Tourists eye offbeat destinations

Chennai: Forget familiar destinations, including hill resorts that lure tourists without much fanfare all through the year. There has been an increasing tendency am­ong travellers to go beyond the popular haunts to explore offbeat destinations.

The Alamparai fort and Yelagiri, near here, and Megamalai, Kolli hills, Suruli falls and the wineries in Theni district, to name a few picturesque spots, have quietly been attracting a steady trickle of travellers.

“Though much of the not-so-popular spots lack amenities on a par with popular places like Ooty, Kodaikanal, Kan­yakumari or Madurai, they have the potential to attract visitors during all seasons of the year,” says a senior tourism official.

The TN tourism development corporation (TTDC), which has identified over 44 less-known tourist destinations across the state, is engaged in improving th­eir infrastructure. “Th­ere is always an element of thrill in visiting offbeat locales provided one en­joys a little comfort,” says a tour operator.

These  spots would become popular sites once good resorts come up, he adds. Aiming to cash in on the new trend, Rajapalayam-based GBR travels plans to focus on introducing packages to offbeat destinations in south India. The southern states of TN, Karn­ataka, Kerala and Andhra have a lot of un­tapped potential.

These wo­uld figure among the company’s packages soon. Mathur in Karnataka, where everyone speaks Sanskrit, Talakad on the Cauvery river banks where sand dunes are belie­ved to have covered up many temples, Chilkur Ba­laji temple near Hyde­rabad, Lepakshi where the magnificent temple of Lord Shiva is believed to be held by a floating pillar, the Ethi­potala falls and Araku valley in Andhra, Alap­puzha, Chembra peak in Way­anad, Thattekad, a lowland forest and home to various bird species that are rare in Kerala, are among the numerous offbeat spots in south India.