Wild Life in Poonch

• Poonch District is rich in wild life.
• Forests in the district cover an area about 83.914 acres.
The rare mammals include:
• Markhor
• Musk deer
• Brown bear
• Leopard
• Ghoral
The birds include:
• Pheasant
• Black partridge
• Chakurs
• Snow cock kohlas

Poonch Specials

• Stunning scenic beauty
• Snow covered peaks
• Lush green meadows
• Dense forest
• Natural beautiful lakes
• Waterfalls

Attractions in and around Poonch

1. Noori Chhamb
• Noori Chammb is associated with the name of Mughal queen Noor Jahan.
• It is famous for its scenic beauty & water fall.
• It is located near Behram Galla in Surankote tehsil about 45 kms from Poonch town.
• The Emperor Jahangir had developed fancy & liking for this fall.
• Hence he named it Noori Chammb after the name of his beloved queen Noor Jahan.
• Mughal queen used to stay here for relaxation and bath on way to Kashmir.
• She had got fixed a mirror besides the fall on the mountain wall.
• Here she used to have her make- up after the bath.
• The remnants of the mirror are still there.

2. Girgan Dhok and Lakes
• It is a valley of seven lakes.
• It is located about 70 kms from Poonch town.
See the lovely and beautiful seven lakes which are:
- Sukhsar
- Neelsar
- Bhagsar
- Katorasar
- Kaldachnisar
- Nandansar
• These lakes are situated at the high altitude of 12000 ft. in the Buffliaz belt.
• Nandansar is one of the biggest lakes near Girgen dhok.
• The length of this lake is about one mile and its breadth is half a mile.

3. Poonch Fort
• The foundation of historic fort building in the capital of erestwhile Poonch Riyasat.
• This is the headquarter of truncated Poonch district at present.
• The Fort was planned as a composite structure for the fortification of the town.

4. Mandi
• It is a small village in a narrow valley.
• This village is enclosed by steep and grassy hills of no great elevation.
• This is situated near the confluence of two streams namely Gagri and Pulsta.
• Mandir Swami Budha Amar Nath Ji is situated in this village.
• Mandi is about 20 kms from Poonch town.

5. Rajouri
• Rajouri is a town and a municipal committee in Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir.
• Rajouri is important for defense point of view.
• Rajouri is about 130 kilometres (81 mi) away from Jammu city
• This town is on the Poonch Highway.
• Rajauri is also called the Vale of Lakes
• This is so as there are many lakes around the city.
• The area has seen a decline in tourists due to the Kashmir conflict.
• The District drives its name from Rajouri town.
• This town is historically known as Rajapuri/Rajapura.
• Rajouri District had been part of Poonch district prior to 1967
• On 22 September 1967, the government bifurcated district Poonch into two districts namely ‘Rajouri’ and ‘Poonch’

6. Lake of Pir Panjal Rajaouri
• The Pir Panjal falling under the jurisdiction of Rajouri-Poonch districts.
• It is a repository of beautiful lakes.
• These lakes are situated at an altitude between 13,000–14,500 ft.
• A lake is called “Sar” and meadow is called “Marg”.
• This stretch of Pir Panjal is full of lakes and meadows.
• It is considered a place to be well enjoyed by the tourists.
• There are more than 27 lakes between Simar Sar to Nandan Sar.
• This stretch is of an area of 900 km2.
• Of these seven lakes are big in size.
• The rest of the lakes are smaller.
• Next to Kaunsar Nag, Bhag Sar is the biggest lake.
• Most of the big lakes are situated at the boundary line between Jammu division and the Kashmir valley.
• All of these lakes drain into the Kashmir valley.

The important lakes are:
- Sukh Sar
- Akal Dakshni
- Nandan Sar
- Chandan Sar
- Katori Sar
- Raviwalli marg group of lakes
- Chamar Sar
- Bhsg Sar
- Diya Sar
- Padyaran Sar I and II
- Katori Sar in Bela Marg and Smat Sar

Other places near Poonch

• Loran
• Nandishool
• Surankote
• Behramgala
• Dehra-Gali

Religious Tourism in Poonch

• Mandir Budha Amarnath Mandi
• Gurudwara Nangali Sahib
• Gurudwara Deri Sahib
• Battalkote
• Mandi
• Ramkund Mandir, Mendhar.
• Shri Dashnami Akhara Mandir.
• Ziarat Sain Miran Sahib
• Ziarat Chhote Shah Sahib
• Ziarat Sain Illahi Bakash Sahib
• Ziarat Pir Fazal Shah Sahib

Trekking in Poonch

• Poonch to Gulmarg (Kashmir) via Jammia gali
• Poonch — Gaggrian Sawjian — Barshi Nallah — Barnara marg — Jamia marg — Jamia gali (15000 ft.) — Gulmarg(Tangmarg).
• Poonch to Nandishool via Loran (Sultan Pathri)
• Poonch to Yusmarg(Kashmir) via Nurpur gali and Khaara gali :
• Poonch — Loran — Sultan Pathri — Nurpur gali — Toshamaidan — Kundlan — Dood Ganga Bridge — Yushmarg.
• Poonch to Yusmarg(Kashmir) via Choti gali :
• Poonch — Behramgala — Chandimarh — Kabar Pathran — Choti gali(14100 ft.) — Kundlan — Yusmarg.
• Poonch to Tatakuti via Hill Kaka and Dhara marg
• Poonch to Shopian(Kashmir) via Peer ki gali :
• Poonch — Behramgala — Poshiana — Chita Pani — Peer gali(11500 ft.) — Aliabad Sarai — Hierpur — Shupian.
• Poonch to Hierpur (Kashmir) via Nandansar lake :
• Poonch — Behramgala — Girgen gali — Girgen marg — Panjtari marg — Khuooah — Gumsar — Nandan gali — Glacier — Nandansar lake – -six other lakes — Jaddi marg — Aliabad — Hierpur.
• Poonch to Gulmarg via Chor Gali :
• Poonch — Sawjian — Gali Maidan — Mangiana — Sari — Chor Gali — Gulmarg.

Best time to visit / climate

• It is generally pleasant and it is possible to visit the place throughout the year.
• The best time to visit is October and November.
• The summer season is from April to June and the conditions are warm for a short period.
• The monsoon season is from July till September.
• The winter season is really cold and temperature falls around freezing point.

Location on Google Maps

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Or click and paste the URL below on your browser:

http://maps.google.co.in/maps?q=Poonch&hl=en&hq=Poonch&t=m&z=16

How to get to Poonch?

• There is a small airport in Poonch.
• A railway is under construction.
• A bus across the LOC, the Poonch-Rawalakot bus has helped to re-establish ties across the border.

1. Srinagar by Air
• Srinagar domestic airport is connected with many airports of the major cities in India.
• Regular flights are operated between Srinagar and Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh and Shimla.
• International travelers get the connecting flights from Delhi International airport
• This is at a distance of 876 km from Srinagar.

