What: Fort Jadhavgadh, Jadhavwadi, an hour from Pune, call 9987573819 / 9987573816 or visit www.fortjadhavgadh.com, packages start at Rs 5,500.

Why: If work is waging a fierce war against you, take cover at Fort Jadhavgadh. An hour from Pune, this luxurious heritage hotel comes with stone walled rooms, sexy sky showers, spa, pool, museum, mini golf, mountain view bar and yum Maharashtrian food (get the bhakri and peethla), and is perfect for a weekend getaway.

When: You want to have a ghaat attack.

Shilarna Vaze has her own cooking show (Firangi Tadka) and formerly ran a restaurant in Goa as well as a sushi delivery service in Mumbai. She is a flower child who takes her free spirit and stove wherever she travels. Email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

So I have to admit, I haven’t given much thought to our neighbours (countries, that is). Somehow, my mum being an artist always wanted to go to Italy or France and my dad being an erstwhile playwright was kinda obsessed with English theatre, so we never did make it across our borders into the countries that could almost be India (in fact, some were till not so long ago).

But then last month I finally planned Nepal. The trip happened because of three reasons: the chance to take a girlie trip, to attend a safe, electronic dance festival at a 5-star hotel (!) and the hope of discovering some yum food.

What: Wild life vacations by Jungle Lore, call 9987126233 / 9833246740, visit  www.junglelore.net or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Rs 9,800 for Ranthambore trip (includes 2 night-3 day stay, park entry fee, transfers and internal transport).
 
Why: Sign up for one of Jungle Lore’s wildlife vacations -  Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Ranthambore, Gir, Bahartpur, Tadoba - and you can send home a postcard with tails of feral rides, bird brains, tribal dances, luxury tent stays, vine-swinging and tiger spotting (wanna Corbett on that?). Large groups are accompanied by local naturalists and conservationists, and they customise individual trips too. 

When: Next trip to Ranthambore from December 8 to 12.

bpb’s guide to going gaga over Goa. Get comfortable, it’s an epic Baga.

A big shout out to our contributors: Deveshe Dutt, DJ Phase~Shift, Jehan Driver,  Manjari Verma and Avani Patel, Pratiti Basu-Chanard and Johanna Viande, Shaana Gwynne, Swaati Langeh, Vikrant Chheda, Vineeta Nair, Nachiket Shetye, Janit Gambhir, Akshai Sarin, Cyrus Aga, Miriam Strehlau.

What to Pack - Don’t Be A Duffle!

Beach bag: Big enough to fit your life in, psychedelically Goa-worthy and insanely practical – on these rewritable bags you can list errands, your sightseeing list or your hotel address, just in case you’re too inebriated later to remember where you live. Pylones @ Taabir, Grand Galleria Mall, Phoenix Mills, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, call 66626704, Rs 800.

Beach towels: Big, comfy towels in bright colours that will perfectly offset your newly acquired tan. Surprise @2, Kohinoor, 29 Hughes Road, call 32972125, start at Rs 55o.

Feline sunglasses: With these, you’ll be the hottest cat under the sun. We especially love the silver-tipped, elongated version. Bungalow 8, 1st, 2nd and 3rd floor, Grants Building, Arthur Bunder Road, Colaba, call 22819880, Rs 3,500.

Flip-flops: Fun pairs by brands like Juicy Couture, and cheap enough that you won’t mind wearing them in the sand. Dark Waters, H20, Pali Naka, next to Totos Garage Pub, Bandra (W), call 9821445176, start at Rs 450.

Travel Designer: Put your Goa trip in the hands of adrenaline junkie Jehan Driver and he’ll organise everything from accommodation and adventure sports to local cuisine sampling. Call Quest Adventures at 9820367412, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit www.konkanexplorer.com, start at Rs 3,000 per person/per day.

Swimwear: This newly launched online lingerie store has a nice collection of bikinis and one-piece suits from international labels. Dive right in! Visit www.strapsandstrings.com, start at Rs 3,000.

Suitcase: Just packing up these happy trolleys, stamped with airplanes and bright star bursts, will make you feel like you’re on vacation. A good source of therapy for when you’re stuck in Bombay. Call Priya Bohra on 9820374284 or view the Facebook group here, start at Rs 2,000.

Stay: Shack Up

Alila Diwa: With its infinity pool, long (and well-stocked) bar, and chilled out vibe, this swanky boutique hotel on Majorda Beach is one of our favorite places to stay at in Goa. 48/10 Village Majorda, Adao Waddo, Salcette, visit www.alilahotels.com/diwagoa, start at Rs 36,000 per couple, for a four day and three night package.

Amarya Shamiana: Amarya’s four air-conditioned, wi-fi enabled tent suites – calm white pavilions with brightly hued, baroque-styled insides – are probably the prettiest in Goa. Ashwem Beach, next to La Plage restaurant, Mandrem, North Goa, call 0 (832) 6515136 or visit www.amaryagroup.com, start at Rs 5,500 per night.

