National Geographic Traveller India June 2016

J u n e 2 0 1 6 • ` 1 5 0 • VO L . 4

I S S UE 1 2 • N A T G E O T R A V E L L E R . I N

Dubai

City of Superlatives

Yoga

a retreat in south india

How to See The World in a Lifetime 7 trips • 7 continents • 7 decades

n a t i o n a l g e o g r a p h i c t r av e l l e r i n d i a

june 2016

Contents Vol 4 Issue 12

Journeys for a lifetime

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Around the World

See the World in a Lifetime

Seven trips, seven continents, and seven decades. We’ll take you from age zero to seventy and beyond, from a road trip with a kindergartener through the American Southwest, a European city crawl perfect for twenty-somethings or an epic Antarctic adventure for folks who think they’ve seen it all

A husband-and-wife team takes us around the globe in their own unique way. A chance photograph they took in Barcelona propelled this intrepid couple on journeys across the world and set in motion a series of images taken over several years

Journeys

Tuning into the wilds of Malaysian Borneo with gummy orangutans, lush jungles, and bubbling mud volcanoes Text By Neha Sumitran Photographs by Karen Dias

56 Devil’s Pool at Victoria Falls, Zambia

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national Geographic Traveller INDIA | june 2016

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A Matter of Obsession The lore surrounding Switzerland’s most famous Alpine peak, the Matterhorn, makes it larger than life Text By Neha Dara Photographs by Sanjay Austa

Michael Baynes/Contributor/Moment Mobile/getty images

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Pulse of a Rainforest

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JUNE 2016 • `150 • VOL. 4

voices

I S S U E 1 2 • N AT G E O T R AV E L L E R . I N

S M A R T T R A V ELLER

22 Inside Out 24 Crew Cut

Unbidden images in faraway lands tell many powerful stories

n av i g at e

26 Geotourism

The Pacific Ocean anchors the world’s largest continuous marine reserve

28 Experience

Bhopal’s 300-year-old hammam harks back to the city’s nawabi culture

48 Money Manager

A guide to Dubai’s glossy locales and cultural heart

DUBAI

CITY OF SUPERLATIVES

YOGA

A RETREAT IN SOUTH INDIA

HOW TO SEE THE WORLD IN A LIFETIME 7 TRIPS • 7 CONTINENTS • 7 DECADES

On The Cover Russian photographer Murad Osmann chronicles his travels across the world with his wife Nataly in an unusual photo project which started in 2012. In this picture the couple visit the Kremlin in Moscow.

54 Checking In

Go small at three hotspots known for big resorts

S h o r t B r e aks

From Bengaluru

118 Turning the focus inward during a weekend at the Isha Yoga Center

Stay

122 Birds, books, and brisk mountain air at a homestay in Uttarakhand 123 From bloody battles to Bloody Marys at Goa’s Fort Tiracol

30 Tech Travel

Apps to make journeys stress-free. And a window into the world of travel Periscopers

118

32 Urban Explorer

Cities revealed through group runs, sketching sessions, and from a local’s point of view

36 Bookshelf

Titles that travel from the rice fields of Cambodia to the Amazonian rainforest

38 Detour

The city of Kingston presents a slice of 19th-century Canadian history

42 The Weekender

Music, history, and culinary treats in the heart of Kolkata

regulars 16 Editor’s Note 18 Notebook 124 Inspire 128 Travel Quiz june 2016 | national Geographic Traveller INDIA

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hany mahmoud/arabianeye/getty images (city), ganzalo azumendi/age fotostock/dinodia (woman), Photo courtesy: Isha yoga center (statue), Murad Osmann (cover)

Finding bliss in both man-made wonders and raw nature

Editor’s Note |

n i lou f e r v en katra m a n

A

It’s quite amazing to see how the Hindi film industry has carved out so much goodwill for Indian travellers

few years ago, I was walking down a street in Jakarta when a street vendor said “Kuch kuch hota hai” as I passed by. I thought he was being cheesy and ignored him. Minutes later, I stepped into a store to buy a bottle of water when the young woman behind the cash register smiled and said in one breath “Kuch kuch hota hai I love Kajol.” I lingered to chat and learned that she was a keen Bollywood fan. She had watched only about a dozen Bollywood films, but had seen each one many times over. Through the rest of my trip in Indonesia I found that there was a lot of affection for Indians—most of it thanks to Karan Johar’s Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Since then I’ve realized that even though I don’t know as much about Bollywood as my 10-year-old daughter, I am welcomed, even loved, in numerous countries around the world. This affection for India isn’t something that’s new, though I have to admit I’ve begun to recognize the extent of it only in the last five years. In Azerbaijan, people idolize Raj Kapoor and have been watching his films since the 1960s. In a market in Baku, the capital city, an old man sang “Awara Hoon” and “Mera Joota Hai Japani” while I browsed the wares in his shop. Further probing revealed that everyone in the country over age 35 has seen numerous Hindi films and even younger people in their 20s know of stars from Raj Kapoor to Shah Rukh Khan.

It’s quite amazing to see how the Hindi film industry has carved out so much goodwill for Indian travellers. I’ve met so many people around the world who hold Hindi movie stars and music

our mission

A flash mob goes Bollywood in Madrid, Spain.

16

in high esteem. Many who know me will be surprised I’m saying this since I’ve never followed Bollywood’s celebrities or its songs, but I’m quick to acknowledge that by some strange (and happy) transference I get the benefit.

Earlier this year, while admiring the mind-boggling artefacts in The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo, I heard a voice behind me ask. “Madam, can I take a photo with you?” I was a bit stunned and looked quizzically at the smiling teenaged girl who’d asked the question. “I love India. I love your movies and songs,” she explained, beckoning her brother to take a photograph of us together. He did, and then thanked me, because my “country makes so many great movies.” We ended up chatting and though I felt a bit weird that I was being thanked for something I had absolutely nothing to do with, I also felt happy to be talking to ordinary Egyptians. This goodwill is interesting considering the number of times I’ve heard people say we are hated around the globe because the average Indian doesn’t behave or make a good tourist.

To me, it seems that the joy that Hindi cinema has spread in so many countries far outweighs the misbehaviour and transgressions of some Indian travellers. For this we should all be grateful.