2. Srinagar by Train
• Jammu is the nearest railway station to Srinagar
• This is at a distance of 290 km
• Jammu railway station is well connected to all major cities in India by rail.
• Direct train services are available from Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Trivandrum.
• Taxi services are available from Jammu to Srinagar
• The fare is about Rs 6000.

3. Srinagar by Bus
• Many tourist bus service providers arrange deluxe luxurious bus package tours from many neighboring cities to Srinagar.
Srinagar is well connected by tourist bus services to
• Chandigarh (630 km)
• Jammu (290 km)
• Delhi (876 km)
• Leh (434 km)
• Phalgan (96 km)
Packaged tours charge about Rs 4 – Rs 5 per km.

4. By plane
• Sheikh ul Alam Airport is commonly known as Srinagar Airport.
• It is an international airport.
• Flights are operated by Jet Airways, Air Deccan, Spice Jet, Kingfisher Airlines, Go Air, Jet Lite and Indian Airlines from Delhi and Mumbai to Srinagar.
• The frequency is once or twice a day by each airline.
• The cost is approximately Rs 2,500 from Jammu, Rs 2,500-5,000 from Delhi one way and higher from Mumbai.

5. By taxi from Jammu to Srinagar
• Hiring a TATA Sumo SUV from Jammu costs approximately Rs 1,900-2,700 depending on time of year or even time of day.
• The journey takes around 8 hrs.

6. By bus from Jammu to Srinagar
• J&K State Road Transport Corporation (J&KSRTC) operates fairly comfortable buses from Jammu costing around Rs 350 and does the journey in around 12 hrs
• 2 day buses run between Srinagar and Leh staying overnight in Kargil.
• There are also direct buses from Delhi taking almost 24 hrs to reach Srinagar.

Some travel books from Amazon about Poonch

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers)

• Hotels at wego.co.in
• Hotels at tripadvisor.in
• Hotels at holidayiq.com

Blogs/Sites about Poonch

• Blogs and reviews at poonch.gov.in
• Blogs and reviews at mustseeindia.com
• Blogs and reviews at holidayiq.com

Images and photos of Poonch

• Images at google.com
• Images at poonch.gov.in
• Images at oktatabyebye.com

The city of Suriname includes:
• Paramaribo: This is the capital of the country.
• Albina: This city is a tourist spot famous in the east.
• Brownsweg: This is where the Brownsberg Nature Park is located and it is famous for its waterfalls.
• Lelydorp: This is the second largest village of Suriname.
• Moengo: This was a center for the mining and storage of bauxite in earlier times.
• Nieuw Amsterdam: This is a suburb of Paramaribo.
• Nieuw Nickerie: This is the largest village of the West Coast and it has about 13,000 inhabitants living in it.
• Paranam: This is another bauxite village along with Moengo.
• Wageningen: this is also known as the rice village of Suriname.

Attractions of Suriname:

Paramaribo: This is the capital of the country and is a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for its colonial buildings. The capital has an attractive British, Dutch, French and Spanish colonial architecture. There is a fort nearby known as the fort Zeelandia which is actually a restored fort and it houses the Surinam Museum. There is a Roman Catholic cathedral that dates back to the 19th century and which is made of wood entirely. The Independence Square, the Presidential Palace with a palm garden and the lively waterfront, Palmentuin – a park and market districts are other attractions of the place.

Watersports: Colakreek is a recreation area that is about 50km (32 miles) to the south of Paramaribo. It contains numerous creeks which has brown water in the small savannah belt behind the coastal plains. Other than these there are public pools in Poramaribo which are called Niew-Nickerie, Moengo and Groningen. In Jachthaven Ornamibo there are sailing facilities.

Golf: There is an 18-hole golf course that is located about 5km (3 miles) from Paramaribo on the airport road.

Eco tourism: Suriname has more than 80 percent of tropical rainforests, which are included in national parks and natural reserves. One can take a guided tour to Raleighvallen/Voltzberg Nature Park or Natuurpark Brownsberg (Brownsberg Nature Park) and a five day river tour to Kumalu and the Awarra Dam. One can view the diverse flora and fauna of the tropical forest which has numerous mammals that include jaguars, pumas and ocelots, birds like flamingos and eagles and rare flowers like orchids and ixora as well as the black and blue morph butterflies.
• Central Suriname Nature Reserve: The Central Suriname Nature Reserve (CSNR) consists of more than 1.6 million hectares of primary tropical forest of Suriname. The three most important protected areas are in central Suriname: the Raleighvallen Nature reserve in the north, and the Tafelberg and Eilerts de Hann Gebergte Nature Reserves in the central and southern portion of the corridor are linked by this reserve. The land area is large and has Suriname’s most important river systems, the Coppename River with diverse flora and fauna.
• The Tafelberg Nature Reserve: This is in the geographic center of Suriname. This covers the primary rainforest and savanna ecosystems.
• The Eilerts de Hann Gebergte Nature Reserve: This reserve has no human population living within or around its boundaries and comes under the Eilerts de Hann Gebergte mountain range and comes under the primary tropical rain forest and savanna ecosystems.
• The Raleighvallen Nature Reserve: This is an important area in South America and it is protected. The Vegetation here has the moist highland forest which comes under 80 percent of Suriname. This reserve is spread wide on an area of 78,170 ha. It is located along the Coppename River. This reserve also has falls named Raleighvallen (Raleigh Falls) which is near Fungo Island and in the upper Coppename River. It is also known as a bird and monkey paradise. One can explore toucans, macaws and parrots and 400 other species. There are weaver birds called oropendulas which are large and have yellow feathers which are special. Voltzberg which is a granite sugarloaf mountain and which can be reached on foot in three hours by jungle trail from Foengoe Island is another attraction of the reserve. This mountain is at an altitude of approximately 150 m (375 ft) above the forest canopy.
• Brownsberg: This is a natural park that is located 130 km (90 mi) south of Paramaribo. The view is great over the Brokopondo Reservoir. It is a birdwatchers paradise and has about 650 birds and that are rarely seen. The waterfall Irenevallen is very popular here which about 10 m high in the Brownskreek is. Witikreek is a stream at the foot of the Brownsberg.
• Galibi Nature Reserve: This is a single nesting site for the giant leatherback turtles – Dermochelys coriacea and one in the world. These are endangered sea turtles. These turtles nest from February and August which is peak season for more than 200 leatherbacks. Their eggs are known to hatch from July to September. Even green turtles – Chelonia mydas nest here along with Olive ridley turtles – Lepidochelys olivacea and hawksbill turtles- Eretmochelys imbricata. Eilanti Beach is the only beach where mass nesting aggregations occur of the Atlantic region. Christiannkondre and Langemankondre are the nearby Amerindian villages that can be visited and Carib Indian artwork is popular here. This reserve is on the edge of Marowiine River. This reserve is used by villagers for fishing, hunting, and plant collecting and small-scale agricultural activities.
• Upper Surinam River: Brownsberg is to the south of the Brokopondo Lake and ends at Atjoni. From here the Upper Suriname River begins and so to south as Djuumu and here the river branches into Gran Rio and Pikin Rio.

