Incredible Destinations

Medical tourism in simple terms implies reasonably priced, private medical care that works in collaboration with the travel industry. Medical tourism is a therapeutic and healthy exercise for people from abroad traveling to India for healthcare and surgery. They even end up paying less in India compared to what they’d pay in their own country for the treatment.

The healthcare industry in India is growing by an astounding 30 percent annually. The Indian finance minister Jaswant Singh has stated that the country has the potential to become a ‘global health destination’. Medical tourism in India is poised to become a huge foreign exchange revenue earner and has found a lot of support among the professionals in the industries (medicine and transport) and the government.

The medical facilities in some of the private hospitals of India are comparable to the ones in the US and UK. Also, there are a large number of expatriate doctors and medical staff working in the US, UK and other developed countries. Patients in these countries have been traditionally exposed to the expertise, professionalism and adeptness of Indian physicians. As a result, patients in these countries are confident and mentally prepared to get fantastic service and treatment in India. But the best thing about medical tourism in India is its quality low-cost treatment. The treatment costs are about 1/10th of the comparable treatment in countries like the US and UK and embraces every aspect of medical spectrum like prognosis, diagnosis, cosmetic surgery, major surgeries and other methods of health care.

The cost effective treatment is just one good part of the deal. Apart from the vastly reduced price for healthcare in India, medical tourists can also enjoy their stay in the country. India is a tourist’s delight and the time a medical tourist spends here, also promises an exciting and therapeutic touch. There are a lot of holiday options that a medical tourist can take back in India like the backwaters of Kerala, the pristine beaches of Goa or the tranquility of the magnificent Himalayas and much more.

It is very difficult to list the top tourist destinations and attractions in India because every place tells a unique story and has its own significance and beauty. The sheer size, heritage and diversity of India have enchanted many travelers throughout the ages. However, here is a listing, or rather a countdown of the ten top tourist destinations in India based on popularity:

10. Varanasi: It is one of the oldest cities of India with a 3000-year-old history. Tourists come to the sacred place of Varanasi to experience a sense of mysticism, for a spiritual feeling, to study at the Benares Hindu University or to watch the enigmatic Ganges flow by.

9. Khajurao: The temples and monuments of Khajurao in Madhya Pradesh have been designated by the UNESCO as a “World Heritage Site”. These breathtakingly beautiful temples were constructed between the 9th and 10th centuries during the times of the Chandela dynasty. It is one of the chief tourist destinations in India as people from all around the world throng to watch these artistic wonders. Of the 85 temples constructed originally, only 22 remain.

8. Hyderabad: The fifth largest city in India is home to magnificent forts, royal palaces, age-old temples and mosques; all of them a celebration of history and grandeur that this city has commanded. It is also called the “Pearl city”. Some of the top tourist attractions here are the Charminar, Safdar Jung Museum, Hussain Sagar Lake and Lad Bazaar.

7. Bangalore: Bangalore is the fastest growing city in India. With a pleasant climate and cosmopolitan aura of this place, Bangalore has undergone quite a transformation over the last few years. Some of the top tourist destinations in Bangalore are Lal Bagh Botanical Garden, Fort of Tipu Sultan, Bangalore Palace, the Venkatappa Art gallery and the Bull Temple.

6. Pondicherry: The seductive beauty of Pondicherry beckons a lot of visitors to this place. The city of Pondicherry has a passive feel towards it; you can feel that the city likes to move at its own languid pace, unlike other cities in India, which seem to have a fast paced life. Some of the prominent tourist attractions here are the Beach Road, the Aurbindo Ashram and many restaurants that line the Beach Road. Since it was formerly a French colony, most people here know and speak French.

5. Mumbai: Mumbai, the commercial capital of India is frequented by many tourists round the year. Some of the pleasant sights are the Gateway of India, Mani Bhawan - the residence of Mahatma Gandhi, sea fronts like Chowpatty beach, Marine Drive, Juhu Beach and the Bandra sea-face. The southern part of Mumbai is usually frequented by tourists, especially at the Fort Area, Colaba, Nariman Point and Cuffe Parade. Other tourist attractions include Kamala Nehru Park, Hanging Gardens, the Prince of Wales Museum and the Jehangir Art Gallery.