But interest in Bolllywood is not limited to Asia and Africa. Increasingly even the West is opening up to its entertainment value (and capacity to bring tourism to a country). During a wait at Munich airport two years ago, the ice breaker between my German co-passenger and me turned out to be Bollywood. I was surprised to hear that her young daughter goes for Bollywood dance classes and delights in it. She talked of how she herself adores the rhythm, the gorgeous costumes, the beautiful bindis, and the jewellery. She even sang part of a Hindi song to me. The words sounded like “Dilliwali Girlfriend,” a song I didn’t know at the time, but have since familiarised myself with. It was a good way to spend an hour at an airport, so much better than mindlessly walking around duty-free stores that sell the same goods from Vancouver to Cape Town.

On several occasions Bollywood has helped me as a traveller: a store discount in Egypt, a table in a jam-packed restaurant in Malaysia, even airline seats when our flight from Jakarta to Lombok was cancelled and we were told none were available.

I find it prudent to take good advantage of the Bollywood connection when I travel. I just need to ensure I brush up on the latest songs and hit films, and carry a few DVDs as gifts when I’m heading abroad.

National Geographic Traveller India is about immersive travel and authentic storytelling, inspiring readers to create their own journeys and return with amazing stories. Our distinctive yellow rectangle is a window into a world of unparalleled discovery.

national Geographic Traveller INDIA | june 2016

Herman Lumanog/getty images

Silver-Screen Lining

CREW CU T

Pictures Speak a Thousand Words unBidden images in faraway lands Tell Powerful sTories

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y bedside table is currently piled high with books about Israel. I am someone who pretty much has a book for every place I go to. The table by my bed usually holds the key to my latest travel plans. When a friend remarked that perhaps there was no need to travel at all after all that reading, I wondered if there was any strength to that observation. In this particular case I had felt the need to do an especially large amount of reading to understand Israel’s sights, sounds, and complexities. Yet, once I started, I felt like Alice plummeting down a rabbit hole of information. I emerged on the other side, my head swollen with facts, figures, and opinions, even more confused about the place and its context.

This was before I went. When I returned and started to recount my travels, none of the words I had read about history, politics, or wars came back to me. Instead, what came to mind unbidden were a few incredibly powerful images.

In Israel, a strange thing had happened. All my reading crystallized into a few clear impressions. Half-understood concepts and theories became whole as I walked around various cities. Images of ordinary, everyday things became intimate revelations. The region’s history and conflict began to be laid bare for me to understand, consume, and process. In Jerusalem’s Old City, visiting the most sacred site for Judaism atop the Temple Mount, I was drawn to a singular image of a devout Jew. Among the hundreds who had come to the Western or Wailing Wall, this man stood out. He had pressed his entire body onto the uneven stones of the wall, seemingly trying to close all the distance between him and the ancient site. Another day, driving through the harsh desert of the Negev, I noticed my guide’s map. She had marked off large chunks—the West Bank and Gaza Strip—with a black marker.

Just then, there appeared on the landscape a wall. The vast swathe of dusty mountains and dry riverbeds was suddenly bifurcated by a 20-foot-high embankment that seemed to stretch forever.

Beyond the wall, stretching into

Diya Kohli is SeniorAssociate Editor at National Geograpic Traveller India. She loves the many stories of big old cities. For her, the best kind of travel experience involves long rambling walks through labyrinthine lanes with plenty of food stops along the way.

the horizon were the towns and settlements of Palestine, with towers and mosques glinting in the merciless sun. This was a panorama like no other. It was not a particularly picture-worthy sight, but one that was harsh, unrelenting, and tangible. It brought home the reality of a riven region, divided in more ways than one.

I recall a time when as a young college student in Kolkata I knew I would have to move from the only home Id ever known. Thirty-four years of communist rule had led to the state’s progressive economic decline. Factories shut, small businesses collapsed, and big industries closed Kolkata offices. The resulting lack of jobs meant that young people increasingly looked elsewhere to build a life and career.

A short while before I left, I took a boat ride on the Hooghly River around sunset. My boatman steered his rickety vessel expertly over the currents. I saw that oft-photographed image of the Howrah Bridge silhouetted against the orange sky. When I looked away from the bridge on either bank, I also saw the ghostly facades of once flourishing jute and paper factories.

A lone commercial craft floated languorously on what was once a Western Wall, Jerusalem bustling waterway. This bittersweet picture of the city was a poignant one for me, capturing all that I felt.

It has flashed through my mind many times since, during my life elsewhere. And it has conveyed greater depth than all the op-eds and academic critiques on the politics of West Bengal I have read.

These snapshots of places that I have in my mind have little to do with the actual photographs I took. Each time I encounter such a moment, I stop to take in the sight. By the time I remember to turn on my camera, the moment has passed. Unrecorded in any form, these unexpected images become markers of history, politics, religion, society, people, and my personal encounters with them.

Ironically, it is these images that give me my own words to write.

And I realize that I travel to places in search of just such vignettes and all the books in the world cannot be a substitute for that. june 2016 | national Geographic Traveller INDIA

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Tali Budlender & nick logan/lonely PlaneT images/geTTy images

Voices |

navigate 28

experience Bhopal’s 300-year-old hammam harks back to nawabi culture

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bookshelf Titles that travel from Athens to the Amazon

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detour The city of Kingston presents a slice of Canadian history

Sharks, including whitetip reef sharks, circle coral in the new Pitcairn Islands Marine Reserve in the South Pacific.

Treasure Islands A remote archipelago in the Pacific Ocean anchors the world’s largest contiguous marine reserve

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remarkable was the abundance of sharks, which signals a healthy ecosystem. Never having seen a human or heard a motor, they were very curious.”

Thanks in part to Sala’s expedition, along with the Pitcairn Islands and the Pew Charitable Trusts, the British government in March 2015 established the world’s largest contiguous marine reserve, encompassing around 8,34,000 square kilometres. Sala’s account of the expedition appears in the new National Geographic book, Pristine Seas: Journeys to the Ocean’s Last Wild Places (2015).

Pristine Seas is one of National Geographic’s key initiatives dedicated to preserving the last truly wild places in the ocean. More details and updates on

national Geographic Traveller INDIA | june 2016

the Pristine Seas project are available at ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/ explore/pristine-seas.

ATLAS

Pitcairn Islands, South Pacific Pitcairn is the only inhabited island of this archipelago. Its residents include descendants of sailors who mutinied on the British royal navy ship HMS Bounty in 1798 and settled here.

