20s is definitely one of the best times of one’s life especially as far as fitness and zeal are concerned. After you push into your 30s, you are likely to tone down your zeal a bit and maybe prefer to settle down with your finances and family.
Also, in your 20s (and teenage years), you are mostly free from the shackles of a conjugal life. So, you are more at liberty to go to any place no matter how remote or dangerous it may be.
Therefore, here we present before you 30 awesome destinations in India you should visit before you hit that dreaded age of 30:
Goa: Goa can be visited by people of all ages but it is in your 20s that you can have the time of your life, what with its sea sports, clubs, bars and late-night parties. Plus, the best eyes that can scan the bikini bodies at Palolem Beach are the eyes which belong to a bachelor.
Why to visit– innumerable beaches, water sports, music festivals like Sundance, beer bars, Silent Noise Party
Leh-Ladakh: Another destination that requires you to flaunt some serious muscles and fitness! We are not trying to demean the female sex but truthfully speaking Ladakh may test a woman’s strength (physical strength that is). That doesn’t mean that women don’t go to this place, but the more frequent bikers on these hills are the 20s muscle-flashing guys.
Why to visit– Biker’s paradise, great trekking venues, monasteries and blue lakes, star-gazing at night
Rann of Kutch: Gujarat’s Rann of Kutch is one of a destination, noted for its salty terrain that is both hot and dry. It is a unique destination since it is the only noted salt desert in the country. So, one needs the enthusiasm and that unfettered energy of a 20s guy or girl to reach this place. And yes, even women should be ready to thrust their foot over these salty climes.
Why to visit– Exotic locale, Rann Utsav
Nilgiri Hills: You may very well travel to the blue locales of Nilgiris later in your life when you are well-endowed with a strong family, including some peppy kids. But it is perhaps only as a young man or woman that you can exercise your leg muscles and cycle down the breezy slopes of these cobalt-blue mountains.
Why to visit: Pleasant climate, greenery, picturesque slopes that are perfect for cycling and biking
Cherrapunji: Cherrapunji, the world’s rainiest destination, serves as the fulcrum of nature. A nature trail in this region is something that best suits the hungry feet of a 20-year something. You do need determined legs, after all, to navigate the nerves of a walk on the must-visit Living Root Bridge.
Why to visit– Nature trail, Living Root Bridge
Dudhsagar Falls: It is one of the most fascinating waterfalls in the country and is only a few kilometers away from Goa. One can couple it with a Goa trip. Trekking around this region and nature-walking are some things which make it worth being in your 20s.
Why to visit– Pristine natural beauty
Thar Desert: Going to Jaipur and Udaipur may be in a honeymooner’s prime list, but if you aim to decode the maze of the Thar Desert, then do find a week or two off your youth. The challenges of the desert aside, you will need enough hunger to explore the sands where virtually no plant agrees to grow.
Why to visit– Because it is a desert
Bombay-Goa highway: For an untrammeled joie de vivre full of gaiety and giggles, it is recommended that you step over for a Bombay-Goa highway ride at the earliest. For motivation, you may watch the Amitabh Bachhan-starrer classic!
Why to visit– For a memorable road trip
Sundarbans: The jungles of Sundarbans contain tigers whose names have become a taboo in the local villages down there. But this crocodile-infested mangrove-rich forest is home to one of the wildest rainforests in the world.
Why to visit– Royal Bengal Tigers, reptiles, mangrove forests
Mandarmani & Digha: Since we are talking of West Bengal, let us zoom in on Mandarmani, the premiere beach of the state. And with Digha around the corner, these beaches serve you a variety of onshore sports.
Why to visit: Quad biking, pony riding, second longest beach in India
Bhangarh Fort: Bhangarh Fort, officially dubbed as India’s most haunted place, is a dead hamlet where nobody is allowed to stay after sunset. Enough reasons for you to lurk around this ghostly town out before you turn lazy, timid and thirty.
Why to visit– For its legendary stories
Thekkady: How can we keep Kerala out of the list? Thekkady is your go-to destination if you are a wildlife freak and dote on the big tuskers. No need to remind you that wildlife sojourns are best enjoyed by the nimble footed!
