Delectable food of Mizoram

The food of Mizoram is quite different from the rest of India. It is often called as the Mizo food or the Mizo cuisine. The Mizo cuisine is healthy, simple and a very little oil is used to prepare the dishes. The staple food of Mizoram is rice, and the locals prefer to use mustard oil as a cooking medium in most of the dishes. Every meal in Mizoram includes some non-vegetarian delicacies and fish is the favorite of all non-vegetarian foods in Mizoram.

Often taken as a starter, Bai is a local favorite in Mizoram made with pork, bamboo shoots, and steamed vegetables. The key factor of this food is the inclusion of different herbs and spices. Bai is easily available in lots of places all over Mizoram. Another popular food of Mizoram is the delicious Vawksa Rep, also prepared with pork. Pork being the main star of this dish is beautifully infused with some flavored herbs and smoked. The meat is then finally cut into cubes and ready to eat. Bamboo shoot fry is a delicious vegetarian dish in Mizoram prepared by frying bamboo shoot in a mix of herbs. Sometimes shitake mushrooms and other vegetables can also be added to the mixture and it is a wonderful dish that is light on the stomach.

Panch Phoran Tarka is also a popular spicy food and is prepared in several places in Mizoram. It can either be made in vegetarian style or non-vegetarian fashion. When panch phoran tarka is made in vegetarian version, vegetables like eggplants, pumpkins, and potatoes are used. The non-vegetarian version mostly includes chicken. Another delicious food of Mizoram is koat pitha. It is essentially a fried dish popular in Mizoram prepared with rice flour and bananas. They also add fish to it. It looks crispy from the outside but is soft and warm from the inside. Koat Pitha makes for an ideal snack with tea and generally tastes a little sweet because of the presence of bananas.

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A Good List of Things to do in Gangtok

Gangtok in Sikkim offers visitors a variety of new experiences; it is one of the cleanest towns in India. Before visiting Gangtok, you must know about the different things to do in Gangtok. Here are some of the amazing things you may consider doing next time you visit Gangtok.

MG Marg is the most prominent place in Gangtok situated in the heart of the town. You can go for shopping at M G Marg in Gangtok. Also, Gangtok is surrounded with beautiful locations and is best for sightseeing. Do not also forget to try food at famous restaurants and cafes. Cable car ride at Deorali is also an interesting thing to do in Gangtok. If you are an adventure freak, you must know that there are different types of adventure activities you can try in Gangtok like paragliding, cycling, trekking, hiking etc. You can also add visit to monasteries as one of the things to do in Gangtok. During winter, a week long winter carnival is held at M G Marg. Witnessing this festival is also one of the things to do in Gangtok. You can also go for picnics. There are several different gardens and parks in Gangtok that could be the ideal picnic spot for you. Being in Gangtok you can get lucky to witness all the beautiful places through a joyful helicopter ride. If you want you may add helicopter ride as one of the things to do in Gangtok.

One of the important things to do when visiting a hill station like Gangtok is view the sunrise and sunset from several viewpoints like Tashi view point. Apart from M G Marg you can shop at the local market of Gangtok – Lal Bazar. In the heart of Gangtok there is a flower exhibition center where a variety of orchids and many other different varieties of flowers are grown and exhibited throughout the year. You may also visit this flower exhibition center. There are several monasteries to visit in Gangtok and near Do Drul Chorten Monastery is the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology Museum that showcases different manuscripts, thankas, and traditional arts and crafts of Buddhism. And if you want to learn and live the life of a typical Sikkimese in Gangtok, you can stay a night or two at any local hometays. The list of things to do in Gangtok never ends.

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Choosing the Right Travel Agent in Sikkim

How to choose the right travel agent to make the most of your trip in Sikkim? To know the best travel agent, you need to understand that these travel companies and agents have been divided into some categories.

