About Manali – A Quick Look into the Place!

Manali is a blended word of “Manu Alaya”, which means the “Abode of Manu”, named after the lawgiver “Manu”, who lived in the ancient times. It is locat... Read More

About Manali – A Quick Look into the Place!

Manali is a blended word of “Manu Alaya”, which means the “Abode of Manu”, named after the lawgiver “Manu”, who lived in the ancient times. It is located in the Kullu Valley at 2050m above the sea level. The climate is moderate during summers and cold during winters. So, the place has become one of the most attractive spots for vacation, especially for honeymoon couples. Apart from the climate, the vegetation of eucalyptus trees & oak trees, clean roads, and exuberant connectivity despite its rugged topography provides socio-economic viability. It has become a great eye-catcher for tourism as it attracts nearly 25 to 30 lakh tourists every year. In addition to this, the peaceful abode also offers some notable sports like skiing, paragliding, parasailing, and river rafting. Here are a few things to know about Manali:

• Very few restaurants in Manali and around are equipped with card facilities, and ATMs are also far and few. It’s advised to carry enough cash.
• If its weekend, ATMs will remain out of cash in & around Manali, and many don’t function due to bi-monthly power cut.
• During the peak season, roads leading to Rohtang will have heavy traffic from 11 am to 5 pm. So it’s advised to avoid this time of the day.
• In Manali, you will get plenty of auto service. But if you are planning for a late-night trip, it is advisable to book one well in advance.

There’s a Whole of Thing You Can Do in Manali

• Manali is not only a perfect place for newly married couples; it also provides tourists with a wide track of experiences in adventure and sports. Yes, paragliding and rafting services in Kullu Manali are provided by trained specialists to provide the best experience to the tourists. Discounts are given for these services during the months of October to February as the arrival of tourists is more at these times. 
• Sports activities like biking, trekking and hiking activities excite the tourists all over the world; and one can enjoy these while in this Hippie Town of the Himalayas. Forest resorts in Manali provide a calm and composed environment, and they soothe the soul. Camping activities in Manali are the best. Manali embraces enormous camping communities for leisure. Camping festivals and trekking tours are often organized by enthusiastic organizations.
• Rohtang pass also provides the tourists with a lot of recreation as it provides amazing views, which can be enjoyed through cable cars. Bikers are allowed in Rohtang pass from early May to Late November, but the passes cannot be obtained easily due to its unpredictable geographical phenomenon.

Places to Visit in Manali

Manali has been imbibed with stunning tourist destinations. Some of them are:

• Hidimba Devi Temple– Also called the “Dhungri Temple,” the Hidimba Devi Temple is a wood temple for Hidimba, the Wife of Bhima in the epic, Mahabharata.
• Manali National Park– Filled with endangered and nearly threatened fauna like musk deer, snow leopard; and flora like oak trees, Eucalyptus trees, etc. This is the best place to explore for animal lovers.
• Jogini Waterfalls – Highly breath-taking falls with a moderate flow all over the year. It looks like a white streak of light tearing apart the two mountains. A great treat to the eyes!
• Buddhist Colony – A small Buddhist colony is seen in Manali, which attracts a wide number of religious tourists from all over the world. A huge gold statue of the Buddha is seen in the Himalayan Nyingmapa Gompa Temple in Manali. 
• The Beas River – The Beas River drains via the River Beas, which provides an excellent opportunity for the rafters to raft around the lower parts of the river.

Some Quick Tips for Your Manali Trip

• Always plan your travel expenses wisely.
• Try packing up essential items.
• Analyze the climate during the trip and then manage your cloth-packs accordingly. 
• Try to stay away from the Hippopotamus; they can be seen widely in Manali.
• Refrain from buying herbs from street vendors.
• Prefer Government buses during travel, if traveling solo or in a couple.
• Always book Heritage hotels; prefer them over any other normalized or unfamiliar hotels.
• Beware of the Chingu Chingu is a type of blanket sold mostly by locals that it would provide warmth during winter. But it will not help. Rely on your winter jackets.
• Carry a notebook while traveling and record your information. That will help you in many ways you cannot even imagine.
• Carry a medical first-aid box in your backpack.

Accommodation in Manali

There are several heritage hotels in Manali but to save costs, it is mostly preferred to choose HPTDC hotels. Forest resorts can also be preferred if you are traveling in a group. Many online hotel booking apps are available and it is better to book it earlier to avoid any clashes.

Food Places – Invite the Foodie in You!

The snowy hill station glitters with many restaurants that serve mouth-licking food. The menu includes global variety starting from Italian, Chinese, Continental, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, and Indian to amazing and popular Tibetan momos. It is not only the place that will soothe your eyes but will also satisfy your cuisines. Manali is a complete package for a wonderful vacation. Many hotels provide exotic and stunning foods to dine, but certain hotels provide traditional and local foods at affordable rates. Some of them include Rose garden, Johnson’s Café, Martin’s, Oven in the garden, etc.

Some Common FAQs (Manali Travel Diary)

• Question 1: What is the Drinking Law in Manali?
  • Answer 1: Persons less than 25 years of age will not be allowed to have liquor of any kind.
• Question 1: What should be the ideal amount for tips at the hotels in Manali?
  • Answer 1: Tips at hotels will be 10 to 15% of the bill. If paid service tax, no need for tipping.

Manali can be reached via any route that is air, road, and rail. The nearest airport to the town is Bhuntar Airport, which is situated on NH21. This is about 50 Km South of Manali and 10 km south of Kullu town. The roadways are linked from Chandigarh to Manali. If you are interested to have rail travel then the most nostalgic route would be Kalka-Shimla Railway. The narrow-gauge route would culminate at Shimla, thereafter by the road a person could travel to Manali.