Enric Sala/National Geographic

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arine ecologist and National Geographic Explorerin-Residence Enric Sala describes the waters around the British-governed Pitcairn Islands as having “the clearest visibility ever measured in the Pacific Ocean.” In March 2012, Sala travelled there with other scientists as part of the National Geographic Society’s Pristine Seas project. “The remote archipelago, east of Australia, was hypnotic, teeming with schools of thousands of fish—red snappers, parrotfish, rudderfish—in an ocean from a thousand years ago. We observed extraordinary things, from a pristine reef with blue corals that looked like giant roses to species never reported before for the Pitcairn Islands. Also

T ec h Travel

App and Away

PeriscoPe it out

Three mobile downloads ThaT can Take The sTress ouT of Travel By HAnnAH Lott-scHwArtz

packpoint

loungebuddy

strava

For THe PAcK rAT

For THe loNG lAyoVer

For THe WeeKeND WArrIor

PackPoint generates packing lists based on gender, location, and length of stay. Before spitting out must-haves, the app checks the weather forecast and considers your itinerary, suggesting clothing to help you plan. To include activities apart from those on the app’s basic list, buy the premium version (on iOS and Android; Basic free, Premium `189).

LoungeBuddy? More like LoungeBestie. The app propels avid travellers into pro territory, unlocking a labyrinth of airport lounges and their amenities. Sync your itinerary to see your options—rated from Luxe to Basic, along with photos, price, services, and user reviews—and book directly on your phone (on iOS and Android; free).

Fitness enthusiasts rejoice.

Strava makes solo fitness social, no matter where in the world you are. The app connects cyclists and runners through shared routes, with locals’ favourite spots mapped across the globe. On its website, Strava also offers athletic-minded guides for cities, from São Paulo to Sydney (available on iOS and Android; free).

travel ’scopers show us their world The Periscope app is like Google Street View come to life, with locals to show you around. The video stream is live, so hosts can answer questions you type in real time. Here are our picks for the coolest ’Scopers out there.

Don’t be misled by her Kiwi accent: Tour guide and New Zealand transplant @ClaireWad has lived in Paris for 20 years. She cruises neighbourhoods on foot and bicycle, exploring courtyards and cafés, letting her followers choose her adventure by asking questions like “Shall I go in this church?” or “Shall I hop on this riverboat?” @PenguinSix, an American expat living in Hong Kong, films his hike on Victoria Peak almost every morning.

Sometimes he takes public transit (subways, ferries) as he talks about life in the city.

He’s even filmed from Hong Kong’s tallest building as a typhoon approached.

If you love wild animals, follow @GerryVanDerWalt, who leads photo safaris in southern Africa. He’s always trying new techniques, like filming through binoculars so you can see a group of lions up close. Now and then his connection fails, but watching a family of elephants cross the road in real time is worth the wait.

—Marilyn Terrell

Lion cubs in south Africa

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eIKo ojAlA (illustrations), Gerry VAN Der WAlT/WIlD eye (lions)

Navigate |

Smart traveller 48

money manager A guide to Dubai’s glossy locales and cultural heart

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checking in Go small at three hotspots more famous for big resorts

Large pagodas adorned a recent China pavilion at Dubai’s Global Village, an annual fair featuring handicrafts, carnival attractions, and international cuisine.

Only in Dubai From must-visits to hidden gems, here’s a guide to making the most of this pulsating city | By Sudeshna Ghosh

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D

ubai is best known as a glitzy, new-age city that loves its superlatives—world’s tallest, biggest, longest, and so on.

But beyond its shiny surface, there is a culture waiting to be explored—from traditional Bedouin heritage to an urban arts movement. The shopping malls and world’s tallest tower are all definitely worth fitting into a trip. And, with the help of this itinerary, travellers can also discover a side to the Dubai that locals love, filled with exciting flavours, age-old history, and plenty of charm.

national Geographic Traveller INDIA | june 2016

GETTING THERE There are numerous

non-stop daily flights (approximately three hours) from major Indian cities to Dubai every day and fares regularly go as low as `15,000 for a round-trip ticket.

From other cities in India it’s easy to find connections to flights to Dubai.

VISA You can obtain a visa for Dubai through visa or travel agencies (www. dubaivisa.net). Process online, or through Emirates or Etihad airlines, if you are travelling with them. A 30-day single entry tourist visa costs `6,500.

GETTING AROUND Dubai has excellent public transport, especially its metro

stephanie kuykendal/corbis news/imagelibrary

Here is National Geographic Traveller India’s handy guide to Dubai, a cosmopolitan Middle Eastern city that is ideal for a long weekend visit for families. We’ve designed a midlevel holiday including numerous activities and dining options with prices, so you can plan a trip according to your budget. The cost of this three-day itinerary for a family of four (two adults and two children) is `1,20,000 without airfare or visa costs.

system. To use the metro you need a NOL Card, a prepaid smart card that deducts the fare as you go. Trains have a ladies and children-only section. (dubaimetro.eu, runs Sat-Thu 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. and until midnight on Fri, fares from AED3/`55 depending on distance travelled; www.nol.ae, one-day pass AED14/`254 includes travel on trains, buses, and water buses.)

Taxis are available everywhere. A ride from the airport to Downtown Dubai should cost AED40-50/`720-900 and to Jumeirah AED75/`1,358, plus an airport flag charge of AED25/`450. In Deira or Bur Dubai, cross the Dubai Creek on abras, local water taxis which are traditional boats made of wood (5 a.m. to midnight; minimum fare AED12/`220).

TIPS

Weekends in Dubai are Friday and Saturday. Sunday is a weekday. Tuesday nights are universally ladies night and most bars have free drinks or deals for women. Get your hands on the Entertainer

Your Expense Stats The cost of this itinerary for a family of four is `1,20,000 for three days. It includes numerous sightseeing trips and eating at a variety of places that are mostly mid-level.

You can also plan a trip that’s cheaper if you opt for less expensive restaurants and avail discounts. If you want to splurge, Dubai has no dearth of options for luxurious hotels, restaurants, and other nightlife, and you will get your money’s worth.

30%

16%

food

stay

5%

Travel

49%

Activities

Budget

Mid-Range

Expensive

app through someone you know, or buy it for yourself. It offers excellent buyone-get-one-free discounts on hotels, restaurants, water parks, desert safaris etc. The savings will more than justify the cost of the app which is hefty at AED445/`8,050. You need a data/ Wi-Fi connection to use it. There is also a similarly priced Entertainer Dubai coupon book. Group buying websites such as Groupon (www.groupon.ae) also offer ongoing deals on many activities, so it’s worth keeping an eye on them.

