!>!. Manali A High-Altitude Resort Town .!
Manali is a city in the state of Himachal Pradesh. It is a High-Altitude
Resort town near the town of Kullu. It was famous for skiing and paragliding
points.
Manali is a really good place to explore during summer as
the temperature there is always low. It is cheaper to stay in Manali than in Shimla.
So many people prefer to stay in Manali longer than in Shimla. The atmosphere
in Manali is lovely for skiing, Paragliding, Trekking, etc. I like staying
there for a minimum of 5 to 6 days. As the place is vast, unlike its name. It
has much beautiful heritage to visit and magnificent nature to explore and I am
sure you wouldn’t want to miss it.
How to Reach Your Destination
Manali is a Hill station, so I suggest not traveling
directly as the airport in the state of Himachal Pradesh always shuts down at
the most unexpected time and you never know when you are the one in that
situation.
Instead, I prefer to book a flight to the state of
Chandigarh and then enjoy a nice relaxing 10-Hour Road trip to Manali. In that
way, you will also be able to get a glimpse of Chandigarh. If you plan on
visiting Shimla too then visit Manali before visiting Shimla. The ride from
Chandigarh to Shimla is of 5 hours and Shimla to Manali is 7. So if you visit Manali
first then while returning you can visit Shimla which will then reduce your
road trip traveling time while returning. When you are very tired
and short of energy.
However, if you think traveling by plane is expensive then
you can go by train, but I wouldn’t do that if I were you since railway tracks
might get damaged by all the constant movement of rocks or rain and snow. And
since the train is a very big vehicle it is also very difficult to control. So
the road is a much better and safer option than trains, yes they might be a bit
expensive but hey if you have decided to go on a vacation you need to look out
for your safety too.
Wonders of Manal
Museum of Himachal Culture and folk art
This museum is a must to visit if you are keen to know about
ancient Manali. It contains all the information A museum can hold on just one
floor. It has in total 23 to 25 sections holding knowledgeable information
about the past. How people dressed, How people protected themselves from storms
or rockslides everything. Above are some pictures clicked by me for you to take
a sneak peek at them.
Mall Road
As Manali is a hill station there are no malls seen only 3 to 4 floors of resorts for tourists. So they have built mall road, where the craze of shopping sprees is just like a mall from big brands like Zara and Adidas to small businesses and stalls can be found there. It is heartwarming to see such wonderful sight.
And if you visit Mall Road I recommend you to buy a binocular. So when you go to tour the Solang valley in Manali it would come in Handy.
Hadimba Devi Temple
Hadimba Devi Temple is one of the famous heritages present
in Manali. Before you visit any other temple I prefer to visit this one first. The
temple’s roof is three-layered in a conical shape, so the snow particle or
rain can flow out easily.
What to Buy
Of course, there are many beautiful yet magnificent stuff to
buy from Manali but the most important ones are-
Shawls
Shawl is a thick cloth mostly hand woven with beautiful
designs, which you can wrap yourself in to protect yourself from the cold.
Manali is a place where it is 17 degrees even during summer,
so shawl shops are found there on every step you take. But the fun part is that
the quality is much better and unique. Buying at least one of their shawls is a
must if you visit Manali. Many shawl factories are built which give women jobs
hence not leaving them jobless. So it is also one kind of charity you can do by
buying a shawl.
Stole
There is little difference between a stole and a shawl. A
stole is a shawl but much lighter, thinner, narrower, and more fashionable.
A stole can be found anywhere even in the USA. But if you
are interested in buying some ‘DESI STYLED’ stoles then Manali is your stop. As
every capital of every city in India has a much better reputation and quality
of common products found all over the city, Manali also has the best Stoles in
the city of Himachal Pradesh.
One can wear a stole no matter what occasion or season it
is. So there is another reason why tourists from the equatorial side of the
country India prefer stoles over shawls.