Other locations that can be seen:
• Awarra dam
• Palumeu
• Kasikasima
• Nickerie / Bigi Pan
• Colakreek
• Matapica
• Blanche Marie Falls
• Berg en Dal River Resort
• Danta Bai

Best time to visit / climate:
The climate is Tropical and moderated by trade winds. There are 2 dry seasons which is from February to March and August to November. There are 2 rainy seasons from December to January and April to August. November is considered the hottest month so it is best to avoid this time.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
By plane:
From Amsterdam there are daily KLM flights. Surinam Airways serves flights from Amsterdam and various Caribbean destinations.
From the United States, airline service is available via Surinam Airways and Caribbean Airlines via Trinidad.
The Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport, which was formerly called Zanderij International Airport, is the arrival point which is located 45 Kilometers south of Paramaribo from where one can take a taxi or bus.
There are weekly flights to Trinidad, Belem (Brazil), Cayenne (French Guiana) and Aruba.

By car: There is a road from Guyana to Suriname. There are mini buses from Georgetown to Suriname.

By bus: One can take a bus from Albina to Paramaribo.

By boat: There are small boats and small ferries between Albina (Suriname) and St. Laurent (French Guiana).

Getting around: One can take a boat or car to go around Suriname. There are charter boats too.

Buy these books to make your trip more enjoyable:

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Restaurant
• Hotel
• Southtravels
• http://www.surinamehotels.org/
• Yahoo travel

Blogs / Sites about Suriname:

• Travelpod
• expat-blog.com
• http://www.goldbamboo.com/blogs-t8704.html
• Travelblog

Images and photos of Suriname:

• http://www.travel-images.com/suriname.html
• Infohub
• http://www.travel-pictures-gallery.net/suriname/suriname-main-1.html
• Placesonline

Attractions of Paramaribo:
• The Mosque Keizerstraat: This is the headquarters of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement for the Propagation of Islam in Paramaribo in Suriname, “Surinaamse Islamitische Vereniging” (SIV). This is situated in the Keizerstraat which is adjacent to the Neveh Shalom Synagogue.
• The Neveh Shalom Synagogue: It is the only synagogue of the Ashkenazi community located in Suriname. This is made of wood and was built in between 1665-1671 but later rebuilt with brick. In 1735, it was known to be sold to Ashkenazim. The present synagogue on the Keizerstraat which is located on 82 lot was designed by architect J.F. Halfhide which was completed in 1842 or 1843.
• The Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral: This is a wooden Roman Catholic cathedral that is located in the center of the city of Paramaribo, Suriname. This is known to be the largest wooden building in South America, and the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paramaribo. This cathedral was constructed in 1883 and it was earlier a theatre.
• Watersports: Colakreek is a recreation area that is about 50km (32 miles) to the south of Paramaribo. It contains numerous creeks having brown water, in the small savannah belt behind the coastal plains. Other than these, there are public pools in Poramaribo which are called Niew-Nickerie, Moengo and Groningen. In Jachthaven Ornamibo there are sailing facilities.
• Golf: There is an 18-hole golf course that is located about 5km (3 miles) from Paramaribo on the airport road.
• Galibi Nature Reserve: This is a nesting site for the giant leatherback turtles- Dermochelys coriacea. These are endangered sea turtles. These turtles nest from February and August which is peak season for more than 200 leatherbacks. Their eggs are known to hatch from July to September. Even green turtles- Chelonia mydas nest here along with Olive ridley turtles- Lepidochelys olivacea and hawksbill turtles- Eretmochelys imbricata. Eilanti Beach is the only beach where mass nesting aggregations occur in the Atlantic region. Christiannkondre and Langemankondre are the nearby Amerindian villages that can be visited and Carib Indian artwork is popular here. This reserve is on the edge of Marowiine River. This reserve is used by villagers for fishing, hunting, and plant collecting and small-scale agricultural activities.
• Brownsberg: This is a natural park that is located 130 km (90 mi) south of Paramaribo. The view is great over the Brokopondo Reservoir. It is a birdwatchers paradise and has about 650 birds, some of them rarely seen. The waterfall Irenevallen is very popular here, which about 10 m high. Witikreek is a stream at the foot of the Brownsberg.
• Fort Zeelandia: This is actually a restored fort and it houses the Surinam Museum.
• Kekemba Resort Paramaribo, Mangolaan: This resort is best for relaxing and swimming.
• There is a flea market that is open on Sundays which should be visited.
• Letitia Vriesdelaan: There is a flower expo at Letitia Vriesdelaan every other Sunday which is beautiful and must visit as different orchids, cacti, and other plants are for sale.
• Others: Royal Palm Gardens, Presidential Palace, Historical city center and Jodensavanne.

Best time to visit / climate:
The climate is Tropical and moderated by trade winds. There are 2 dry seasons which are from February to March and August to November. There are 2 rainy seasons from December to January and April to August. November is considered the hottest month so it is best to avoid this time.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
Citizens of the following countries do not need a visa to enter Suriname:
Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica (for holders of diplomatic and official passports only), Colombia (for holders of diplomatic and official passports only), Cuba (for holders of diplomatic and official passports only), Dominica, Philippines, Gambia, Guyana, Grenada, Hong Kong, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Malaysia, Monserrat, Netherlands Antilles, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela (for holders of diplomatic and official passports only), South Korea.

By plane:
From Amsterdam there are daily KLM flights. Surinam Airways serves flights from Amsterdam and various Caribbean destinations.
From the United States, airline service is available via Surinam Airways and Caribbean Airlines via Trinidad.
The Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport, which was formerly called Zanderij International Airport, is the arrival point which is located 45 Kilometers south of Paramaribo from where one can take a taxi or bus.
There are weekly flights to Trinidad, Belem (Brazil), Cayenne (French Guiana) and Aruba.

By car: There is a road from Guyana to Suriname. There are mini buses from Georgetown to Suriname.

By bus: One can take a bus from Albina to Paramaribo.

By boat: There are small boats and small ferries between Albina (Suriname) and St. Laurent (French Guiana).

Getting around: One can take a boat or car to go around Suriname. There are charter boats too.

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Tripadvisor Hotels
• Yahoo travel
• Hotelscombined
• http://www.torarica.com/

Blogs / Sites about Paramaribo:

• Travelpod
• Travelblog
• Travelpost
• Travelbuddy

Images and photos of Paramaribo:

• Infohub
• Picsearch
• Tripadvisor
• Caribbeanreviewofbooks
• Flickr

Buy these books to make your trip more enjoyable:

Videos of Paramaribo from youtube:

Paramaribo, Suriname

Living in Suriname ( facts and tips from Suriname)

Suriname Paramaribo at night

Garden birds of Paramaribo, Suriname

suriname paramaribo a great city

Some of the St George Bermuda Beaches
- Tobacco Bay, St. George Parish: It is a boulder-sheltered, shallow and warm-water beach and can be reached by foot from St. George square or are shuttles available. Nearby, there is a Fort St. Catherine that can be reached by foot. Rest rooms, food concession, beach rentals are available.
- Achilles Bay / St. Catherine’s Bay, Northeastern St. George Parish: This bay also can be reached on foot from St. George square and shuttles are readily available. This bay is just beside the Fort St. Catherine. Rest rooms, food concession nearby, beach rentals are also available on this beach.
- Clearwater Beach / Turtle Beach / Turtle Bay / Long Bay / Well Bay / Soldier Bay: This is near the east end of the airport in St. David’s. It is situated on a former US Air Base land that weas used for NASA tracking station at Cooper’s Island. Rest rooms, food concession and bar are available on the bay along with the Children’s playground.

