Lakshadweep to open 3 new islands by next year

Soon, there will be more to see of Lakshadweep!

The Union Territory will make three uninhabited islands - Thinnakkara, Suheli Par and Cherium - tourist-ready by next year with beach resorts and water sports facilities.
  

These tiny islands occupy an area of about 40-50 hectares of land and have managed to remain untouched by humans, which means that it still has silver sand beaches, clear waters, abundant marine life and coral reefs. 

They will be ready to welcome tourists by next year with resorts and water sports facilities like scuba diving, jet ski watercraft, snorkelling, rafting, windsurfing, deep-sea fishing and yachting.

Lakshadweep is located in the Arabian Sea around 220-440 kms away from Kerala's coast. It has a total of 36 islands of which only six have resorts. It's popularity lies in the fact that it is such a superb destination for adventure sports and nature lovers; it has beautiful dive spots, loads of marine life, coral reefs, silver beaches and clear waters. 

It is a clearly a niche destination; last year saw only 17,000 tourists visiting the Lakshadweep islands! So if you're looking for some genuine peace and quiet, for some time away from humanity, this is the place to go to.

The islands are connected by sea and air from Kochi and Calicut. The tourism department is also looking to start sea planes, which are capable of taking off and landing on water. Take a look at the Lakshadweep tourism department website for packages and info on its different islands. 

New UltraProlink adaptor, charger works in 150 countries

If you're a traveler who likes to move around with a lot of gadgets, then this one's specially for you.

UltraProlink's new World Travel adaptor and charger can power up smart gadgets in 150 countries! Marketed by RCA, this adaptor and charger comes with dual USB and a price tag of Rs 1,499. 

Apart from regular plug points, it has two 2.1 USB ports that can be used to charge tablets, smart phones, gaming consoles and other smart gadgets.

This means no battery-less phones or laptops and no irritating wires and bulky adapters while travelling. All you need to carry along are a couple of USB wires that will work for most gadgets.

This palm-sized product also has traditional plug points, just in case. Also, the pins can be folded back so what you pack looks like a cube-sized adapter.

Techvorm has more details on this.

Love beer? Join the club at 7 Degrees Brauhaus!

This is like Oktoberfest all year round!

7 Degrees Brauhaus, the German microbrewery and kitchen in Gurgaon's South Point Mall, is designed to give its patrons a feel of the traditional beer factories found in Bavaria, Germany. 

Why 7 Degrees? It's the ideal temperature for drinking beer, that's why!

It claims to be the only microbrewery in India to use open fermenting technology which requires high standards of hygiene. Visitors can actually see the beers fermenting.

To match the brewski, it offers German food along with Continental and Indian dishes. They had to, I guess. Indians can't really live without these two. As a vegetarian in Germany in the northern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, all I had to survive on were potatoes, asparagus and bread! 

Anyway, to get to the point, it has recently launched 'The Beer Enthusiasts Club' to create a community of beer lovers who are not only passionate about the brew but also the stories behind them. It will therefore dedicate one day in the week - Wednesdays - to this community.

On this day, 7° Brauhaus will offer unlimited beer at Rs 750. All you need to do is a fill out a membership form and pay Rs 1,000 per year. Here's the list of club privileges that it will allow: 
* Goody bag for beer lovers
* Unlimited beer for Rs 750 on Wednesdays
* Rs 500 voucher redeemable against beer
* Priority invites during Beer Drain
* 20% discount on F&B 
* Learn to brew with their brew master
* Invitation to select craft beer tastings

According to the brewery, they use the latest technology from Caspary GmbH, Germany wherein all ingredients are quality malts, hops and yeast imported from Germany. Hmm... well, all I can say is that if you've ordered beer towers in any pub, you don't really care about the hygiene. It is, after all, just a state of mind! 

Hong Kong impressions

Like any world-class international city, Hong Kong is an amalgamation of nationalities, cultures and people that is constantly coalescing with everything that touches it.

In my mind, the city reflects the vivacious personality of our own city – Mumbai – albeit a little more well-groomed, a tad more savvy, and with a lot more skyscrapers!

I was taken aback by the sheer volume of towering building in the city. It’s impressive. It is also necessary since land is at a premium. Unfortunately, air pollution in Hong Kong is a serious problem and the towers don’t help. They trap the polluted air that floats towards it from China, compounding the problem.

