Rediff On The NeT Travel: A travel feature on summer getaways in India.


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INDIA GUIDE TRAVEL DESK EVENTS AIRLINES SEARCH	Fast Facts Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh Where to stay The Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation hotel, Rose Common, tel # 01793-72005, provides for a comfortable stay. The hotel has only nine rooms. The tariff for an non-AC double room is between Rs 500 and Rs 900. Hotel Alasia, Mall, tel # 01793-2008, offers accommodation in a Raj style hotel. Alasia is well known for its pies. The tariff for a non-AC double room is Rs 675 per night. How to get there Kasauli is accessible from Shimla, Kalka or Chandigarh. Shimla is 77 km southwest and three hours away by road. Chandigarh is closer at 65 km. Plenty of taxis are available at Shimla, Kalka and Chandigarh for Kasauli. Indian Airlines flies on Mondays to Shimla from New Delhi and daily into Chandigarh. A number of trains pull into Kalka daily from Bombay and New Delhi. The famous toy train connects Kalka with Shimla. Horsley Hills, Andhra Pradesh How to get there Horsley Hills is accessible from Bangalore which is 165 km away. Hyderabad is about 500 km away. Indian Airlines and Jet Airways fly into Bangalore daily from Bombay, Calcutta, Madras and New Delhi, Madras. The nearest large railhead is Chittoor or Bangalore, although Madanapalle is only an hour away by road. Several trains pull into Bangalore from all over India. Where to stay: Accommodation in Horsley Hills runs to a variety of government guest houses. Try A P Tourism's rest house, the forest bungalow, the P W D inspection bungalow or the Chittor Cooperative Society guest house. The AP Tourist Rest House, tel # 08571-69323 offers a few rooms at Rs 250 per night. It is probably advisable to book in advance with the AP Tourism office at Hyderabad, tel # 040-501519, 501520. Yercaud, Tamil Nadu How to get there It is possible to reach Yercaud by road via Salem from Coimbatore, about 165 km away. The closest airport is at Coimbatore. Indian Airlines and Jet Airways fly into Coimbatore daily from Bombay and Madras. The nearest railhead is at Salem, 33 km away. Several trains pull into Salem from Coimbatore, Erode and Madras. Madras is about 550 km away from from Salem. Where to stay Shevaroys, Hospital road, near the lake, tel # 04281-22288, offers rooms and cottages. The tariff for a double room is Rs 675 plus 20 per cent taxes and Rs 1,075 for a suite plus 20 per cent taxes, and Rs 1,525 plus 20 per cent taxes for a deluxe villa. Hotel Tamil Nadu, Ghat road, tel # 04281-22273: A Tamil Nadu tourism hotel, the rooms are fairly neat and clean. AC rooms are also available. The tariff for a double room is Rs 500 plus taxes and for a super deluxe room it is Rs 950. Gokarn, Karnataka How to get there Gokarn is five hours away from Panjim and seven hours from Mangalore. There is a bus daily between Panjim and Gokarn. The nearest large railhead is at Margao. Several trains pull into Margao daily from Kerala, Mangalore, Bombay and the north. Indian Airlines, Sahara Airlines and Jet Airways fly into Goa several times a day from Delhi and Bombay. Indian Airlines flies in once a week from Bangalore and thrice a week from Madras. Where to stay The KSTDC Tourism Home, tel # 08386-56236, on a hill is your best option. Rooms are clean and tidy and offer a sea view. The tariff for a double room is Rs 150 per night. There are, however, just two rooms available. It is a long walk uphill if you do not have your own transport. Contact: Bangalore KSTDC at 080-2275883. Panchgani, Maharashtra How to get there The closest railhead and airport is Pune 98 kms away. Bombay via Mahad is 266 km away. Regular buses connect Panchgani with Mahabaleshwar, Pune and Bombay, including MTDC luxury coaches. Indian Airlines and Jet Airways fly into Pune daily from Bombay and Delhi. Where to stay The town does not have the kind of tourist facilities that Mahabaleshwar has. The MTDC office, Bombay, tel # 022- 2026713, 2027762 or Pune, tel # 0212- 626867, 628169, 430499, should be able to arrange your stay at the Five Hills lodge, tel # 02168- 40301, 41086. The tariff for an ordinary room is Rs 650, for a deluxe room Rs 990, for a suite Rs 1,650. An extra bed is Rs 150. Taxes at 14 per cent are extra. The best option would be to stay at the Panchgani Club which offers temporary membership. The club authorities can be a bit sticky if you don't have a member's recommendation; but it is worth a try. Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary, West Bengal How to get there Madarihat, situated in the the sanctuary, is 160 km from Bagdogra, where the nearest airport is located. The nearest railhead is at New Jalpaiguri, about 120 km away. Trains from Guwahati, Howrah and New Delhi pull into New Jalpaiguri. Indian Airlines flies into Bagdogra from Delhi on Mondays and Calcutta on Mondays. Jet Airways flies into Bagdogra from Calcutta on Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturdays. Where to stay The West Bengal tourism office offers accommodation at its forest lodge within the sanctuary. Bookings for the forest rest house have to be made in advance at the Tourist Office, 3/2 B B D Bagh East, Calcutta, tel # 033-2488271. Double rooms are available for Rs 700 per night.. Else try: Forest Lodge, Hollong, tel # 033-222774 Traveller's Haven Tourist Lodge, Madarihat, tel # 033-285917. Ramtek, Maharashtra How to get there Ramtek is just 40 km from Nagpur. Nagpur is one of the largest railway junctions in central India and trains from all over India pull into its spacious station. Nagpur is connected by air to Bombay daily and Delhi on Mondays. Where to stay The MTDC hotel at Ramtek is a simple place to stay. Just four rooms are available. The MTDC office, Bombay, tel # 022- 2026713, 2027762 or Nagpur, tel # 0712- 533325, should be able to arrange your stay. Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary, Goa How to get there Some 55 km west of Panjim is Molem. Indian Airlines, Jet Airways and Sahara Airlines fly into Panjim several times a day from Bangalore, Bombay and New Delhi. Where to stay The Goa tourism lodge at Molem, tel # 0834-600238, is the only place to stay. It offers decent accommodation in cottages. The tariff for a double room is Rs 220; for an AC double room is Rs 400; for a four room cottage Rs 880. Pinjore, Haryana How to get there Pinjore is 20 km away from Chandigarh. Indian Airlines flies daily into Chandigarh from Delhi. Several trains pull into Chandigarh from Delhi. Where to stay The only place to stay is the Haryana Tourism operated resort, Budgerigar, tel # 01733-20177, which is located in a palace. The tariff for a double room is Rs 800 and Rs 2,500 for a suite. You may book through the Haryana Tourism office in New Delhi, tel # 011-3324911. Ponmudi, Kerala How to get there Ponmudi is 65 km from Trivandrum and easily reachable by road. Several trains pull into Trivandrum daily from Bombay, Madras and the north. Trivandrum is linked by daily flights with Bombay and Madras and once a week to New Delhi. Where to stay The government guest house at Punmudi, run by the GAD section of the tourism department, Trivandrum, tel # 0471-468490, is comfortable. Or call the tourist office at Trivandrum, tel # 0471-330031. Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh How to get there The nearest airport is Raipur, 230 km away by road. Indian Airlines flies into Raipur from Delhi several times a weeks. The nearest railhead is Pendra Road, 42 km, on the Katni-Bilaspur line. Amarkantak is connected by regular buses with Shahdol, Umaria, Jabalpur, Rewa, Bilaspur, Anuppur and Pendra Road. Where to stay Amarkantak Holiday Homes, tel # 416, and Tourist Bungalow, tel # 448, both run by the Madhya Pradesh tourism department, offer ideal accommodation. The tariff for a non-AC double room is Rs 490 at the Holiday Home and Rs 190 at the Tourist Bungalow. Bookings: Bhopal: Central Reservations Division, 4th Floor, Gangotri, T T Nagar, tel # 0755-778383, 774340, 774342. Calcutta: Chitrakoot, 6th Floor, 230 A, AJ C Bose road, tel # 033-2478 543 Bombay: 74, World Trade Centre, Cuffe Parade, Colaba, tel # 022-2187 603 New Delhi: 204 - 205, 2nd floor, Kanishka Shopping Plaza, 19, Ashoka road, tel # 011-3341187. Almora, Uttar Pradesh How to get there The convenient way to reach Almora is by road from Nainital. Almora is 67 km from Nainital. Nainital is well connected with Delhi. There are regular buses from New Delhi to Nainital; one can take either AC, deluxe or ordinary buses from the ISBT bus terminal in Delhi. The nearest railhead is at Kathgodam, about 120 kms away. There is a daily overnight train from New Delhi to Kathgodam. The Shatabdi Express operates between New Delhi and Kathgodam only during the summer months of April, May and June, on weekends. Where to stay KMVN Holiday Home, The Mall, tel # 05962-30250, run by the tourism department offers decent and economical accommodation. Deodar Holiday Inn, The Mall, tel # 05962-31295, offers rather atmospheric rooms for budget prices. The tariff for a double room is Rs 250 per night. Snow View Resort, Pappersallie, tel # 05962-22162, 22163. Sasan Gir National Park, Gujarat The last home of the Asiatic lion is 54 km away from Junagadh. There are reportedly 304 lions in the sanctuary. Morning safaris are recommended. Jeeps and mini buses are allowed. The teak forest also has blue bulls, antelopes and peacocks. The best time to visit the sanctuary is from December to April. It is shut from mid-May to mid-October. You need a permit to enter the sanctuary. Jeeps are available from the lodge office every day. How to get there A train service links Sasan Gir with Junagadh. Junagadh is connected by frequent trains with Rajkot, the nearest airport. The journey takes five hours. Indian Airlines flies into Rajkot several times a week. Jet Airways flies into Rajkot daily from Bombay. Where to stay Gujarat Tourism