Some St. George’s golf courses in the area:
- St. George Golf Course, St. George Parish, north of the Town of St. George.
- Tuckers Point Golf Course / Mid Ocean Golf Course, St. George Parish, near Tucker’s Town.
- Mid Ocean Golf Club Mid Ocean, an 18-hole golf course.

St George Bermuda Museums and Lighthouse:
- Bermuda National Trust Museum: This museum is situated at King’s Square. Bermuda National Trust Museum is one of the oldest stone buildings in Bermuda which depicts Bermuda’s role in America’s civil war.
- Bermuda Old State House: This house is the oldest building of Bermuda. This house held the parliament sessions of Bermuda until 1815 after which Hamilton became the capital and parliament moved there.
- St David’s Lighthouse Bermuda: This is at the highest point on the Eastern tip of the island. This lighthouse sends its beam 20 miles over the ocean.
- Carter House: This house is one of the oldest homes in Bermuda. It is made of stone and the old vernacular architecture of Bermuda is highlighted in this house.
- Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences: This institute was earlier known as the Bermuda Biological Station. This institute performs research operations on deep sea and coral reef behaviors.

Other attractions:
- St George Market Nights: This market is held on every Tuesday evening at 7p.m., held at Kings Square. There are displays of products, Gombey dancing, music and much more.
- Bermuda Perfumery: This is situated on Queen Street of St George. This is known to be the oldest and best perfume shop which also shows how scents are made. The perfumery is in an old farmhouse that was built around 250 years ago.
- Bermuda Railway Trail: This trail was dismantled after 17 years in 1948. It is now a public walking trail from St. George Town in the east end, through Pembroke Parish near the City of Hamilton and on toward Somerset Village in the west end. On the way one can find trestle houses, station houses and railway ties and views of the island and waters.
- St Peter’s Church: This is one of the oldest Anglican churches of the Western hemisphere.
- Bermuda Forts: There are large forts and smaller batteries on the island. They were built from 1612 to 1957. Almost 100 fortifications are built on this island. The larger ones are restored while some are on displays. Some can be reached by boat.

The forts in Bermuda are:
- Fort St. Catherine, St. George Parish: This is situated on the north-eastern tip of St. George Island. This fort of St. Catherine’s has collection of historic exhibits & artifacts. Its interior is well-preserved interior and is very popular here.
- Gates Fort, St. George Parish east (guarding Town Cut channel entrance)
- Alexandra Battery, St. George Parish east
- Fort George, St. George Parish (overlooking the Town of St. George)
- St. David’s Battery, St. George Parish east
- Martello Tower / Ferry Island Fort, St. George Parish west (at Ferry Reach)
- King’s Castle / Devonshire Redoubt / Landward Fort, St. George Parish south (on Castle Island, accessed via boat)

Best time to visit / climate:

The best time to visit St. George parish is May-September. The warm waters of the Gulf Stream give it a quasi-tropical atmosphere. Overall, Bermuda has a mild, humid subtropical maritime climate and strong winds are common in winter. The hurricane season is from June to November. It is best to avoid this time of the year.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
Saint George is accessible directly from Hamilton by bus.
By plane: Bermuda International Airport is the airport operating in Bermuda, and is located in St. George’s parish which is beside Castle Harbor. This airport has daily flights from Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Newark, New York, Philadelphia, Toronto and Washington, together with less frequent flights from other US and Canadian cities. British Airways flies from London (Gatwick) to Bermuda.
By boat/yacht: The cruise ships operate from the ports of Baltimore, Boston, Bayonne, New York, Norfolk, Miami/Ft Lauderdale, and Philadelphia on the eastern seaboard of the United States.

Get around: This parish’s locations in and around are walkable.

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Restaurant
• Hotel
• http://www.experiencebermuda.com/
• Tripadvisor Hotel
• Frommers
• http://www.bermuda-online.org/seestgeo.htm

Blogs / Sites about Saint George (Bermuda):

• http://www.bermuda-online.org/seestgeo.htm
• http://bermudacruise.blogspot.com/
• Travelblog.org (Link 1, Link2)
• http://www.flexijourney.com/Saint_George_(Bermuda)

Images and photos of Saint George (Bermuda):

• Google Image Search
• Picturesofplaces
• pbase.com

Videos of Saint George from videos:

St George, Bermuda

Fort St Catherine Bermuda, St Catherine’s Beach, Gates Bay

Ode to Tobacco Bay — St. George, Bermuda

St. George, Bermuda

St George’s Bermuda

Best time to visit / climate:
Puerta de Tierra has a tropical marine climate and has minimal seasonal variations. The climate is mild but has abundant rainfall in the north coast. June and November are usually the seasons of Hurricane. So avoid this time.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
Puerta de Tierra, Condado is located between Luis Munoz Marin International Airport and Old San Juan, and is a 10 minute taxi ride away from each. To get around, one can just walk around.
US citizens do not need any visa since Puerto Rico is a US territory. A Picture ID should serve the purpose. For other citizens visa and supporting documents are required.
By plane: Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport is the main airport which is in Carolina, near San Juan. Aguadilla and Ponce also connects with airlines like Jet Blue, Continental and Delta. There are direct flights from US. From the airport, taxi services are available.
By boat: The west coast city of Mayaguez and Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic has ferry services available. From Fajardo to St. Thomas, there is a ferry. There are cruise ships that land in San Juan.

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Wikitravel – Restaurants
• Wikitravel – Restaurants
• Sanjuanhotels
• http://iguide.travel/San_Juan/Puerta_de_Tierra
• Lonelyplanet

Blogs / Sites about Puerta de Tierra:

• Travelpod
• Billfish tournament
• Lonelyplanet
• Travelpod Link 2

Images and photos of Puerta de Tierra:

• From Google Image Search
• iguide.travel
• Flickriver
• igougo
• From Flickr

Want to know more about San Juan ? Read these books:

Videos of Puerta de Tierra from youtube:

Luis Munoz Rivera park in Puerta de Tierra San Juan Puerto Rico

Luis Munoz Rivera Park and Paseo Caribe in San Juan Puerto Rico

Museums
• Museum of Alcázar
• Altar de la Patria
• Naval Museum of the Atarazanas
• Museum of the Casas Reales :This museum belongs to the colonial period
• Museum of Duarte: This museum depicts the history of the movement and struggle for independence of this place.
• Museum of Natural History
• Museum of Dominican Man
• World of Ambar Museum
• Museum of Modern Arts
• National Museum of History and Geography: This museum is of pre Columbian times and depicts Dominican history.

