From Ooty to Singapore: 5 cool destinations you can head to this summer vacation

Whether it is a coolcation or a happening tropical escape, experiences are taking centre stage in summer trip planning.

Summer vacation is all set to enter in a full gear, whether it is schools closing for holidays, university semester breaks beginning, or employees finally using the leaves they have been saving up. But summer travel is far from one-dimensional because everyone looks for a different kind of escape. Some prefer cooler weather in the hills, while other gravitate towards ‘happening’ cultural destinations, delicious food experiences, or laid-back tropical beach holidays.

From Ooty's scenic hills to Singapore's bustling night life, summer vacation is all set to be experience driven. (Picture credit: Unsplash)

Long story short, there are no rules to how you choose to spend your summer, whether it is getting cosy in your favourite hoodie at a hill station or enjoying fresh seafood by the beach. The ball is in your court, you just need to decide which kind of experience you want your vacation to offer.

To narrow down which destinations are seeing a surge in interest, HT Lifestyle spoke with Santosh Kumar, regional manager, South Asia at Booking.com, who observed how travellers are slowing down. “Travellers are slowing down; spending longer in one place, gravitating towards quieter, more immersive pursuits, and prioritising cultural depth over fast-paced itineraries,” he said.

Travel is becoming more intentional. Nowadays people value experiences as much as visiting landmarks. So tourists want to understand the local culture, the food, tradition and everyday energy, and accordingly they are planning their itinerary for a cultural exploration over a fast-paced checklist. And slower destinations also suggest that tourists now are no longer trying to cover 5 different places in 6 days, they stay in one place and explore all the aspects slowly, from local street food to the upmarket cafes.

Which is why Santosh reiterated that ‘offbeat’ travel today is less about where you go and more about how personally relevant the journey feels.

Santosh suggested these destinations based on different travel moods, with recommendations drawn from internal trends observed at Booking.com. He also highlighted important spots travellers can add to their itinerary, along with cultural experiences and local delicacies worth including on their bucket list:

1. Ooty, India

• Perfect for slow travel.
• Top five most searched destinations as travelers look for cooler escapes this summer.
• Travellers can visit tea estates like Doddabetta Tea Estate and Factory, Glenmorgan Tea Estate, Korakundah tea estates; enjoy fascinating views from Doddabetta Peak, or spend unhurried afternoons by Ooty Lake and the historic Government Botanical Gardens.
• Riding the the iconic UNESCO-listed Nilgiris Mountain Railway is recommended.
• Tourists should try staying at colonial-era heritage bungalow or a working tea-estate villa for a private, front-row seat to the Nilgiris’ misty landscape.

2. Darjeeling, India

• Perfect for reflective, introspective travel, where scenery and tradition take centre stage.
• Travelers can board the the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.
• Well-known for tea estates and panoramic views of Kanchenjunga. Wake up extremely early, between 3:30 am and 4:00 am to see the magical Kanchenjunga. While for tea gardens, you can check out Happy Valley Tea Estate, one of the oldest and famous tea gardens.
• Visit the town, and check out iconic spots like heritage buildings like St. Andrews Church, Observatory Hill View Point, and Darjeeling Clock Tower and bustling local markets like Hong Kong Market, Chowk Bazaar or the classic Mall Road. Don't miss the quaint Ghoom Monastery.
• Tourist can stay at a historic heritage tea-estate bungalow for a local experience.

3. Tokyo, Japan

• Tokyo appeals to those people who want both high paced, urban-city life and cultural experience.
• Visitors can spend the day shopping in Shibuya, check the Shibuya Scramble Crossing, then the Shibuya Center-Gai (and some other places in Shibuya) then to see the other side of Tokyo, the cultural side, head to local summer matsuri festivals. Check out the Shinto temples.
• Experience 'Nerikiri,' sweet-making and tea ceremony workshop. Many historic sweet shops demonstrate Nerikiri.

• Try standing sushi bars and hidden ramen alleys in neighbourhoods like Shinjuku and Shibuya. Try fresh Nigirizushi, Makizushi, Uramaki. For ramen, you can go for tonkotsu broth to lighter shoyu ramen in small backstreet eateries. Tsukiji Outer Market are good for street food.

4. Singapore

• Diverse food culture, easy connectivity and happening culture make it a popular choice for travellers, looking for an easy yet enriching international getaway.
• Travellers can watch evening light and sound show at Gardens by the Bay. Then they can explore shopping streets and cafe around Orchard Road and Haji Lane.
• Visit Chinatown and Little India for temples, markets and cultural food spots.
• Spend a day at Sentosa Island for beaches, cable carbs and attraction like Universal Studios.
• Do not forget to try local delicacies like nonya kueh andotak-otak.
• Book a guided Heritage Food Tour in neighborhoods like Tiong Bahru or Katong to see art deco architecture and hidden shophouses.

5. Phu Quoc, Vietnam

• Trending because Indians are choosing Phu Quoc for affordable internal beach holidays, visa-friendly and access to many beautiful island experiences without a lot of crowd.
• Go for Hon Thom cable car to see turquoise waters or explore coral-rich coves and enjoy lively Phu Quoc night market that comes to life after sunset.
• Eat fresh grilled lobster, Pho and banh mi, Buan quay ( a local seafood noodle dish) and drink the special Vietnamese iced coffee.
• Experience basket boat rides through fishing areas. Then go for Vietnamese cooking classes with local ingredients, sunset beach cafés and night squid fishing tours.