This year's hot summer destinations

Youngsters head out to interesting places to ‘chill out’, even as the sun beats down mercilessly. TOI takes a look at this year’s hot summer destinations.
It’s an unsaid routine to make a trip to your favourite holiday destinations during summer. Location, however, depends on the budget and the weather. Children are usually the initiators of summer plans in the family.It is based on their likes that the family decides on a particular location. While some prefer to visit foreign locales, others are happy exploring places within the country. Here are some hot favourites of Maduraiites for the season.
Fun all the way
Gokul Kumar, a businessman has already planned his holidays for the season. He makes it a point not to miss his summer vacation. He says, “A whole year of tiresome working days demand at least a week of relaxation. While I prefer peaceful places to rejuvenate and relax, my children want to visit places that have fun filled activities and entertainment. Every year, I compromise for the sake of my children. But this year, I am planning to hit a place that satisfies both our interests. We have planned a week’s trip to Thailand. This island offers both entertainment and relaxation. I am pretty sure that my kids will enjoy the experience in Pattaya. This place has lot of water games that includes para-sailing and underwater diving. This is an ideal place to enjoy with kids.”
Exploring the Indian lands
There are innumerable places across India that have scenic landscapes and bluewater. There are spiritual retreats too for relaxation. Sasikala. G, a software engineer, says, “My dad takes us out to different places every summer. We have seen some wonderful places here. My dad believes India is home to several fabulous holiday spots. Hence, we always liked to travel within the country. Last year, my dad took us to the Kumarakoam boat house in Kerala. This year’s destination is Ladakh. I have already browsed the internet for a virtual tour of the place. I can’t wait to experience it myself.”
Making a holiday plan
When it comes to visiting unknown lands, it is always essential that the trip is well planned so that it results in perfect execution. Loganathan , an official at a popular tourist agency, says, “It is always a tedious task for a person to plan a travel all by himself. Right from the destination, mode of transport, accommodation till the sightseeing, everything needs to planned perfectly to have a hassle-free trip and avoid any bitter experiences.”
Nowadays, travel agencies are making travel plan simpler. People can enter the agencies with just an idea about their holiday. You only need to think of a place, the rest of the things are taken care of by the agencies. “Right from the starting point to the destination and back, we take care of things such as traveling, accommodation, sight seeing. We also provide information on good places to eat. This way, things are easier for them and there will be no running around for the tourists. They can just enjoy the trip thoroughly,” he says.
Choosing the right place
The important part of planning is to select the right destination for the season. For instance, this being a hot season, it’s better to visit a place that is cooler or has tolerable climatic conditions. Nandhini Selvan, a student says, “One of my friends went to Jaipur last summer. She loved the architecture of the palaces, but the weather was horrible. Hence it helps to do some homework about the place before planning a trip there.”
The bottom line is that the trip has to be enjoyable and memorable. So it helps to plan well to avoid disappointments.