South India Vacations: Top five attractions to visit in South India

South India is a fascinating region full of natural and man-made wonders that will leave you spellbound. Comprising of the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, and the union territories of Andaman and Nicobar, Puducherry, this region boasts of a distinct cultural identity. Intricate temple architecture, pristine beaches, historical ruins, wildlife sanctuaries, enthralling waterfalls, captivating backwaters, and countless other attractions make South India the dream destination of travelers. If you are thinking of taking a South India vacation tour, make it a point to explore the top five tourist attractions in the region.

Hampi, Karnataka

Incredibly bewitching, the lonely ruins of Hampi will mesmerize you the moment you cast your eyes on them. Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the top historical destination of India. This ruined 14th-century temple town offers visitors a glimpse of the long-lost Vijayanagara Empire. The ruins of the forlorn city stretch over 25 km and comprises of over 500 monuments. No South India tour can be truly complete without a visit to Hampi, the mute testimony bearer of its glorious past.

Kerala Backwaters

Cruising along the backwaters in God’s own country is a quintessential experience that you must not miss. A high point of South India tours, the Kerala backwaters are an extensive maze of lakes and lagoons that run parallel to the Arabian Sea coast. It is pure bliss to spend the night on a houseboat out in the backwaters, under a starlit sky. Far from the frenzied activity of normal life, backwaters in Kerala offer a laid-back travel experience that is difficult to be found anywhere else.

Meenakshi Temple, Tamil Nadu

If you wish to see just one temple amongst all the exquisite temples of South India, Meenakshi Temple should be the one. This temple in Madurai is a gorgeous example of the Dravidian architecture. The temple has a history that dates back to thousands of years. The mandapam of the temple has 985 beautifully carved pillars. Meenakshi Temple was one of the top 30 nominees for the New Seven Wonders of the World. 

Auroville, Pondicherry

While on a South India vacation, a visit to Pondicherry or Puducherry will introduce you to the beautiful French legacy. This union territory of India was a former 18th-century French colony. One of its main attractions is the Auroville, a township founded in 1968 by Sri Aurobindo and Mira Alfassa. The uniqueness about Auroville is that it is an experimental township that was created as a universal town where people from all over the world would live in harmony. Today the township has 2007 people from 44 countries living peacefully.  

Araku Valley, Andhra Pradesh

Whether you are a coffee lover or not you must visit Araku Valley for its hypnotic beauty. This hill station in the Eastern Ghats is famous for its coffee plantations. The clean air and the surrounding greenery are sure to cast a spell on you. The valley is also referred to as the Food Bowl of South India. Do not forget to visit nearby attractions like the Borra Caves while on a trip to this beautiful valley. 

There are several customized and cheap vacation packages to South India that you can avail to visit these fascinating destinations.

India Calling: Avail cheap flights to India

India is the new land of opportunities and a lot of foreign nationals have been interested in visiting this country owing to its high economic growth and positive business vibe. The country has managed to attract some of the biggest companies in its land. Cheap labor coupled with a co-operative Government makes India home to some of the biggest MNC’s in the world. While business it at its positive peak, tourism is not lagging behind either. A staggering 8, 17,000 (source-trading economics) tourists have visited the country till March 2016. India with its mystique charm and vibrant culture has attracted a lot of tourists across in the recent past. If you are planning to visit India, do not forget to avail cheap flight tickets.

Flying to India: get cheap flight deals 

It makes sense to plan the trip well in advance if you are planning to fly to India. When it comes to planning a trip, there are a number of travel agencies such as Riya Travels who can get you the best deals.  With more than 3 decades of experience, Riya understands the need of every traveler and customize their trip accordingly. Be it leisure travel or business trip, Riya Travels will ensure that your trip to India is worth every penny. This is one of the few companies that provide cheap flights to India. The company’s customer support team boasts of serving 5 million happy customers till date. You can avail their services from USA, Canada, India and the Middle East.

How to get cheap flights to India

Since all airline carriers work on a dynamic pricing model, the cost of a flight ticket depends on a lot of factors such as occupancy rate, lean period, the frequency of booking and so on. Ticket rates as a result of these keep fluctuating throughout the year. Airline companies tend to issue cheap tickets during off-peak season and when there is low occupancy. Companies such as Riya Travels continuously monitor the price movement of all airline carrier companies in order to give their customers the best flight rate.

Other ways of obtaining cheap flights to India

• Airline companies often run seasonal campaigns to counter lean period. You can keep an eye on such campaigns.
• Travel planning companies and airline carrier aggregators often run Facebook and Twitter promotions in their endeavor to acquire new customers. These discounts are attractive and easy to avail. All you need to do is to apply the coupon code on their website.
• Flight tickets are cheaper on early booking with most airline companies. You need to plan at least 6 months in advance to get good rates.
• Top deal aggregators such as Groupon, RetailMeNot, Zulily etc. sells coupon code at a cheap rate. This, in turn, can be used to book flights. A lot of travelers use these sites to buy deals.
• International credit card providers such as AMEX, VISA, and Master Card allow their customers to use reward point and book international flights. These flights are often very cheap.

