like rejuvenation. As soon as you land in Maldives, its transparent water, hospitality, and ambiance take away all your worries. Human nature has always struggled with choices, we want more choices however when we have abundant choices and things to do, we get confused and end up with nothing. When you are in resort you have countable choices. Reduction in this burden is the biggest treasure of being in Maldives. You will be traveling to a place that has one of the best sunsets, one of the best white sand beaches, crystal clear water, and resort amenities to enjoy, I think you should plan for the Maldives then. As much as I enjoy big company, I enjoy a level above when it is just my partner and me. At the same time, families or groups of friends can also have some of the best days of their life. Hope this introduction to the Maldives has set a proper base and now if your next question is how to decide which resort shall you finalize? Please hop on to the next chapter: All things about Maldives resorts and How much will it cost?

Agar firdaus bar roo-e zameen ast, Hameen ast-o hameen ast-o hameen ast The famous quote from Shahjahanabad, Rana Safvi’s book has been aptly made for Kashmir Valley. Kashmir, sitting as the crown of the nation, is nestled between oldest Himalayan ranges. What makes Kashmir stand apart is its simplicity dwelling in the preciousness of nature. Srinagar, the capital city will come across like any other non-metro city. Though it is imperative that you may have heard / read something negative about the valley but when you are in Srinagar, you will observe people on their routine jobs, living, enjoying like any other city in India. At the same time, the probability of any incident occurring is comparatively higher but at least for a common man, it’s not as bad as presented in news. Hats off to security forces for maintaining the security and decorum of the place. Kashmir is beautiful in any and every season, be it winters or summers. All you need to do is plan and visit for that reason, we are here to assist you so that you can have a good time in Kashmir. Kashmir valley’s vantage point is Srinagar (if you are coming via flight) and it is up to your personal choice whether to keep Srinagar as the center for your visit or keep changing base as you travel to different locations in the valley. Our itinerary is based and planned for winters, to be very specific last week of December. We expected snowy Srinagar however to our disappointment, that was not the case. Something we heard a lot on our trip about Kashmir during our visit was “weather in Kashmir is like Mumbai’s fashion” (meaning it changes with a whip of wind) and guess what, it turned out to be true. For our whole trip, every day we felt like nature’s objective was to beat all kinds of weather predictions. Coming to the itinerary, for this journey we have tried to cover a lot of things like how to plan, places to visit, special mentions for you to make your trip memorable. You can use the following links to get a detailed itinerary for every location and important pointers. So hop on and make us your first stop for any travel planning. Gulmarg: Land from Frozen Pahalgam: Adventurous soul of Kashmir Sonamarg: Land of Golden Mountain Hidden gems of Kashmir Srinagar : Roti, Kapda aur aap Kashmir: Planning your trip Hope you have a good read and we can assist in your travel plans. Travel, Mi Amor.