‘The Done it all’ are the travel agents that are old timers and are well established who do not do too much of customization. ‘The Followers’ are the agents who follow in the footsteps of the ‘Done it all’ and are more of a fleet management company than a travel company. Both of them are great for large groups of travelers. ‘The Doers’ are the travel agents who offer a full range of services from vehicle, packages, hotels etc. ‘Doers’ are great for small groups. Then comes ‘The Young Guns’ they give ultra-customized tours as per customer’s requirement.

There are 500 plus travel agents in Sikkim. There are no absolute rules to choose great travel agents and it is more often than usual that they offer similar services. When it comes to choosing travel agents, there is always a nagging doubt of whether the travel company hired is legit or not. So I say you refer to the tips here in choosing a good partner for your travel adventures.

A genuine travel agency is always registered so check their affiliations. Check for feedback and search for reviews online about the services offered by travel agents. It is always better to go for travel agents that focus and specialize on a particular type of travel package however if you go for a generalist travel agency, make sure they have good knowledge about what you are looking for. Look for companies and agents that can provide you services 24 hours seven days a week. Some travelers are really concerned about the customer service, companies provide. This may be subjective to individual interactions, but generally it refers to pre and post booking support and engagement on part of travel agents you are interacting with. Always go with your gut feeling. Lowest price does not always mean the best deal. Look for you comfort level with the agents you are interacting with.

Make the most of your trip to Sikkim, the Hidden Valley of Rice. And we hope that you choose from the best travel agents available in Sikkim and have a wonderful trip.

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A bewitching experience in the capital of Nepal

A former monarch country, Nepal today is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world. The varieties of landscapes, rich culture and heritage, religious temples, and beautiful places make Nepal one of the popular countries to visit. The whole country Nepal is a combination of ancient heritage, culture, and advancing technologies. What is the capital city of Nepal you ask? The capital city of Nepal, Kathmandu, is the best destination for people seeking for adventures, tranquility and an awakening.

With natural beauty, massive mountains, and breathtaking adventurous activities the land of Himalayas, Nepal offers plenty of travel options in Kathmandu. There are many places of attractions in Kathmandu Nepal that are worth visiting. Kathmandu is also considered as the cultural hub of Nepal. This interesting capital city of Nepal is full of colors, sights, sounds, smells, and actions. Be prepared to experience and rejoice in the unique culture, festivals, and traditions of Nepal in Kathmandu.

Some of the most famous places of attractions no one should miss in Nepal and Kathmandu are the Durbar Square, Boudhanath Stupa, the Annapurna circuit, Bandipur village etc. The Durbar Square that dates around 3rd – 4th centuries is one of the popular places in Kathmandu that holds a special place in the hearts of the people of Nepal. The famous Boudhanath Stupa is a dome-shaped Buddhist shrine considered as the holiest Buddhist temple of Tibetans in Nepal. This is one the places in Nepal that is said to be highly sacred and regarded as a wish fulfilling shrine. The Annapurna circuit in Nepal is perfect for travelers seeking for adventure of many days. It falls under some of the best hiking routes on earth. The breathtaking views from the mountains on Annapurna circuit hiking are something to behold. Similarly the lovely views and enchanting green hilltops in Bandipur village are extremely beautiful and fascinating.

Best time to visit Nepal is during October and November in fall season and also in March to May. The capital of Nepal not only attracts tourists by its mesmerizing views of the surroundings and ancient temples but it is also home to a plethora of other magnificent artworks, exquisite monuments, and sculptures. Out of many cities and towns to visit in Nepal, Kathmandu is one such city that welcomes a very large number of tourists in Nepal.

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Celebration of Faith: Pashupatinath Mandir in Nepal

Nepal is a stunning small landlocked country with rich culture, multiple languages and faiths in the South of Asia in between India and China. Many ancient temples are situated in the capital city of Nepal Kathmandu, and it is often referred to as the city of temples in Nepal. One of the oldest and holiest of all is the Pashupatinath temple in Nepal.

