The hectic and busy lives of us doctors can leave us drained and burned out. Let this article be your motivation to start wrapping up and take a few days off just for yourself with your friends, family and loved ones.

1. Laitmawsiang, Meghalaya

Known as India’s best secret, Laitmawsiang, this untouched place is a heavenly gateway to nature. With soothing waterfalls, mystic ponds and luscious greens, this place is nothing but magic to the eyes. The Garden of caves has a bunch of pleasing emerald bushes surrounded by spectacular waterfalls. As you go deeper into the caves and walk down 15-20 steps inside, what you will experience is pure bliss with the sound of crystal clear waters and the fragrance of the enchanting and fresh wet mud. The Arsad falls and the Sum Syeim falls are something you would not want to miss.

2. Damro, Arunachal Pradesh

In the mesmerising state of Arunachal Pradesh lies this beautiful village Damro. This village is located in the Mariyang block of Upper Siang in Arunachal Pradesh. Trekking in Damro is an experience filled with mesmerising views, wildlife and luscious greens with a zest of fresh air! A famous activity for tourists out there is fishing with the localities there. Local foods like smoked pork, their famous chilli chutney and (rice beer) are not something you want to miss! Damro is the home to this extraordinary sight of the longest hanging bridge in the state made of bamboo and ropes.

3. Velas, Maharashtra

Velas is located on the Western coast of India between the Savitri river Bharaja Rivers in the Ratnagiri district. It is considered to be one of the widest beaches on the coast of Konkan. Aloof from the crowded and messy beaches here in the city, this place is a major attraction for nature lovers as it is filled with peace and tranquillity.

This Velas beach is famous for the turtle festival which is a major attraction all over the country. This festival is arranged by the local panchayat and some private social groups. This is an excellent effort to conserve the Olive Ridley Turtles and travellers get to experience this beauty. The first journey of these turtles is witnessed as they mark their way to the sea. As there are no hotels and resorts around, the local homestays with their local food are a must-try on your visit to Velas.

4. Champaner and Pavgadh, Gujarat

This is a historical site, located in the Panchmahal district of Gujarat, about 47 km away from Vadodara. If you are inclined towards knowing the roots of our history and dwelling yourself in this archaeological beauty, this place is for you. Being UNESCO heritage sites, Champaner and Pavgadh are major historical tourist attractions.

Pavgadh is located on top of the hills, at the base of which is Champaner with an array of breathtaking monuments like forts, tombs, mosques, arches and temples. Champaner is the only Islamic-Mughal city over these years, which preserved the architecture to its best from the olden era.

A place where you will see the famous Kalika Mata temple where thousands of devotees gather during the festivities of Navaratri and also where three classic mosques are located namely the Jami Masjid, Sahir ke Masjid and Kevada Masjid which are no longer open for worship. It was inscribed as a UNESCO world heritage in the year 2004.

5. Lepakshi, Andhra Pradesh

Lepakshi is a small village located in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. This place is a like and heavenly abode as it houses one of the oldest temples in the country. With a touch of spirituality and history, this is the best place if you are planning a historical-based informative tour filled with a lot of peace of mind!

The Veerabhadra temple was built in the year 1583 and is the best example of the Vijayanagar style of architecture. The temple has idols of Lord Ganesha, Lord Vishnu, Lord Bhadrakali, Lord Shiva and Goddess Lakshmi. There is a huge statue of a Nandi which is 27 feet in length and 15 feet in height is just 1 km from the main Lepakshi temple which is a major tourist attraction as it is built just from a single granite stone. The hanging pillar and the Shivaling are other wonderful sights at the Lepakshi temple. There is a special area in the temple which has preserved goddess Sita’s footprints and an incomplete Kalyan Mandap which are nothing less than surprising yet enchanting

Disclaimer- The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of M3 India.

About the author of this article: Dr Ridima Surve is a dentist, medical writer, editor and reviewer from Mumbai.