4. Jaipur: Jaipur (capital of Rajasthan) is also known as the ‘Pink City’ is home to several top tourist destinations. Chief among them are Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal, Albert Museum, Birla Mandir Planetarium, City Palace, Sisodia Rani Park etc.

3. Kochi: Kochi is a beautiful and prosperous city in Kerala. The vibrancy in terms of natural beauty and industrial progress is simply unbelievable. It is the commercial capital of Kerala. Some of the best places to visit in Kochi are the Dutch Palace (Mattanchery Palace), Cherai Beach, Hill Palace Museum, Willingdon Island (a manmade island), a hill station called Munnar and Anamudi, the highest peak in South India.

2. Delhi: Delhi, the capital city of India is known to be a heaven for historical sites, archeological destinations and religious sites. One of the best tourist attractions in India, the “India Gate” is in Delhi. Also stunningly attractive is the Red Fort, a huge edifice and a testimony to the Mughal architecture. Yet another tourist attraction, the Kutumb Minar alone attracts numerous tourists from round the world. The largest mosque in India, the Jama Masjid, the Old Fort, and Humayun’s tomb are other interesting sites of Delhi.

1. Agra: Agra has captivated a lot of tourists from every corner of the world. The historic city is home to the teardrop of love, the eternal and the ethereal Taj Mahal, also one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Other tourist attractions include Sikandra tomb, Fatherpur Sikri, Vrindavan and Mathura.

Sailing the Kerala backwaters, RealTravelers Jags & Sans Travels captured beautiful images of some of the lakes and lagoons that make up this lush, tropical area. They enjoyed a relaxing evening of fishing and were able to visit one of the local villages where they witnessed a special occasion.

Here’s an excerpt from their journal, Kerala - Kannur and Allepy:

“We hired out a houseboat for Valentines and cruised along the backwaters of Kerala. It was lush. It was so relaxing and nothing to do other than admire the views and relax. Late afternoon I was getting itchy feet and felt like I needed something to do – I swear I can’t sit still to save my life. So I started walking up and down the boat. In the end I picked up the Sudoku book and gave my mind something to do. Late evening we went fishing the traditional fisherman way. I caught 2 fish, so did Jags. We were then very fortunate to view a religious parade that only happens once a year at one of the villages.” (more…)

See more stunning images of the Kerala backwaters by visiting Kerala Travel Photos.

Looking for a taste of adventure and respite from the norm, RealTravelers Larah and Peter took off on a 3-month excursion through the diverse lands of India. They stopped in McLeod Ganj (Upper Darmasala,) a region of mountainous beauty and sacred culture. The spectacular Dhauladhar Mountains not only offer dazzling vistas, but also invigorating treks, while Buddhist temples, monastery’s, and traditional ceremonies offer insight into the amazing local culture. Larah and Peter experienced an amazing guided trek into the mountains here, and also visited the Tibetan Library and Archives. Here’s there account of these experiences from their travel blog, Escape from Delhi:

“Highlights of the trek included: listening to the last one-day cricket match between India and Australia, crowded around a campfire with a radio and lots of good natured rivalry between Peter and all the Indians there; camping on the side of a mountain sheltered by rocks while our cook prepared our meals in a small cave/shepherd’s hut; meeting two lovely Swiss women, and just walking in beautiful clean air, with mountains all around…

We visited the Tibetan Library and Archives today and were fortunate to be shown inside the Archives where we saw original Tibetan manuscripts of the Buddha’s teachings. While we were there, an old bent-over woman was walking up and down the stacks chanting prayers over all the manuscripts (and clutching a mobile phone in one hand). The Library and Archives are a Tibetan scholar’s paradise with many original manuscripts rescued from monasteries destroyed by the Chinese Government and also many reproductions of books in various foreign languages.” (more…)

If you’d like to experience the adventures and cultural wonders of India, check out the links below to begin planning your trip!