Simplicity of a road trip during winters of North India Weekends and extended holidays have been given a new meaning in the Indian Dictionary. Most families plan small get-together trips to break free and have fun in a short duration of time. Due to this increase in the trend, the number of options to explore has also increased. Especially in the northern part of India, you will find resorts in distant locations of Rajasthan, upcoming Airbnbs in hilly states, or workcation locations in an exotic destination. All that is left to set sail is a few motivated souls in the group and an agreed-upon date to travel. In this plethora of road trip options, some heritage cities have historical roots, with an added modernization twist. Cities like Jaipur, and Amritsar which are the top 2 cities in this category, have always attracted crowds through their spiritual or historic connections. Most of us do have few options marked to cover when they are in these historical cities. Then one might ask what additionally these cities have to offer. It is for the same reason that this road trip is a little different. The generic itinerary of Amritsar included Golden Temple, Jallianwala Bagh, and Wagah Border, and amazing food will be the top choice for most of them. Therefore, let’s uncover some of the uncanny places and some useful tips to spice up your next road trip to Amritsar. If you are traveling to Amritsar via Delhi NCR you cross multiple cities with some special offerings like Murthal Dhabas, Karna lake at Karnal, or the legendary city of Kurukshetra. You may plan your trip in a way that you take a food break in Murthal, some of the dhabas turned restaurants have the most mouth-watering paranthas and dishes. Karna lake is also reachable with a small detour however it may consume half of your day. Visiting Kurukshetra may take a day or so to explore, so there are multiple options for you to choose from. We planned our trip in a way to visit the famous Rang de Basanti fort or Dohra fort in Ludhiana, it’s hardly 5 min drive off the NH1 and easily trackable through Google maps. All though it bears very less resemblance to how it was presented in the movie however it’s a good stop over and worthy of your time here. Fort’s condition is not good, it's not that maintained yet the boundary wall stands tall and you can walk on the periphery, clicking photos, and spend time enjoying the farms all around with all green fields swinging to the tunes of the winds reminding you of the typical Punjabi beauty. In the summers, you may find kids flying kites outside and having a good time. As you leave behind Ludhiana, you can plan your next halt directly at Amritsar excluding the food and nature breaks. Amritsar welcomes you with a magnificent dome entrance and you can see that now you are entering the holy city of Amritsar. A lot of development has been done in the last few years and the city is trying to keep up with the growing population and infrastructure demands. Major well-known attractions of the city are located near Golden temples like Jallianwala bagh, shopping sites, partition museum, and a few others. It is preferable to book a hotel near Golden temple and ensure it has car parking for safety reasons. Most of the time when roaming in the city, prefer not to take your car, otherwise, you will be spending most of the time in traffic rather than enjoying yourself. Prefer transport mediums like E-rickshaw to cover places in and around. Govt has also developed infra around the temple making it easier to walk and discover. In the end, the choice is yours. Day in Amritsar can be planned in a way to cover Jallianwala Bagh, Partition Museum, Street food tour, Shopping can be done on the day you are reaching Amritsar. Golden temple is heavily crowded during the day, so it is most suitable to visit the temple in the early hours, preferably at 4:00 AM. Now if you are a night person then you can plan to visit late at night around 11:00 PM. Though if you plan to take a dip in the holy water then you must visit during the daytime. We made a mistake of reaching around 1:00 AM and we were unaware that the temple is closed for cleaning till 3:30 AM and it opens again around 4:00 AM. Langar services are open 24X7X365 so you need not worry if you feel hungry. As it’s a short road trip and the next day is your day of return, what better thing to do than visit Wagah Border and kindle your patriotism? One place which had the biggest makeover has been Wagah Border. I remember visiting Wagah Border when I was 10-12 years old, there used to be a very small audience standing on one side with a sitting capacity of 100 max I guess. On the visitors/ sitting capacity ratio, it is still the same, but then you used to sit close to the beating retreat. Due to Covid, you never know when they shut down beating retreat and you just visit there for fun. So you will have to check whether the beating retreat is scheduled or not. Because that will change the itinerary as you may have to cover the Wagah border a day