The Pashupatinath temple in Nepal is not merely a single temple standing tall in the middle of the city. Many small temples and buildings are also built around the main temple and they altogether form the Pashupatinath Mandir Complex. This complex is also a part of UNESCO Heritage Site. The whole complex including Pashupatinath temple is formed with the total of 518 temples, structures, shrines and buildings. The year is not exactly known in which the Pashupatinath temple, locally called as the Pashupatinath Mandir was built in Nepal but it is believed to have been built at around 400BC in 4^th Century. This mandir was never always the way it is now. It has been renovated by many kings in the past. The Pashupatinath temple is one of the most visited places in Nepal and the natives believe that whoever prays with pure heart and no evil in mind, all his wishes will come true.

Many theories are made about how this temple in Nepal had come into existence in the beginning. All the myths, theories and legends point towards the Shiva Lingam inside the temple. The Pashupatinath temple is beautiful and looks ancient. The artisans in the past had carved wooden windows and doors exquisitely that it still shines and looks sharp today as if they are newly made. Old bricks and beautifully carved wooden balconies, doors and windows make this temple look extremely precious and attractive. The Shiva idol inside Pashupatinath temple is always covered with golden cover but not during prayers.

The best time to visit Pashupatinath temple and the city Kathmandu is from September to the mid or end of December. One of the common things you will see at Pashupatinath Mandir Complex is the Sadhus or the wandering holy men. The Pashupatinath Mandir in Nepal and the complex as a whole is a combination of ancient beauty exquisitely made, tranquility, spirituality and wonderful experience. Now you wouldn’t want to miss that, would you?

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Enchanted Land: Best Time to Visit Nepal

The breathtaking country Nepal can be considered as the roof of the earth; guarded by gigantic Himalayas and the tallest mountain on earth, the Mt Everest. The best time to visit Nepal is either in spring or after monsoon in autumn or the start of winter depending on the places you want to go. But before booking your tickets check on the colorful festivals and events that take place in the country.

The spring in Nepal generally starts from March and lasts till May to the mid April. This time of the year is highly pleasant to travel to Nepal. The longer days and short nights, clear skies, pleasant and fresh aromatic air make it comfortable for travelers to travel to different parts of the country, visit and explore them.

The summer ranges from May to August. The days are warm and hot at this time of the year. The starting of summer is comfortable enough to travel, however as the months pass by the temperature can exceed 40⁰ Celsius and in some places it can exceed 45⁰ Celsius making it unsuitable for traveling. Hence it is not recommended to visit Nepal at this time of the year unless your motive is not to just travel but to be a part of few colorful Nepalese festivals.

The monsoon season occurs from June to August. It is not recommended to visit Nepal at this time since unpredictable rainfalls may sometimes result in small to big landslides and is also not really comfortable for you to travel in humid environment.

The autumn starts September with the end of monsoon days. It is one of the best times to visit and explore Nepal. Some of the vibrant and colorful Nepalese festivals take place at this time of the year. The clear skies with the elegant shades of blue and orange hue at dawn and the dusk are worth seeing.

Winter begins slowly in Nepal from October and many prefer visiting in winter too. The winter lasts up to February and these months are also the best times to visit Nepal. The temperature can drop as low as 2⁰ Celsius and the maximum could be 18⁰ Celsius. Autumn and the winter seasons are the best times to go for trekking however make sure to carry warm woolen clothes with you.

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‘Live to eat’ in Nepal: the delicious food of Nepal

The flavors in Nepal are unique and the preparations of traditional food are interesting. Due to the wonderful variation in its landform, the food of Nepal has been influenced by other neighboring countries as well.

