When the covid-19 Pandemic hit the world, we were introduced to this relatively new concept of working from home. People have been working from their homes for the past 2 years, as some offices remain shut to maintain social distance. This “Work From Home” situation has given rise to something unique, Workation, which means working on a vacation. People also across the world have taken upon this opportunity of travelling and working.
The industry has grown after the relaxation of the lockdown. If nothing else, it has made everyone realize that one would rather travel the world than just work from a cubicle until they make it mandatory.
Apart from working on their hygiene and sanitation, Hostels and Hotels have also made their places Workation friendly. Even in the country’s most remote places, you will find hostels and cafes with incredible internet speeds and a coworking space environment.
Below are a few locations for your workation plans. If you haven’t already, experience this at least once before offices permanently open. With this, I hope offices WFH options, even after the Pandemic ends. Let us get into the list with perfect locations for your workations plans.
Below are some offbeat destinations and a few underrated ones you would have heard of but don’t get their due credit. This is just a starter pack for the amazing places you can be in for your workation in this country.
Also Read: Backpacking Rishikesh: An Ultimate Travel Guide
Offbeat Destinations For You To Visit
Majuli, Assam
The largest freshwater island in the world, Majuli, is situated in the River Brahmaputra. It is magical. Far from the pollution of cities, this beautiful island is covered with lush green forests and clean water around. The place is under constant soil erosion, which has been happening here for a while now. It is believed that the island will most likely submerge inside the water in the next 15-20 years and needs to be saved. It is a must-visit destination before it becomes history.
How to reach Majuli?
You have to take a ferry to Majuli from Neemati Ghat in the Jorhat District of Assam. You can reach Jorhat by flight to Guwahati or by road. It takes about 6-7 hours to reach by road.
Mandu, Madhya Pradesh
Mandu is one of the lesser-known places. It is filled with UNESCO world heritage sites. Some great buildings with afghan architecture are a must-visit for all those who love architectural travel. Mandu has the gorgeous weather too. I visited Mandu for a college trip from Ahmedabad, and it took an overnight journey to reach. It has some great palaces, tombs, gardens for you to explore, and very peaceful places to have a nice workation.
How to reach Mandu?
The closest airport is in Indore, from where you can either take a bus or a car to reach mandu, and the nearest railway station is in Ratlam, just 124 km away.
Lepchajagat, West Bengal
The hill town of Lepchajagat is an off-beaten destination as hardly anyone knows about it. It provides striking views of Mt. Kanchenjunga, misty weather, and deep green forests. It can quickly become a crowd favourite if people know about it, a secret spot you should go to. A place with solitude and nature makes the best workation destination, so is Lepchajagat.
How to Reach Lepchajagat?
The nearest airport is in Bagdogra, and from there you will require a bus or cab for your journey ahead.
Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh
We can term Arunachal Pradesh itself as significantly less explored or underrated. It is located at the height of 3000m above sea level. Sharing borders with so many countries, this state has significant cultural influence, delicious food, and the magic of the Himalayas. Going anywhere in Arunachal will be gorgeous and least crowded, but you might have an issue finding good internet speeds. Keeping that in mind, you can explore a more developed area of Tawang comparatively and have a workation there. It is the birthplace of the 6th Dalai Lama and has some great cultural festivals during the spring and summer months.
Tawang valley is named after the river Tawang which flows through this valley. It has crystal clear water. It also has amazing glacial lakes for you to witness. A truly natural and cultural amalgamation is this place.
How to Reach Tawang Valley?
The nearest airport and railway station are in Tezpur Assam, from where you will have to travel by road to Arunachal Pradesh and Tawang valley.
Bangaram Islands, Lakshadweep
Lakshadweep, well known for its coral reef, has a magical spell on this island. A lesser-known part of the union territory, Bangaram island, with its blue seas, sand beaches, and extraordinary surfing experiences, will always remain in your memory forever. It is like a true beachy paradise that people try to find in other beach destinations of the country but become part of the crowd.
How to Reach Bangaram Islands?
It is located over 400 km off Kochi & 525 km from Kollam Port in the Indian Ocean. The atoll is about 7 km northeast of Agatti Island and 25 km to the southeast of Perumal Par in the western Lakshadweep archipelago.
Bodh Gaya, Bihar
Bodh Gaya provides you with a unique experience living with actual Buddhist monks in a monastery. You can witness their day-to-day lives and have such a spiritual experience for you to remember for a lifetime. Bihar is often considered a very poor state, and not a lot of people ever explore the state seeing the travel opportunity it has. With Rajgir, Gaya, and Bodh Gaya in its vicinity, it does have some outstanding heritage sites. Apart from all the experience, the destination is mainland India and would have a great network, making it our workation destination list!
Bodh Gaya is situated on the banks of river Fagu in the north of India. It is one of the four holiest cities in Buddhism. This is where buddha practised meditation and attained enlightenment under the famous bodhi tree.
How to Reach Bodh Gaya?
