India at its Best 2009- 2010

India, It’s an easy mistake to think of it as a one-country travel destination. Visiting is an onion-skin experience as more and more layers are revealed. It’s ancient and modern, wildlife and cities, a mix of 3rd world and ‘tiger’ economies, crammed with life … and just occasionally, wild and solitary. From the sun-soaked beaches of Goa and the south or the lakeside calm of Rajasthan’s Udaipur – another of the world’s ‘Venices’ - on to the incredible historic beauty of Agra and the Taj Mahal. Go from the hustle-bustle of a modern metropolis such as Delhi or Mumbai, to the cool of the northern hills and mountains. All criss-crossed by a road/rail transport system best described as ‘interesting’. Uncrowded game reserves with tigers, elephants (Indian,of course), peacocks, and even lions (in Gujerat). Very crowded highways with ox-carts, tuk-tuks, and huge convoys of trucks. A single visit shows so much; a lifetime could not encompass all.

Thank you again for a wonderful trip, most of the hotels were high above our expectations and your drivers were very efficient, polite, kind and helpful. 

Kind regards

Jovita Diane

The Uttarakhand Government has decided to set up a Tiger Protection Force to prevent poaching in the Corbett Tiger Reserve.

The Field Director of Corbett National Park will head the force, which would be operational from January 2010.

The Corbett Tiger Reserve is considered as one of the most suitable habitats for tigers and other endangered species.

The Uttarakhand's Chief Conservator of Forest, R.B.S. Rawat, said the Corbett Tiger Protection Force would assist existing staff keeping a close watch on poachers.

The impact of the pilot project would be assessed before expanding it to other tiger reserves, he added.

Earlier, in 2007, the Union Environment and Forest Ministry had asked all 17 tiger range states to form a specialized force to strengthen efforts to save the national animal.

The country's tiger population has dwindled to about 1400 due to poaching, shrinking habitat and falling prey bases.

The 112-member force will consist of youth from the Van Gujjar tribal community, which lives near the park. (ANI)

Cameron Diaz wants to see the Taj Mahal

Golden Globe nominated Cameron Diaz wants to see universal symbol of love Taj Mahal and palaces of Jaipur in India, according to reports.

She reportedly loves the dances depicted in Bollywood movies and has expressed desire to learn Bollywood dance. She would also like to plan a visit of India.

Globally admired masterpiece mausoleum of white marble, Taj Mahal was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his favourite wife Mumtaz Mahal, and was completed in 1648 after 17 years utilising about 20,000 laborers and 1,000 elephants.

It appears in several listings of seven wonders of the modern world.

Oscar winner Julia Roberts (Pretty Woman) reportedly recently visited Taj Mahal.

National Geographic Traveler's list

Kerala Tops the list with three National Tourism Awards

The Union Ministry for Tourism and Culture, on the eve of Republic Day gave away the National Tourism awards to the travel industry’s top players. Awards were given for 23 categories besides awards for meritorious students of Institute of Hotel Management and the Indian Institute of Travel & Tourism Management. Meanwhile, Kerala Tourism topped the list of awardees by bagging three awards. The three awards being Best State, Best Innovative Use of Information Technology and Best Rural Tourism Project, which it shared with Orissa.

Renowed Lantino POP singer Ricky Martin Fascinated with Jaipur

Udaipur Voted World’s Best City 2009

Sydney: Udaipur, known as the Venice of the East, was voted the world's best city for travellers in 2009 in an online poll by Travel + Leisure magazine, trumping last year's winner Bangkok.

The island of Bali in Indonesia topped the Galapagos to be named best island in the annual poll, in which casual and laidback destinations prevailed.

Magazine readers also voted Bushmans Kloof Cedar Mountains, in South Africa, as the world's top hotel while Singapore Airlines grabbed the best airline award again.

Editor-in-chief of Travel + Leisure Nancy Novogrod said this year's poll reflected changing travel interests in a challenging economy, with Udaipur, famous for its canals and palaces, a current tourist favourite for well-heeled Westerners.

"Value, intimacy, service, and discovery are top priorities. As for that so-last-August-sounding word, luxury, it's all about enclaves that shelter stealth wealth," she said in a statement.

Novogrod said dramatically sited outposts ranging from Jade Mountain in St. Lucia to San Ysidro Ranch in California featured highly this year.

Value ratings for a number of top-ranked cities – Udaipur, Cape Town, Bangkok, Buenos Aires, Chiang Mai, and Luang Prabang – were sky-high while other far-flung cities also made a strong showing.

However, favourites such as New York City, Florence, Rome, and San Francisco remained in the top 10 overall.

The results were complied from votes by magazine subscribers in an Internet poll which went live between January and March. Travel + Leisure will honour winners on July 21 in New York.

The complete World's Best Awards is available on www.travelandleisure.com. Following are some highlights:

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