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Chota breaks ... Easy getaways The long holiday weekends are upon us. Perhaps some of you would like to celebrate by taking a chota break... And head away from the city for some fresh hava and soothe your soul with some greenery. Here are some destinations where you can take that vacation. They are not off the beaten track. But a few days spent away at these quick getaways will recharge your batteries. Outside New Delhi Neemrana For a quick romantic weekend in colourful Rajasthan head for Neemrana. Just 120 km from New Delhi is the 15th century Neemrana fort. Prithviraj Chauhan built this fort which has now been converted into a charming hotel. Rates Samode Samode is another special Rajasthani destination not too far from New Delhi. A quiet distinctive town of small havelis, Samode is a great place to absorb Rajasthani atmosphere. The town's bazaar sell unique trinkets and cloth. The havelis with their interesting paintings are worth a visit, as well the 400-year-old grand Samode Palace. Samode is 220 km and about six and a half hours away from New Delhi by road. Rates Manesar A stay at the Sita Heritage Village at Manesar is a luxurious way to spend the weekend and the only reason to venture to this spot in Gurgaon, Haryana on the Delhi-Jaipur highway. This palace complex offers 82 comfortably furnished rooms and suites. The hotel offers a variety of facilities -- a health yoga, aerobics, fitness, tennis courts, a swimming pool, a sauna, jacuzzi, tennis, badminton, a gymnasium, table tennis, billiards and a variety of recreation for children. Rates Alwar At Siliserh, just 14 km from Alwar, along the lake front, is a beautiful palace built by Maharaja Vinay Singh, in the 19th century, for his queen. The 7mahal has been converted into a hotel and is run by Rajasthan's state tourism department. A weekend in this palace is reason enough to visit Alwar. One of the advantages of holidaying in Alwar is the proximity of the Sariska Tiger Reserve (37 km away). Open all year round, the park was once the Alwar royal hunting grounds. Rates Rishikesh A six hour drive from Delhi. The Himalayas provide a beautiful backdrop to Rishikesh which the Beatles made famous when they called on their guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, in the late sixties. The Ganga flows through Rishikesh. Rates For information about more discounts do check Hotel Packages Outside Bombay Mahabaleshwar The summer capital of the Bombay presidency, the little town of Mahabaleshwar, situated 1372 above sea level, was founded in 1828 and is the highest point in the Western Ghats. A relaxing place to diddle away a weekend and an ideal destination in summer. A typical colonial town, in spirit closer to Blighty than Marathaland, with plenty of bridle paths, boating and golf facilities, fishing spots and trekking trails. Rates Amboli Not many venture to the rugged Sahyadri hill town of Amboli. The town does not strictly qualify as a quick getaway from Bombay being about 550 km away via Pune near Belgaum. Vistas of lush forests, deep valleys stretch away from Amboli. Nearby are the popular scenic spots -- Hiranya Keshi, Nagarta Falls and Narayangad. The Konkan Railway is a more comfortable way of reaching Amboli. The nearest railhead is at Sawantwadi, 28 km away. Rates Harihareshwar White sand. Green palms. Nirvana. That's Harihareshwar. This Maharashtrian beach town in Ratnagiri district about 215 km from Bombay is a great place to catch a tan. The Kalabhairav temple -- devoted to Shiva, located here -- makes Harihareshwar a draw for pilgrims as well. Harihareshwar is on the Bombay-Goa highway, 20 km ahead of Srivardhan. Rates Bordi On Maharashtra's northern coast, north of Bombay, before the Gujarat border, is located Bordi. A small town, with a sizeable Parsi population, Bordi offers possibilities for a quiet holiday. Waves roll up onto clean beaches and there are a few places to hang out. Bordi is 130 km away from Bombay. A number of trains to Saurashtra in Gujarat stop at Bordi. Rates For information about more discounts do check Hotel Packages Outside Bangalore Kuteeram Kuteeram is an hour's drive from Bangalore. The only real reason to visit this hamlet is to spend an expensive weekend at the newly opened Taj resort. The hotel offers nine individual cottages made of stone, mud and bricks. Their architecture is meant to 'reflect the glory of ancient Indian art'. The hotel is near Nrityagram, the late Protima Bedi's institute of Indian classical dance. It is located 42 kms from the Bangalore airport. The hotel has a restaurant, a bar and an ayurvedic centre and offers indoor games. Rates