Towering inferno

Nevertheless, it’s an exciting city to visit and even to live in. It’s always buzzing; it is high on culture, night life is thrilling and the food is to indulge in. But mostly for non-vegetarians. As a vegetarian, I had a difficult time trying to savor the local cuisine. And the language hurdle doesn't make it easier.    

Vegetarian food isn't very easy to find. But there are a lot of Indian (read Punjabi) cuisine restaurants around.

Do the locomotive

Getting around is easy. MTR (underground trains) and double-decker buses are available everywhere – even from the airport going directly into the city. And tickets can be purchased from kiosks at the airport itself.

Ticket kiosk at the Hong Kong airport

If you’re travelling in a group of more than three, then taking a taxi is better and more economical.

Where to shack up

Kowloon, more specifically the Tsim Sha Tsui area, is the place where you want to be. It is fun, it’s exciting and it’s cheap(er). Park Hotel has a great location and is pretty decently priced. Alternately, one of the youth hostels is good too and it is where your Hong Kong dollar (currently at Rs 8) will go further. Check the Hong Kong Youth Hostels Association website for more.

A look back at Kowloon reminds me of our own city from the Bandra-Worli sealink

Things to see

It’s a bit clichéd but you can’t miss Hong Kong Disneyland, even if you're not traveling with kids! Keep an entire day for this. 

The Peak Tram is also a must-do; it has the best view and will give you a little perspective on the city. You can give the floating restaurants a miss but do visit Victoria Harbour to witness the Symphony of Lights show. It’s breathtaking!

View from the top

You can also make a day trip to Macau, which will take you around 60-75 minutes by ferry. Check this helpful About.com link for detailed information on the ferries. 

Macau has tons of casinos and has earned the moniker of ‘Las Vegas of the East’ for a reason! But it’s an expensive destination to stay so you might want to return to Hong Kong the same day if you're on a budget. Read my article on Macau here.

For more information on the city, visit the Hong Kong tourism board website. It’s very user-friendly.

Take refuge at Palladium's Asilo rooftop lounge

Asilo, meaning a refuge or shelter in three different languages (Spanish, Portuguese and Italian), is Palladium Hotel's impressive rooftop lounge.

Nestled on the 38th floor (actually it's 39th because you go up a flight of stairs after getting off the elevator), it is higher than Four Seasons Hotel's Aer, which is on the 34th floor.

A private dining area at Asilo

Nevertheless, Aer seemed classier. The ambiance, the decor, the staff - everything at Aer reflects elegance... a sort of refinement. For one, Asilo seems to be covered by glass on one side and bar counters on two sides. So, it doesn't give that feel of being in the open like Aer does.

When we visited Asilo, most tables were occupied and we were given the option of sitting at the bar or taking the small table next to the entrance. It was like being between a rock and a hard place. I must add though that we were there on a Wednesday night and half of Asilo was cordoned off for a Page 3 party: Henry Holland's KOOV party. 

View of the race-course and Worli sea-face from Asilo

So if you're going there on a Wednesday, Friday or a Saturday, a reservation would be a good idea.

I was expecting a lot more from Palladium Hotel though. Still, it was a good night. And the view from there is nice.   

Read another review of Asilo on Mumbai Boss.

FineWinesNMore brings Chilean wines to India

With an aim to do away with the snob value associated with wines in India, FineWinesNMore has been bringing premium international wines from across the world to India’s snobberati and wine enthusiasts alike.

The latest additions to their collection are one red and one white wine from Chile’s Caliterra Winery: 
- Caliterra Sauvignon Blanc Reserva
- Caliterra Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 

However, we tasted four wines - two whites and two reds. Read more on that at the bottom of this post.

The perfect glass for wine tasting

To make things simple, FineWinesNMore will soon be launching its retail store and tasting room located in Laxmi Industrial Estate in Andheri West. This will make it easier for all those who want to experience the finest selection of imported wine along with a few offerings from India. The store will also offer cold artisan beers. 

Here, FineWinesNMore will conduct wine and beer tastings by inviting local specialists and visiting industry icons. Craig Wedge, its COO, is an enthusiastic Australian who makes wines look easy and fun. And it probably is, after you do away with all the frivolities of 'jargonism'. 

Nicolas and Craig at the wine-tasting event in Mumbai's LPQ in BKC

As Nicolas Happke, Area Manager (SE Asia) for Caliterra, said during the wine tasting evening at Le Pain Quotidian, BKC, wine is best enjoyed with good food, good people, and good conversation. Vino need no more!

