Explore India: Beat the summer heat, rush

The scorching heat is driving travel enthusiasts to explore India's northern belt for some respite, but it is leading to over-tourism. Be different and stay away from the rush by visiting destinations which may be less frequented, but offer panoramic views and exciting experiences.

A slew of affordable international destinations are wooing Indian travellers, but within India, there are myriad options of summer havens that are perfect for a vacation.

Rashmi Chadha, founder of Wovoyage, said "Over-tourism is currently happening in north India because most destinations have frequent visits by travellers and new destinations get left out due to their infrastructure which is not much developed for mass tourism."

Chadha, whose travel startup is aimed at women travellers, said people must explore offbeat locations, and the rise of homestays and small guest houses which can be easily booked online, is only giving the option a push.

"I"ll suggest Karnataka can be a good option to travel in June. There are places like Karwar and Agumbe, which is even called as Cherrapunji of South. As an alternative to overcrowded destinations in India, I would suggest to explore Khajjiar in Himachal Pradesh, Siliguri in West Bengal, Palani Hills on the border of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

"Instead of beaches in Goa, try to visit the region of Daman and Diu, and instead of Alleppey in Kerala, go to Munroe Island. Enjoy nature and peace in holidays," she suggested.

According to Rajeev Kale of Holiday, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd, there is quite a demand for beach destinations.

"While hill stations continue to remain popular, this year we have also seen a 15 to 18 per cent demand over the last year for beach destinations and amusement parks as well. Beaches such as Kovalam in Kerala, Goa, coastal Maharashtra, Mahabalipuram and Pondicherry in Tamil Nadu have seen an increase in demand," Kale said.

As for a quick getaway, families are also looking at adventure and amusement parks like Imagica in Maharashtra and VGP Universal Kingdom and Wonderla parks in southern India across cities like Kochi, Chennai and Bengaluru.

"Apart from these, pilgrim and high altitude destinations like Char Dham, coupled with adventure activities in Haridwar and Rishikesh have seen a strong uptake," he added.

But the pressure of tourist rush in the Uttarakhand hills this season is already taking a toll as it is leading to crammed up roads and highways.

Beyond that, India has an abundance of green and exquisite locations, says Daniel D'souza, President and Country Head, Leisure, SOTC Travel.

"Some of the unexplored destinations of Meghalaya, Kerala, Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Leh-Ladakh, which offer scenic vistas and pleasant weather," he said.