STAY Dubai has plenty of luxury hotels.

Those looking to splurge can try St. Regis Dubai for an upscale experience.

Its neoclassical design features chandeliers and marble, a grand staircase, and a musical fountain (www.stregisdubai. com; doubles from AED1,400/`25,313).

A slightly less expensive option is Vida Downtown Dubai. A homegrown brand (from Emaar, Dubai’s biggest property developer), this boutique hotel is located in the thick of the Downtown area. Contemporary design and efficient service

june 2016 | national Geographic Traveller INDIA

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massimo borchi/latitude/atlantide phototravel/corbis/ imagelibrary (people), bruce yuanyue bi/lonely planet images/getty images (fort), oscity/shutterstock (city)

The At the Top observation deck (left) on the 125th floor of the Burj Khalifa is 1,496 feet above ground and offers 360° views of Dubai; The city’s oldest structure, the 18th-century Al Fahidi fort (right), has a museum that showcases the emirate’s history.

M o n ey m a n ager

give it a young vibe (www.vida-hotels. com; doubles from AED629/`11,430).

For a more affordable option, check in to the Novotel Dubai Al Barsha.

The no-frills hotel offers comfortable accommodation in a 42-storey building easily recognizable for its green, hanging garden wall. It is conveniently located just off the arterial Sheikh Zayed Road, with a metro station within walking distance. There is a kids’ club and children under 16 stay free in the same room (www.novotel.com; doubles from AED386/`6,980).

For a really unique stay, the XVA Art Hotel is a one of a kind property tucked into the heart of the historical district (see Day 1 itinerary). This atmospheric hotel housed in a heritage building has 14 cosy rooms, each designed by a different artist, and a lovely courtyard café (www.xvahotel.com; doubles from AED315/`5,768).

Day 1 To quote Julie Andrews, the beginning is a very good place to start. Give yourself an introduction to the city by soaking in its history in old Dubai. Along the southern shore of the Dubai creek, in the heart of the Bur Dubai district, lies the

Dubai Museum in the historic Al Fahidi Fort (open 8.30 a.m.-8.30 p.m. SatThu and 2.30-8.30 p.m. on Fri; entry AED3/`56). The compact museum offers a beginner’s lesson in the city’s history with exhibits and interactive displays. It is in the Al Fahidi Historical District, with its labyrinth of narrow alleys lined with restored traditional wind tower-style buildings that now house art galleries, museums, and cafés.

Make a pit stop at The Coffee Museum, which showcases all things coffee, from antique accessories to books about coffee. Don’t drink coffee here though—save it for the Arabian Teahouse Café next door, one of the city’s best-kept secrets. A nondescript doorway leads into a leafy courtyard of white wicker furniture and billowing canopies. Historical artefacts and blackand-white photographs summon up the city’s past. Stay for a beverage break; they have a diverse tea menu with a range of salads, sandwiches, and pastas.

Or linger to sample their limited but good selection of Arabian dishes, such as the rich chicken salona curry, or grilled shish tawook (www.arabianteahouse. co; mains for around AED55/`995 , drinks from AED20/`362). Another

lunch option is the adjacent Local House restaurant, where visitors can try Emirati specialties such as chicken mandy —a subtly spiced rice and meat dish, similar to biryani—and their signature camel burger (around AED150/`2,712 for two). For lunch with a view, try Bayt al Wakeel Arabian restaurant, located right by Dubai Creek, with an outdoor deck that juts out over the water on stilts. The food is average, but most come here for the location (around AED170/`3,073 for two). On the other side of the creek, the small Hatam Al Ta’ai in Baniyas Square is where locals eat. All meals come with salad, soup, and a round of hummus (meal for four AED120/`2,170).

For a bit of adventure after lunch, hop on to an abra at the abra station ( from AED1/`18, www.rta.ae). Cross over to the old souks on the Deira side of Dubai creek and soak in the bustling marketstyle environment, similar to India’s chowks. Then, enjoy an “only in Dubai” moment by travelling from the old city straight to the gates of the futuristic Dubai Mall in Downtown Dubai. Set aside a couple of hours for a shopping spree at one of the world’s biggest malls, home to a staggering array of brands.

Dubai creek is the city’s buzzing centre and there are a variety of ways to enjoy its vibe, from a cruise in a wooden dhow to a 2.3-kilometre-long cable car ride over Dubai Creek Park.

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national Geographic Traveller INDIA | june 2016

future light/photolibrary/getty images

Smart Traveller |

It’s also a good place to tick off some souvenir shopping. Camel Company brings a modern twist to classic Arab souvenirs with their quirky, colourful, and artistically designed novelty items and stuffed toys (kids love their cute, puppy-eyed camels), as well as Dubaithemed T-shirts and stationery. For a more traditional take, Al Jaber Gallery is a convenient one-stop shop for Dubai kitsch, offering everything from coffee pots and shishas to intricate silverware.

Also accessible from the mall are the At the Top observation decks of the Burj Khalifa on the 124th, 125th, and 148th floors (www.burjkhalifa.ae; open 8 a.m.11.30 p.m, opens 5.30 a.m on weekends; adults from AED125/`2,260; children AED95/`1,717 with online booking). Get here around sunset to catch unbeatable views of the skyscrapers amidst the dunes, and to watch the transformation of Dubai into a glittering metropolis.

Downtown Dubai is abuzz in the evening. Numerous restaurants line the

classics include an Arabian mezze starring hummus, baba ganoush, fatayer (fried savoury pastries), and grilled kebabs, accompanied by fresh flatbreads (www.leilarestaurant.com; around AED200/`3,616 for two). The Downtown neighbourhood has plenty of other restaurants offering everything from Italian and Thai to exotic Armenian.

For those visiting between November

and April, an alternative way to spend the evening is at Global Village. Dubai is a true melting pot of cultures, and nowhere is this better experienced than at this annual fair that takes place in an arena just outside the city. The colourful, vibrant carnival features pavilions from different countries, live entertainment, and plenty of fairgroundstyle activities including a Ferris wheel.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, most offering al fresco dining.

To savour Lebanese cuisine, head to Leila, a popular restaurant featuring shabby-chic interiors. Their authentic june 2016 | national Geographic Traveller INDIA

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john short/design pics/perspectives/getty images (mall), peter unger/lonely planet images/getty images (market)

Dubai’s malls dazzle with their scale. The lobbies boast impressive features, like the 30-foot-high artificial waterfall in the Dubai Mall (top); Souk Madinat (bottom) in Jumeirah recreates a traditional marketplace.

