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V-Day weekend getaways. Share yours!
Valentine's Day (February 14) is a great excuse to take a break from the daily grind and spend some quality time with that special someone. And with V-Day falling on a Sunday this year, it's the perfect opportunity to skip town and head out. So we asked readers to send in their most romantic vacation spots that would make great V-Day getaways. Here are some of the responses we recieved:
First, Aparna Amte Bhatnagar shares her getaway:
Getaway: Akshi/Nagaon beaches (Maharashtra)
Description: A quick and amazing weekend getaway
Sights:
Akshi beach: This beach covers the stretch between Alibag and Nagaon beaches. It's got all that one desires on a romantic getaway: less crowd, clean sands beneath your feet, a beautiful sunset against the backdrop of a fort, and if you're there a little early in the evenings, you can see some beautiful birds too! The water, too, is shallow and safe for swimming. Do step out of your resort/room after sunset to witness the beauty of the beach in the moonlight.
Nagaon beach: This beach is about a kilometer away from Akshi. One can even choose to walk down the lovely stretch of sea and sand. This is a better developed beach (in a commercial sense). You can have your chaat/golas here after your dip in the sea. Nagaon has also some water sport to offer which is managed by a local group. It is pretty surprising to see all the famed water sport one would typically find in the likes of Baga/ Calangute/ Madgaon just 2-1/2 hours away from home. We tried the scooter and the banana boat ride too, and it was well managed. The water's pretty clean too. It does manage a green-blue hue, which is a treat to the eyes of a Mumbaikar who is so sick of seeing brown/black water.
If you feeling guilty of the selfish pursuits of pleasure, one can also visit the famous Birla temple in the vicinity. For the history buffs, Alibag's Kolaba fort is extremely close to Akshi beach. One can also spend some time at Kihim beach, which is a beautiful but slightly rocky beach. It may not be completely safe for swimming. Alibag also has a well developed market areas for urban pleasures.
Eats: Fish! In all forms: batter fried, grilled with local flavours, coconut-based curries. You can also try the rice 'bhakri' (rotis made from rice flour). They are yummy as well as light on the tummy! Not for forget, gulp it down with a glass of sol-kadi! Bliss!
Shopping: These beaches are way less commercialised than Alibag and hence have very little typical shopping to boast of. But do carry home some kokam sharbat bottles, pickles, home made puranpolis from the local vendors.
How to get there: Take the usual route towards Alibag on Mumbai-Goa highway. Akshi is 8 km further on from Alibag and Nagaon another 2-3 kms from Akshi.
For those who want a slightly more adventurous and exciting way to get there, try the ferries and catamarans available from the Gateway of India, Bombay to Alibag. Auto rikshaws are easily available to Akshi & Nagaon.
Accommodation: Most of the accomodations available in Akshi and Nagaon are home-based stays. There are very few fully equipped hotels. However, the home-based stays are very charming. Clean and comfortable rooms with all basic amenities are available. One highly recommended place is Omkardeep Holiday homes at Akshi beach. Beach fron accomodation is available to suit all types eg cottages, rooms, machaans and tents. We were a group of five who stayed in the tent and it was pretty comfortable. The USP of this place is the location, yummy local cuisine and pleasing owners.
Do confirm before booking any place in proximity to the beach.
Have a fun-romantic trip! And please refrain from littering the beaches. The dust bins get really lonely, you know! Keep them occupied by dumping waste it them!
Tariff: Depends on the room type. I believe, they provide food and accomodation in the range of Rs 500-1,000 per person per day inclusive of all meals.
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Romance in the hills
Next Satish Maheshwaram shares his suggestion for V-Day:
Getaway: Kalatop, Dalhousie
Description: I went to this place in the month of October and I decided it was the place to spend my honeymoon!
Sights:
- Khajjiar (known as the Switzerland of India)
- Kalatop (a forest guest house near Dalhousie)
- Dainkund (the highest spot in Dalhousie at 9,000 ft)
Eats: You have restaurants near the Dalhousie Post Office or Mall Road
You can also have food at Kalatop guest house and restaurants at Khajjiar
Shopping: Mall road is the only place to shop
How to get there: From ChakkiBank railway station of Pathankot you can catch a bus (morning and evening) or else hire a cab which will charge around Rs 1,200.
