Flyboarding in Goa

The next time you are in Goa, try water sports such as Flyboarding for a king-sized experience.

Flyboarding, a sport invented only in 2012, is a thrilling activity which allows one to fly through the air and have a bird's-eye view of the water below. It is done with two different pieces of equipment: a Flyboard and a personal watercraft. The person's feet are fastened to the Flyboard, which is, in turn, connected to the personal watercraft through a hose tied to the Flyboard. Because you're suspended in the water, you can safely ride your Flyboard on the water like you would on land. It might seem intimidating at first, but the sport actually encourages you to let go of your inhibitions. It is even friendly to non-swimmers. Goa happens to be one of the best Indian locations for Flyboarding. Here, some of the state’s most well-known operators (such as Atlantis Water Sports and Flyboard India) will help you have a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The activity is usually organised on the Chapora river in north Goa.

• The best months to try Flyboarding are October and May.
• You can fly up to 30 feet in the air, dive underwater, and then shoot back up and swim like a dolphin. When you're flying, try not to glance down since you can lose your balance.

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Community Service in Auroville

In the pursuit of higher consciousness and spiritual bliss, you can intern and volunteer here.

Along the picturesque Coromandel coast of Tamil Nadu is Auroville where you can go to break the monotony of life and escape the grind – even if it’s just for a few days. Apart from the revered Matrimandir (a place of meditation) and the Auro beach, Auroville has a lot more to offer on its plate, and is considered one of the most popular tourist destinations in Puducherry. While in Auroville, you can try your hand at organic farming at Auro Orchard, go on a reforestation drive at Sadhana Forest, or practise sustainable agriculture at Buddha Garden to conserve mother nature and live closer to earth. Other activities involving sowing seeds, weeding, watering, preparing compost, harvesting vegetables, washing, and packing fresh produce to take to the market can also be partaken.

• The best time to visit Auroville is between November and March.
• For transactions in Auroville, an Aurocard is used instead of money.

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Hike the Trans Bhutan Trail

This natural hiking extravaganza is fit for history-and-adventure enthusiasts

March 2022?brings back one of the highly regarded Buddhist pilgrim trails that is slated to run 60 years after its shutdown. The 250-mile trail, running from Haa to Trashigang in Bhutan, was one of the sole ways of travelling and communication across the country until the 1960s, when it was closed down. This ancient trail is now back with an 11-day tour that millennials must include in their travel bucket lists. You'll be able to walk some of the best parts of this 403-km track, seeing stunning landscapes and walking around communities who have timeless stories from different eras to share. This journey, which will include lovely camping places and overnight stays in comfortable local homestay, will provide you with an insight into Bhutan's rural and spiritual life that can only be obtained by venturing off the main road.

• The Trans Bhutan Trail was the only genuine route to traverse the country until the 1960s.
• International guests will be granted a restricted number of permits and all the walks will be led by local guides.

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Stargazing in Bhimtal

Experience a bright night sky filled with hundreds of glittering stars along with quiet and soothing spectacles in Bhimtal

Are you someone who loves to watch little dots glistening and marvel at the night sky changing colours? Do you have questions on how huge the universe is? Are you keen on knowing all about the magic that the night sky holds within? If yes, set yourself up close and personal in Bhimtal’s star-studded environs high up on the mountaintop. Adopting its name from Bhima in the Mahabharata, Bhimtal is a town situated in the district of Nainital in Uttarakhand. It sits at an elevation of 1,370 m above sea level, which makes it extremely convenient for a surreal stargazing experience. For all the astronomy and stargazing enthusiasts, in the midst of the transcending heaps of Bhimtal, cosmic observatories like the Stargate Observatory will help you take part in a dream-like stargazing experience with their 45-minute heavenly night show with the help of a state-of-the-art telescope, in the company of folktales, food, cocktails and stars twinkling overhead. You can observe the texture of the surface of the moon, learn about stars, constellations, and get a photo of yourself with the stars in the background which will be curated by the astrophotographers.