Smart Traveller |

C hec ki n g i n

Beachside bungalows at Cocoperle Lodge, in French Polynesia, open the door to local culture.

The Guesthouse Option MALDIVES TME Guesthouses

RIVIERA MAYA, MEXICO Hotel La Semilla

FRENCH POLYNESIA Cocoperle Lodge

Famed for fabulous beaches and glamorous resorts that cater to the likes of English royalty, this Indian Ocean nation recently legalized villagebased lodging, such as this 17-room inn with its simple rooms and openair dining. Spend the day watching whale sharks or swimming with manta rays, then relax on a jolie (the ubiquitous Maldivian version of a park bench) to socialize with the locals at sunset.

In the midst of the Riviera Maya’s busy tourist scene, this nine-room inn feels like a private hacienda. The sandy Caribbean beach is just two blocks away. Owners Alexis Schärer and Angie Rodriguez hope guests will feel at home—if only home came with warm Mexican sunshine, a garden hammock swinging under copal trees, an outdoor terrace with panoramic ocean and jungle views, and chocolates on your pillow.

Honeymooners head to French Polynesia’s all-inclusive resorts, but a growing number of pensions or boarding houses provide traditional lodgings and a chance to learn about local life.

Cocoperle and 19 other pensions have even partnered with Air Tahiti Nui to offer packages that include airfare. Go fishing, visit a pearl farm, and then retire to one of Cocoperle’s four bungalows, fragrant with flowers.



Dhigurah Island, South Ari Atoll; www.tme.

mv; from $50/`3,400, including breakfast.

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

Playa del Carmen; www.hotellasemilla.com;



Ahe Atoll, Tuamotu Islands; www.

doubles from $160/`10,885, including

cocoperlelodge.com; from XPF14,000/`8,700

breakfast.

per person per night, including meals.

national Geographic Traveller INDIA | june 2016

CHRIS CLAVERIE/COCOPERLE LODGE

Go small at three hotspots more famous for big resorts | By DIANE SELKIRK

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world Seven memorable journeys, over seven continents, spanning seven decades

world A chance photograph becomes a creative idea that takes us around the globe

ips 7 tr ents n i t n 7 co cades 7 de

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little Kids

tweens & teens

twenties

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sixties+

North America

Asia

europe

Australia

south America

Africa

Antarctica

road-trip the Southwest.

Spot orangutans in Borneo.

Head east for buzzing cities.

toast a great wine region.

Hike volcanoes in Chile.

Pick the right safari for you.

go on a bucketlist cruise.

june 2016 | national GeoGraphic traveller inDia

la tigre (illustrations)

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In Focus | JOURN EYS fO R a l i f e ti m e

North america

for little kids

Dream catchers remind visitors that Utah’s Monument Valley is on Navajo land.

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Scenes from a Southwest road trip with a five-year-old instagram rock star

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7 trips • 7 continents • 7 decades

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BY Aaron Huey Photographs by Aaron and hawkeye Huey

L

ong ago, my wife Kristin and I came up with some simple rules for road trips: Avoid interstates whenever possible, no chain restaurants, try new roads, and stop driving before dark (to find a good place to park the van, our home on the road). Not exactly revolutionary concepts, but they have defined how we have travelled the American West, an area we are drawn to especially now, for family trips with our five-year-old son, Hawkeye.

When I met Kristin, 13 years ago in Santa Fe, New Mexico, we fell in love fast. Within three days we set out on our first road trip, along back roads in New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah, tracing our route with an orange marker on a fold-out map of the U.S., which I kept in the glove box of my Volkswagen van. It would be the start of a series of trips that forged our sense of family. When Hawkeye was born, we continued the tradition, introducing him to our favourite deserts and parks—and life on the road.

The wide-open spaces and changing landscapes of the American West are perfect for young children, who thrive on novelty and adventure: climbing (and falling from) sandstone formations, eating Navajo tacos at an Indian market, hiking under stars far from the light pollution of cities, watching a rodeo in a small town, sleeping in tents.

In his first years Hawkeye hiked Joshua Tree National Park (on our backs) in southern California and saw the colourfully painted slopes of “Salvation Mountain,” by the Salton Sea. Once he began walking, I took him on solo trips to places his mother and I had marked on our old map, places I’d especially loved, from the well-trodden lookouts in Arizona’s Grand Canyon and Monument Valley on the Arizona-Utah border, to such lesser-known spots as Utah’s Newspaper Rock and Shiprock, New Mexico.

I wanted to instil in him a love for adventure, scraped-up knees, and the smell of rain on sagebrush.

In his fourth year I bought him a camera like the ones I had in my youth, where real photos pop out and develop in your hand—physical reminders of that moment in time, not images swiped on a screen. The pictures he took, and others he has shot since, are great treasures to me. But most important are our family adventures along the roads that wind among America’s natural cathedrals—places that were sacred to the native peoples— and the stories and lessons we collect along the way.

Hawkeye will get dirt in his mouth and cactus spines in his shoes. And that’s the way it should be in the land of “thunder beings,” the great billowing storms that sweep the desert clean with their rains and winds—then paint their rainbows across the horizon.

See three of our favourite itineraries in the Southwest, and our suggestions and tips for each, on page 62

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Through a Child’s Eyes Aaron Huey, a National Geographic photographer based in Seattle, U.S.A, opened an Instagram account for his son, Hawkeye, to share a kid’s take on American travels. As of press time, @HawkeyeHuey has 2,01,000 followers. Here Hawkeye captions some of his instant snaps from a recent Southwest road trip.

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In Focus | JOURN EYS FO R a l i fe ti m e

asia

fo r t w e e n s and teens

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Dispatches from the Laman family’s wild summer vacations in borneo

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7 trips • 7 continents • 7 decades

Jessica and Russell Laman help their parents track orangutans in Borneo.

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by Cheryl Knott and Jessica & Russell Laman Photographs by tim laman

Photographer Tim Laman, his wife, researcher Cheryl Knott, and their kids get a break from bushwhacking through the Borneo rainforest when the orangutan they are following stops to eat.

