TOURIOSITY  TRAVELMAG

This issue of Touriosity is dedicated to forests around the world and the
unique avian species that inhabit them. From the lesser known birds
that are endemic to the islands of Great Britain to the most unusual
birds that dwell in the African savannahs, this issue provides a peek into
the world of various winged species. The issue is more pictorial in nature
and provides a glimpse into the beauty of the world around us. Lovers
of the forests, travel afficionades as well as photographers, all are sure
to like this special issue.

This issue of Touriosity is dedicated to the beauty and diversity of the
eastern Indian state of West Bengal. This region is known for its cultural, geographical and ethnic diversity as well as for its historical significance. We bring to our readers 101 destinations from this state,
which, depending on where your base is, may be a weekend destination
or one ideal for a daytrip. Also included in the issue is An Artists Impression of Kolkata.

Forest issues have been a regular feature of Touriosity. Over the years,
we have focused on various sub-topics in our forest themed issues, mainly choosing certain species or restricting ourselves to certain geographical limits, this forest issue, however, is different. We chose to bring
glimpses of families, love and bonding from the wilderness in this issue.
We have a beautiful article dedicated to the mothers and their parenting. One doesn’t need to be a traveller, an avid photographer or a wildlife enthusiast to read through the stories and find them interesting.
There is also an Artist’s Impression of the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest.

Even in this age of most advanced technological attractions, probably nothing brings as much respite as a majestic fountain. There are many historic fountains around the world with splendid designs and interesting stories behind. Today most of these historic landmarks have been converted into tourist attractions. Such is their appeal that many modern-day fountains have also come up in many places using the latest technology to entertain people. In this issue we bring to our readers glimpses of the most iconic fountains from every corner of the globe that should definitely not be missed.

Music is an important attraction for tourists. Some even go to the extent of deciding their holiday destinations based on the music, art and culture they have to offer. Music Festivals therefore are becoming a global tourism product. In this issue we bring to our readers some very interesting destinations. If music is what you really enjoy, this issue is going to be one of your most favourites. Even otherwise readers will get to know many facts that will help populate their bucket list

Mountain-themed issues of Touriosity have always been very popular with our readers. So we decided to dedicate this issue to this theme. But there is a difference. While all our previous mountain issues were centred around a mountaineering expedition, this issue is not. Here we have brought to our readers glimpses of mountains from around the world. These mountains have different claims to fame; while some are the highest peaks, others are known for sheer beauty or their adventure component, some are associated with legends, some others remain still unexplored. Mountaineers, travellers and readers, we expect this issue to benefit all.

With this issue Touriosity has achieved a milestone. It has completed 10 years. The journey has been a memorable one and along the way we have had many small but significant achievements too. In this issue we decided to celebrate our ten glorious years with a recap of all that we have come across. The issue compiles all past thematic issues, the various mountaineering expeditions wherein Touriosity was the Media Partner as also it provides glimpses of precious moments captured by some of our contributors at different locations around the world. There is also an artist’s impression of Hanoi, Vietnam in this issue.

An article on the Artist’s Impression of Gondar in Ethiopia is also part of this issue.

Historical, cultural and natural landmarks have always been on the
bucket list of travellers worldwide. Now that life is coming back to normal after the pandemic and travel is happening again we thought of bringing to our readers a list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India to help them prepare the post-pandemic travel bucket list. This issue contains all the basic information our readers need to plan their future trips to these prominent landmarks in the country. The issue is also replete with beautiful images and watercolour illustrations of these cultural and natural heritages of India.

Historically, waterways have played an important role in transportation
of goods and trading between regions. As a result some cities
around the world had a very developed canal system. Even today one
can find many such beautiful cities with gorgeous canals at the very
heart of them. While cities like Venice, Amsterdam and Hamburg are
quite known the world over for their beautiful canals, there are others
scattered across the globe that also abode a network of canals. This issue
of Touriosity is dedicated to these arterial waterways that bind the
regions of the Earth together.