Parks and recreational areas
• Mirador Norte Park: This Park is in the north of the city and close to Villa Mella.
• Enriquillo Park
• Mirador Sur Park: This Park is situated in the southwest section of the city.
• Independencia Park: This Park is in Zona Colonial.
• Colón Park, located in Zona Colonial
• Las Praderas Metropolitan Park
• The Malecón
• Dr. Rafael Ma. Moscoso National Botanical Garden
• Dominican Republic National Zoo
• Barrio Chino (Chinatown)
• Parque Nuñez de Caceres

Malls and Plazas
• Acropolis Center Mall
• Bella Vista Mall
• Carrefour
• Diamond Mall
• IKEA
• Jumbo
• Malecon Center Mall
• Megacentro
• Plaza Central
• Plaza Lama
• Plaza Las Americas
• Plaza Naco
• Pola
• Sirena
• Sambil Santo Domingo Mall
• Agora Mall
• Blue Mall
• Galerias 360 Mall
• Sky Mall
• Megacentro

Best time to visit / climate:
The best time to visit this place is January to March, as during June to October this island is subjected to severe storms as this island lies in the middle of hurricane belt. It is best to visit in the Tropical maritime which has seasonal temperature variation.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
By plane
The main airports of the Dominican Republic are
• (AZS) Samana, also known as “El Catey”, located between the towns of Nagua and Samana on the north coast
• (JBQ) “La Isabela” airport in Santo Domingo, for domestic flights and some flights from other Caribbean islands
• (LRM) La Romana on the south east coast
• (POP) Puerto Plata, also known as “Gregorio Luperon” on the north coast
• (PUJ) Punta Cana International in the east.
• (SDQ) Santo Domingo, also known as “Las Americas” on the south coast close to the capital city Santo Domingo
• (STI) Santiago also known as “Cibao International” in Santiago de los Caballeros which is the country’s second largest city.

From Europe: One can fly from Europe via Madrid (MAD) or Paris (CDG).
From US: One can fly from New York, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Philadelphia, San Juan, Atlanta or Charlotte.
One can take a taxi from the airport. Do not forget the tourist card on arrival that cost $10.

By car: In Santo Domingo, Cars may be rented through Hertz, Avis, Prestige Car Rentals and other agencies. Rentals are also available in other major cities. Take DR-1 connecting Santo Domingo and Santiago or DR-7 from just east of Santo Domingo north to near Sanchez. DR takes from east to the Samana peninsula or west along the northern coast.
By boat: Ferry services are available between Mayagüez in Puerto Rico and Santo Domingo in Dominican Republic.
Get around: One can go around using the bus service, ‘gua-guas’, domestic air flights, Cocotours- one of the Dominican Republic’s leading inbound tour operators or charter air services. Cocotours has offices in La Romana, Puerto Plata, Punta Cana and Samana.

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• http://wikitravel.org/en/Santo_Domingo#Eat
• http://wikitravel.org/en/Santo_Domingo#Sleep
• Yahoo travel
• Tripadvisor

Blogs / Sites about Santo Domingo:

• http://www.blogsantodomingo.com/
• Travelblog
• Travelpod
• LonelyPlanet

Images and photos of Santo Domingo:

• Google Images
• Tripadvisor
• Trekearth
• igougo

Videos of Santa Domingo from youtube:

Santo Domingo

Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo City – Part 1

Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo City – part 2

Dominican Republic

Santo Domingo

The districts of San Juan are:
• Old San Juan: This is the historic part of San Juan. The most historic attractions, galleries, museums, and tourist traps fall into this part of the district.
• Puerta de Tierra: This is in the middle of Old San Juan and Condado. This is a large residential area.
• El Condado: This is a rich residential neighborhood. It is a beach resort of the city and has many hotels and restaurants.
• Isla Verde: This city is closest to the international airport and has beautiful beaches and parks.
• International Convention Center District: This has a fountain that plays both typical and classical music and has many restaurants and shopping centers.
• Hato Rey: This is a business center and has the main banks, the Plaza las Americas (a mall with over 300 stores), the Hiram Bithor Stadium, Roberto Clemente Colosseum and Coliseo de Puerto Rico.
• Rio Piedras: This houses the main campus of the University of Puerto Rico. This is a municipality.
• Santurce: This is also one of the historical parts of Puerto Rico and is a cultural capital. It has two art museums and a performing arts center.
• Miramar: This is near El Condado and has historical houses.

Attractions of San Juan:
• El Castillo San Felipe Del Morro “El Morro”: This is a citadel that dates back to sixteenth-century. It lies to the northwestern-most point of the islet of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is part of National Historic Site and is a World Heritage Site (declared by the United Nations in 1983).
• El Castillo de San Cristóbal: This is a Spanish fort that is located in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This fort was built to protect against land based attacks on the city of San Juan. It is one of the National Historic Sites. It has a height of 150 feet and is on an area of 27 acres of land.
• Palacio de Santa Catalina: It is the residence of the Governor of Puerto Rico. This was built between 1533 and 1540 to defend the San Juan harbor. It is also known as El Palacio de Santa Catalina or Palace of Santa Catalina which is also the oldest executive mansion in the New World. La Fortaleza is a World Heritage Site.
• El Catedral de San Juan Bautista: Juan Ponce de León, a Spanish explorer’s tomb lies here which was built in the 1520′s. It was rebuilt in 1540 after being destroyed by a hurricane.
• Castillo de San Jerónimo: It is a fort that is known as Condado. This was known to defend from attacks in 1595.
• Iglesia de San Jose: This is a church and Monastery that dates back to 1523.
• Ayuntamiento or Alcaldia: This is also known as the City Hall.
• The municipal cemetery of Santa María Madgalena de Pazzis: This is a cemetery that is situated just outside the city walls.
• Fuerte San Geronimo: This is a fort that built to tighten defense within the city with a small museum housed inside.
• Centro de Bellas Artes: This is a fine arts centre in the Caribbean in 1981.
• Bacardi Rum Factory: This has a trolley and guided tour inside the factory.
• There are famous beaches in Condado and Isla Verde.
• Parks in San Juan: Central Park, Garfield, Munoz Rivera Park and Parque de las Palomas.
• The Casino of Puerto Rico which is a large building and The Teatro Tapia is the oldest theatre in the Western Hemisphere.
• San Juan National Historic Site: This place has the old and colonial portion and includes three fourths of the city wall and forts San Cristóbal, San Felipe del Morro, and San Juan de la Cruz, also called El Cañuelo, plus bastions, powder houses.
• Ateneo de Puerto Rico (museum), Casa del Libro, Cuartel de Ballaja, Felisa Rincón de Gautier Museum, La Princesa (former municipal jail, now a history museum), Museo del Niño (Children’s Museum), Museo Nuestras Raíces Africanas( Our African Roots Museum, Museo de Arte ( Museum of Art), The Pablo Casals Museum are other attractions of San juan.