• The earliest-known constellations in the night sky were drawn and named by the Mesopotamian civilisation, around 5,000 years ago.
• The stargate observatory in Bhimtal offers paid services ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 10,000.
• Most stars in the night sky are much larger than our sun. UY Scuti, one of the largest, can fit 5,000,000,000 suns (5 billion suns) inside it.

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Scuba Diving in the Andamans

Experience the intriguing and mesmerising world underwater.

Andaman is arguably the best destination for scuba diving in India. It offers ideal ocean conditions, unparalleled visibility, a rich ecosystem of coral reefs, and a mind-boggling diversity of unusual and vibrant marine life. Going 12 metres deep and looking at the sea anemones, corals, and beautifully patterned fishes playing peek-a-boo all along makes the experience surreal and exquisite. Although there are a number of diving spots in the Andamans, the most famed and unexplored ones lie in Havelock and Neil Islands. With its turquoise waves caressing the pristine beach, Havelock is a visual treat, but usually crowded. Some of the best spots in Havelock for scuba diving include Mac Point, Lighthouse, and Barracuda city. If looking for complete solitude, you should head towards the Neil Islands. Before conducting the dive, you’ll be taught breathing techniques and gestures to communicate. Once you are well acquainted with the techniques, the
instructor will take you into deeper waters.

• Did you know scuba stands for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus?
• The Andaman and Nicobar islands serve as a humble abode to the largest sea turtles in the world.
• The best time to visit is from October to May when the water visibility is at its best.

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Spot Cave Fishes in Meghalaya

Embark on an underground journey and be enchanted by the marine life in the caves of Meghalaya.

Entering a cave in Meghalaya is like opening Pandora’s Box. There is no way to know what you'll find there — secret pathways, water pools, rivers and caverns can all be discovered even in the most plain-looking cave. What’s more, a variety of fascinating, unusual, ‘alien’ lifeforms flourish in the pitch-black darkness of these subterranean realms. Each cave provides a different experience for travellers. The Mawsmai Cave, for instance, features rugged limestone. Krem Mawmluh, on the other hand, offers narrow openings, sharp rock edges and deep pools of water. Then, there’s Krem Liat Prah, India’s longest natural cave, with its gigantic trunk passage called the Aircraft Hangar. As a kid, if you were dazzled by stories of treasure hunts and pirates, these caves must be next on your list.

• In 2020, the largest-known subterranean fish was found in a cave in the Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya.
• At Mawsmai Cave, try to wear dark-coloured clothing as the limestone and the congested passages tend to leave stains on lighter clothing.
• Make sure to carry a head torch to make exploration easier.

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Nomadic Life in a Caravan

Hire a house on wheels – and live in a home far away from home with a caravan.

Have you ever wondered how fascinating it would feel if you can travel off the beaten track while enjoying homely warmth wherever you go? With the advent of caravanning culture in India, you have a mini (and mobile) abode on vacations. While making sure that you can be in charge of the little getaways and group trips, these caravans provide amenities such as a kitchenette, washrooms, electricity courtesy of solar panels and batteries, cosy sitter-cum-beds and enough room for your luggage. Offering freedom and flexibility, caravans let you hit the roads without compromising on comfort and luxury. Some of the caravans that you can surely look forward to hiring for your next road trip are – LuxeCamper, Trippy Wheels, Camper Trails from Bengaluru, Wacation On Wheels from Nagpur, Motorhome Adventures from Delhi and Keravan Kerala. So, if you are looking to break the monotony of travelling, a legendary sojourn on a caravan is our pick.

• Despite being historically associated with moving bands of Romani people, the word 'caravan' itself is not Romanian. It comes from the Persian word 'karwan', meaning nomads.
• Be prepared for confined spaces and minimum amenities on the road.
• Many modern caravans now come integrated with IoT (Internet of Things) that lets you control all appliances with a smartphone app.