OFFBEAT DESTINATIONS

There is a great big wide world out there with hundreds of amazing places to visit that nobody really hears about and so we’ve decided to round up the best of them in our list - "Off the Beaten Path"

Hill Stations in India

As summer approaches we start looking for options to get relief from the heat. Most of us make plans to visit the hill stations to get away from the sweltering heat of the plains. However, most hill stations like Ooty, Shimla, Mahabaleshwar, and Manali are over-crowded during this season as these are the most well-known and popular hill stations. So where do you go when you want to escape the heat, but you also want to get away from the crowds? Here is a list of  few Offbeat hill stations that are not overrun by holiday crowds and are a must visit.

Romania, Bulgaria & Poland  - Eastern Europe

Located in Eastern Europe, Romania is the 9th largest country in Europe by area, with diverse landscapes and beautiful nature. Among the various reasons why you should visit Romania, here are a few for travelers to indulge in: medieval castles, Natural Parks and attractions spread across the wild Carpathian Mountains, unique attractions such as Turda Salt Mine, the UNESCO Danube Delta reserve, wooden churches of Maramures or painted churches of Bukovina. Infact, Romanian countryside is like a living history museums: small villages where a simple, peaceful and archaic way of life is well-preserved. A tour in Transylvania will be a unique experience! And to say the least, Romania means so MUCH more than Dracula’s home to its travelers.

Bulgaria officially the Republic of Bulgaria. It is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, and the Black Sea to the east. The capital and largest city is Sofia; other major cities are Plovdiv, Varna and Burgas. With a territory of 110,994 square kilometres (42,855 sq mi), Bulgaria is Europe’s sixteenth-largest country. This Balkan nation offers interesting landscapes from the Black Sea coastline, spectacular mountains and rivers, including the Danube. It is a cultural melting pot with Greek, Slavic, Ottoman, and Persian influences and thus boasts a rich heritage of traditional dance, music, costumes, and crafts. At the foot of domed Vitosha mountain is its capital city, Sofia, dating to the 5th century B.C.

A land of striking beauty, Poland is punctuated by great forests and rivers, broad plains, and tall mountains. Warsaw (Warszawa), the country’s capital, combines modern buildings with historic architecture, most of which was heavily damaged during World War II but has since been faithfully restored in one of the most thoroughgoing reconstruction efforts in European history. Other cities of historic and cultural interest include Poznań, the seat of Poland’s first bishopric; Gdańsk, one of the most active ports on the busy Baltic Sea; and Kraków, a historic centre of arts and education and the home of Pope John Paul II, who personified for the Polish their country’s struggle for independence and peace in modern times

Slovakia, Slovenia & Hungary - Eastern Europe

Formerly a part of Czechoslovakia, now, Slovakia is officially known as Republic of Slovakia. This is a land offering something for everyone. From breath-taking landscapes to natural treasures, from historical monuments to spa and ski resorts, from medieval castles to magnificent mountains, a holiday is Slovakia is something your clients will treasure. Visit the Bratislava region for opera and history of the multicultural capital, find in the Trnava region dozens of churches and high-quality wine. The Nitra region offers elegant manor houses and river rafting, the Trenčín region picturesque countryside and majestic castles. The Žilina region is a paradise for mountains and traditions lovers, in the Banská Bystrica region you will discover medieval mining towns and primeval forests. For the most beautiful caves and Tokaj wine go and visit the Košice region, the Prešov region has the highest peaks and the highest number of wooden churches.

An earthly paradise of snow-capped peaks, turquoise-green rivers and Venetian-style coastline, Slovenia enriches its natural treasures with harmonious architecture, charming rustic culture and sophisticated cuisine. From the soaring peaks of the Julian Alps and the subterranean magic of Postojna and Škocjan caves, to the sparkling emerald-green lakes and rivers and the short but sweet coastline along the Adriatic Sea, tiny Slovenia really does have it all. An incredible mixture of climates brings warm Mediterranean breezes up to the foothills of the Alps, where it can snow even in summer. And with more than half of its total surface still covered in forest, Slovenia does more than simply claim it’s ‘green’, it really is one of the greenest countries on earth.

Hungary is a heart-stealer; it will lure you back again and again to sample its rich wines, lounge in its thermal spas, admire its rich art and architecture, and make one more attempt to master its hermetic language. It boasts of one of the finest folk traditions in Europe. A complex sense of identity which does not generally regard itself as Balkan or Slavic, but Western. Being landlocked, this mosaic of cultures and lineage can also be explained by the country’s shared borders with the Slovak Republic, Ukraine, Romania, Croatia, Serbia, Austria and Slovenia and its rich history. Immense pride in their homeland may lead Hungarians to persuade the tourist in Budapest to spend some time also exploring Hungary’s thousands of acres of vineyards and orchards, plus 10 national parks and hundreds of protected areas. Not to mention its historic urban centres like Eger, Szentender, Estergom and Sopron.

Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia & Montenegro - Eastern Europe

If your Mediterranean fantasies feature balmy days by sapphire waters in the shade of ancient walled towns, Croatia is the place to turn them into reality. Croatia is now emerging as an attractive tourist destination. With its magnificent coastline, 1,244 islands, islets and reefs, Roman ruins and picturesque medieval villages, it is fast becoming a rival to the magical Greek islands - alluring for lovers of fun, sun, local colour, great food and history. Also, overlooking the clear blue waters of the Adriatic, there are the picture perfect, historic walled cities, such as Dubrovnik, Split and Trogir (all UNESCO World Heritage sites) which add a cultural dimension, as well.

Craggily beautiful Bosnia and Hercegovina is most intriguing for its East-meets-West atmosphere born of blended Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian histories filtered through a Southern Slavic lens. Undeniably, both the empires have left behind profound influence in the country’s culture and architecture, enriching Bosnia and Herzegovina. Many still associate the country with the heartbreaking civil war of the 1990s, and the scars from that time are all too visible. But today’s visitors are likely to remember the country for its deep, unassuming human warmth, it’s beautiful mountains, numerous medieval castle ruins, raftable rivers, impressive waterfalls and bargain-value skiing

Serbia is ancient and contemporary; traditional and exotic; with mountainous scenery contrasting with lowland lying plains; mild and challenging. As Serbia’s territory has been changed and shifted, expanded and shrunk throughout its turbulent historical evolution, the quality of what Serbia offers tourists today is of a rich and diverse nature. A variety of valuable cultural-historical monuments support this. A mixture of indigenous and global influences is reflected in the country’s architecture, art, living styles, culinary art and in its broad-based culture. The new Serbia is open to visitors and has a lot to offer in the form of medieval monasteries, national parks, quaint towns, ski resorts and a world-famous music festival

USA's National Park's

Ready to explore the National Parks of the United States? The U.S. is fortunate to have an abundance of beautiful parks to explore. Putting it all together, there are over 390 sites that the US National Park Service maintains from National Parks, National Monuments, Seashores, Battlefields and more. To top that off, there are hundreds of sites by the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and so much more! Whether you are on the west coast, the east coast, in the rockies or located in the midwest, there are more than enough opportunities to get outdoors and enjoy one of these magnificent parks.Parks offer everything from wonderful hiking trails, photography and wildlife viewing opportunities, to stargazing or even boating and climbing. There is so much to do at any one of these parks and it's a fantastic way to spend time with the family. Great for all ages, educational and most of all, the serenity of parks makes for a very relaxing and rewarding experience.