If you wish to learn a little more about wines, you can watch Craig dish it out on Youtube for you. With him, there is never a dull moment. 

You can also check out this amazing website dedicated to wine called Indian Wine List. They are currently in the process of revamping and renaming the site as well as their mobile app (yep, you heard it right!) to include beer and whiskey as well.
     

The four wines from Chile's Caliterra Winery

This is how the producers of Caliterra describe their wines:   

Caliterra Chardonnay Reserva

Region: Casablanca Valley, Chile

Variety: Chardonnay

The intense aromas hint at ripe tropical and citrus fruits balanced by a straight mineral note that adds persistence. It is well-rounded and soft yet full on the palate. Its fruity flavours and toasty oak give way to a creamy texture and lively acidity. Crisp acidity and a hint of fresh lime brighten the long finish. A well-balanced wine.

Sauvignon Blanc Reserva

Region: Colchagua Valley, Chile

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc

It presents tremendous aromatic intensity and freshness that enhances the citrus and mineral notes accompanied by chilli pepper, tomato leaf, and tropical fruit. The palate offers sharp acidity and concentrated tropical fruit that make the wine fresh and pleasing.

Caliterra Merlot Reserva

Region: Colchagua Valley, Chile

Variety: Merlot

This wine has a deep, bright red colour. Range of aromas of dried fruit, plums and fresh cherries mingled with notes of liquorice and spice set against the sweet notes of oak. On the palate the wine is full and lush with soft, ripe tannins and a velvety structure. Dark plum and chocolate linger in the smooth finish.

Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva

Region: Colchagua Valley, Chile

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

This wine has a lively ruby-red colour and offers tremendous aromatic intensity with notes of berries such as raspberry and black currant made more complex by a touch of coffee and tobacco. The crisp and voluptuous palate shows fresh fruit flavours.

Our coterie of wine tasters

Bollywood, thou art the best travel influencer!

It's become a pattern now. A big banner movie with good star cast shot in a beautiful destination is always followed by high tourist footfalls to that place.

Tourism boards, especially the international ones, have caught on to that and are looking at it as the basket where they can put all their eggs. Or at least most of them. Spain did that with 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' and once they saw tourist arrivals shoot up, they cut their budgets elsewhere.

But given that over 60 percent of Indians tend to get influenced by Bollywood, aspiring to travel to specific locations shown in the movies, it could translate to really huge numbers for destinations.

Tourism Australia did that in a small way with 'Shaadi Ke Side Effects' but i don't think they have been successful. An unnecessary song in an okay-type movie isn't enough. Still, it doesn't belie the fact that Bollywood is really the ultimate road to tourist footfalls. 

Lonely Planet's travel guide titled 'Filmi Escapes - Travel With The Movies' that was released some months ago sees India through the eyes of Indian filmmakers who have presented beautiful locations through their craft. 

The 344-page guide, priced at Rs 595, lists some must-see sights and experiences of over 20 domestic destinations like Delhi, Agra, Lucknow, Varanasi, Shimla, Kasauli, Nainital, Amritsar, Kashmir, Ladakh, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Mumbai, the Western Ghats, Goa, Gujarat, Kolkata, Darjeeling and Ooty.

It also includes interviews of film personalities such as Karan Johar, Mahesh Bhatt, Dibakar Banerjee, Nargis Fakhri, Muzaffar Ali and Raima Sen who share their favourite destinations and films. 

The guide co-incided with Bollywood celebrating 100 years. It also includes information on hotels, transport, food and sightseeing accompanied by interesting trivia, anecdotes and photographs. Movie buffs who like to travel may find it interesting.  

Want to celebrate? Go to Goa!

The Goa Carnaval concluded for this year, the state is now gearing up for some more festivals that is up its sleeve. 

The tourism board of Goa is keen on promoting the state as a place for celebrations - and not just a destination for beaches.

Goa's Shigmo festival

This is why it is promoting and packaging festivals. So if you have missed the carnaval, you can still look forward to the Cashew & Coconut Festival in May, Shigmo (Goa's answer to Holi), Sao Jao, Bonderam and Tirpurari Purnima.

These festivals have some quaint traditions associated with them and one can see the heritage and cultural lineage of the state shine through. 

See Goa's event calender here to plan your next holiday. It has something going on throughout the year.