The nearest airport and railway station is in Gaya, which is just 6-7 km away, and Bodh Gaya is also very well connected by road.
Beyt Dwarka-Shivrajpur Beach, Gujarat
A personal find, this is truly Gujarat’s best-kept secret. When I went there, I had very little expectation, but it was the most beautiful beach I have ever been to my surprise. It has a significantly less number of tourists, mostly the locals. The place has so many water sports and exciting marine life to witness. The network is excellent, and working from there won’t be an issue, making your workation stress-free.
Beyt Dwarka is an island located in the southern Gulf of Kutch, around an hour’s drive from the holy place of Dwarka. Deep blue waters and corals washing off on the sand beaches makes for gorgeous views.
There are activities like dolphin watching and fishing, and you can find yourself a secluded spot and even camp on the beach there.
Shivrajpur is just a half-hour drive from Okha, where there are some beachside resorts, and you can also try scuba diving and snorkelling with the help of the instructors. The marine national park is something you would want to visit and the Dwarkadeesh temple in Dwarka. You can cover all these destinations at once by making a base in Dwarka, and you will find numerous accommodations there. Dwarkadeesh temple is surreal. You feel such a heavy presence of energy there, positive energy. It was a very calming experience.
How to reach Beyt Dwarka and Shivrajpur?
You can take a bus, train, or car to Dwarka and Shivrajpur until Okha. For Beyt Dwarka, you have to take a ferry from Okha, which will take you to beyt Dwarka in just 15 minutes. The closest airport is in Jamnagar, and it takes an overnight journey from Ahmedabad by car or bus.
Kaas Plateau, Satara
Patthar or Kaas Plateau is a volcanic plateau situated in the Satara District of Maharashtra. It is located in the Sahyadri ranges of the western plateau and is spread over Anayathe Himalayas 1000 hectares. Many wild, vibrant flowers grow here, resulting in its name, the valley of flowers.
It was recognized as the biodiversity world heritage site and ever since came to light. The flowers start blooming in September or October and remain there for about 23 weeks. It is a nature lover and bird watcher’s true paradise.
How to reach Kaas Plateau?
Kaas Plateau is located at a half an hour drive from Satara and around 130km from Pune, which has the closest airport to our desired destination.
Gavi, Kerala
Gavi is well known for lush green forests and sprawling grasslands. The refreshing waterfalls and cardamom plantation add to its evergreen beauty. It is more famous among the adventurers, although still not very well known. It might just be a perfect place for you if you like camping and living in the woods. You can interact with the local tribal communities, learn about their culture and lifestyle while spending time with them, and work on your assignments.
How to reach Gavi?
The nearest major railway station is Kottayam and Ernakulam. The closest airport is in Kochi, and you can also travel to Gavi from Kumily, which is just 40 km away.
Shoja, Himachal Pradesh
Sojha is a small village in the Seraj valley of Himachal Pradesh. It is a part of the Kullu district. The people are well aware of the famous Jalori Pass and Jibhi, but many still do not know it. Sojha lies between these two places at 8500ft above sea level. It is covered in lush green forests and has the river Beas running just 4 km down through Ghiyagi village.
There are various hostels and homestays you can check. It provides some spectacular views of the Dhauladhar ranges and the whole Seraj and Tirthan valley. Jalori pass is just 5km from here, and there are lots of short treks you can go.
Again, this is a personal recommendation, as I lived here for almost 2.5 months, and nothing can take that amazing memory away from me. That village has a vibe where so many locals and tourists believe that it will be hard for you to leave if you visit the place. It is perfect to be visited all year long and receives snowfalls too. You can cover the three valleys Seraj, Tirthan, and Sainj, together on a single trip. They all have good network connectivity and are perfect for a workation.
How to reach Sojha?
The closest airport is in Bhuntar, from where you can take a bus or cab, which will take you around 2 hrs to reach Sojha, or if you’re travelling from Delhi or Chandigarh by bus you will have to switch your bus at Aut bus stop.
Yousmarg, Jammu And Kashmir
A desi version of the Alps, Yousmarg is not known to many. Beautiful meadows spread across the mountains and alpine trees along with snow-capped mountains form the perfect backdrop here. When Pahalgam and Gulmarg are crowded with tourists, Yousmarg can be your ideal escape, or even otherwise, if you don’t like crowded destinations.
How to reach Yousmarg?
The closest airport is in Srinagar, where you can take buses. You can also travel by private cabs for your journey further.
Your Perfect Getaway
In the past couple of years, we humans have realized the importance of happiness. Seeing so much trouble and being locked up inside our houses made us realize the importance of freedom. Travelling gives us a feeling of independence. It releases some happy hormones.
You can visit many places in this country to find peace and solace yet feel alive and independent. Few are the ones I found on the internet and would love to visit. The others are the places I have personally visited and can vouch for their ecstatic beauty. These are perfect for a workation in every way and a lovely relaxed holiday.