Accommodation: To stay at Kalatop you need to have approval from someone who is in forest department of Himachal Pradesh or there are hotels near Mall Road.
Tariff: Rs 500 per day
To share your favourite holiday destinations, click here!
Become a Fan of Valentine's Day. Click Here! And be sure to visit our Valentine's Day homepage!
An island getaway
Here Gauri tells us why Devbagh in Karnataka is the perfect holiday destination:
Getaway: Devbagh Island, Karwar
Description: Perfect holiday destination
Sights: The almost private beach of Devbagh Island, Karwar is one of the best places to visit for V-Day.
Stay at the Jungle Lodges Resort. You can see the sea from your room, hear the waves from anywhere. The beach is lovely, not at all crowded as part of it is reserved only for the resort. The sea is shallow and safe to go swimming in.
The sunset from this place is splendid, one of the most memorable and picturesque sunset. You can spot dolphins on a boat ride or opt for some other water sports activity. There are hammocks in front of the cottages for you to relax, and unwind. All in all it is a wonderful destination and a great weekend getaway from Bangalore.
Eats: Food at the resort is good. Otherwise no other options to eat as you are on an island.
How to get there: It is about 16 hours away from Bangalore by bus. Board a bus going towards Goa. Get off at Karwar which is 3 km away from Devbagh in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. The closest airport is at Goa, 100 km away. The closest railhead is at Karwar and Hubli (160 km). Regular buses and taxis are available at Madgaon (72 km), Bangalore (520 km), Mangalore (270 km) and Hubli.
Accommodation: Jungle Lodges Resorts (www.junglelodges.com)
Tariff: Rs 2,000 per person per night.
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The perfect place to cosy up!
Here 27-year-old Surbhi Sheth shares her suggestion for a perfect VDay:
Getaway: Saputara, Gujarat
Description: You don't have to travel all the way up North to visit a hill station anymore! For right along the Gujarat-Maharashtra border lies Gujarat's only hill station -- Saputara. Quiet and enchanting, it is the perfect place to cosy up on Valentine weekend!
Sights: Saputara boasts all hill station essentials -- Mall road, sunrise-sunset points and even a ropeway. But its charm lies in its lake situated right in the heart of Saputara, wherein one can also enjoy boating. The lovely rose garden and step garden are other must-visits. Meanwhile, one can also visit a couple of other interesting destinations around Saputara. These include the Gira falls and Vansda National Park.
Eats: All the hotels have decent enough restaurants serving Indian, Chinese, Italian and Continental cuisines, although non-vegetarian fare can be difficult to come by. If you desire a change, do try a Gujarati thali available at most restaurants. However, what is truly irresitible are the food stalls lined up around the lake, serving fresh, hot and mouth watering snacks like pao bhaji and dabeli.
Shopping: While nothing is specific to Saputara, you could pick up nice bamboo souvenirs from there. The bamboo bags and hats are especially nice. You could pick these up from any of the shops on Mall road or those dotting the lake. There are also one or two emporiums with nice metal artifacts and handicrafts, but they're on the expensive side.
How to get there: Saputara is comfortably accessible by road. It at about 172 km away from Surat and 185 km from Mumbai. The nearest airport is Surat, while the closest rail point is at Nasik, 80 km from Saputara.
Accommodation: Being a hill station, you'll find a hotel at every step. There are enough hotels for every budget, and all are very safe. However, if you do want to go all out, you can consider the Vaity Ropeway Resort for a truly luxurious experience. The hotel is located at Saputara, Dist. Dang, Gujarat - 394 720. You can contact them at: 02631-237210 to 237214 .
Tariff: A non-AC room would cost you anywhere around Rs 3,000.
My favourite destination: Goa
To share your favourite holiday destinations, click here!
Become a Fan of Valentine's Day. Click Here! And be sure to visit our Valentine's Day homepage!