Kesar
Imported Kesar is found throughout the world. But the kesar
found here is Natural and 100% real. In my opinion, the best Kesar of Himachal
Pradesh is found in Manali. Its red color shames the red roses, and the smell
of it is so strong that even when you are in deep sleep you can recognize it
passing by from miles away when added to sweet dishes, it does not matter if you
are angry or sad, but you would never resist eating it.
One would find people wearing bag packs filled with small
bottles of Kesar roaming all over the tourist places, convincing the tourists
to buy their Kesar. At first, you might feel that it is very annoying but once
you buy it then you might think that if the seller wouldn’t have annoyed you to
buy it, you might have missed the opportunity to try the Himachali Kesar.
What to Eat
Fun Fact-
Manali is an extremely cold city. So the people there prefer
something hot yet cheap to eat to keep themselves warm. And the cheapest thing
available is instant noodles ‘MAGGI’, you can find many stalls on the road
selling Maggi cooked with fresh vegetables, giving you two options: soup or
just normal. But I prefer the soup one since it unblocks your nose.
Sidu
It is a local food found all over Himachal Pradesh. It is
made up of refined flour stuffed with crushed chutney of Walnut, green peas,
and roasted peanuts and is shaped like a half-moon. The moment it touches your
mouth you can feel it melting, it is so soft that even a child with no teeth
can chew it. And as soon as you reach the stuffed part, varieties of flavors
burst in your mouth, crunchy yet soft better to eat when hot what else would
one want to eat during a perfectly cool morning? With each bite you take, your
desire to eat sidu will increase.
It is found in all local stalls. It is just as common as
vada pav and samosa are in Mumbai. It is mostly eaten with green chutney or
tadka dal.
Thukpa
It is also a local food, which is found all over Himachal
Pradesh. It is nothing but noodles made of buckwheat which is thin and smooth which
is then put in hot steaming soup mixed with freshly cooked vegetables and optionally
meat. One bite of it can you get to taste a bunch of various flavors. If it’s a
cold rainy or snowy day, tired of traveling and shopping, one sip and bite of
this mixture of soup and noodles will lighten up your mood in no time.
Manali is a really good place to explore during summer as
the temperature there is always low. It is cheaper to stay in Manali than in Shimla.
So many people prefer to stay in Manali longer than in Shimla. The atmosphere
in Manali is lovely for skiing, Paragliding, Trekking, etc. I like staying
there for a minimum of 5 to 6 days. As the place is vast, unlike its name. It
has much beautiful heritage to visit and magnificent nature to explore and I am
sure you wouldn’t want to miss it.
How to Reach Your Destination
Manali is a Hill station, so I suggest not traveling
directly as the airport in the state of Himachal Pradesh always shuts down at
the most unexpected time and you never know when you are the one in that
situation.
Instead, I prefer to book a flight to the state of
Chandigarh and then enjoy a nice relaxing 10-Hour Road trip to Manali. In that
way, you will also be able to get a glimpse of Chandigarh. If you plan on
visiting Shimla too then visit Manali before visiting Shimla. The ride from
Chandigarh to Shimla is of 5 hours and Shimla to Manali is 7. So if you visit Manali
first then while returning you can visit Shimla which will then reduce your
road trip traveling time while returning. When you are very tired
and short of energy.
However, if you think traveling by plane is expensive then
you can go by train, but I wouldn’t do that if I were you since railway tracks
might get damaged by all the constant movement of rocks or rain and snow. And
since the train is a very big vehicle it is also very difficult to control. So
the road is a much better and safer option than trains, yes they might be a bit
expensive but hey if you have decided to go on a vacation you need to look out
for your safety too.
Wonders of Manal
Museum of Himachal Culture and folk art
This museum is a must to visit if you are keen to know about
ancient Manali. It contains all the information A museum can hold on just one
floor. It has in total 23 to 25 sections holding knowledgeable information
about the past. How people dressed, How people protected themselves from storms
or rockslides everything. Above are some pictures clicked by me for you to take
a sneak peek at them.
