10 weekend getaways Mumbaikars love

From picturesque hill stations and gorgeous beaches to adventurous getaways, there are many places to visit near Mumbai during the weekends. Mumbaikars take holidaying very seriously but shrinking weekends make it impossible to plan extended trips. This means only one thing: pack in as much as you can and make the most of each day. Based on this philosophy of maximizing your weekends, here are a few weekend breaks from Mumbai. Kolad Just over a 100 kilometres from Mumbai, on the banks of the Kundalika River, Kolad is a sleepy village frequented by adventure junkies who're keen on rafting Saputara Hill Station Located atop a thickly forested plateau in the Sahyadri range, Saputara is the only hill station in the Dang district in the south of Gujarat. Mandwa One the closest getaways from Mumbai where one can try sea kayaking, the village of Mandwa has a beach which is ideal for watersports. Accessible by sea and land, Mandwa has evolved from being a sleepy village known for its seafood to a water sports hub in the last few years with private adventure companies setting up adventure trips and weekend getaways for Mumbaikars. Guesthouses, tents and other kinds of accommodation can be found in Mandwa for those who want to spend more than a day here. Ajanta and Ellora caves Separated by a distance of about 100 km from each other, the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Ajanta and Ellora provide an interesting peek into the ancient sculptures and paintings of different Indian religions—Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. Carved out 29 km north-west of Aurangabad, Ellora is a cluster of 34 caves that were built between 600 CE and 1000 CE. The most unique and popular spot in Ellora is the Kailash Temple (Cave 16), which was designed to resemble Mount Kailash (believed to be the abode of the god Shiva in Hindu mythology). Maharashtra’s other monumental rock-cut attraction is Ajanta, whose caves are home to some of the finest carved sculptures and paintings in Indian history. These were made in two phases from the 2nd century BCE until about 6th century CE, and include everything from a series of Buddha sculptures, battlefield scenes, mountain ranges and sailing ships to forest covers. If you’re a history-buff and love exploring ancient ruins, then you must add these historical masterpieces to your Maharashtra itinerary. Don’t forget to take a guide along. Tarkarli With its white sands and blue waters, the Tarkali beach is a great place to unwind and sample spicy Malvani cuisine, which makes ample use of locally-available,fresh seafood. Lonavla A popular town and hill station in Maharashtra, Lonavla is a major tourist stop-over for those travelling between Mumbai and Pune. Surrounded by a lush blanket of green, this hill-station springs to life during the monsoon season. At every corner, you will find shops selling the famous chikki, a rock-hard, brittle sweet popular in the area. As you stand atop a stunning hill amidst the early morning monsoon mist, you realise that Lonavla is the perfect breather from the craziness of city life. To cool off the day’s heat, you could also head to the many dams and waterfalls that are interspersed throughout the hill-station. While there, you can also visit the nearby Karla and Bhaja Caves, which are one of the best examples of rock-cut architecture in Maharashtra. Matheran Matheran sits atop the Sahyadris Mountain range and is another hot weekend getaway for city slickers. Mahabaleshwar Once the summer capital of the Bombay Presidency during the British Raj, it offers visitors a perfect blend of modernity with old-world charm. Bhandardara For a short hour-long journey, this hill station offers city dwellers a drastically contrasting landscape and stunning surroundings. Crossworld Holidays gives the best  Crossworld Holidays Tours & Travels (IATA approved) Ground Floor, Ram Smruti, Opp. to New English School, Ram Maruti Road, Cross Road, Thane (W) - 400602, India Tel:+91 - 22 - 4038 4747  Fax:+91 - 22 - 2542 3427 E-mail: crossh@gmail.com