before as it is an evening activity. Another place that is very near to the Wagah border and rarely visited by people is – Pul Mooran / Pul Kanjri which has a significant historic reference. It is far closer to the border than a closed Wagah border. You can see huge fencing almost 100 steps from you. The odd thing is everything looks the same on both sides of the fencing. Though there is a BSF post in front of it, they will not allow you to reach the fence. So please don’t act smart :P Pul Kanji is said to be Punjab’s Taj Mahal as it is a symbol of love, built as a stopover from Amritsar to Lahore. It is a good stop for a photography session as well. There are a few more places that you can cover in case you have ample time before you start your journey back. You can cover Ram Tirath Mandir, which is the birthplace of Lord Ram’s sons Love and Kush. It is again a small detour en route to Wagah Border. Another hotspot destination is Gobindgarh Fort, which has been beautifully maintained and is located only 2 km from Golden temple. And if you are looking for a short stop over to another religious site, then you may think about covering Tarn Taran, which is on the way back, and though it may take some time to cover Goindwal Sahib and Tarn Taaran Sahib here. Many of us have been to Amritsar quite a few times and most of the time we have on our itinerary Golden temple and Wagah border. Well now for your next visit hopefully you have some more locations to cover on your next road trip and that too without extending your stay in Amritsar. Coming up - Places for a weekend trip near Delhi NCR ;)

Dreaming of a spontaneous weekend escape that will whisk you away from the everyday hustle and bustle? Look no further! We're here to unravel the secrets of choosing the perfect destination for your quick getaway. While we can't promise an exhaustive list of all the incredible places out there (we'd need an infinite number of blogs and reels for that), we can certainly equip you with a simple approach to make your decision-making a breeze. Picture this: you and your loved ones, packing your bags, and setting off on an adventure-filled journey, leaving behind the stress of everyday life. But where should you go? Say goodbye to endless hours of research and confusion. It's time to embrace a simple yet effective approach that will have you jetting off to incredible locations in no time. So, fasten your seatbelts and get ready for a whirlwind adventure of discovery and inspiration! Lately, we've been sharing our travel experiences, from planning to execution and post-visit reflections. Today, we want to help you streamline the process of picking a destination for a weekend getaway. This blog is the result of our contemplation, aiming to assist you in quickly shortlisting destinations and spending less time on decision-making. Let's get started with some basic assumptions: You reside in the Delhi NCR region (if not, don't worry, you can adapt the steps to your location). You have a Friday evening to Sunday night window for your getaway (approximately 48 hours, the minimum timeframe for a true getaway). Expect a minimum travel time of 10 hours (round trip). Based on this estimate, we'll focus on destinations within a range of 350-400 km. If you have a dedicated driver, you can consider extending the range to 500 km or beyond. Seasonal Considerations: To begin, let's consider the time of year when you plan your trip. If you're in Delhi NCR, you're surrounded by Rajasthan, UP, Uttarakhand, Himachal, Haryana, and Punjab (including Chandigarh). We can exclude Haryana from our weekend visit options, as it offers few worthy destinations beyond a few resorts. Instead, we'll consider it as a midway stop only. To help you with the first-level shortlisting, here's a breakdown of the potential destinations in each state based on different months: ​Months / State Punjab UP (East) UK / HP Rajasthan Mar-Apr Okay Okay Prefer Avoid May-Jun Avoid Avoid Prefer Avoid Jul-Sep Okay Okay Avoid Okay Oct-Nov Okay Okay Top Choice Prefer Dec-Feb Avoid Okay Top Choice Top Choice​ Here's what these choices mean: Okay: You can easily plan a trip to any destination in this state, though you may face minor discomfort due to heat or cold. Prefer: Beat the weather for an amazing time, but expect larger crowds and competition for resources like hotels, restaurants, and popular picture spots. Avoid: Not recommended to visit these locations due to extreme weather conditions or other factors. Top Choice: Best time to visit the location, with great weather and an opportunity to enjoy nature's wonders. Your Choice: If you're particularly fond of a specific season, such as winter or snowfall, feel free to visit a destination of your liking. Great! With the state-level shortlisting complete, let's delve deeper into each state and explore the manageable distances within our allotted time frame. We've included screenshots from Google Maps to help you visualize the regions. Chapter 1: Punjab - Unveiling the Possibilities \The highlighted blue region on the map showcases the area you can cover within a 500 km radius (approximately 8 hours' drive) from Punjab. It presents various destinations worth exploring, including the renowned city of Amritsar. To learn more about Amritsar, check out our blog post at https://www.travelmiamor.com/post/amritsar-road-trip . Punjab Google Maps (Image source: Google maps) Chapter 2: Uttar Pradesh (East) - A Cultural Mélange The green region on the map signifies a 500 km radius (approximately 8 hours' drive) from Lucknow, covering prominent destinations such as Varanasi, Ayodhya, Prayagraj, and Gorakhpur. These cities are steeped in culture, spirituality, and historical significance. (Image source: Google maps) Chapter 3: Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh - A Himalayan Odyssey This vast region, marked by the purple boundaries, is perfect for nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers. Destinations like Nainital, Mussoorie, Dehradun, Shimla, and Manali are a few highlights within a 500 km radius (approximately 8 hours' drive) from Dehli. Each place offers breathtaking views, serene landscapes, and ample opportunities for adventure activities. Nainital (and nearby lakes, which are now more recommended owing to increasing traffic in Nainital) Almora Dehradun / Mussoorie Kanatal / New Tehri Haridwar / Rishikesh Landsdowne Mukteshwar Jim Corbett / Ramnagar Uttrakhand Google maps (Image source: Google Maps) Coming to Himachal Pradesh, post-Covid, multiple small destinations have come up offering a "work-from-home" setup at a reasonable price. In our circle, we felt every fourth person sitting in Himachal and working from the mountains for months. Lets list down places easily coverable over the weekend: Chail (will prefer it over Shimla, due to peace and relaxation) Shimla Kasauli Kufri Then there are some destinations which are little further like: Jibhi Tirthan Dharamshala Palampur Bir Billing Planning for Himachal Pradesh over a weekend is a little tricky owing to the distance from Delhi and mostly it will be a journey of more than 8 hours one way. So recommended way of travel is to reach Chandigarh and stay overnight before leaving early morning for Himachal Pradesh. Himachal Pradesh Google Maps (Image source: Google Maps) Chapter 4: Rajasthan - Unveiling Royal Legacies In the golden expanse of Rajasthan, marked in yellow, you'll find cities that reflect a glorious past and vibrant culture. From Jaipur to Jhunjhunu, Mandawa, Pattan, Neemrana, Ajmer, Jodhpur; each city offers unique experiences that transport you to a bygone era. All these destinations can be reached within a 500 km radius (approximately 8 hours' drive) from Delhi. Additionally, Ranthambhore (near Sawai Madhopur) is also in the radar. Rajasthan Google Maps In the end: Armed with our seasonal considerations, state-level shortlisting, and a closer look at specific regions, you can now make an informed decision for your next weekend getaway. Remember, these are just recommendations, and you're free to adapt them according to your preferences. So, pack your bags, hit the road, and embark on an unforgettable adventure that fits perfectly within your weekend schedule.

Have you ever embarked on a journey with a destination in mind, only to end up in a completely different place? Life has a way of surprising us, and travel plans are no exception. Join us on a thrilling adventure as we share our story of initially planning for Georgia, only to find ourselves enchanted by the hidden gems of Slovenia and Austria. From the initial apprehension to the elation upon arrival and the bittersweet departure, this tale will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions. Ljubljana: City of Dragon Unplanned Detour: From Georgia to Europe As we began our travel planning, Georgia was set to be our destination. However, the desire for a more European experience led us to consider other options. After evaluating various countries, including the Czech Republic, Croatia, England, and Scotland, we settled on Czech Republic and Austria. Excitement filled the air as we meticulously crafted our itinerary and made the necessary bookings. But a sudden blow came when we realized that the earliest visa appointment available was 20 days after our scheduled flight. Panic set in, until a wise suggestion from our uncle changed our course. Discovering Slovenia: A Hidden Gem Our relative proposed visiting Slovenia, a country less frequented by Indian travellers. At first, we were unfamiliar with this mysterious destination, but curiosity took hold. With a speedy visa appointment secured within 7 days, we eagerly set our sights on this unexplored corner of Europe. Slovenia, once part of the former Yugoslavia, revealed a rich history, pristine nature, and captivating architecture. It may not have the grandeur of other European countries, but it held a unique charm all its own. Nature's Bliss in Austria To compensate for Slovenia's architectural simplicity, we discovered that