Rice being the staple food of Nepal, Dhal Bhat also referred to as Dal-Bhat-Tarkari is one of the most delicious meals loved by all Nepalese. Dal is basically pulses like lentils, black gram and bhat is the Nepali translation for rice. Dal bhat is served with vegetables, meat and other side dishes. Another popular food of Nepal is the delicious momos. Served with hot spicy chutney, momos are something you cannot miss to have in Nepal. Thukpa is something you must try in Nepal. It is a thick noodle soup that can be totally vegetarian or may contain meat and eggs. It is a dish you would love to have during cold weather. If you love lamb or similar kind of meat you must be glad to know that gorkhali lamb is a delicacy in Nepal. It is a slow cooked lamb, grilled and sealed with spices. Chowmein is one of the foods easily available in Nepal and is extremely delicious. It is boiled noodles washed at first and stir fried with vegetables or meat and eggs with addition of some spices and sauce.

Some of the typical traditional foods of Nepal are dhido, sel roti, gundruk, sinki, sishnu and kinema. Dhido is a typical Nepali traditional food passed down by ancestors in Nepal. It is absolutely delicious and healthy cooked paste of buckwheat flour like thick polenta. Another traditional food of Nepal is sel roti made with rice flour fried in hot oil or ghee in shapes like doughnuts. Gundruk is a popular Nepalese food made by fermenting and drying leafy vegetables but mostly rayo sag, radish leaves and mustard leaves. Sinki is similar to gundruk but instead of leafy vegetables, tiny pieces of radish are used to make it. Sinki is loved by all; it can also be taken as soup and had with rice or put in bottles as pickles. Kinema is an indigenous fermented soybean food of Nepal that takes many weeks to be made and has a pungent smell, yet extremely delicious. Another interesting food of Nepal is sishnu. It is basically the stinging nettle plant with slimy texture and is really healthy.

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Traditional dresses of many colors in Mizoram

People of Mizoram have been making contributions to keep the culture of their state alive via means of their dress. The traditional dresses of Mizoram are similar to other hill states, colorful and attractive. Like every other state in India, people in Mizoram treat their traditional dresses with utmost respect. There are many tribes in Mizoram and their dresses slightly differ from one another.

One of the traditional dresses of Mizoram is Puan worn by women. Puan has shades of black, white, and red; the black shade is made of synthetic fur. The dress puanchei is usually worn by women during festivals and any kind of celebrations in Mizoram. The locals usually wear their traditional dresses in festivals in Mizoram. One of the traditional dresses is called as kawrechi worn by the girls. The blouse is usually paired with puanchei and traditionally, they are hand-woven. Lusei tribe women wear cotton blue skirt paired white jacket and a fabric to wrap around their body. Any traditional dress in Mizoram is considered incomplete without headgear. These headgears are basically coronals made with raw materials such as canes and bamboos.

A traditional dress worn by the unmarried girls in Mizoram is zakuolaisen. Puon pie is another traditional dress worn only by married women. The traditional dress for men in Mizoram is a long drape around 5 to 6 feet long wrapped around their lower body. They add on extra clothing in the winters when it is cold to cover up their upper body. During summers, they wear regular drape around their waist and a turban to protect themselves on their head from the heat. In ancient times the lusei tribe men draped cloth on their waist and carried a rucksack, the skin of bear or tiger (whichever animal they killed) hung over one shoulder, and a long sharp weapon over the other which was replaced by guns years later. These men still wear their dresses in festivals to preserve their culture but in place of skin of animals they add an extra cloth to replicate it. Other few of many traditional dresses of Mizoram are Thangou Puon, Ngotekherh and cyhna hno.

The attractive colorful dresses with beautiful designs, embroideries, and styles of the costumes have surely given it an edge over others. When in Mizoram, do try these beautiful dresses and capture the moments. Read full article at: https://www.tourgenie.com/travel-diaries/travel-blogs/traditional-dresses-of-many-colors-in-mizoram

Food of Mizoram: A feast for the eyes

Mizoram has a variety of unimaginably delicious delicates to offer. The delicious food of Mizoram is mild to slightly spicy, tinted with influences of Chinese and North Indian cuisines. This blend gives a unique taste, and you will remember them long after you’ve eaten. Mostly the food preparations are non vegetarian in Mizoram. However, a fair share of vegetarian delicacies is also consumed. The locals in Mizoram use spices occasionally, and when they do, they mostly prefer using locally grown organic fresh spices.