Mall Road
As Manali is a hill station there are no malls seen only 3 to 4 floors of resorts for tourists. So they have built mall road, where the craze of shopping sprees is just like a mall from big brands like Zara and Adidas to small businesses and stalls can be found there. It is heartwarming to see such wonderful sight.
And if you visit Mall Road I recommend you to buy a binocular. So when you go to tour the Solang valley in Manali it would come in Handy.
Hadimba Devi Temple
Hadimba Devi Temple is one of the famous heritages present
in Manali. Before you visit any other temple I prefer to visit this one first. The
temple’s roof is three-layered in a conical shape, so the snow particle or
rain can flow out easily.
What to Buy
Of course, there are many beautiful yet magnificent stuff to
buy from Manali but the most important ones are-
Shawls
Shawl is a thick cloth mostly hand woven with beautiful
designs, which you can wrap yourself in to protect yourself from the cold.
Manali is a place where it is 17 degrees even during summer,
so shawl shops are found there on every step you take. But the fun part is that
the quality is much better and unique. Buying at least one of their shawls is a
must if you visit Manali. Many shawl factories are built which give women jobs
hence not leaving them jobless. So it is also one kind of charity you can do by
buying a shawl.
Stole
There is little difference between a stole and a shawl. A
stole is a shawl but much lighter, thinner, narrower, and more fashionable.
A stole can be found anywhere even in the USA. But if you
are interested in buying some ‘DESI STYLED’ stoles then Manali is your stop. As
every capital of every city in India has a much better reputation and quality
of common products found all over the city, Manali also has the best Stoles in
the city of Himachal Pradesh.
One can wear a stole no matter what occasion or season it
is. So there is another reason why tourists from the equatorial side of the
country India prefer stoles over shawls.
Kesar
Imported Kesar is found throughout the world. But the kesar found here is Natural and 100% real. In my opinion, the best Kesar of Himachal Pradesh is found in Manali. Its red color shames the red roses, and the smell of it is so strong that even when you are in deep sleep you can recognize it passing by from miles away when added to sweet dishes, it does not matter if you are angry or sad, but you would never resist eating it.
One would find people wearing bag packs filled with small
bottles of Kesar roaming all over the tourist places, convincing the tourists
to buy their Kesar. At first, you might feel that it is very annoying but once
you buy it then you might think that if the seller wouldn’t have annoyed you to
buy it, you might have missed the opportunity to try the Himachali Kesar.
What to Eat
Fun Fact-
Manali is an extremely cold city. So the people there prefer
something hot yet cheap to eat to keep themselves warm. And the cheapest thing
available is instant noodles ‘MAGGI’, you can find many stalls on the road
selling Maggi cooked with fresh vegetables, giving you two options: soup or
just normal. But I prefer the soup one since it unblocks your nose.
Sidu
It is a local food found all over Himachal Pradesh. It is
made up of refined flour stuffed with crushed chutney of Walnut, green peas,
and roasted peanuts and is shaped like a half-moon. The moment it touches your
mouth you can feel it melting, it is so soft that even a child with no teeth
can chew it. And as soon as you reach the stuffed part, varieties of flavors
burst in your mouth, crunchy yet soft better to eat when hot what else would
one want to eat during a perfectly cool morning? With each bite you take, your
desire to eat sidu will increase.
It is found in all local stalls. It is just as common as
vada pav and samosa are in Mumbai. It is mostly eaten with green chutney or
tadka dal.
Thukpa
It is also a local food, which is found all over Himachal
Pradesh. It is nothing but noodles made of buckwheat which is thin and smooth which
is then put in hot steaming soup mixed with freshly cooked vegetables and optionally
meat. One bite of it can you get to taste a bunch of various flavors. If it’s a
cold rainy or snowy day, tired of traveling and shopping, one sip and bite of
this mixture of soup and noodles will lighten up your mood in no time.
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