7 Places To Wake Up In On New Year's Day

Bunk hungover mornings at a stranger's house, take your backpack and make way for a way more exciting new year's day

1. 1. Khajjiar

Akash Deep / Via hillpost.in

This quaint town close to Chamba, Himachal Pradesh will remind you of a Yash Chopra movie. You'll find here: wooden cottages, sub-zero temperatures and romance of all kinds.

2. Nuranang Falls

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Also known as the bong bong falls (well, we're not saying anything), Nuranang Falls lies in the Tawang District of Arunachal Pradesh. Close to 6000 feet tall, the misty waterfall plunges into a pristine white, misty waterbody. However, this area's claim to fame is a song shoot from the movie Koyla (Madhura Dixit, Shah Rukh Khan)

3. Majuli

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Majuli is a large river-island on the Brahmaputra river in Assam. Surrounded by floating trees and sky-blue waters, the best time to visit this island is the monsoon but winter mornings are no less, what with enough fodder for silhouette sunrise shots.

4. Malshej Ghat

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Somewhere in the middle of the Western Ghats, the Malshej ghats have been a source of weekend getaways for mumbaikars for years. What makes it different from the Khandalas and Lonavalas of the world is the trekking and bird-watching opportunities amidst mist-capped hills and lush greenery.

5. Belum Caves

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Visit these labyrinthine caves in Andhra Pradesh for a desi version of the Mines of Moria. Located in the Kurnoor District, these caves are considered India's second largest cluster of caves. The golden/sandy rocks have been archeologists' paradise for centuries now.

6. Agatti Island

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If you have a bunch of holidays left for the end of the year, Lakshwadeep's Agatti Island is India's answer to the Caribbean. The water is aqua blue, and the sandy beaches almost pearly white. Snorkel, scuba dive or just lie around in your floral shirts and umbrella-d drinks, and be tropical in December.

7. Kundremukh National Park

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This nature-haven is located between Udupi and Chikmanglur in Karnataka. Literally translated to "horse face" because peak resembles one, this park is lush green and ideal of peaceful New Year holidays. You can trek, and trek and trek and you still wouldn't have covered 1/4th of the park. You may just see some tigers though.