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What I Did on My Summer Vacation Jessica, 12 BANG! Crunch! A heavy fruit falls from the high canopy and lands on the tin roof of our hut, waking me. I sit up, engulfed in the ruckus of the Borneo rainforest. I pull on my boots and set off along the trail toward the main camp. Our rustic jungle hut consists of a single room with three wooden walls and one half wall, elevated above the rainforest floor and sheltered by a tin roof. Since the age of five I have travelled to my mom’s remote orangutan research station in Gunung Palung as part of my summer vacation. Seven years later it only amazes me more. I take a big gulp of the fresh air. The rainforest abounds with life. Even if I may not be able to see all those tiny whirring insects or songbirds hidden high in the canopy, that sense of life flows through me, filling me with energy.

Russell, 15 My sister and I join my dad and other members of the research team in tracking a big male orangutan who is swinging through the rainforest canopy, spectacular-looking with his giant cheek pads. We follow him on his journey to find food, spending a few minutes in one tree before moving on to the next. Of all the animals and plants in the Bornean rainforest, the orangutan is the ultimate find. Its effortless motion through the treetops, paired with its human-like interactions, makes it an extraordinary sight. Although orangutans do not usually travel in groups, each moment they do interact is a touching reminder of how similar they are to us. We watch him until he settles down for the night. Then we don our headlamps and get out our compasses and maps.

Predictably, Dad says, “Okay, kids, you lead us back to camp.”

And we do just that.

Sighting a baby orangutan is a thrill even for experienced researchers such as Cheryl Knott.

Young orangutans depend on their mom for some six years, learning how to survive in the rainforest. Visit savegporangutans. org for more info.

trevor frost (laman family)

“M

y friends are probably at home playing video games, and I’m pulling a canoe upriver in Borneo!” shouted our son, Russell, eight years old at the time, as we made our way to my research station deep in the rainforests of Indonesia’s Gunung Palung National Park, one of the last strongholds of the endangered Bornean orangutan.

The real world always beats electronics. That’s the essence of why my husband, Tim Laman, and I have brought Russell and our daughter, Jessica, to this isolated rainforest camp annually, as I check in on my long-term project studying wild orangutans, and Tim takes photographs for National Geographic Magazine.

Travelling with children in tow may seem like a challenge, but with a bit of planning it’s doable, even to the most obscure places. If you start when they’re babies, they (and you) will soon be experts. Involve your kids in planning the trip so they’ll feel invested in it. And always carry a big book to relieve the tedium of inevitable travel delays. Last year I read Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings out loud to the whole family, which ended up being a memorable shared experience. We’ve been lucky enough to have these opportunities to travel to wild places with our children, but the thrill of nature can be as close as your own backyard. Whether kayaking on your local pond or camping in a rainforest in Southeast Asia, there’s nothing that surpasses seeing nature again for the first time in the eyes of your child.

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ASIA

Borneo includes regions of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei. The Malaysian side has ecotourism options and national parks that are more developed. Borneo Adventure can organize itineraries (borneoadventure.com; 8-day, 7-night Malaysian Borneo tour MYR4040/`68,425 per person).

Kinabatangan Wildlife

Danum Valley

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Gunung Mulu National

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A 260-square-kilometre protected floodplain is home to proboscis monkeys, and pygmy elephants. Check in at Sukau Rainforest Lodge, one of the National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World (www.sukau.com; 3-day, 2-night packages from MYR1,495/`25,600 per person on a doubles package).

In this 438-square-kilometre lowland forest, stay at the Borneo Rainforest Lodge.

Thirty chalets with outdoor tubs offer prime forest views. Borneo Nature Tours has excellent guides (borneonaturetours.com; 3-day, 2-night from MYR3,158/ `54,150, per person on a doubles package).

No orangutans here, but many other species roam this UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its limestone pinnacles and network of caves, including the largest known cave chamber in the world (mulupark.com; entry adults MYR30/`515; visitors between 7-18 years MYR10/`170, children below 6 free).

KINABATANGAN WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

BRUNEI GUNUNG MULU N.P.

MALAYSIA

DANUM VALLEY CONSERVATION AREA

B OR N EO INDONESIA

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ng maps (Map)

3 Picks for Borneo Wildlife Watching

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Australia

i n yo u r t h i rt i es

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You’ve done urban in EUROPE. ready for waves, wineries, and wallabies?

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■ australia

mark boskell/Elements Margaret River (beach)

7 trips • 7 continents • 7 decades

Evening’s lull belies the daily wave action at Surfer’s Point, a popular destination for big Pacific rollers.

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By Roff Smith

A

continent unto itself, brash, sun-splashed Australia serves up the perfect mix of adventure and urbanity for 30-somethings who spent the twilight of their 20s Instagramming Italy’s piazze and tweeting from Trafalgar Square. The land down under fuses carefree youthfulness with a jazzy sophistication, raw nature with edgy architecture—and not just in the expected places, such as relentlessly cosmopolitan Sydney or along the Great Barrier Reef.

Head to Oz’s southwest corner, and you’ll discover the Margaret River Valley, a cloistered world of wild beaches, jewelled caves, towering eucalyptus forests, and world-class vineyards that connoisseurs compare favourably to Napa and Bordeaux. Just to its north sits Perth, the sunny capital of the surrounding state of Western Australia.

“For a long time the only folks who came down this way were surfers and hippies,” says Australian food and wine writer, Max Veenhuyzen. Better roads in the 1980s improved the area’s accessibility, turning the town named Margaret River and its surrounding countryside into one of Perth’s toniest weekend getaways. “And yet this area still feels very much like rural Australia,” Veenhuyzen adds.

Therein lies its magic. Margaret River, as the bigger region calls itself, continues to draw board-loving bohemians as it has since the late 1960s—even if some of those surfers now sport silver hair and bring their grandchildren.

“Friday afternoons, I’d pester some of the older guys for a lift to the beaches,” says Bill Gibson, who started coming here as a teenager to ride the big, glassy Indian Ocean rollers that break along the coast. “If I couldn’t score a ride, I’d get my Mum

Geographe Bay

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Sunflowers Animal Farm and Farmstay Margaret River

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Pemberton

3 Emerging Aussie Wine Regions great southern

Drive east from Margaret River Valley to reach the Great Southern wine region, really a web of five subregions that take advantage of the area’s soil diversity to produce everything from Chardonnays to Cabernets. Rieslings and Syrahs receive special acclaim, from wineries like Howard Park and Harewood Estate. Also in the area: Western Australia’s oldest European settlement, Albany, and the dramatic granite outcrops of Porongurup National Park. (Howard Park, www. burchfamilywines.com.au; Harewood Estate, www.harewoodestate.com.au; Porongurup National Park, parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au). gippsland

A region of family vintners two hours east of Melbourne, Gippsland has earned a place in Australian wine lore with its Pinot Noirs. Accolades have gone to those crafted at Bass Phillip and Cannibal Creek wineries; the latter also wins awards for its Chardonnays. Wine pairs with pastas and other delectables at Narkoojee and Toms Cap vineyards, popular for their restaurants. Area attractions include Baw Baw National Park, for hiking and skiing, and the old gold-mining town of Walhalla.