runs the Tourist Bungalow, tel # 02876-20488 at Veraval on the coast, which is 40 km away. Ten rooms are available. The tariff for a double room is Rs 350; tariff a deluxe double room is Rs 450. The manager at the bungalow can organise transport by car Accommodation can be booked through Gujarat Tourism, Bombay, tel # 022- 2024925, 2026866 or Delhi, tel # 011-3734015. Maneland Jungle Lodge, Sasan, Bombay tel # 022-6184014 (c/o Juhu hotel), located on the periphery of the park, offers 10 rooms in tastefully furnished stone cottages in a picturesque setting. The restaurant at the resort offers Indian and continental cuisine. The hotel organises excursions into the Gir forest to see the lions, wild asses, leopards, sambhar, antelopes, wild boars and hares. Their rates are steep. Double rooms go for Rs 3,000. Taj's Lion Safari Lodge, Sasan, is another place to have a holiday in comfort. Bookings may be made at its central reservation offices in Delhi, tel # 011-3322333 or Bombay, 022-2022524. Double rooms go for Rs 4,200. Jeypore, Orissa How to get there A daily train connects Jeypore with Vishakhapatnam, the nearest airport. Indian Airlines flies into Vishakhapatnam several times a week from New Delhi, Hyderabad, Madras and Bombay. One could reach Jeypore from Bhubaneshwar, which is over 24 hours away by road via Berhampore. Bhubaneshwar is the place to organise tours of Jeypore and tribal districts beyond and obtain special passes that allow you to visit tribal areas. You could also try contacting Mr Pujari, Travel Care, Jeypore, tel # 06854-22291, 22791 (R) or fax # 06854-30031. They can organise hotel bookings, tours to Koraput and around and necessary permissions if given some notice. Where to stay Madhumati, Bikram Nagar, offers decent rooms and an AC restaurant. The tariff for a double room is Rs 110 and Rs 250 for a deluxe room. Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands How to get there It is possible to reach Port Blair, the capital of this Union territory by Indian Airlines flight from either Madras or Calcutta. It is also possible to reach Port Blair by ship from Madras, Vishakhapatnam or Calcutta. Ships of the Shipping Corporation of India ply on this route every one of two weeks. The journey is four days long and not the most interesting or comfortable. But it is cheap. Passage and accommodation in a cabin is available for about Rs 3,000. SCI has an office on Strand road in Calcutta, phone: 033-2482354. And in Madras at Jawahar building, Rajaji road, phone: 044- 5220841. The flight from Calcutta leaves on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0530 hours IST and reaches Port Blair at 0730 hours IST. The air fare is Rs 5,305 for Indian passport holders and US $ 175 for foreign passport holders. The flight from Madras leaves on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 0530 hours IST and reaches Port Blair at 0730 hours IST and the air fares is Rs 5365 for Indian passport holders and US $ 175 for foreign passport holders. Where to stay The Andaman islands have opened up quite a bit in the last few years and there is a fair selection of hotels to stay at. If you are looking for luxury accommodation then try: Andaman Beach Resort, Corbyn�s Cove, tel # 3192-21463, fax # 3192-293381. Booking office in Calcutta is at tel # 033-2280301. Though the hotel is plenty comfortable but it is not a spectacular hotel by any standards. Its greatest selling point is that it is right on the beach and Corbyn�s Cove is a delightful beach. The room tariff per night for an air conditioned double room is US $ 80. Sinclair Bay View, tel # 3192-20937, South Point. A decent place with a good view. The room tariff per night for an air conditioned double room is about US $ 50. Bay Island, Marine Hill, tel # 3192-20888, fax # 3192-21389 A fancy place with a great view. Equipped with an in-house restaurant, pool, tennis courts, scuba diving. The room tariff per night for an air conditioned double room is US $ 120. If you have friends in India with the right connections the best place to stay is at any of the government guest houses. The prices you pay per day are laughable and some of them have a great view. Try the Circuit House, PWD guest house or any other. Hornbill Yatri Niwas, near Corbyn�s Cove, tel # 3192-20018. Bookings can be done through the Government Tourist Office at tel # 3192-20933 or at fax # 3192-20656. A modest, but very decent hotel quite close to Corbyn�s Cove, run by the government. It is located a little out of the way and transport can be a bit of a problem. Room thefts have been reported. The room tariff per night is US $ 10 to $ 22 depending on whether you are opting for shared accommodation or air conditioned accommodation etc. Megapode Nest , tel # 3192-23080: Good view across Phoenix Bay. Decent. The room tariff per night is US $ 10 to $ 22 depending on whether you are opting for shared accommodation or air conditioned accommodation.
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