Indian tourists are no longer content with popular and must-see attractions. They have become restless, seeking out new experiences, write Gustasp & Jeroo Irani, suggesting a few such destinations.
Pouting red lips on a painted face, the rustle of a bright silk kimono, strains of a shamisen (a three-stringed instrument), a young maiko or apprentice geisha performs a sad and elegant fan dance... An evening in a little tea house in a cobblestone alley of the old district of Kyoto is like a whiff of the past: of a Japan that was once isolated from the rest of the world and ruled by powerful shoguns or warlords. Even as the country embraced modernisation with a vengeance over the last century, it made sure that it did not lose touch with its roots.
Traditional ryokan inns like Beniya Mukayu that unfold like a Japanese Haiku poem; tea ceremonies in ancient Shinto shrines; a dip in an onsen or hot springs in Takayama, the island nation is studded with retreats that exude mystique. These hidden gems are not necessarily in the big cities and well-known tourist destinations, but they capture the essence of what mature travellers are seeking — cultural indulgence. Sure, popular sites and sounds are part of the larger itinerary, but it is the little diversions which allow one to get under the skin of a destination. Ultimately, these make a vacation unique.
The excursions need not necessarily be way off the beaten path. In Madrid, Spain, for instance, after you have done the usual museums, tapas trail, bustling town squares, Real Madrid stadium, etc, check out the charming World Heritage cities of Avila, Segovia and Alcalá de Henares, all within an hour's drive. Stepping into these self-contained towns is like turning back the clock. The days are languid here and it is possible to explore the place on foot and still find time enough to sit in a sidewalk café and watch the world go by. All too often, tourists prowl around like hungry predators, trying to cram in all the attractions that a place has to offer and, in the process, miss out on the experience.
Indeed, these little hideaways are full of surprises and you may well stumble on a choir, voices soaring to the spires of the cathedral in a town square in Avila. Or gatecrash a festival in Segovia — complete with folk dancers, a bishop in his colourful robes and headgear, leaning on an ornate staff as he leads the congregation of townsfolk in prayer even as a float of the Virgin Mary glides past the towering, still-functioning Roman aqueduct. Or see stocks nesting on the spires, steeples, bell towers and chimneys of historic buildings and churches in Alcalá de Henares, the birthplace of Miguel de Cervantes of Don Quixote fame.
Places less visited
Unlike well-known destinations and big cities where one has an inkling of what to expect, smaller and not-so-prominent dots on the map have an aura of the unknown, waiting to be discovered. Walking through the narrow alleyways of the Croatian Riviera towns of Split or Dubrovnik, for instance, one feels like an explorer, unravelling new discoveries around every bend — an impromptu performance by capella singers (essentially folk singers) in the ruins of a Roman Emperor's palace in Split.
Cruising is a great way of reaching these otherwise not-so-accessible gems. Today's cruise ships like Costa Fascinosa, for instance, are nomadic luxury resorts that offer a hard- to-beat all-inclusive package. On board, you are spared the trouble of making airport and railway station transfers, unpacking and repacking and checking in and out of hotels. Instead, enjoy the on-board facilities — state-of-the-art spa, heated pools, fine dining restaurants, Broadway shows, 24 hours' cabin service, an array of shore excursions...
One of the highlights of any cruise ship's American itinerary is crossing the Panama Canal which has for long defined the architectural guidelines of ship building yards around the world (ships must be no larger than a given size to pass through its locks). But there is more to Panama which connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans as also North and South America: this is the original land of the pirates of the Caribbean who pillaged and ravaged on the high seas, and, on land, of the Spanish conquistadores who hauled away gold in mighty galleons. The air is rife with legends of gold church altars and statues of the Black Christ against the backdrop of glistening green rain forests bordering a blue ocean.
In a shrinking global village, it is becoming increasingly easy to discover a new world and its once well-guarded secrets. Today, the little-known Puerto Princesa Underground River that flows across the Philippine island of Palawan has been listed as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. More important from the tourist's point of view is that it is possible to sail right into the cavern and admire nature's amazing stalactite exhibits in this subterranean art gallery. The adventure is only the icing on a Philippines saga: the country is an archipelago of 7,107 islands laced with pristine beaches.
Deep sea diving
Closer home is the Maldivian archipelago whose waters have some of the finest coral reefs around the world. Yes, Indian adventurers are discovering the wonder of scuba diving, and according to Mumbai-based Orca Dive Club, there are over 10,000 certified divers in the country. In fact, the outfit organises special week-long packages on live-aboard yachts that take guests to different dive sites around the island nation. Indeed, Indians are signing up for these dive-centric packages in Malaysia, Thailand and even further away — the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
When travelling within India, too, the discerning traveller is seeking experiences by which he or she can connect to the spirit of a destination. A homestay in the forgotten village of Chuikhim in the Kalimpong Hills of north Bengal, rather than the bustling hill resorts towns of Darjeeling and Gangtok, is the ideal base for a trekking holiday. Likewise, Tea Nest, snuggled in a tea estate in the Nilgiris, captures the essence of the Raj that the more popular hills station of Coonoor has frittered away with unplanned overdevelopment.
Jostling crowds are a feature of most pilgrim sites in India. Not so in Maheshwar, a little town in Madhya Pradesh, where the Relais & Chateaux group's swish Ahilya Fort hotel, located in an ancient fort, overlooks the holy River Narmada. Indeed, it is said that the Ganga comes here once every year to have a dip in the river and cleanse itself of all the sins that millions of devotees have deposited in its waters.
And after guests have had their cleansing dip in the river, Ahilya Fort can arrange an excursion to Mandu, strewn with palaces that resemble stranded galleons and other impressive ruins left behind by self-indulgent rulers. The finale may well be a romantic lunch in an abandoned ruin, hosted by Ahilya Fort resort. The floor is strewn with rugs, bolsters and flower petals and as the mist comes swirling in, one gets a sense of the finer points of true luxury that Indian hotels and resorts are now offering their guests — it's all about creative finesse and not just extravagance.
Call of the wild
And luxury can be found in the wild too. In recent years, plush but utterly natural resorts like The Serai at Bandipur Tiger Reserve, in Karnataka, have come up. The Serai, done in an earthy colour palette, has such a light footprint that it seems to disappear into the landscape. The resort is replete with natural textures, handcrafted furniture and antique pieces. But the real magic lies in the fact that it is open to the chorus and fragrance of the wilderness that surrounds it. Its Mountain View log huts, evocative of sumptuous game lodges in South Africa, field views of sunrises and sunsets that tinge the earth in dusty pastels and fiery crimson. The Serai imaginatively spices up the safari experience with luxurious interludes: spas, fine dining options, nature walks and even visits to the neighbouring village for tea and refreshments.
Yes, the message is clear — tourism is all about connecting with a place in a deep and meaningful way; be it a basic homestay in a far-flung mountaintop village or a luxury resort in the wild.