More Useful Links
India Travel Guide
McLeod Ganj Travel Guide
Top Spots in India
India Trips

For years, India has long been the serious traveler’s mecca. Though one of the poorest countries in the world, the subcontinent is overflowing with cultural, spiritual, and historical wealth. Any traveler has to make some serious decisions when they come to India because there is so much to see and do and most backpackers can only scratch the surface after spending a number of months traipsing about this diverse land. India has more than its fair share of World Heritage Sites and, of course, what is one of the world’s most famous: the Taj Mahal in Agra. A visit to this architectural wonder is most certainly not off the beaten path, but many worthwhile sites are. Surprisingly, the most sacred place in the Buddhist world, the spot where the Buddha gained enlightenment, is off the beaten path - for Western tourists, anyway.

The town of Bodh Gaya can get pretty busy in the months of December and January because the Dalai Lama usually spends these months in the town. He often gives Dharma talks from a dilapidated stage in a large field and so it is a great opportunity to hear him speak - or maybe even meet him! In this small, dusty town in Northeast India sits Mahabodhi Temple, a World Heritage Site, where the descendant of the Bodhi tree that Siddhartha Gautama sat under in order to reach nirvana, can be found. The beautiful tree, which has a gate around it adorned with mementos from Buddhists the world over, sits behind the temple itself, which was built in the 6th Century AD. Mahabodhi Temple is on the site of the original temple built by Emperor Ashoka eight hundred years before in honor of the Buddha. The Diamond Throne, a sandstone slab under the tree, marks the spot where the Buddha sat waiting for enlightenment. Like most temples, there has been much reconstruction, but there are a few of the original sculpted stone railings hailing for the Sunga Period (184-72 BC).

Monks and nuns do their sitting or standing meditation around the tree and its surrounding stone stupas. Each monk wears the robe color of his respective nation and so the area around the temple is full of brown, yellow, red, and orange figures walking peacefully. Nuns in pure white, their shaved heads a stark contrast to those of female tourists, meditate a few steps away from their male counterparts. Visitors must walk around the temple in bare feet and many tourists choose to meditate on the cold marble tiles in front of the tree itself. There are three statues of the Buddha in the complex where worshipers can also silently pay their respects. The first is inside the triangular stone temple itself, the second is in a glass box in front of the Bodhi tree, and the third is a large, colorful Buddha sitting on a lotus in the middle of a lake. Throughout the complex there are signs indicating spots where the Buddha meditated after he gained enlightenment and women in colorful saris and scampering children can be seen promenading through the same grounds Siddhartha walked on 2,000 years ago.

The temple complex is probably one of the most peaceful places in India, because it is cut off from hawkers, cooking fires, and careening vehicles. There are lovely flowers planted along the paths for a nice stroll and plenty of trees to provide a respite from the glaring sun and heat. Many visitors spend quite some time chatting as they watch the monks and other visitors meandering through the area. If you wait, a leaf may fall from the Bodhi tree and it perfectly acceptable to take it home as a souvenir (but don’t even think of pulling a leaf off this most sacred tree!).

Once you are finished at the temple, there are restaurants outside where you can enjoy a masala soda (spiced soda water) or a delicious Indian meal. If you’re lucky, you may even get to see a local Communist rally complete with drumming and red flags! The town of Bodh Gaya has a few clothing and book stores, but it’s not a place to get your souvenirs. The center of the town has a few shops and restaurants, but the main thing to do here is to visit the temple. If you have time, you can check out the Buddhist temples from all over the world. Many countries have built temples and monasteries in their national style and it is a good opportunity to see the differences in the ways Buddhist nations practice their religion, especially if your travels do not extend to those countries. The Thai and Burmese temples are probably the most impressive and the grounds of the Burmese temple are very nice and make for a cool and quiet respite from the chaos of the streets. There are many hotels and guesthouses to stay at and plenty of roaming cows and goats in the streets to keep you company.

Bodh Gaya is a bit of a break from the usual chaos of India, but even though this is where the Buddha was at his most peaceful, don’t expect a place of serenity. It is a small town, though, and only a few Western tourists make the trek out here. It is a four hour train ride from Varanasi to Gaya and then a half hour moto rickshaw ride will get you to Bhodh Gaya. The Mahabodhi Temple is one of India’s sites that shouldn’t be missed, but luckily for the tourist-weary traveler, it is.

Resources:

India Travel Guide
India World Heritage Sites
Bhodh Gaya Travel Guide
India Travel Blogs