10 Safe Travel Destinations In India For An All-Woman Group

Bitten by travel bug but feeling unsafe going solo? Travel with an all-woman group to experience these 10 safe travel destinations in India.

To travel is relaxing, liberating and exhilarating. Whether one is a home-maker or a working woman, the monotonous drudgery of everyday life exhausts and drains out the vigour. A break once in a while rejuvenates and reinvigorates you again to pick up from where you left.

A few years back, women only travelled with family or sometimes for work. However, the concept of travel for the sake of travel and leisure has captured women travellers’ attention. Women are travelling solo and in all-woman groups to destinations within India as well as internationally.

But by taking basic precautions and thorough research, women need not avoid travelling. In fact, travelling with an all-woman group may increase the fun factor and save one from boredom, besides giving the opportunity of meeting like-minded women.

10 Safe Travel Destinations In India

Of the many places that I have travelled to or heard about, there are a few which I am sure many others will enjoy too. Here are ten destinations which are safe as well as good to travel to:

Puducherry

This little seaside town, a union territory saturated with French influence in its cuisine, language, cobbled pathways and colonial houses painted yellow and white, offers a perfect getaway. The quiet evenings are good for a stroll down the beach and shopping along the neat, broad avenues.

Friendly locals and peaceful, serene atmosphere immediately puts you to ease. Fine dining restaurants serving delectable French cuisine are a delight for food lovers.

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Must do:

Matri Mandir at Auroville, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Museum, Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Cathedrals, Goubert Avenue, Sacred Heart Bascilica, Ayurveda Holistic Healing Centre, Sri Manakula Vinayagar Temple and beaches.

Nainital

This bustling hill town in Uttarakhand settled around the eye-shaped lake has an old British charm. The mall road flanked by the lake on one side and a variety of shops and eateries on the other is free of vehicular traffic for the major part of the day. It makes for a wonderful relaxed walk or a smart horse ride.

The Tibetan market is perfect for a shopping spree and just when you feel tired you see a small shop at the end doling out most delicious steaming hot momos and Maggi. Boat rides, kayaking, hot air ballooning, hiking and trekking are a few popular adventure sport that the town has to offer.

Must do:

Naina Devi Temple, Corbett National Park, Nainital Zoo, Bhimtal, Naukuchiyatal, Tiffin Top, China Peak, Tibetan Market, Hikes, Treks and Cable-car ride.

Udaipur

This city of lakes is absolutely breathtaking. Imbued with royal flavour in its every street, attire, disposition and mannerism of locals, it gives a glimpse of richness and regal splendour. An overdose of exotic exquisite architecture greets you in its palaces, temples, home-stays and hotels.

Here, one can imagine what being filthy rich might be. Art connoisseurs and antique lovers would be overjoyed with the shops in narrow lanes of old city. The panoramic view from atop the hill is gratifyingly beautiful.

Must do:

City Palace, Jag Mandir, Sajjan garh or the Monsoon Palace, Pichola Lake, Karni Mata temple, Cable car ride, Fatehsagar Lake, Jagdish Temple, Bagore ki Haveli, Saheliyon ki Bari.

Sikkim

This is a gorgeous place to be at, with green, green and more green all around. The valleys and misty mountains, the colourful attire of locals, the stepped rice fields, red rhododendrons, ferns, grazing yaks and monasteries all cast a mystical magical spell on you.

You at once feel calm, peaceful, joyous and free. Its pristine beauty and hospitable locals are what warms up your heart and makes you realize how shallow the other side of the world is. A perfect place for a solo woman, or an all-woman group, definitely.

Must do:

Rumtek Gompa, Ganesh Tok, Norbugang Park, Khecheopalri Lake, Yamthang Valley, Golden Stupa, Hot water springs, Helicopter ride, trekking,  Tsomgo Lake, Pelling, Namchi

Mysore

City of Palaces, as it is called, Mysore owes its architectural grandeur to the Chalukya, Chola and Hoysala dynasties of a bygone era. The Mysore Palace lit up at night with thousands of lights is a mesmerizing sight. Mysore also boasts of premium silks, woodwork, incense and sandalwood. The simplicity of locals makes it quite a safe place to travel.

Must do:

Mysore Palace, Chamundi Hills, Chamundeshwari temple, Rail Museum, Zoo, Karanji lake and St Philomena’s Cathedral

Munnar

This place is on my to-do list too. Close friends who have visited there find it incredulous that I have yet not made a trip to Munnar, the epitome of tranquil greenery. The undulating verdant hills of this quaint small town studded with fine tea plantations transport you to a blissful serenity which the city life robs you of. The place has quite a few hiking and walking trails that let one soak in the natural rustic charm of Kerala.

Must do:

Tea museum, Mattupetty, Pallivasal

Hampi

The vast expanse of ruins of Vijayanagar Kingdom take you back to historical times of a flourishing empire. The relics give a glimpse of the fine art and architecture that must have prevailed at the time.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka is a treat to the eyes and soul of a history buff. With a rich culture coursing through the region and amicable locals, the small village of Hampi is truly a traveller’s delight.

Must do:

Vitthala Temple, Virupaksha Temple, Nandi Statue, Achyutaraya temple, Underground Shiva temple, Royal centre and Queen’s bath, Zenana enclosure, ferry ride at river Tungbhadra, Hemakuta hill.

Shimla

Best known as the Summer Capital of British India, Shimla still has that lingering stamp of days of Raj. The colonial architecture is alive in churches, convent schools and other old buildings and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kalka-Shimla railway line. The scenic beauty and soothing climate in the lap of the Himalayas is perfectly refreshing. This capital city of Himachal Pradesh is your answer to a relaxed, lazy evening walk down the Mall Road.

Must do:

Viceregal Lodge, Town Hall, Jakhu temple, Christ Church, Museum, Kali Bari temple, Kufri, Mall Road, Ice Skating Rink, Toy train ride.

Khajuraho

Temple ruins with erotic art on display, as Khajuraho temples have come to be known for, attract a lot of tourists. This World Heritage Site is again the finest example of art, sculpture, imagery and Nagara style architecture of Chandela Dynasty in Madhya Pradesh. Of the 85 temples that once dotted the landscape, only 20 still exist.

The temple complexes are a feast for the eyes of an art aficionado. And if you are in a group of women, after appreciating the fine art, you can giggle like little school girls as well at some seemingly impossible erotic postures that couples practised in ancient age.

Must do:

Kandriya Mahadev Temple, Lakshmana temple, Lakshmi Temple, Lord Mahavira temple,  Matangeshwara temple, Adinath temple and Parshwanath temple.

Rishikesh

I remember as a kid visiting the Lakshamana Jhula Bridge on Ganga at Rishikesh, but it has been quite many years now that I visited this place. Besides being a religious place, it has become famous for adventure tourism like bungee jumping, white water rafting and cliff jumping.

For people with a devotional bent of mind, Ganga Aarti in evenings is a beautiful sight to behold. There have mushroomed quite many yoga centres in the area, and few of them are worth spending time at.

Must do:

Tryambakeshwar temple, Lakshmana Jhula, Neergarh waterfall, Neelkanth Mahadev temple, Mahrishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram, White water rafting, Camping by river, bungee jumping.

So, do you know of any other safe travel destinations in India? Do comment and let us know.

Image source: tea plantations, Munnar by Shutterstock.

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