Why to visit– Elephant rides, unadulterated natural beauty
Munnar: Another Kerala destination is the super-romantic Munnar. The Mecca of romance, it is best suited to young married couple.
Why to visit– honeymoon resorts, spice plantations, scenic beauty
Wagah Border: You do need the raging hormones and patriotic chutzpah of a 20-year something to check out the Wagah Border. Enough said!
Why to visit– For the parade
Sandakphu: Sandakphu is Bengal’s own paradise for trekkers. Plus, it is inexpensive, uncluttered, pristine and easily accessible from capital Kolkata. And yes, you need to have the fitness of a Superman (or a Krrissh) to trek here!
Why to visit– trekking on nature slopes
Vrindavan: Vrindavan is the religious destination every old man would love to visit. But how about a young couple playing the ‘raas leela’ here during the month of Holi?
Why to visit– the technology-free spiritual ambience, to play Holi the Radha-Krishna style
Roopkund: Roopkund contains one of the most mysterious secrets of the Himalayas. Its lake is nefarious for concealing hundreds of human skulls (still a mystery) and the treks are fabulous albeit challenging.
Why to visit– Trekking, exploring, nature-surfing
Coorg: Just visiting Coorg, gaping at the emerald hills, sipping coffee and doing nothing is something only people in their twenties can afford to do.
Why to visit– Coz it’s dubbed the ‘Scotland of India’
Delhi: Okay, Delhi seems too much of a metro city to feature in such touristy lists. But its sassy nightlife can be best enjoyed by the young blood. Come on, show it some moves!
Why to visit– nightlife, the roaring Delhi culture
Hampi: Hampi’s isolation and ruinous temples will throw you into the forgotten world of bygone centuries. Its relative inaccessibility makes it a destination that must be done away with while you are still safely and energetically in your 20s.
Why to visit– temples and ruins, serenity
Rishikesh: Much like Vrindavan, Rishikesh is that spiritual destination with a whiff of merriment. The new-found adventure destination of India is a must-visit for its white water rafting.
Why to visit– Rafting, camping, temple trailing
Kolkata: If Delhi can hog the list, so can Kolkata, the eternally romantic city of joy. After you snail past your 30s, you may not have the stomach to bear the spice and saccharine that Kolkata’s puchkas, jhaalmuris and mishit dois offer!
Why to visit– For its food
Vaishno Devi: Vaishno Devi temple makes for a Herculean task, being situated atop a lone hilly cave. So, check it out when you still boast of rippling abs!
Why to visit– For its spiritual clime, for the view, for the chill
Dhauladhar: The mountains at Dhauladhar deserve strong and tireless feet. They are amazingly scenic and extremely trek-worthy.
Why to visit– Trekking
Andaman: Andaman is inarguably the best destination in the country for underwater sports. The islands also cut you from the peninsular India, thus conjuring a faraway feel. Go, check out those exotic fishes before you develop a paunch.
Why to visit– Scuba diving, Havelock Island and Radhanagar Beach
Marine Drive: Mumbai’s Marine Drive is an experience you should sink into before the body begins to show signs of wear and tear. The harbor is a delight for friends, couples and everybody else.
Why to visit– The ambiance
Meghalaya: It would be a sin not to explore those caves and bats situated deep in Meghalaya. Besides, the panorama offered by the North-east hills does deserve your presence!
Why to visit– A different kind of natural beauty, dark caves
Agra: See, once you get entangled in matrimonial life, you may never get the time or zeal to check out the Taj. It will be a lifetime’s regret.
Why to visit– Taj Mahal, Agra Fort
Ranthambore National Park: Ranthambore is one of the most well-known national parks in India. The tigers, the deer, the birds- it has everything to suit your 20-something adrenaline.
Why to visit– For the tiger trail
Varanasi: The eighty ghats of Varanasi should be experienced. That aarti at twilight would inject you with extreme form of spiritual pleasure. Do check it out before you run out of your twenties.
Why to visit– Dasaswamedh Ghat, Vishwanath Temple, Ganga aarti and nauka Yatra (boat ride)