(Bass Phillip, www.bassphillip.com; Cannibal Creek, www.cannibalcreek.com.au; Narkoojee, narkoojee.com; Toms Cap, www. tomscap.com.au; Baw Baw National Park, parkweb.vic.gov.au). tasmania

Australia’s biggest island has been turning out flavourful, aromatic wines with grapes that thrive in cooler climates. Its densest concentrations of vineyards lie in the northern Tamar Valley and the East Coast region. Among the top varietals are Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, both recently adapted to make sparkling wines. Activities to check out: biking the Tamar Valley Wine Route (tamarvalleywineroute.com.au) and hiking in coastal Freycinet National Park (www.parks.tas.gov.au).

Chef Paul Iskov forages for wild native plants (top left); hand-picked grapes await collection (top centre); local truffles grab the attention of a truffle-hunting dog (top right); morning bicyclists roll past Margaret River Valley vineyards (bottom).

Michelle Troop (forager), Andrew Watson/Alamy Stock Photo (grapes), Russell Ord/Elements Margaret River (dog & bikers), Facing Page: NG MAPS, WORLD DATABASE ON PROTECTED AREAS (map)

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short breaks 118

from bengaluru A yoga retreat becomes a wake-up call to action

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stay Birds, books, and brisk mountain air in Uttarakhand

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stay Bloody battles to Bloody Marys at Goa's Fort Tiracol

Deep Breathing Turning the focus inward on a spiritually inclined weekend getaway

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lthough I know a lot of people who have stayed at an ashram, I’d never been to one myself, mainly because I’m not a fan of organized religion. But when a friend convinced me that almost anyone can gain from a visit to a place like the Isha Yoga Center, I decided to survey it for myself. After all, a lot of travellers today are seeking spiritual experiences—a place of peace and rest that rejuvenates mind and body. And yoga and meditation retreats are at the top of this list.

After a short flight from Mumbai to Coimbatore, I took a 1.5-hour car ride from the airport to the foothills of the Velliangiri Hills, where the centre is located. The centre’s indoor and outdoor spaces were attractive and well designed; in particular the

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profusion of greenery and gorgeous flowering plants were soothing. I had imagined a more basic and austere environment, I wasn’t expecting to see carved rocks, aesthetic woodwork, and inspired design in the architecture.

On check-in I was handed a schedule of the week’s programme of activities which I could attend. Talking to other visitors I quickly realised that at this centre, relaxation and a peaceful mental state do not equal lazing. The path to improving one’s health and finding deeper meaning to life, they believe, is through rigorous yoga, meditation, and regulating one’s food habits. This wasn’t going to be a walk in the park.

The Isha Center aims to be inclusive and universal and it was clear to me that it offers something deep

The Dhyanalinga is a place for deep, peaceful meditation. This dome is made entirely of mud brick, without the use of metal or cement.

Photo courtesy: Isha yoga center

By Niloufer Venkatraman

and meaningful to the over 4,000 volunteers who live there. It has thousands of visitors coming in every day from a variety of cultural, religious, and economic backgrounds. Many seeking spirituality and a healthier lifestyle come for short courses or just for a few days to acquire a yoga or meditation practice that can become part of daily life.

However, because the experience that the yoga centre offers is derived from yogic culture, Shiva is considered the Adiyogi or the first yogi. From the huge Nandi bull at the entrance, to the linga at the Dhyanalinga Yogic Shrine, and the rituals at the Linga Bhairavi shrine, the symbolism, associations, and various features at the ashram derive from what I understand as Hinduism. That said, during my three days there I didn’t hear a word about “god,” even Shiva was not spoken of as god, nor was there any talk of heaven or hell, superhuman controls, or victory over evil. Instead, what I did hear a lot of was how I could enhance the quality of my life, the perception of everything around me, and increase my consciousness of the present.

The Guru Any organization like this has a spiritual head. The guru of the Isha Center is Sadhguru, the founder, spiritual guide, and the force and voice of the organization. I attended an impromptu

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At the ashram, bringing stillness to the mind (left) is the ultimate goal of all yoga practice; Lush greenery and a variety of stone sculptures and carvings (top right) decorate the 150-acre campus; Public spaces at the Nalanda accommodations (bottom right) include grassy courtyards, a comfortable reception area, and a large, airy central space.

darshan with him on the lawns of the centre and found that he also cracks jokes, does not hesitate to criticize devotees, and tries to give simple, matterof-fact answers to problems. At the gathering, I also encountered followers swooning, sobbing, and extending their adulation in various ways. I chose to ignore that which I found incredulous or puzzling.

The fact is you don’t have to be his follower or devotee to gain from the yoga or meditation practices being taught.

WHAT TO DO There are a variety of ways one can experience what the Isha Center has to offer. Here are some of them: RETREAT PROGRAMMES Most people start their association with the centre with a four-day Inner Engineering retreat. I didn’t do it, but explored aspects that make up such a programme. Inner Engineering teaches among other things pranayam and Shambhavi Maha Mudra, which is a breathing and meditation practice to improve health and achieve internal balance. There are a variety of other programmes. For instance, I met someone who had attended the five-day Sunethra Eye programme which tackles eye problems.

Photo courtesy: Isha yoga center (yoga & people), Niloufer Venkatraman (statue)

Spiritual Holiday

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F ro m B e n ga lu ru

Daily routines involved eye exercises, eye packs, specific Ayurvedic massages, and yoga to benefit the eyes (Inner Enginnering/Sunethra Eye participants generally offer donations of `15,000-20,000).

SELF EXPLORE Those like me who are unsure of what exactly they want to experience at this centre can book a room and then examine the possibilities available.

For many, the day starts with a dip in the teerthakunds, the ashram’s sacred water bodies. One afternoon I changed into a robe and walked down a steep flight of stairs 30 feet underground to the large subterranean pool called the Chandrakund. The water was freezing and I only managed to stay in it longer than a few minutes because I was distracted by the lovely painted mural on the wall. At 5 a.m. one morning I saw yogis heading to the teerthakunds, but I didn’t want a second dip given how cold I had found it the first time.