Some of the popular foods of Mizoram that will make your mouth water are Bai, Bamboo shoot fry, Koat Pitha, Vawksa Rep and Panch Phoran Tarka. Bai is basically a soup with varieties of green vegetables, eggplants, and beans, a mixture of boiled vegetables, herbs, and spices where meat such as pork is added with bamboo shoots. Traditionally, pork is mandatory, but if you are vegetarian, you can exclude them. Bamboo shoot fry is a famous food of Mizoram, a total vegetarian dish that you must try. These shoots are fried and then tossed with herbs and spices. Koat Pitha is a fried dish made using rice flour and bananas and sometimes fish is also added. This food looks crispy from the outside but is soft and warm from the inside. Vawska rep is another popular food of Mizoram. It is a pork meat flavored with some delicious local herbs and spices, smoked and cut into cubes. Yet another popular food of Mizoram is Panch Phoran Tarka that can be either made as a non-vegetarian dish or totally in a vegetarian fashion. It is prepared either with lot of vegetables or meat like chicken. This dish is supposed to be spicy and delicious.

Another delicious and popular food of Mizoram is the yummy Misa Mach Poora prepared with shrimps that are cooked and grilled to get that juicy mouth watering flavor. When in Mizoram do not forget the healthy Chhum Han. It is a simple steamed vegetable of many kinds and eaten with rice.

Whether you consider yourself as a foodie or not, you are going to be feasting like royals in Mizoram. A fusion of the taste of China and North India together is what you will get in Mizoram.

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Phobjikha Valley

Phobjikha valley is a small town in the central part of Bhutan surrounded by mountains and lush greenery. The place is known for its beautiful landscapes and passes and a day’s hike will take you through the town woods, and valleys. The Phobjikha valley also goes by the name “Valley of black-necked cranes” as this endangered species migrates to this valley every year during winters. The vast U-shaped glacial valley also known as Gangteng valley, offers beautiful landscapes ideal for walking and hiking.

With semi-nomadic way of life of the locals who enjoy archery and dart throwing as their favourite pastime in Phobjikha valley the place can be reached by bus and car. There are many interesting places to visit near Phobjikha valley and the Gangtey Monastery about 4 hrs away and the Kumbhu Lhakhang about 2 hrs away are also some of them. The Gangtey Monastery is also the largest monasteries in western Bhutan. Visiting Kumbhu Lhakang is considered to be spiritually refreshing and is said to have been built by Tibetan sculptors.

Jomolhari a popular trekking spot in Bhutan starting at Paro is about 98 km away from Phobjikha valley and is famous for trekking. Apart from these places to visit in Bhutan and in and around Phobjikha valley, the Nyelung Drachaling, a 14^th century Buddhist temple is also a popular place in the country, Khewang Lhakhang is another beautiful spot that is the oldest lhakhang in the valley worth visiting. Damcho Lhakhang, Black- Necked Crane Information Centre, Wangmo Hand – Woven Carpet Factory, Gangtey Nature Trails and Hikes, Kuezang Chholing Shedra are also some of the popular attractions in the country not very far away from Phobjikha valley. The Wangmo Hand –Woven Carpet Factory was started by local women who make beautifully weaved carpets with intricate designs and patterns at reasonable prices. The Phobjikha valley offers some wonderful trails for hikers and birdwatchers. Visit this valley and places nearby and be stunned by the natural beauty of these places.

The best time to visit this mesmerising valley in Bhutan is between October and March and you do not have to worry about accommodations here. There are several types of accommodation in and around Phobjikha valley from hotels and resorts to camps and lodges and you can also opt for a homestay for an intimate experience in this beautiful valley.

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