If you are looking to run away far from the maddening crowd to somewhere quiet, Nainital won’t be your first choice because there’s always this scepticism about it being a touristy place with a lot of people visiting it all year long. But since I had been longing for calm, peace, and solitude, after thinking for a while, I decided to go ahead with the plan. It was, after all, much better than spending the weekend here in the city.
You can take the night bus from Anand Vihar ISBT, just like I did, and reach Nainital early morning. I had booked a homestay up in the hills. After a five-minute drive and a 10-minute climb, I reached Prashant’s homestay and trust me, that was the best part of my trip. His place was perfect for me to laze around, draw, and just chill on the swing in the garden. And Prashant’s mother cooked some amazing food for me during the stay. I was absolutely overwhelmed by the beauty of the place, it had a breath-taking view of the Naini Lake and mountains.
Relax for a day before you start exploring Nainital. I started with the zoo and let’s just say, if you skip it, you won’t be missing out on much. After that I headed to Mall Road in search of some traditional Kumaoni food but was left disappointed. I finally settled for a cafe where I had some tea and sandwiches. But my Mall Road experience was actually interesting, checking out various avenues for shopping, street food, and boating. I decided to try momos from Sonam's Momos Shop. Located in a small alley, I was amazed to see people queued up desperately waiting for their turn. It was worth the hype though. The succulent mutton momos were delicious and super reasonable. Some of the best I’ve had till date.
The other point worth mentioning is the extremely hospitable nature of the locals. Not even once during my stay, I felt uncomfortable.
You can take the night bus from Anand Vihar ISBT, just like I did, and reach Nainital early morning. I had booked a homestay up in the hills. After a five-minute drive and a 10-minute climb, I reached Prashant’s homestay and trust me, that was the best part of my trip. His place was perfect for me to laze around, draw, and just chill on the swing in the garden. And Prashant’s mother cooked some amazing food for me during the stay. I was absolutely overwhelmed by the beauty of the place, it had a breath-taking view of the Naini Lake and mountains.
Relax for a day before you start exploring Nainital. I started with the zoo and let’s just say, if you skip it, you won’t be missing out on much. After that I headed to Mall Road in search of some traditional Kumaoni food but was left disappointed. I finally settled for a cafe where I had some tea and sandwiches. But my Mall Road experience was actually interesting, checking out various avenues for shopping, street food, and boating. I decided to try momos from Sonam's Momos Shop. Located in a small alley, I was amazed to see people queued up desperately waiting for their turn. It was worth the hype though. The succulent mutton momos were delicious and super reasonable. Some of the best I’ve had till date.
The other point worth mentioning is the extremely hospitable nature of the locals. Not even once during my stay, I felt uncomfortable.