What: Live in a tree house, The Machan, 20 kms past Lonavla, call +91 8080877420 or visit www.themachan.com, Rs 10,000 a night including breakfast and dinner.

Why: Newly opened Machan boasts four gorgeous, eco-chic tree houses that rise 40 feet above the lush Jambulne forest. Bpb loves: glass-walled hanging rooms, outdoor baths, and 360° views, which compensate for the lack of room service, air conditioning and fancy food.

When: You need to let off some neem.

Fast, frenetic, fashionable and sometimes furiously loud, Hong Kong is one town this Scouter would cheat on her beloved Mumbai for. Here are details of her dirty weekend with the other city by the sea.

Eat

It seems like every nook and cranny of Hong Kong has a restaurant. They tuck themselves amongst office buildings and surround the signature “travelator” in Central, and can even be found buried under froths of tulle at Kimberly Street, a stretch of bridal stores that hawks dresses in bizarre colors and also delish Korean restaurants.

If you’re an herbivore looking for good Chinese food, Three Virtues in Kowloon is your best bet. This restaurant is exclusively vegetarian, offers a huge selection of dim sum for lunch (highly recommended) and also mock meat dishes that are astonishingly tasty.

Also super charming is ABC, a tiny restaurant in Sheung Wan cooked food market, located in what seems like a rundown food courtbut serving up authentic, home style Italian dishes. Try the pasta in red sauce. Finally a shout out to Pret A Manger, the British sandwich chain that we were ecstatic to find all over Hong Kong. Be sure to step in for an egg salad or sweet potato falafel sandwich if you spot a branch.

Leaf Justice: Big Red Tent's new camp site is bigger, better and greener.

Get Out of Town!

If the October heat and unexpected showers kept you in for most of the month, your frolic forecast is about to change. Staring first week of November, Big Red Tent moves out from its old site, and to new and improved location in Khopoli, one that wins bpb’s camp of approval.

This online travel bookstore carries a curated selection of fiction and non fiction books that are sure to send you on a trip.

What: Yellowleg traveller's bookstore, visit www.yellowleg.com, start at Rs 220 for a paperback.

Why: Slick and user-friendly, this online bookstore not only carries usual suspects like Lonely Planet and Fodor’s,  but also a curated selection of trippy fiction and non-fiction. Plus, they offer lowest price guarantees, buy back options and three day delivery. In bpb’s cart: My Invented Country by Isabel Allende, Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer and Ishmael Beah’s A Long Way Gone.

When: You want to (s)train your eye.

Two planes, one autorickshaw, a ferry and a Sumo: these are what it took for this Scouter to find paradise. Walk on the beach, hike through the forests and dive through the clear, clear seas, and you’ll discover that love came to live on Havelock Island, Andamans.

Eat

Black Beard’s Bistro sits amongst fallen trees on a wide beach, a spectacular setting for their seafood specials. We suggest you steer away from pastas and pick your way through Bengali dishes instead, paying special attention to the prawn masala. Fish you a happy meal!

Black Beard’s Bistro, Emerald Gecko Resort, Beach #5, Havelock Island, Rs 500 for a meal.

If you want a break from all that fresh seafood – really, why would you? – visit B3, a trendy, split-level restaurant that serves a mean burger, creamy hummus and fresh foccacia bread (ask for the Goan sausage version, which is not on the menu). They also do good white snapper, serve wine and beer, and live music on Friday nights.

B3, at the jetty, Havelock Island, Rs 350 for a meal.   

Havelock Island is not exactly party central – most places serve only beer and wine, and wind up by 10.30 pm. But if like us you need a Screwdriver to complete your vacation, the bamboo-lined (and fully stocked) bar at Barefoot Resort is your best bet. Foot the bill!

Barefoot Resort, Radhanagar Beach (#7), Rs 300 for a large vodka with orange juice.

Stay

The above-mentioned Barefoot Resort is a nice mix of luxury and Havelock’s untouched vibe, with airy (and air conditioned) cottages made exclusively from biodegradable materials like bamboo and palm leaves and furniture sourced directly from Bali. The bathrooms, however, are mercifully modern. Along with the bar, the resort also has a decent restaurant that serves Indian, Chinese and Italian fare and will happily cook up fish you catch at sea, as well as a massage center and a super efficient reception staff. Plus, the resort is situated just off Havelock’s prettiest beach, Radhanagar.

Barefoot Resort, Radhanagar Beach (#7), visit www.barefootindia.com, rooms start at Rs 4,500.

What: Della Adventures, take the Khandala exit on Mumbai-Pune Expressway, 10 am to midnight daily, call 09870971000 or visit www.dellaadventure.com, Rs 500 cover charge.

Why: Zorbing, motorcross dirt biking, rappelling, jet skiing, zooming around in an ATV: this newly-opened park offers an insane variety of adventure sports as well as a full bar and three restaurants (advance booking required). Overnight accommodations open in May.

When: You want to visit Rock-a-Della Centre.