Things to do:
• Surfing waves, golf course, sunbathing at the beach, tennis, fishing, kayaking, scuba diving, and horseback riding, windsurfing and parasailing are the different activities that the island of Puerto Rico offers.
• Golf: This Island has 15 championship golf courses from the San Juan metropolitan area.
• Snorkel and Scuba dive: These activities are the highlights of Puerto Rico’s Caribbean coasts, especially out of Fajardo. A guided diving and snorkeling tour will take one to the best sites of the activity.
• Bioluminescent Bays: The bays of Fajardo and Vieques are bioluminescent and have microscopic organisms that glow which is really beautiful to watch. One can go for kayaking or boating especially during the new moon to enjoy a clear view of the bay. Lajas is also a Bioluminescent bay that is famous as it is also equipped with kiosks and restaurants.
• Casinos: San Juan offers luxurious hotels and casinos that are similar to Los Vegas.

Best time to visit / climate:
San Juan has a tropical marine climate and has minimal seasonal variations. The climate is mild but has abundant rainfall in the north coast. June and November are usually the seasons of Hurricane. So avoid this time. Other than these months, one can visit the island anytime and enjoy all the activities of surfing, kayaking, beach walking, sun bathing, hiking etc.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
US citizens do not need any visa since Puerto Rico is a US territory. A Picture ID should serve the purpose. For other citizens visa and supporting documents are required.
By plane: Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport is the main airport which is in Carolina, near San Juan. Aguadilla and Ponce also connects with flights like Jet Blue, Continental and Delta. There are direct flights from US. SJU is the modern airport in the Caribbean. From airport taxi services are available.
By boat: The west coast city of Mayaguez and Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic has ferry services available. From Fajardo to St. Thomas, there is a ferry. There are cruise ships that land in San Juan.

Get around:
It is best to rent a car or take a taxi as the public transport system is not very good. A público is a shared taxi service that is another option that is cheap and best to go around the island. The “main” público station is in Río Piedras that is a suburb of San Juan and which are also known as colectivos and pisicorres.
There are ferries from San Juan and Fajardo to Cataño, Vieques Island and Culebra Island along with Mayaguez ferry travels between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
Tren Urbano is a fully automated transit serving San Juan, Bayamón, and Guaynabo. Tren Urbano consists of 16 stations on a single line and is the reliable public transport.

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• http://wikitravel.org/en/San_Juan#Eat
• http://wikitravel.org/en/San_Juan#Sleep
• http://www.sanjuanhotelsltd.com/
• http://www.elsanjuanhotel.com/
• Tripadvisor

Blogs / Sites about San Juan:

• Travelpod
• http://www.sanjuanislander.com/blogs.shtml
• Lonely Planet
• http://sanjuansafaris.com/blog/

Images and photos of San Juan:

• Tripadvisor
• http://www.travel-images.com/puerto-rico.html
• Terragalleria
• igougo.com

Videos of San Juan from youtube:

San Juan, Puerto Rico

San Juan Sail Away

Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

Walking and Driving around Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico – San Juan

Location of Amer Fort on Google Maps:

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If you are visiting the fort for the first time, it is recommended that you take a local guide; else, since not many of the buildings are marked, you will be at a loss to figure out what some of the older structures inside the Fort are. And there are a number of different palaces, halls, gardens, and other locations inside the Fort complex. Make sure that you do visit the Sheesh Mahal (Palace of Mirrors) inside the Fort.
The Fort is divided into 4 sections, with access to each of the sections from a central location through a staircase, or through a wide enough pathway. When you enter the Fort through the main gate, the first place you reach is the Jaleb Chowk, the main courtyard. Here, in the past, when a returning army would return to the city, they would be paraded in this Chowk. There is also a famous temple inside the Palace called the Kali Temple (with enormous silver lions). The fort is constructed of white and red sandstone.

View of elephant and mahout near the Amber Fort in Jaipur

Boundary wall on the hilltops near the Amer Fort in Jaipur

Ramparts of the Amber Fort in Jaipur

Musicians on the walls of the Amer Fort near the entrance

At one of the many gateways inside the Amber Fort in Jaipur

View of the Diwan-i-Aam – the public audience hall inside the Amer Fort

An ambulance inside the Amber Fort in Jaipur

View of the huge courtyard inside the Amber Fort in Jaipur

People inside the Amber Fort – with some wonderfully carved buildings

View of a wonderfully carved doorway inside the Amber Fort in jaipur

View of canons outside a doorway inside the Amber Fort in Jaipur

The board for Diwan-i-Aam inside the Amber Fort in Jaipur

The hall between the pillars inside the Diwan-i-Aam the Amer Fort in Jaipur

The carved pillars inside the Amber Fort in the Jaipur

Cross section of pillars inside a hall in the Amber Fort in Jaipur

Carvings in the shape of a flower on the wall of the Amer Fort in Jaipur

Darkened view of a room with a view of the window inside the Amber Fort

View of a slightly older section of the Amer Fort in Jaipur

Overhead view of the garden inside the Amer Fort in Jaipur

A windows lattice work inside the Amber Fort in Jaipur

The outer edge of the walls in the Amber Fort in Jaipur

View of an entire housing community (town) viewed from the Amer Fort

View of one of the Halls inside the Amer Fort in Jaipur

Doorways in the wall inside the Amber Fort in Jaipur

Tourists inside one of the halls (between the pillars) in the Amer Fort in Jaipur

Security personnel inside the Amer Fort in Jaipur

Pigeons on the walls and windows inside the Amer Fort in Jaipur

Trees inside the courtyard in the Amer Fort in Jaipur

Enhance your travel to the Pink City by referring to these Amazon books:

Entrance to Aguada fort along with view of Arabian sea in Goa

The older lighthouse inside the Aguada fort in Goa, a historic structure

People wandering on the concrete platform in the middle of the Aguada fort in Goa

The Fort is a place of historic significance, and a protected place. It was also the scene of a few Hindi movie sets, and was built by the Portuguese in the 17th century, in 1612 precisely, to guard against Dutch and the Marathas. The fort is fairly well-preserved, standing on the Sinquerim beach, overlooking the Arabian Sea. It is south of Candolim, and was tasked as a reference for vessels coming from Europe (with its lighthouse providing that purpose). The name of the fort refers to the word ‘water’, since Aguada means water, and refers to a fresh water spring within the fort that provided water for drinking purposes. In a later part of its history, during the Salazar administration, the fort was used as a prison. Now, the area around the fort is owned by the Indian Hotel Co, owned by the Tata group, and is a 5 star resort.

People at ruins of the fort near the Taj resort near Aguada Goa

Rain hit path right next to the Tata Indian Hotels Resort 5 star resort in Goa

There is parking outside the fort, and then a slight uphill journey from the place of parking to reach the fort. Once we get inside, there are two levels inside the fort. The main ground inside the fort contains a main structure that shows the water tank, and is fairly large. The slightly elevated inside the fort is along the perimeter wall of the fort, which is a good walk as well as provides a good view of the Arabian sea from there, and of the surrounding green hillside.

