Local

In the quiet narrow back-lanes of Melkote, 150 kilometres from Bengaluru, old men and women lounge in the old verandahs of old-style houses—bestowing upon the delightfully small hilltop town, or rather village (population 3,305), a…
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Andhra Pradesh, Lepakshi Why Go Now: Gods (and saree designs) etched in stone Lepakshi, which is 120 kilometres north of Bengaluru, might be lesser-known, but believes in a grand welcome. The first thing you’d encounter on the town’s main…
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Just about three hours from the chaos that is Mumbai, Nashik—west India’s wine country—is a place that seems to be caught in between eras. There is still something old-school about this city where new cafés are springing up every week.…
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The first course at Masque, a cuisine-agnostic, ingredient-driven restaurant in Mumbai, is always served in the kitchen. On the first work station was a smouldering brazier. However, instead of charcoal, the brazier was filled with…
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Infinity pools, beautiful beaches and romantic resorts. Say hello to the best honeymoon hotels in Bali! Bali often tops the lists of dream destinations for honeymoons, and for good reason! White sandy beaches, iconic rice terraces and…
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A bejeweled bird is pinned onto the ceiling of the Peacock Bar, an extension of the hotel’s central lobby. The bird, fittingly, is a peacock. Its encrusted tail winds around columns and pillars, spreading out in all its gleaming glory. The…
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It is often said that the journey is more important than the destination. For me, no place embodies this better than Pahalgam. The ‘Valley of Shepherds’—so named after its first inhabitants—is home to every Kashmir cliché. Just about 100…
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A visit to Arunachal Pradesh is bound to throw up many wonders. While attending the annual Nyokum Yullo festival in Seppa in East Kameng district in February this year, I found a few. Nyokum Yullo is the main festival of the Nyishi, one of…
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“Don’t touch,” said Hem, guide and human encyclopaedia, as I attempted to move past a thorny shrub. “It will sting.” The stinging nettle, a flowering plant that runs wild in these hills, looks innocuous enough but delivers a sharp sting…
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Dusk creeps up on the Aravalli hills like a secret, chiding the skies to go from orange to mauve, casting shadows on the foothills. I sit up straighter in the recliner by the pool; Amanbagh is stirring from the afternoon lull to stretch…
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Champaner Charms While Vadodara gets the lion’s share of art and history lovers, Champaner, located just 50 kilometres northeast, is blissfully free of tourists. A visit to the Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park is a walk back in…
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1. Vella Kanthari Very few people outside Kochi have heard of Vella Kanthari. You won’t find it on a guide book, or on a list of must-eat places. In fact, if you’re someone who is particular about your personal space and…
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It might seem like a strange thing to remember Coffee, Tea or Me?, a popular book about the lives of two American air hostesses while staying in a tree house 40 feet above the ground. But then, this long weekend away from Bangalore is in…
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Phuket Real Local Restaurants Beware! This is not the trendy section of Phuket Restaurants! This is all about local food and only local food! Here are some of the most popular (very) local Thai restaurants in Phuket. They are not fancy and…
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