Instead I went directly for my yoga session where I learned the Surya Kriya, and then made my way for a meditation session and later, aum chanting. In the evening I attended a Yoga Nidra session, which was restful and calming. With no pressure to attend any particular session, I attended what I wanted to. It was comforting for me, a first-timer, to know that if I liked something I could continue to do it and learn more, if I didn’t, I was at liberty to walk away from it at any time.

Surya Namaskar Every yoga session I’ve ever attended has had a different version of the Surya Namaskar and the Isha Center is no different. Their unique Surya Kriya is a 21-step routine that promises to make you very fit if you practice it 1-3 times a day. I learnt it while I was at Isha, but unfortunately only followed it for about a month. A brief illness interrupted my practice and then I wasn’t disciplined about restarting. It’s definitely something I would like to get back to.

TEMPLES The centre’s two temples or spiritual spaces, the Dhyanalinga Yogic Shrine and the Linga Bhairavi shrine or Devi temple couldn’t be more different from each other. Dhyanalinga Yogic Shrine is a spherical pillar-less brick dome, which is empty save for a large black linga at the centre. At the entrance is a column on which I saw the symbols of various religions of the world. It symbolizes both that this is a space of no religious affiliation, and one that welcomes people from all of them. Groups are led into the unlit, empty space where no one speaks. You don’t go there to pray or perform any ritual. That’s perhaps what appealed most to me. On one occasion a lone sitarist played a soulful tune lifting the energy in that windowless space and allowing me to be very, very still. With eyes closed in meditation it allowed me to unwind; the stillness, and giving up of stresses of everyday life was one of the highlights of my time at the centre. The more popular temple is the Linga Bhairavi, which was bustling with visitors when I visited. I spent a few minutes and exited.

For me in essence it was a religious space akin to other Hindu temples and I preferred the Dhyanalinga. But others find it deeply meditative and serene. The devi at this temple is also said to fulfil wishes of devotees.

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The Ayur Rasayana wellness programme combines yoga, meditation, massages, facials, and other treatments (top); The centre runs a variety of hatha yoga programmes (bottom) ranging from one-day Surya Kriya sessions to a 21-week teacher’s training programme.

WELLNESS When I visited, a delightful curtain of red blooms hung over the entrance to the Isha Rejuvenation Center where Ayurvedic massages, therapies, and assorted treatments for pain and specific ailments are available. There are several 3, 5, or 7-day rejuvenation programmes that visitors can enrol in. For deep analysis and treatment of specific health issues there are a variety of medicines dispensed in the form of Siddha and Ayurvedic treatments.

I had a general consultation with Maa Vama, a qualified allopathic medical practitioner turned Siddha medicine advocate. She prescribed a series of changes in my diet to include at least 50 per cent raw vegetables/fruits, as well as a course of rasayam and chenduram (herb-mineral formulations) aimed at purifying and restoring internal balance. She suggested I consume a small ball each of neem and turmeric on an empty stomach with honey-laced water, as an antiseptic and cleanser every morning.

Finally, she also recommended an abhyanga massage which I received that evening. It was a rather vigorous massage with two practitioners giving me a rhythmic rub-down with a large quantity of herbal oil. This massage is traditionally believed to be very useful in loosening up toxins in the body so they can be expelled.

Photo courtesy: Isha yoga center

Short Breaks |

■ Tamil Nadu

There are two teerthakunds or cleansing pools at the ashram, the Chandrakund for women and the Suryakund for men.

Guests have several options for accommodation within the ashram. The 70 rooms at the Nalanda Conference Center are the most comfortable with spotless en suite bathrooms and basic amenities (non air-conditioned rooms from `2,500; air-conditioned rooms from `3,500, less if you join an Isha programme). With a cascading white bougainvillea at the entrance, spacious public areas, an open, airy style, extensive use of dark wood, and beautiful plants and lawns, this is a well-designed, aesthetic space. At the Nadhi and Alayam rooms you get a basic lean, functional space with twin beds and attached bathrooms. There are also suites and other accommodation for larger families/groups on campus (non-AC from `850; AC from `1,300-5,000). All room rates include two meals at the Bhiksha Hall (to book accommodation email ishastay@ishafoundation.org).

Meals at the centre are a no-nonsense affair. I was introduced to a whole new way of eating. Quite simply, in this place you eat only twice a day: at 10 or 10.45 a.m. and 7 or 7.45 p.m. Most residents and visitors eat at the Bhiksha Hall. Seating is on long mats lined up on the floor and those performing the seva, or volunteering for the day come around serving salad, rice, dal, veggies, and a millet porridge. It’s south Indian fare that’s hearty and tasty. A not too spicy version is available and portions are unlimited; you can eat as much as you want. Once done, everyone washes their own stainless steel plate and glass in the very clean washing area and places them on the dish racks provided.

Isha Yoga Center, Tamil Nadu Bengaluru

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Coimbatore

Isha Yoga Center

THE VITALS The Isha Yoga Center is situated a 30 km/ 90-min drive from Coimbatore airport.

Taxis from the airport to the ashram cost `1,000 one-way (ishayoga.org and ishafoundation.org).

Only Inner Engineering programme participants eat at Nalanda. On day one, I overate at the morning meal afraid perhaps that I wouldn’t last till 7 p.m. As it turned out I was fine. On day two I ate normally and found I had a slight rumbling at 5 p.m. To stave off the munchies I ended up getting a fresh juice at the Pepper Vine Eatery (open 8.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m.).

This is a large gazebo area with various stalls catering to day visitors and to anyone else who needs a little sandwich, dosa, juice, or snack in between.

WHY GO? At the end of my long weekend at Isha, what I realised was not rocket science: I needed to find time for myself, practice yoga, meditate, and eat healthy on a regular basis. All the things I knew, but had long ignored. But that’s exactly why a short break at an ashram like this is sometimes needed—to drive home simple messages and to offer direction on how change can happen.

No place is for everyone and neither is Isha. It is good for those who want a spiritual retreat with or without religion. A point to note is that though it is not religiously affiliated it does have strong elements that are rooted in Hinduism. Simply put, visitors imbibe as much religion and ritual as they want. I found it easy to not engage with aspects I was not inclined toward.

I came back home with the strong conviction that I ought to change the way I am living. Most importantly, it was a wake-up call to find time for my body, mind, and overall wellbeing. june 2016 | national Geographic Traveller INDIA

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Photo courtesy: Isha yoga center

STAY & EAT