Whether you get cheap flights to India also depends on the city you are planning to land. Mostly airline carriers to Indian metros such as Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai etc. and other popular cities such as Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chandigarh etc. remains fully packed throughout the year.  There are fewer chances of getting cheap flight tickets to these cities. This being said, Companies such as Riya Travels can greatly help you in your endeavor of getting cheap flight tickets to India.

Shanghai – A Few Handy Tips for the First Time Travellers

With the Splash of Neon Colours, Shanghai is a Skyline that Brushes the Clouds…!!

Shanghai, the name stimulates illustrations of bright lights, an emblematic skyline, and all the mystery and glamour shot in the James Bond Movie (especially Skyfall). The city is a perfect example of old world charm and a new modern technology. It is a growing modern economy on one hand and the dispersed ancient memento of the Chinese Dynasties on the other. For the first time travellers, it can be a little confusing.

Below are some amazing things to do in this enthusiastic city: 

The Elegant - Oriental Pearl Tower

A Shanghai trip is just incomplete without a trip to the Oriental Pearl Tower, amiably the most quintessential of Shanghai’s many neck-craning skyscrapers. Climb up about 259 meters high on the upper platform and capture it on your camera. The tower has the glass floor that allows you giddy yet striking views of the complete city.

                                                                    

The Bund offering you stunning picturesque view

Set exactly in the middle of the city - Shanghai - the waterfront area is an exceptionally beautiful zone running along the west bank of the Huangpu River. This place is perfectly designed for the great shots of the astounding Pudong-district skyline, which is right across the river. Here, the night view is like straight out of a futuristic movie..!!

 An interesting ride under the Huangpu River

Choose to take an interesting ride under the Huangpu River and enjoy the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel that will take you on an audio-visual ride through a tunnel constructed under the river on an automated car. Of course, you can go on a river cruise ride, but the under river ride will give you a completely awe-inspiring experience. It is one of the top tourist attractions that definitely give you a ride to remember forever…!!

 Spend some time in the lap of nature at Yu Garden

Yes...it is a Chinese garden..!! Sprawling over 2 hectares of land and is home to numerous antiques from the Ming Dynasty. Yu Garden is a perfect reflection of the Chinese landscaping with glistening ponds, Ming-styled awning and towers, and a 12 meter high rockery inclusive of caves, gorges and peaks.

 Bow your heads at the City God Temple

Don’t forget to bow down your head at the City God Temple situated in the old walled city. This beautiful temple is devoted to the city gods, in the traditions of the most Chinese Towns. The temple is well surrounded by countless restaurants, teahouses and souvenir shops. It is one of the great places to spend time scouting through the local culture.

This international trip to Shanghai will make a special space in your memory diary. Plan and scout some international flight deals on any trusted travel partner portal. Throughout the year, there are endless international flight options available. Book now…!!

Munnar is a Place for Fun

A visit to Munnar is just a refreshing experience.

Munnar in Kerala can just not be simply called with its name, the beauty of the place demands for surnames such as glorious, enthralling, amazing…….and more. The town Munnar is situated at the confluence of three renowned streams - Muthirapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala. 

The hidden mist, golden beam of sun rays and wide spread plantations - all create a never-ending adoration for the mist-laden hills of Munnar among the visitors. Many appreciate it for its fresh and lively environ all year round.

Munnar is a beautiful hill station located in “God’s Own Country”, Kerala, which has about 50 opulent tea plantations. Munnar's one of the most famous assets is the Nallathanni Estate’s tea plantation. It is also the home of the unique museum especially devoted to “Tea”. This museum displays engaging facts, artifacts and figures about the production and development of tea in Munnar. People can learn the various techniques about how the tea is refined and produced. You will also get to taste the tea in various demonstration rooms.

Munnar is a beautiful meadow ecosystem with wandering rivulets in the Idukki district at the Eravikulam National Park. The national park is home of the Nilgiri Tahr, an endangered species of goat. January to April is the calving season of Nilgiri Tahrs, so the park remains closed.

Whereas, one can witness heavy rainfall at the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, as there is almost a two-month long rainy season here. Also, you can spot the endangered Giant Grizzled Squirrel, while enjoying trekking in this deciduous forest. This national park is also very famous because of its rolling grasslands and the occult flower - Neelakurinji, which blooms only once in 12 years sprawling over a vast area…!!

From the list of popular attractions one can enjoy boating at the Mattupetty Dam, which is about 13 kms away from Munnar. It is one of the most beautiful picnic spots, where one can spend some quality time with family. The dam offers you splendid views of the tea plantations. Also, there is the Shola Forest, which is the best place for trekking with exquisite green trees and streams crisscrossing the path.

So, what are you waiting for? Plan a trip to Munnar and book your well customized vacation packages in advance to save both time and money.