'Unknown' Vacation Destinations in India

Valmiki Tiger Reserve, Bihar 

Valmiki National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the West Champaran district of Bihar state, India. Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) is one of the natural virgin recesses in east India, situated in the north west corner of Bihar. The pristine forest and wilderness of VTR is an excellent example of Himalayan Terai landscape. 

The reserve comprises of the Valmiki National Park and Valmiki Wildlife Sanctuary.

How to Reach

Green Bee Eater at VTR

VTR is well connected with road and rail link. Apart from this it takes hardly two hours to reach VTR by road from Gorakhpur airport.

By Road: The VTR is about 275 km from Patna, the capital city of Bihar; 200 km from Muzaffarpur, major city and railhead of North Bihar; 70 km for Bettiah, district headquarters of West Champaran; and 125 km from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, by road. Vehicles can be hired from these places to reach the VTR.

Black-headed Oriole

By Rail: The VTR is situated on Gorakhpur – Muzaffarpur (via Narkatiganj) rail route. Direct train are available from major cities of the Country to reach the VTR. Daily / weekly trains are available from New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Siliguri, Dehradun and Amritsar to arrive at Bagaha (to reach western part of the sanctuary) and Narkatiaganj (to reach central and eastern part of the sanctuary). Muzaffarpur and Gorakhpur are the nearest major junctions to get passenger / mail / express trains for Bagaha and Narkatiaganj.

By Air: Patna, Kolkata and Gorakhpur are the nearest airports.

Website: http://valmikitigerreserve.com/

Tarkarli, Maharashtra

Tarkarli is a village in Malvan Taluka in Sindhudurg district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is tourist destination and an attractive beach.

This place has gained prominence because of its long and narrow stretch of beach with pristine waters and water sports. On a clear day, one can see the bed unto a depth of 20 ft. It presents a panoramic view with tall 'Shuru' trees in the background. The wide river, the beautiful sailboats and the tiny hamlets situated on the riverbank, add to the picturesque beauty of Tarkarli. Sighting dolphins is not a rare event here.

How to Reach

By Road: Tarkarli is easily accessible from Malvan by bus and rickshaw. Tarkarli is 475 km (Panvel Kochi Road, NH 17) and 576 km (Mumbai Kohlapur Road NH 4) away from Mumbai. Daily private, luxury and State Transport bus service available from various parts of Goa, Mumbai, Pune to Malvan.

By Rail: Following options exist: 
Sindhudurg is a major Railway station. 
Kudal on the Konkan Railway which is around 1 hour 15 minutes by road from Malvan. 
Kankavli on the Konkan Railway which is around 1 hour 30 minutes by road from Malvan.

By Air: Nearest airport is Dabolim Airport, Goa.

Wayanad, Kerala

Meenmutty Falls, Wayanad

Yet another unexplored place in Kerala, Wayanad is one of the northern districts of kerala, on its border with Karnataka. It is hilly country with a huge swathe of plantations & estates (particularly coffee estates). This mountain district is in many ways the most picturesque in the state, with its rolling hills covered with tropical rainforest.

Wayanad also contributes richly to its fortunes, with its flourishing cultivation of many spices, and also Tea, Coffee and Cocoa. Wayanad is situated at a height of 700 to 2100m above sea level with temperatures ranging from 12 to 25 degrees centigrade.
This district also has the added advantage of linking Kerala with the golden triangle of South India : Bangalore, Mysore and Ooty. Kalpetta town is the center for all the sight seeing places. An ideal place for trekking and other adventure activities.


Its famous wildflife sanctuary has got everything from exotic flora, birds and a collection of reptiles. The best time to visit is between the months of June to October. There are a number places to visit in Wayanad like Phookat lake, Eddakal caves, Kuruvadweep and Chembara Falls.

How to Reach

By Road: By road, Wayanad is accessible from Calicut, Kannur, Mysore, Bangalore and Ooty. Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has bus services from Trivandrum, Eranakulam (Kochi), Calicut (Kozhikkode), Mysore and Bangalore through Wayanad. Karnataka Road Transport Corporation also has bus services from Bangalore/Mysore to Calicut/Eranakulam following the route Mysore - Gundlupet - Sulthan Bathery(Wayanad) - Kalpetta(Wayanad). 

By Rail: The nearest railway station from Wayanad is Kozhikode (Calicut) which is 75 km away from Kalpetta. Mysore railway station is at a distance 140 km from Kalpetta. Tourists coming from Chennai to Wayanad have the option of coming to Calicut or Mysore and further move to Wayanad.

By Air: The nearest Airport to Wayanad is Kozhikode (Calicut) international airport at a distance of about 100 km from Kalpetta (Wayanad dist HQ). Mysore Airport (only domestic flights) is almost 140 km away from Kalpetta and Bangalore international airport is at a distance of approximately 280 km from Kalpetta.

Lachung, Sikkim

Lachung is a town in northeast Sikkim, India. It is located in the North Sikkim district and is near the border with Tibet. Lachung is at an elevation of about 9,600 ft or 3,000 m and at the confluence of the Lachen River and Lachung Rivers, tributaries of the River Teesta. The word Lachung means "small pass". 

Lachung has been described as the "most picturesque village of Sikkim" by British explorer Joseph Dalton Hooker in his definitive, The Himalayan Journal (1855). Skiing is conducted in Phuni near this town.

How to Reach

Yumthang, Lachung

By Road: This city is the hill station and people mostly prefer to travel through road. You can get taxi, jeeps, and buses to move from one place to another. Gangtok (113 km) is easily connected to Lachung with the road transport facility.

By Train: Lachung railway station is nearby the city which can be accessible by road. You can hire any of the available public transport to reach there. Rail network is well connected and make your journey comfortable.

By Air: Gangtok airport is one of the nearest airports to the city from where you can get regular flights to different destinations. This airport is well equipped with modern facilities which offer you with the utmost comfort.