To those of you who had one slam of a week… to those of you who just need a break from regular 9 to 5 job, to those who are planning something romantic for your loved ones, and for those, who are craving for some adventure, then this piece of information is for you, Paris may be called the ‘city of love’, but there’s a reason why India is one of the most culturally diverse countries. From huge Himalayan mountain capes to deep underground caves, India has its own form of spectacular beauty when it comes to nature’s own art. Here is a list of the 10 most stunning and nature’s best creations in India that will make you wanna pack your bags right now and see the marvel with your own eyes.
1. KREM LIAT PRAH CAVE
You must’ve heard of the phrase, “beauty shines from within” if so, then caves are the beginning of nature’s beauty. Outside, it looks like a cluster of rocks with a black hole, but as you go in deep, you will find it’s the majestic creation of nature. One of the world’s largest and record-breaking caves is the “Krem Liat Prah” cave which is located at the Shnongrim Ridge of the East Jaintia Hills district in the north-eastern state of Meghalaya, India. As of recent expeditions and discoveries, the length of the cave is 34 kilometers and still increasing as the connection between the nearby caves grows. It looks like a long trunk-like structure which is called an ‘aircraft hangar’. With its beautiful water puddles and stone formation, it’s definitely a place you shouldn’t miss.
2. MARINA BEACH – CHENNAI
The iconic Marina beach lies in Chennai, Tamil Nadu along the coast of the Bay of Bengal. It is an urban beach covering almost 13 kilometers from Besant Nagar in the south to fort St George in the north making it India’s longest beach and the world’s second-longest urban beach. This natural water bed has been loved and visited by people since 1881, the year after it was named. It is also the place where the legendary “jallikattu protest” took place with almost 5000+ people camped at the shores of the beach to protest against the ban of an ancient Tamil tradition for the Pongal festival called jallikattu. Till now, people take immense pride in taking part in the protest. It is also a place where you can see so many loved ones and families making their happy memories with the cool ocean breeze and the melody of the rising waves giving you the perfect atmosphere for relaxing and taking pictures.
3. Hogenakkal falls- between Karnataka and Tamilnadu
One of the biggest marvels of gravity is the waterfalls. How it managed to create such a gigantic exquisiteness of water falling from such height and never run out. One of India’s most visited places is the hogenakkal waterfalls located on the Kaveri river at the border between the Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu and the Chamrajnagar district of Karnataka. It’s also a fact that the carbonite rocks found in this area are the oldest of its form in the whole world and hence the water is very pure and clear. It is best to visit the falls during the monsoon when the flow is at its best and take a cool and refreshing bath at the waterfalls.
4. Sangetsar lake- Arunachal Pradesh
Just a 3-hour ride from Tawang (30kms from Tawang) in Arunachal Pradesh, and you will reach the breathtaking Sangetsar Lake.
It was formed during an earthquake in 1973 and has been an attractive spot that drags tourist attention. But this beauty comes with a price, the road to the lake begins from Zemithang and has almost 52 hairpin bends, yeah the fancy Indian food you ate before the trip might come out with flying colours… but the lake is worth the journey. It is best to visit during winter as the lake completely freezes and when the sun sets, the orange-blue light reflects on the lake and looks almost unreal and that the scenery jumped out of a fantasy movie, it’s gorgeous. This is definitely not something to miss.
5. Rann of Kutch- Gujarat
Nothing but the largest salt desert in the world. It is a salt marsh on the Kutch district of Gujarat with an average area of 7500 km². it is inhabited by the Kutchi people. The surface is generally flat and very close to sea level, and most of the Rann floods annually during the monsoon season. Winter is the best time to visit this place as the salt desert sparkles in the moonlight. You can also not miss out on the ‘Rann Utsav’ if you plan on visiting the rann of kutch. It is an awesome festival conducted on the salt desert in Gujarat. It is a carnival with music, dance, food, and romantic moments under the glimmering moon light. If you plan on visiting here, I’m sure you’ll have a blast of salty nature with vibes of masti music.
6. CHAIL- HIMACHAL PRADESH
One of the most breathtaking hill stations Is located at Himachal Pradesh which is approximately 44 kilometers from Shimla. It is known for its amazingly sculpted architecture and virgin forests. The place is surrounded by the forests of Chir pine and gigantic deodars. And the magic begins when the night comes, Shimla, Solan, and Kasauli will be visible from the chail. The trees of the forests rattle slowly and water streams create the perfect music created by nature. The hill station is covered in snow as winter hits and do not miss the sunrise along with the snow-covered forests and hills, it has the power to soothe any stressful minds, its nature’s own remedy. From ‘Kali ka tabba’ (Kali Devi temple) at the top of the hills to the beautiful lover’s point, it’s a perfect vacation destination.
7. DESERT NATIONAL PARK- RAJASTHAN
Are you a bird lover? Do you love to feel the heat? Do you think it’s cool to go on a safari around the desert? Then this place is for you. India’s biggest national park, is located at the state of rajasthan on the west side of india near the cities of Jaisalmer and Barmer. It covers an area of 3162 km². It holds an ecosystem similar to that of Thar Desert and has a huge bird population. The place is almost 20% sand dunes (desert) consisting of croggy rocks and fixed salt lakes located alternatively. The lakes around the town, the thousands of different bird species and the smooth sand dunes looking perfect from sunset is a perfect desert safari you could ever ask for.
8. KERALA BACKWATERS
The stunning backwaters of Kerala that run parallel to the coast of the Arabian Sea comprise stretches of brackish lakes, canals, and lagoons that are the most popular tourist places in the world. Alappuzha which is known as the ‘Venice of the East’, is very popular for its houseboat cruises where nature gives you the best of its works. It looks almost like a labyrinth structure with 900 kilometers of waterways connecting on all directions that separate out saltwater from pure water. It is also home to many fauna species like otters, frogs, crabs, mudskippers, and water birds like terns, kingfishers, darters, and cormorants. On the whole, this will be a most relaxing and refreshing trip.
9. NANEGHAT WATERFALLS- MAHARASHTRA
Maharashtra has one of the most magnificent waterfalls that captures all of our eyes with its beauty. Laws of gravity is very simple, but ever heard of a waterfall which goes upwards? Interesting right?
Located 129 kilometers from Pune, is the Naneghat waterfalls which stands that defies gravity, well not literally as the name suggests, the strong winds that blow from the opposite direction to the water flow makes it to fly backward and it looks from far afar as though the water is flowing backward. Around the waterfalls are also the bewitching sculpted caves and inscriptions from ancient tribal times. This place indeed is a miracle of nature, created for the pleasure of human eyes.
10. Borra caves- Andhra Pradesh
When you talk about nature in India, the diversity in the beauty is pretty evident in every place. That way, here comes last but none the least, the spectacular borra caves located on the East Coast of India, in the Ananthagiri hills of the Araku Valley of the Visakhapatnam district in Andhra Pradesh. The cave elevates to almost 4300ft and has numerous speleotherms (different formations of rocks inside the cave due to accumulation of minerals in the soil) and small water bodies. Deep inside the cave, there is a formation of the shiva linga which is the main reason many people visit. At the entrance of the cave, there is a sight of the beautiful valleys and also a view of the Eastern Ghats. It is found by the geologists that if one enters the cave without a map they may be lost forever! Interesting place for an adventure right? So enough with the wait, enough with excuses. Nature has provided so much beauty that one lifetime ain’t enough to take a glimpse of everything that has been created. Nature proves from time to time that no matter how much mankind develops, nature is always gonna be one step ahead in making us jaw drop with its creation.