Perimeter wall of Aguada Fort in Goa along with moat

Photo of view of green countryside next to Aguada Fort in Goa along with the Arabian Sea

The signboard giving the history of the Aguada fort in Goa along with an explanation of the upper and lower portions of the fort

After spending many hours in the fort and enjoying the view (the rain would lessen in between, but the overall weather was excellent). From here, we decided to try to see whether going to the other fort would make sense. There is another fort nearby, called Chapora Fort, much less preserved than the Aguada Fort. The Chapora fort is much older, and is built overlooking the Chapora river. Built over an earlier fort, the current fort was built in 1717, and with steep slopes on all sides. The guides over there discourage you from going to the fort since it is a steep climb, and is in a much more ruined condition. However, the views are supposed to be excellent; we however could not visit the fort since it was raining a bit harder and the climb was not really recommended.
After the forts, we decided to move to the beaches in that region. The most famous beach that we visited was called Baga beach, and is a long beach. At one end of the beach, there is the Baga creek, and makes for a good view, since it is not often that you get to see a view of a creek or stream flowing into the sea. A huge number of visitors visit Baga beach on a regular basis, and the beach is also fairly long. We spent some time in the water, although with lifeguards coming forward to warn visitors not to go too deep into the water. However, it was pleasant spending some time in the surf. And then, since we were getting hungry, we decided to eat at a recommended place over there, a shack called Britto’s where there was some excellent sea food (but not much choice for vegetarians). Once done with Baga beach, we moved onto 2 more beaches, the Vagator beach and the Anjuna beach.

The road outside Baga beach in Goa, a narrow road with many vehicles passing by

The water of the Baga creek merging with the sea at Baga beach

Line up of beach chairs at the Baga beach

Enjoying at Baga beach, waiting for the water to inundate and cover

Relaxing at the edge of the water at Baga beach

Vagator was a nice beach, although one had to again walk for some distance (including walking down a very small hill) to get to the beach, but once at the beach, it looked beautiful. You could see a group of people enjoying themselves in the water, and we spent some time at the beach, enjoying ourselves. Then the light started dropping, and it was time to move on to the last beach for the day, Anjuna beach. I had heard that Anjuna beach was very famous, but somehow I did not get the same impression; it was rocky and seemed dangerous for somebody who would venture into the water, unless they were somewhat skilled. It was fun walking on the rocks though, heading farther out into the water.

People enjoying the surf at Vagator Beach in Goa

View of Vagator Beach from a height, a bit of rock, but also some beautiful beach

View of Anjuna Beach in Goa, seen from a height

People standing on the rock at the edge of the water in Anjuna Beach

Water lapping the shore of the Arjuna beach, with the rock getting hit by the waves

The water hitting the rocks at the shore pretty hard at Anjuna Beach

And with sunset having fallen, we headed back to our resort, a nice comfortable day. As you might see, we were not the more adventurous type, not having planned to just hire a bike and go wherever it takes us; although in the rain, hiring a bike was likely to be a daft move.

The best Season to visit Lonavala is throughout the year, except perhaps May when it can get warmer.
* October to March is ideal for sight seeing, with the best weather.
* April is bit warm, but suitable for outings, but as you get to May, it gets hotter.
* June to September offers some great views of natural beauty of Lonavala in the rainy season with rainfall all around, and can be a good time to visit if you like to look at natural settings when water is pouring all around, and the overall feel is soft and romantic.

Population : 50,000
Languages : Marathi, Hindi and English

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Set in the lush green hills of the Sahyadris, Lonavala is the most popular weekend destination from Mumbai and Pune. For a lot of people, it is a regular outing from the busy life in hectic cities, and there are no problems in going to the same place again and again. Lonavala is known as the Jewel of the Sahyadri; if you look at what all it offers, the praise seems justified – it offers the tourist pristine woods and valleys, gurgling and gushing waterfalls, historic caves, and many scenic vistas.
Historically, Lonavala has been there for many centuries, with the surroundings hills being the stronghold of the Maratha rulers, in their fights against the Moghuls and later the British. The Maratha warriors practised guerrilla warfare from here in their battles against these sets of enemies. However, now Lonavala is the epitome of peace and tranquility, with a lot of rich and famous people having setup holiday homes here for their use as a rest away from the city.
Lonavala also provides thrills of adventure sports in terms of rock climbing, including rock climbing at Duke’s Nose.

PRIME ATTRACTIONS :
- Karla & Bhaja Caves: These rock-cut cave temples date back to the 2nd century BC and are amongst the oldest and finest examples of Buddhist rock cut temple art in India; they belong to the Hinayana sect of Buddhism.
- Rajmachi Point: Located about 6.5 km from Lonavla. Why is it famous ? It is famous for the view; this point commands a magnificent view of Shivaji’s famous fort, Rajmachi (Royal terrace) and the surrounding valley.
- Ryewood Park and Shivaji Udyan: The stunning gardens are amongst the favorite picnic spots of the children, owing to the soaring trees and spacious open spaces provided by them.
- Valvan Dam : Located about 2 km from Lonavla. Located at the foot of the dam is a blooming garden, adorned with a wide variety of colorful flowers and other plants, which attracts a number of tourists.
- Tungarli Lake : The lovely Tungarli Lake supplies water to Lonavla town. There are no buses to the site, but taxis and autorickshaws are available from Lonavla Station (3 km).
- Lonavala Lake : The tranquil surroundings and serene atmosphere offered by the Lonavla Lake are enough to lure tourists here. The lake is also visited by a number of birds, making it a bird watcher’s delight.
- Duke’s Nose : It stands 12 km from Lonavla, it is the finest landmark in Khandala and is popular with hikers. The cliff owes its name to the Duke of Wellington, whose famous and ample nose it resembles.
- Tiger’s Leap : It is a cliff-top with a sheer drop of over 650 m. The magnificent view from Tiger’s Leap is enthralling.
- Christian Cemetery : It is worth a visit for the century old tombstones with work on them. However, as happens in a number of such places, vandals have been at them, with most of them having been desecrated and their precious engravings stolen.
- Bushi Dam : During the monsoons, the dam fills with water and the water overflows on the ‘steps’. People can sit on these steps and get wet. There are also a few waterfalls around.
- Lohagad Fort : Lohagad (literally ‘Iron fort’ in Marathi) is one of the many hill forts of Chatrapati Shivaji. It is situated 52 km from Pune in western India. Lohagad is at an elevation of 3,450 feet. A robust climb of about 11.2 km from Malavali Railway Station takes you to the ‘Iron Fort’, once a formidable battle-station of Shivaji. The fort commands a view of the surrounding hills and hamlets.
- Yoga Center: Lonavala has a Yoga center that provides

How to get there ?
Air: The nearest airport from Lonalvala is Pune, which is 64 km from Lonavala.
Train: Lonavala is on the main railway line between Mumbai and Pune, all express trains plying between the two cities stop here.
Road:The bus service between Lonavala and Pune is good (2 hours). However, the ride is rough and it takes 4 hours to reach Lonavala from Mumbai. Buses shuttle between Lonavala and Khandala (5 km from Lonavala; 15 minutes trip).

