Manali, the best Hill Station

I just love the mountains most and call me biased but my automatic choice is of a hill station when the idea of a holiday crops up. Pics of Manali have always fascinated me because in North India not many hill stations are left near Delhi which have not fallen prey to the commercialisation of property developers.

Thus Manali comes like a breath of fresh air because it has everything an ideal hill station has or a mountain lover wants out of a hill holiday. The hills are heavily forested, there are those magical little winding forest paths where you can lose yourself and ofcourse the gurgling clean Beas River all along the Mall.

Thus when I got a chance to choose a hill station after my marriage-it had to be Manali. We flew to Kullu first and then took a taxi to Manali. There are also good buses to Manali.There are many places to see in Manali. You can spend anything between 3-10 days here depending on the purpose of your visit. There is the mandatory trip to Rohtang Pass and even in summers you can see ice here and can ice trek with the boots available on hire. Rohtang is literally Top Of The World and I felt like a flying bird close to the sky after I reached the top plateau. A highly recommended place.

There are also numerous temples in Manali, some very ancient and supported by fancy legends.It is exciting to visit some of them and see first hand the Himachali village life coz the temples are right in the middle of these native neighbourhoods. A quaint Tibetan Monastry also exists and has a variety of handicraft items on display. One day can easily be spent in Kullu. In October it hosts the fabulous Kullu Dussehra Carnival. Otherwise also there are some interesting markets, a painting gallery of a Russian Painter and a great museum.

We also went to Nagar, an old castle a few hrs away from Manali. Nagar was the capital of this area before Kullu. It has an ancient wooden haveli , now converted into a deluxe hotel. The old charm has still stayed and it is a fave with foreigners who dress in summer clothes!!:-) and then sunbathe in the castle terraces and take in the excellent views of the Kullu valley. The Mall is also very pretty as the river flows right alongside. There are arrangements for rafting and fishing also. Many veg and non veg eateries are there at the Mall and you can easily choose a different place for each evening.

What is special abt Manali is that it retains its freshness, its greenery and its cleanliness. Unlike Mussoorie, Manali is truly a paradise for the city weary.

Just the right blend of nature and modern comforts, Manali is my best bet for a hill station vacation..