Srirangapatnam Srirangapatnam, 135 km from Bangalore was once Tipu Sultan's capital. The fort and Srirangapatnam town lie on an island in the middle of the Kaveri river. Sections of his capital still survive -- Daria Daulat Bagh, Jami Masjid mosque, Gumbaz mausoleum, ramparts of his fort - and are worth a special tour. Five km away from Srirangapatnam is the tranquil Ranganathittoo Bird Sanctuary. The town is also a popular pilgrimage site and Hindus flock to the Sriranganathaswamy Vishnu Temple. Rates Hampi A holiday to Hampi is actually a holiday of a lifetime. India's version of Pompeii -- minus the volcano -- the ancient town of Hampi, like Pompeii, is an ancient city that still lives and is an extremely intriguing place to visit. Vijayanagara, as it is also called, dates back to the 14th century although it is said that Hampi has been continuously inhabited since the 4th century. Exploring the ruins, 26 sq km in area, which are located on the Tungabhadra river, can be an expedition of a few days. Rates Chikmagalur Situated in the heart of coffee land, is the quiet hill station of Chikmagalur. Nearby is the Mullaiyanagiri peak. At more than 1,900 metres the mountain is one of the highest summits in the South. The town boasts a pretty Hoysala temple -- the Kodandarama temple. A Taj group resort has just opened in this sleepy town and offers posh accommodation. In proximity to Chikmagalur are a few other temple towns like Marle or Belavadi. Driving to Chikmagalur from Bangalore is a treat and stretches of highway pass through rather scenic landscape. Chikmagalur is over 250 km from Bangalore via Hassan, Halebid and Belur. Rates Karwar Karnataka's northern beaches are an unending, undiscovered stretch of sand. Beaches at Gokarna, Karwar and Devbagh are especially enticing spots to spend a few days off. Basic hotel accommodation is available in these towns. Karwar is 386 km from Bangalore via Hubli. Karwar is also five hours away from Panjim and seven hours from Mangalore. The nearest large railhead is at Margao. Several trains pull into Margao daily from Kerala, Mangalore, Bombay and the north. Rates Somnathpur The 13th century Kesava temple in Somnathpur is said to be one of the finest samples of Hoysala architecture. Karnataka Tourism runs a basic resort near Somnathpur at Bannur, 7 km away. Rates Nandi Hills Nandi Hills Tipu Sultan's summer retreat is 65 km northeast of Bangalore. The hill station affords fine views, treks, and the ninth century Bhogandishvara Temple. Famous for its steeply inclined Tipu Drop which has visitors gape-jawed. in Hampi, about 12 kms from Hospet. Rates For information about more discounts do check Hotel Packages Outside Madras Mahaballipuram This seaside town, some 60 km south of Madras, has several attractions to choose from. If beaches are your scene, there's miles of unspoilt sand and sea to relax on at Mahabalipuram, also called Mamallapuram. If you are into history, then this port of the Pallava dynasty offers bas reliefs, rock cut temples, rock carvings and as many as sixteen man-made caves, all of historical significance. Rates For information about more discounts do check Hotel Packages Outside Calcutta Sajnekhali Sajnekhali is the closest settlement to the mysterious Sunderbans. The Bengali word sunderbans means beautiful forest and this wildlife preserve is just that. A visit to this preserve is an enchanting, once-in-a-lifetime experience. Great for an eye to eye session with the majestic Royal Bengal tiger. The Sunderbans are accessible only by riverine waterways. By rail from Sealdah station one can come up to Canning (54 kilometres away) and by bus from Strand Road one can come up to Sonakali (100 kilometres away) and Basanti (105 kilometres away). From there, one can catch a watercraft to Gosaba and Sajnekhali. The best way of reaching the Sunderbans is to travel by road up to Basanti (a three-hour trip). From Basanti, you take an hour-long ferry ride to Gosaba. And from Gosaba it is a lovely cycle rickshaw ride through charming Bengali villages and then another boat ride to Sajnekhali. Rates Raichak Raichak, along the Hooghly, 55 from Calcutta is an attractive weekend destination, chiefly because the luxurious Ffort Radisson is located here. The riverside town is the site of the Raichak fort, a British fort that once defended the river in the 18th century. Rates For information about more discounts do check Hotel Packages EARLIER FEATURES: The great escape: Fifteen summer destinations Janmashtami destinations: India's famous Krishna temples Trips for two: Romantic holidays Quick breaks Tell us what you think of this feature

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