Tiny towns in India that have big surprises in store for first timers

India is usually envisioned as a land of large cities, markets, and well-known touristic centers. Yet, there are some magic that is even more hidden in distant and barely-even-on-the-map small places. They are small towns with no fancy airports and tall buildings, yet these small sized settlements can boast of attractiveness, genuineness and experiences that can startle even an experienced traveller.

They may be tiny little miracles of time to first time visitors who get a sense of lived life and breathtaking scenery and tales that can only be shared in the field. The best, though, is that: Many of them can be accessed via cheap flights and intelligent flight booking at HappyEasyGo.

1. Mandawa, Rajasthan, the Open-Air Art Gallery

The living museum, Mandawa is hidden away in the Shekhawati region and it may appear as though it is a small sleepy town in the desert. There are the twisted lanes, flanked with the colorful havelis painted in grand frescoes, some going back centuries, that portray the royal processions, mythology or even the colonialism.

It is as though one is in a mega-sized art gallery with no walls, when wandering around. And, unlike larger cities, you can in fact pull off to the side of the road and talk to locals who may invite you in to drink a cup of chai.

✈ Tip: fly to Jaipur or Delhi on a friendly priced flight then have a short road journey to Mandawa.

2. Gokarna, Karnataka -Beaches without the Crowds

Gokarna is one of those quiet and small coastal towns where golden beaches blend with littered green cliffs hence being referred to as the quieter Goa. The city is known to have numerous temples, however the greatest astonishment of first-time visitors is how serene the place is as compared to other larger beach destinations in India.

In the mornings, you could visit sacred places and in evenings watch the sunset on Om Beach or Kudle Beach-there is ample space to breathe and there is no crowding.

Travel Tip: Get flight tickets to the Dabolim Airport or the Mangalore and drive down to Goa. Flight booking in advance would offer you great offers.

3. The Origin of coffee in India; Chikmagalur, Karnataka

It is this tiny hill town that makes India rouse up to coffee. Foggy hills, lush green estates and cool weather make Chikmagalur an ideal getaway destination to nature lovers. Newcomers may find it remarkable that during the 17 th century coffee was imported to India here.

Be it a trek in the Mullayanagiri hills or taking a fresh cup of tea in the plantation homestay, it is lovely, slow life.

Travel Tip: Mangalore or Bangalore can be reached by taking advantage of low fare air tickets then taking an enjoyable drive.

4. Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh -Clementine Colonial Charm in the Hills

Kasauli is a miniature hill town bordering on a turn of the century novel. It has its churches of the colonial era, its narrow lanes, and all around panoramas to serve as a substitute to the more hoarse mountain towns.

The shocker here? It is possible to see the snow-capped mountains of the Himalaya on the same day as tropical sunshine, rather good news to the whole range of photographers or dreamers.

Travel Tip: Fly into Chandigarh the fastest access. You should look at Flights in off-season when the rates are cheaper.

5. Munsiyari, Uttarakhand – The passage to Himalayas

Munsiyari is a far flung village that pays off to the travellers in the Kumaon region. The peaks such as the Panchachuli that are illuminated at sunrise amaze first-timers to the point of speechlessness.

What adds even more magic to it is the local hospitality you might be offered to come into a house to have some fresh rotis and hear some stories about life in the mountains.

Travel Tip: Pantnagar is the nearest airport. You need to book the cheap flight arrangements early because Flights are limited in the smaller airports.

6. Rajasthan Khimsar Sand dunes and a Fort residence

Khimsar is an obscure jewel that lies deep in the desert where you can sleep in a 16 th -century fort, ride a camel into dunes and observe the sunset dissolve into sand. The first time visitors are shocked by the closeness of the feeling of going into a royal-era movie set.

The great thing about it? There will be huge tracts of desert that you might find you have all to yourself.

Travel tip: The nearest airport is Jodhpur. Advance booking will help you get low-cost flight tickets.

7. Mawlynnong, Meghalaya -cleanest village of Asia

This tiny village is a Khasi village that has achieved world wide fame due to its pristine condition but what astonished first time visitors is the neatness and the beauty of this place. These paths have bamboo walkways, flower-surrounded walks and the renowned living root bridge that would make you feel like you are in a fairytale.

The campaign that the locals themselves have undertaken to maintain its pristine condition is also wonderful and you can even go ahead and discuss with the locals about the way in which they have managed to preserve it as such.

Travel Tip: Board a cheap flight to fly into the city of Guwahati then take a road trip through amazing sceneries to arrive in Mawlynnong.

8. Orchha, Madhya Pradesh it just goes to say time travel in a town

Orchha is an old historic town that seems to be time-locked. There are palaces, cenotaphs and temples built beside the river Betwa with very few tourists in comparison to the rest of the heritage sites.

The surprise is that everything is so walkable here–you can cover centuries of history in an afternoon and not once feel in a hurry.

Travel Tip: Gwalior is the closest airport. Be on the look out of cheap flights to travel at a lower cost.

The Reason Why Tiny Towns Can Be the Grand Finale of your adventure

Although major cities and recognizable destinations have their beautiful charm, small towns provide you:

Being more real experiences- Be able to interact with the locals not only out there to satisfy the tourists.

Fewer crowds, more calmness- You have plenty of time to sight see.

Surprise beauty- Spreading out beaches to hidden forts.

And the most wonderful thing of it? Most of them are only a few minutes drive away by road to airports that offer cheap flight services via HappyEasyGo.

Travelling Advice to Visitors to Tiny Towns

1. Book early flights – There are limited seats in small airports which serve these areas.
2. Pack lightly- much of these towns are narrowly laid out or have arduous terrain.
3. Do not disrespect local customs – Small towns tend to have well established traditions.
4. Be open-minded- The weather is unpredictable so is transportation.

Final Word

Small towns might not shout to the rooftops, but these are usually the type of places that you tend to remember. Whether it is drinking coffee in Chikmagalur, taking in the sunset in the dunes of Khimsar or taking a stroll in the lanes of Kasauli, these mini-tourist destinations are worth their size in terms of experiences.

Therefore, the next time you go to book a flight ticket through HappyEasyGo, don’t be predictable, go crazy! The biggest surprises sometimes wait in the tiniest corners of India.