The countries of South Asia or Indian
subcontinent remained largely unexplored for foreign tourists for reasons
more than one. But the scenario has changed for the better in recent times.
South Asian countries have plenty of attractions to captivate the tourists.
For example, India has so much to offer to tourists that extensive travel
within India would take a lifetime. The landscape of Indian subcontinent is
equally enthralling. The best thing about the sub continent is that the
landscape offers tremendous heterogeneity, something that would keep
tourists interested every moment of their visit. Green valleys, blue hills,
dense forests, arid deserts, snow clad mountains, lakes, rivers, waterfalls
or picturesque beaches, the list is virtually endless.
Location
The peninsular region of South Asia is called the Indian sub continent. The
sub continent includes India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri
Lanka. Sometimes, Myanmar is also included in the sub continent. Though not
a part of the sub continent, Maldives and Mauritius are island nations
having great similarity with countries of the sub continent. The sub
continent is bound by the Himalayas to the north and east, Arabian sea and
Bay of Bengal to the south. The Hindu Kush mountain ranges between Pakistan
and Afghanistan are regarded as the western most boundary of the sub
continent. It may be mentioned that South Asia is often used as a synonym
for Indian sub continent.
Climate
The climate of the sub continent is hot and humid with variations from
region to region. Summers generally last from April to June with
temperatures shooting up to 45 degrees in some areas of the region. Monsoon
season starts in July and may last till September. The period from November
to February is the coolest and the most pleasant to plan a trip to the sub
continent.
Major Countries to Visit
A brief description of some of tourism hotspots of Indian sub continent are
given below :
Maldives
Maldives is the place where underwater life really comes alive and allows
tourists to have a look at it from close quarters. It is a pristine land
with swaying palm trees, golden beaches and lagoons. One of the most popular
destination of scuba divers from all around the world, the island of
Maldives is located to the south west of India in the Indian Ocean.
Major Cities in Maldives
Male
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is located to India's south in the Indian Ocean. Tiny Sri Lanka
is a picturesque island nation with great diversity. Exotic beaches, scenic
hill stations, elongated valleys, virgin forests and beautiful Buddhist
monasteries -Sri Lanka offers tourists a lot at the same time.
Major Cities in Sri Lanka
Colombo,
Kandy,
Negombo, Galle, Jaffna
Nepal
The country of the Mount Everest, Nepal lies to the north east of India.
The snow clad Himalayan mountain ranges are enough to attract tourists to
this beautiful country in large numbers. Nepal is also considered a paradise
for trekkers and mountaineers.
Major Cities in Nepal
Kathmandu
Bhutan
To the east of Nepal, tiny Bhutan offers a serene ambience to tourists in
the midst of tall mountain ranges and lush green valleys. A number of
beautiful monasteries and temples also dot the landscape of Bhutan.
Major Cities in Bhutan
Thimphu,
Paro
India
India may be described as a canvas of many shades. From her north to south
and east to west, this country stores a myriad of attractions for tourists.
The landscape of the country is dotted with magnificent temples, monuments
and wildlife sanctuaries. There are hundreds of lakes and rivers that snakes
through the landscape to the seas. There are also a number of picturesque
hill stations and scenic beaches in India. Called a unity in diversity, many
different communities inhabit the country and celebrate hundreds of
festivals throughout the year. Indian cuisine also offers a lot of variety
to tourists. Geographically too, this country has great diversity in the
form of snow capped mountains to her north, arid deserts to the west, dense
forests to the east and a long coastline in her south. In short, India can
be termed as a complete tourist destination.
Major Cities in India
Delhi, Mumbai, Chenni, Kolkata, Bangalore,
Agra,
Jaipur,
Udaipur,
Jodhpur,
Khajuraho,
Nainital,
Orchha,
Jaisalmer,
Shimla,
Manali.
India
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