Your "Top 5" Destinations in India

crvlvr

What are your "Top5 " destinations in India. If you have visited India once, which places did you like most, and if you are a frequent traveller (or living in India), which places do you keep going back to and why?

I have seen a lot of India and would like to see more. It would be great to hear what others liked.

PS: I searched the forums for similar threads but could not find any. Moderators, feel free to point me to any related thread.

Thanks
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Update Sep 16

Thanks for the great response (110 destinations). Here is a summary of the results for this informal survey.

Top Destinations which are recommended by more than one person:

Destination Votes

Hampi 9
Goa Beaches 9
Varanasi 6
Delhi 6
Jaisalmer 5
Udaipur 4
Jodhpur 4
Mumbai 4
Kullu/Manali 4
Kerala Bckwters 3
Leh 3
Orcha 3
Ladakh 2
Darjeeling 2
Khajuraho 2
Gokarna 2
Ajanta 2
Ranakpur 2
Srinagar 2
Rishikesh 2
Chandigarh 2
Pushkar 2
Munnar 2

lobo

I havent seen enough yet to give a top five but I liked the chaos and peopel watching in dehli, and benaulim in goa was beautiful.
Going back soon so hopefully will have some more.

Shakyamuni

Well, firstly, I am going back to India on Friday 16th!! two days time!! Last year, about the same time, I flew into New Delhi, was planning to go to Dharmasala but instead went to Nepal - Kathmadu was incredible, and ended up spending a week there!!

But I always wanted to go to Varanasi - and I spent three days - and visited Sarnath (where the Buddha delivered his first teaching!). The highlight here was taking a clipping from the 'Bodhi' tree under which he gave this teaching. The leaf from the tree is framed and hangs on the wall of my lounge.

This time I am going to Dharamsala via Shimla and then making my way to Bodh Gaya!

Jippo

Hey Shakyamuni, it's the 16th tomorrow by the way! Just in case you miss your flight.

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malvin

chandigarh,the hometown,amritsar for the roots and the heritage and goa to relax.simla/kasauli incase it is summer.

shere

Kasauli also counts towards the top end in my list. Chail second as there is no better place in the world to play cricket. Then Jullundhar, Patiala and Amritsar.

cyberhippie

My top 5 (subject to change)
Munnar
Palolem
Kumbhalgarh
Darjeeling
Orcha

I'm a country boy!!!

abracax

I'd pick the Rohtang La (Himachal), Labrung Monastery (Sikkim), Berijam Lake (Tamil Nad), Sravanabelagola (Karnataka) and Konark (Orissa). The one thing they have in common is that they are all in the middle of nowhere, which is quite an accomplishment in India. Everyone sees the cities, but when you get out into the fringes it's like going back in time. Honourable mention in this category: Khajuraho (MP), Hampi/Vijayanagar (KN), Masinagudi (TN), Udaipur (Rajasthan) and my favourite haunts near Galibedu Village in Coorg.

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Ikuru

1. Ohm Beach/Gokarna
2. Anjuna (the Anjuna from 1992)
3. Udaipur
4. Rishekesh
5. Arambol (again from my first trip, but still pretty good)

the beach is where it´s at.

Attached Thumbnails

 

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Dr Funkenstein

1. Hampi, Karnataka. Like being on another planet.
2. McLeod Ganj, Himachal Pradesh. Spent 3 weeks in a Tibetan Buddhist monastery here. Loved every minute of it.
3. Manali / Vashisht / Naggar, Himachal Pradesh. My first glimpse of the Himalayas. Something I'll never forget.
3. Arambol, Goa. Sun, sea, dolphins and day-glo luminous nudity. What more could you ask for?
4. The Ajanta and Ellora caves. Just stunning.
5. Paharganj, Delhi. Heat, dust, truly bonkers touts, great food and the occasional elephant. Wonderful.

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Jackson Palak

--> Srinagar: I wouldn't go there now, for obvious reasons, but in 1993 it seemed like an ok time to try, and despite the roadblocks, the curfews... it was paradise. In my book, Dal Lake ranks as one of the most enchanting places in the world, not just in India. When my time on earth is done and I must go to next world, I want to go there by shikara

--> Leh: (the road between Srinagar and Leh!!) If any of you is thinking of going there, don't hesitate. The scenery , the people, the momos, the evening whiskey at low temperature and high altitude... A wonderful place.

--> Varanasi: Love it or hate it (and I did both, still do), it is quite simply like nowhere else. What goes on in there!!Eternity could be spent sitting and watching Varanasi, and it would be well spent.

--> Any food and spices market in South India: If you don't take pictures, don't worry, the tastes and smells will stay with you long after the pictures are gone.

--> Hampi: It has been said before, by many people, and they were all right: Hampi is like being on another planet. Where they just happen to serve chai. And where there are mosquitos. Many many mosquitos.

doublez

1) Darjeeling ( though most of the time was spent in Joeys Pub
2) Calcutta
3) Goa (Vagator/Arambol)
4) Delhi (learned to love the city on my 3. time through )
5) Varanasi

maree

I made a quick list in my mind before reading these posts and then discovered it was almost identical to Jackson_Palak's list!

Ladakh
Nageen Lake, Srinagar
Varanasi
Hampi
Orchha

So many other places trying to creep in though.

kailas56

Top 5

Jaisalmer ( definitely camel safari )

Jodhpur

The Taj Majal (but not Agra in general)

Ranakpur

Rishikesh

sudheer poppa

OM Beach / Gokarna - my private escapade. peace 24/7/12/365

Alleppey - Drifting in a houseboat in the backwaters.

Hampi - A world gone by

Munnar - Just laze around and breath the pure air

Mumbai - get lost in the chaos or watch it from a distance. I have my fav seat in the churchgate station

these are just some of my fav places....

Hi ikuru ---- Wanna start a OM beach - fan club

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