Hey explorer,

I opened Quora for some research and content ideas the other day, and to my surprise, the "questions for you" tab had numerous unanswered questions. All of them belonged to the travel industry.

With a broad smile, I started writing, but it was when submitting answers I thought about you - what if you had such a question in mind? So, here are a few you might want answers to from a bunch of questions.

Q.1 - Is India a good travel destination?

Like most other places in the world that we all are fond of and dream of visiting once in our lifetime, India is also home to some of the best sites that create the same feeling of enjoying the non-Indian places that the outer world is yet to explore.

- Want to experience the Alps? The Himalayas is the Indian version.
- Want to experience the Sahara Desert? Thar Desert is the Indian version.
- Want to experience Switzerland? Himachal Pradesh is the Indian version.

While the best part is you can explore all these places on a lower budget than in foreign lands, the worst part is there are many unexplored sites in each corner of India. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh, an unknown place is waiting to boost your adventure spirits.

The Taj Mahal, Manali, Darjeeling, Nilgiri, and Chikmangalore are a few sides of India the world know, but did you know that the other travel side of India is Valparai, Vagamon, and Orchaa?

I promise these unknown places can do justice to the time and money you spend in India. Check out the link below to find more such unknown Indian travel destinations and travel itineraries for each of them.

Q.2 - Which are the best places in India for adventures?

Not just in cultures and traditions, India is so diverse that every corner of the country is an awaiting adventurous site. The Indian landscape makes it a must-visit place - Seabodies with Eastern and Western Ghats on the South side, the Himalayas on the North and East sides, and the Thar Desert on the West side.

From a beach lover to a trekking lover and city lover to a nature lover, India offers diverse adventure options that meet various interests and preferences. However, I highly suggest starting your journey with unknown places in the country because

- Less crowd - you can effortlessly differentiate a tourist from locals.
- The whole location is yours - you can enjoy your trip smoothly.

Here are the 29 unexplored adventurous places from 29 states in India. For detailed descriptions and travel itineraries of each one of these places, click on the link.

North India

1. Beetab Valley - Jammu & Kashmir

2. Bir - Himachal Pradesh

3. Abohar - Punjab

4. Morni Hills - Haryana

5. Ranikhet - Uttarakhand

6. Sanjay Van - Delhi

Western India

1. Mount Abu - Rajasthan

2. Polo Forest - Gujarat

3. Kalsubai Peak - Maharastra

4. Chorla Ghats - Goa

Southern India

1. Puligundu - Andhra Pradesh

2. Osman Sagar Lake - Telangana

3. Valparai - Tamil Nadu

4. Vagamon - Kerala

5. Netravati Peak - Karnataka

Central India

1. Chambal Ravines - Uttar Pradesh

2. Orchha - Madhya Pradesh

3. Kanger Valley National Park - Chhattisgarh

Eastern India

1. Jeypore - Odisha

2. Purulia - West Bengal

3. Ramshila Hill - Bihar

4. Patratu Valley - Jharkhand

Northeastern India

1. Haflong - Assam

2. Dirang- Arunachal Pradesh

3. Aritar - Sikkim

4. Ukhrul - Manipur

5. Laitlum Canyon- Meghalaya

6. Phawngpui peak - Mizoram

7. Khezakenoma village - Nagaland

8. Jampui Hills - Tripura

Q.3 - What is the cost of visiting a palace in India?

You must understand India is not as affordable as it looks even before you decide to travel. Considering average prices on every travel need, a solo traveller alone might need an average of ₹2,000 to ₹4,000 per day, depending on the place you visit.

Expenses increase when a popular tourist site (like Mumbai) and decrease when it is a lesser-known place (like Puligundu). Let's see how it works, starting with the must-need travel necessities - Night stay, food, transport, and miscellaneous expenses (entrance fees/souvenirs).

Example -

Say you are visiting Puligundu in Chittoor District in Andhra Pradesh for 2 days and travelling from Hyderabad.

- Transportation - Chittoor doesn't have an airport. So, one must travel by train, which might cost ₹400 to ₹800 from Hyderabad, depending on the seater status. Then, from the town centre, to reach the site (Puligundu), you might need ₹40.

Intoto - ₹700 + ₹700 (train/round trip) + ₹40 + ₹40 (bus/round trip) = ₹1,480

- Night Stay - Hotels in Chittoor are available from ₹800 and can break the bank account when gone further. Let's say you are renting a room at ₹1,000/night.

- Food - Food prices vary depending on the type of restaurant. Let's say you spend ₹100 for 3 times in the day. Then, ₹300 in total.

Entering Puligundu doesn't need any extry fee unless it's a festive season, while the other miscellaneous expenses depend upon you as a tourist.

So, for 2 days, you need ₹3,080/person (for a lesser-known place).

Imagine how much visiting a well-known tourist place might cost you. Yet, it all depends on you as a tourist and how you spend on all things.

Q.4 - How to Select the Best Travel Destination in India?

Selecting the best travel destination is like picking the best in a group of people to be your partner. With that, there are 2 fundamental things you must know before choosing a perfect tourist spot in India, be it from peer recommendations or online networking portals.

1. India is Diverse

With 29 states, 7 union territories, and 4000 towns and cities, Indian tourism is as diverse as the Indian culture. There will be a place you either never visited or haven't heard of in any part of India you visit.

So, you must understand that there are hundreds and thousands of sites you haven't heard about before sticking to a well-known place someone once told you.

- Instead of visiting Manali, go to Bir
- Instead of Ooty, go to Valparai
- Instead of Wayanad, go to Vagamon

And the list can go on. Although you can find a substitute place for each well-known tourist destination, they still carry their charm and appeal, which is where personal feelings come into effect.

2. Personal Feelings Matter

The next most crucial thing in the process is how you feel - how you feel about the things you want to enjoy. Remember, it's not about what others think but what you want to enjoy and experience because it's you touring, not others suggesting you.

Make a detailed list of things, feelings, and experiences you want to come across in your travel this time. Something like, "I want to make my trip a bit more adventurous this time (but how?) by hiking the tallest mountain of Tripura, Jampui Hills.

- Want to have a peaceful trip? Check out nature-based sites.
- Want to enjoy an adventurous trip? Check out trekking sites.

Once done, compare your travel goals with all the features of places you come across in your research process. Whichever checks more goals on the list, pick that up and plan your trip accordingly.

What's your way of exploring India? (I appreciate it if you could let me know your whole planning process, haha!)

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