surreal places in India

10 most surreal places in India

Landscapes from a fairytale, muse lands for literature, sceneries from movies sets, sunsets borrowed from a daydream and lands amongst clouds. All these are here and very real. And they are even closer than you thought. Discover these 10 bits of paradise, most surreal places in India which will make you forget the difference between dreams and reality.

10. Majuli, Assam: A Surreal Fantasy

Majuli, one of the most surreal places in India is also the World’s largest river island. Connected via boats with the city of Jorhat, Majuli is a beautiful exotic location, yet unknown to most of the tourists in India. Majuli has also been nominated for one of the places in UNESCO World’s Heritage List. The culture, mostly very locally defined due to high tribal population is quite unique and it has been referred as the cultural capital of Assam. The ideal time to visit Majuli is between October to March, however the monsoons are also quite beautiful in Majuli.

9.  Great Rann of Kutch: Waking up to the surreal

desert

Famous for its surreal

salt desert and the Rann Utsav Festival, Kutch is the western-most district of Gujarat bordering Pakistan. It comes alive during the Rann Utsav festival (going on from 14th December to 18th March, 2014) and provides an amazing array of activities during the desert festival, folk dances, cultural programs, hot air ballooning, camping, camel safari  and tons of other things. The area looks extremely beautiful especially during the Full moon nights. Kutch could be avoided in summers due to high temperature.

8. Kudremukh, Karnataka: Among the surreal hills

With a surreal view of a mountain in the shape of a horse face, Kudremukh is famous for its scenic beauty.The major attractions here are its dense forests, waterfalls and hill ranges. Kudremukh makes for a great weekend getaway option for people in Bangalore and it can be reached in just 5 hours. Kudremukh could be visited throughout the year.

7. Butterfly Beach, Goa: The secluded beach away from crowd

Definitely the most secluded beach in Goa, this surreal beach is located at one end of Palolem beach. You would need to take a ferry to reach Butterfly beach from Palolem beach. Cruising along the virgin coastline, you can fall in love with the view of golden sand touching the rocks, surrounded by crystal blue water and palm trees. This part of the country faces high temperature in summers and hence summer could be avoided. It also gets a little difficult to reach here in monsoons as the water level is generally high.

6. Sundarbans, West Bengal: Biggest mangroves in the world

Among the most beautiful and definitely the most surreal wildlife forest in India, Sundarbans is located in the southern delta part of West Bengal. Famous for being the biggest mangrove forest in the world, Sundarbans literally means “beautiful forest” in Bengali. Sundarbans is also famous for its population of Royal Bengal Tigers, also infamous for being man-eaters. The crocodile population is also noteworthy apart from various species of birds found in this area. The best time to visit Sundarbans is in winters.

5. Pangong Lake, Ladakh: Surreal in every sense

Pangong Lake, one of the most surreal places in India has suddenly come into spotlight after the movie 3 Idiots and Jab Tak Hai Jaan. Located around 50 km from Leh, the capital of Ladakh, Pangong lake is quite huge and it shares boundary with China (Tibet) in the eastern side. Situated at an altitude of 4,350 m, it is also among the highest lakes in India. The interesting thing about the lake is that color of water appears different with different time of the day. Among the most beautiful places for photographers, this place is also used to camp during the night to gaze at the stars. Pangong Lake along with most other parts of Leh should be visited only during the summers (June to September) as the temperatures goes very low in winters.

4. Gurudongmar Lake, North Sikkim: Lake amidst the surreal clouds

Famous as one of the highest and most surreal lakes of India, Gurudongmar is located in North Sikkim district of Sikkim. Considered to be a good trek, the lake can be accessed by road from Lachen via Thangu. Gurudongmar Lake is located at a height of 5,210 m above sea level and it remains frozen for most parts of the year. The lake is surrounded by snow-capped mountains and offers a breathtaking view of the Himalayas, appearing to be completely surreal. The ideal time to visit Gurudongmar is during the summers when the temperatures are relatively higher and hence suitable for tourists.

3. Dzuko Valley, Kohima, Nagaland

Located just 25 km away from Kohima, capital of Nagaland, Dzuko Valley is the place only next to paradise. Situated at a height of nearly 1500 m above sea level, this surreal place turns into a beautiful mixture of red and

with rhododendron, lilies and wild flowers in their full bloom during the winter and spring season. March to June and October-November are the best months to visit Dzukou Valley.

2. Nubra Valley, Ladakh,: The Moon-Land

Sometimes known as ‘Moonland’, Ladakh is bounded by mountains and comprised of mountains. Human habitation is sparse, and during the wild winter months, the region is only marginally easier to reach than the moon itself. The imposing, inhospitable Nubra Valley is its wild lunar heart. Snuggled between the Karakoram Range and nourished by two rivers, Nubra is a lush green valley brimming with Sea buckthorns and Alfalfa.During summers, the whole place is carpeted with Pink and yellow roses and in autumns by oodles of wild lavenders which a sight beyond simple natural beauty. Nubra Valley should ideally be visited in the summer months of June to September.

1. Key Monastery, Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh

One of the most unexplored and surreal places in India, Spiti valley is located at a very high altitude in the eastern part of Himachal Pradesh. This region is a desert mountain valley and is known for its beautiful monasteries and untouched natural beauty. The terrain of Spiti Valley is highly difficult and the entire region become completely isolated during the winters. Situated at a height of 4,112 meters, this monastery was built in the 14th century and its architecture is influenced by Chinese style. It is one of the biggest and oldest Monasteries in Spiti and is one of the most important tourist places in this region. Best time to visit Spiti is in the months of May to October, when the temperatures are higher and roads are accessible.