PLACES TO STAY
- Fariyas Holiday Resort
- Treasure Island Resorts
- Velvett Country
- Dukes Retreat
- Kumar Resort
- Swiss Resorts
- Sahil Sarovar Protico
- The Upper Deck Resort
- Hotel Whispering Brook
- Basilica Holiday Home
- La Exotica Resort
- Biji’s Hill Retreat
- The Lagoona Resort
- Orchard Resort
- Country side Inn

External articles / blogs:

1. Ayushveda.com (link)

Tourists to West India often make it a point to include Lonavala referred to as the ‘Jewel of the Sahyadri Mountains’, in their itinerary. Trekkers, campers, hikers throng the hill station while leisure travelers account for the majority of the footfall. It is also fast emerging as a preferred choice of honeymooners. Most part of the year is good to visit Lonavala as it sports pleasant climate.

2. Placesnearpune.com (link). Some great photos of scenery, greenery and waterfalls.

Lions view point was easily the best part of my lonavala trip. The moment you reach the edge of the cliff after walking across the road, you just cannot avoid saying “wow!”. The view is majestic and panoramic. You would see dozens of small waterfalls all over the place with one waterfall pretty prominent in the view.

3. Monsoon trek (link)

On the two hour train journey, we passed Lonavala and Khandala and almost as many waterfalls as the tunnels we went through.

4. Tale India (link)

Lonavala is not only about the picturesque sights and salubrious climate but it is also home to some of the finest places of tourist interest. The most outstanding among the tourist attractions in Lonavala are the Buddhist rock cut caves of Bhaja and Karla located in close vicinity of this hill station. On your trip to Lonavala, you must not miss out on these caves since they offer interesting insight into the development of Buddhism in the region.

5. Trek to Twin forts of Lohagad-Visapur & Bhajje caves near Lonavala (link)

Lohagad: This is one of the most interesting forts to visit as it still has its fortification and doorways in pristine condition. The fort dates back to the Satvahan Era and was mainly used to keep a watch on the trade route passing through the Sahyadris.

6. Lonavala’s secret destinations (link)

Yet, the hidden beauty of the city can be revealed only after a chat with localites. One such place is the Karala caves, which are approximately eight kilometers from Lonavala. The cheapest mode of transport to reach this fabulous place is bus service, which will drop you in 10 minutes to the site. Or else you can also take an auto rickshaw, easily available in the city.

7. Discover India (link)

The must visiting sites in Lonavala during your trip are as follows -
First, there is the Rye Wood Park near the rail way station which is famous for its dense forest of many big and beautiful trees. During the season it attracts tourists with variety of flowers.

8. Lonavala Excursions: A Visit at the 5 Historic Caves (link)

Bhaja Caves are located at the center of Lohagad Fort and Visapur Fort. These caves are mush smaller with a Chaitya style. Tourists should take a 250 feet climb to get into the caves. There are 18 rock cut caves as old as since the 2nd century. The first cave is the place of the master architect and ten were reserved for the viharas for priests. The other seven caves have an inscription concerning its donors. A beautiful waterfall is seen at the end.

9. Wonderful Attractions In Lonavala (link)

The Gambhirnath Caves is the most exciting natural attraction. The adventure lovers will enjoy it here This area lies between Thakarwadi and Monkey Hill while departing towards Mumbai. Everyone may reach this location after experiencing some sorts of annoyance. Tourists will get the chance to climb atop the hill. The path will be narrow but is still worth trying for experience.

10. Enjoy the cool and lush greenery of Lonavala (link)

Start your day with a visit to the Karla Caves where you can look at some ancient ruins and Buddhist carvings. Not a very crowded place, it will give you ample time to explore it in a better way. The Chaitya caves are also a must-see. You can also go trekking to the Bhaja caves, which is situated next to Karla caves. The rocks date back to 2nd century BC and make up many temples.

11. A whole new life (link)

For people who are looking for a good place to stay try MTDC resorts Karla – The cottages are good much better than highly priced hotel rooms , the only drawback is the distance from the main city – but its a good place to just relax & enjoy the rains…

12. Maverick – The thought begins (link)

The scenic beauty was amazing, all the mountains were lush green, and covered by clouds and it was raining consistently to add on to the beauty of the weather. As we were heading towards the Tiger Waterfall, the fogs became more dense

13. Pen Shots (link)

Ryewood Park is a picturesque hang out in the hill station Lonavala and is located very close to Lonavala market. This Park has plenty of grounds with greenish lawns and playing grounds for children. The Park is blessed with many varieties of trees which are decades old. It was a botanical garden and later converted to a Park.

14. Visit to Karla Caves, Lonavala (link)

Admired the symmetrical architecture of the place which was built in 2nd or 3rd Century. The stupa inside the cave is a very common feature in the Buddhist rock cut caves in India

15. Journeys explored (link)

Further reached Lonavala almost at noon. Grabbed up almost anything be with melons, chikkis etc..to suffice our hungry, thirsty souls.

16. Pune to Loanavala (link)

after some thoughts we went for Lonavala and thankfully it turned out to be a worthwhile decision. A wonderful ride for someone in Pune looking out for a decent biking experience. Mind you it is a bit risky, we were lucky not to get into any accident but next time if I am gonna go that route it would be in day time and with some more preparation.

17. Trek, Trips and Adventures (link)

Korigad predates 1500 A.D. and Shivaji Maharaj included this fort in Swarajya along with Lohgad, Visapur, Tung and Tikona in 1657 and in 1818 Marathas lost it to the British. There is Ganesh Darwaaja half way to the top with idol of Lord Ganesh in small rock cave and big cave near it.

18. My Trip To Lonavla (link)

While going through the old highway there were three things which stuck me most. First being the countryside around me it was beautiful. I have almost visited all the hill stations in northern India so small cliffs now dont entice me so much but i was awestuck by the sights i saw in a cloudy evening.

Photos:

1. Photos of a trip to Lonavala (link)
2. Photos of Lonavala on Flickr (link)
3. The Lion Valley, Lonavala (link)
4. Loanavala Photo Gallery on world66.com (link)
5. Photos at sulekha.com (link)
6. Photo of Karla caves near Lonavala (link)
7. Lonavala in monsoons (link)
8. Photos of famous tourist spots (link)
9. Lonavala: Korigad and Kune falls: Amby Valley: Entrance (link)

Some videos shared by people about Lonavala on Youtube:

1. Lonavala Trip

2. Another Lonavala Trip

3. Lonavala- one of the best trip

4. Lonavala trip waterfall (at Tiger Falls)

5. Team picnic at Lonavala

6. Lagoona Resort Lonavala (link)

7. Ola Lonavala! 26 types of National Chikki (link)

8. The Machan – A Tree House, Lonavala

9. Amby Valley – Sahara City Lonavala