Austria had a secret treasure trove of natural beauty. The breathtaking landscapes of Austria left us awestruck. From the majestic Alps to picturesque lakes and charming villages, Austria showcased a side we had never anticipated. It was a delightful surprise to witness the harmonious blend of Austria's cultural heritage and awe-inspiring nature. Peace Dimension Planning for the Journey No Euro trip is complete without thorough planning. Our experiences taught us the importance of scheduling visa appointments early, especially during peak European summers. We recommend considering Slovenia as a viable option due to the relatively easier visa process. Our itinerary included three days in Slovenia before heading to Austria, specifically exploring Salzburg and Vienna. Inter and Intra city travels Navigating intercity travel in Slovenia can be a bit challenging due to low frequency, but various operators offer services. Check timetables frequently and ensure you travel with the same operator for round trips. In Ljubljana, the capital, consider getting the Urbana card, which provides free bus rides and additional perks like a boat ride and a ride on the Funicular (like a lift for reaching Ljubljana Castle) In Austria, public transport in Salzburg and nearby can be tricky, so renting a car is advisable for exploring the natural beauty surrounding the city. In Vienna, a vast metropolis, it's best to obtain travel cards suitable for your specific needs. Research different options based on your planned daily destinations to maximise convenience. Finding Your Perfect Stay When it comes to accommodation, Airbnb often offers centrally located options without breaking the bank. Use Google Maps to compare the proximity of your stay to key attractions. For more budget-friendly options, booking.com and Agoda can provide alternatives, ensuring a comfortable and convenient stay. Logistics: Sim Card, Travel cards and Currency Upon arrival, obtaining a local sim card becomes a priority. In Ljubljana, we were surprised to find no sim card shops at the airport. Instead, we visited a local retail chain like Hofer or Lidl to purchase a sim card with data packages costing around EUR 10. It's also advisable to keep small currency denominations for public transportation ticket purchases. When it comes to travel cards, evaluate your planned destinations in detail. In Ljubljana, we skipped purchasing a travel card as most attractions were within walking distance from our centrally located accommodation. However, in cities like Salzburg and Vienna, travel cards often include entry tickets to historic sites or offer discounts, making them worthwhile investments. Also, the Vienna travel cards come in various combinations, it may take some time to figure out best combo for you. Although, we ended up buying tickets only as the cards were coming costly for us. By the way, public transport is free on Sundays. So visit Vienna travel site and match cards for your requirements. Indulging in Gastronomic Delights Food options in Slovenia and Austria cater to a diverse range of palates. From vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes to vegan alternatives, you'll find ample choices. If you have specific dietary restrictions, such as avoiding eggplant, don't hesitate to communicate your preferences to ensure a satisfying culinary experience. Keep in mind that Slovenia tends to have slightly higher food prices compared to Austria, but the options are still plentiful. Packing some cup noodles or instant meals for quick fillers during travel can be a handy tip. Dressing for the Adventure Slovenia's summer weather remains consistent throughout the day, so light clothing is ideal. The long daylight hours offer extended exploration opportunities, though we regretfully missed experiencing Slovenia's nightlife due to exhaustion from daytime adventures. Austria, on the other hand, exhibits a varied climate, ranging from warm to cold and rainy. Packing layers of clothing will help you adapt to unpredictable weather changes and stay comfortable during your visit. Conclusion Our biggest takeaway from the adventure was to always start with getting an VFS appointment and then preparing an itinerary. Euro summers have become very famous and in a country like India, you may not get an appointment in due time. Embrace the unexpected twists and turns that travel can bring. Our detour to Slovenia and Austria turned out to be a serendipitous experience, leaving us with cherished memories and a yearning to return. By planning meticulously, adapting to unforeseen circumstances, and immersing ourselves in the beauty of these countries, we discovered that the most remarkable journeys are often the ones that lead us off the beaten path. So, pack your bags, embrace the unknown, and embark on a transformative adventure through the enchanting lands of Slovenia and Austria. Stay tuned as we add about experiences in Slovenia and Austria. Our stories may give you that push for Euro trip which you are trying to find. !!