In our series of issues themed on the Asian continent, this is the second and final one, for the time being. This largest continent in the world is known for its sheer beauty and diversity. While the previous issue was focused on this diversity of the continent in terms of its people, culture, religions, geography, architecture, natural beauty, food etc., this issue brings to our readers glimpses from and information about some of the least visited and lesser known countries of the continent. The issue is surely going to be very helpful for our readers in planning their future
trips to less crowded destinations in Asia.

Asia, the largest continent in the world, stretching from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea to that of the Pacific Ocean and home to about 60% of the world’s population, also has the second highest number of countries, after Africa. But no continent in the world can beat the diversity of Asia. This issue themed on ‘Asia’ (first in a series of two back to back issues) focuses on this diversity of the continent in terms of its people, culture, religions, geography, architecture, natural beauty and more. The issue provides necessary information about all the 53 countries and special administrative regions in the continent and lists their main attractions

Aerial tourism has been popular, especially in some specific destinations around the world as also with photographers, for the last couple of decades. But the years 2020 and 2021 have seen exponential rise in the interest of people in aerial tourism. The reason, however, is easy to guess. In this issue of Touriosity, we have our focus on Aerial Tours. Various types of such tours involving different vehicles and aircrafts have been covered. All possible destinations in the 6 inhabited continents that one might put in the bucket list, have been included. There is also an Artist’s Impression article on Yazd, Iran.

The interest of travellers in polar tourism is on the rise. For the adventure enthusiasts a travel to the Polar Regions, being a test of endurance and fitness, signifies the ultimate exploration. Truly travel to the polar areas is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. This issue of Touriosity is dedicated to Polar Tourism. The issue seems more dreamlike than real. It covers extremely unusual destinations, adventures, journeys, wildlife, food, Inuit culture and some amount of history too, thus making a reading very interesting and informative at the same time. Away from the central theme, there is also an article on Artist’s Impression of Hoi An in Vietnam.

Greece is a good place to see the moon, they say. Indeed it is, and it is much more than just that. This country, which is the birthplace of modern democracy, philosophy, politics, art and culture, is blessed with everything that travellers crave for ... nature, sea, beaches, architecture, history, art, good food and more. For long we have had the desire to dedicate an issue exclusively to Greece. So here we bring to you this time a collection of great articles from some of the most beautiful and visitor-friendly places from across the country. In a first the issue also features three articles of an artist’s impression of three different destinations of Greece.

For travellers and adventure aficionados island vacations are becoming increasingly popular. The exuberant verdure of pristine islands hypnotizes travellers, the fresh country air rejuvinates the mind and the body. Adding to the charm of the paradisiacal lands are the tropical fish and coral gardens. In most touristy islands, those willing to indulge in some activities and adventure sports also get ample opportunity for an adrenaline rush, with hiking, kayaking, windsurfing, snorkelling, scuba diving and more. This issue is dedicated to such islands and island holidays. It covers some of the most beautiful, and yet unexplored islands of the world.

In this issue we bring to our readers 14 such destinations that have the air and feel of a foreign land and the good news is that you don’t even need a visa to travel here.

Food tourism is integral part of tourism as most tourists do indulge in some local delicacies while visiting a destination. For food adventurers or foodies however, food plays an important part even in planning a trip, for they travel with the desire of exploring local cuisines. World cuisine is so varied and interesting that we wanted to give our readers a sneak peek into the world kitchens. So as promised in our last issue, this time we bring to our readers a virtual gastronomic tour around the world. This issue of Touriosity will help our readers to draw up a bucket list of items you wish to taste the next time you travel to a country.

India being a big and diverse country, a single issue is not enough to cover all the regional culinary treats. So we have covered only half of the country leaving the rest for yet another issue in future.

This issue of Touriosity is one of those rare ones - truly a collectors’ copy. It is dedicated to the diversity and beauty of the continent of Africa. For a change we are not talking about wildlife, forests or safaris. The issue is dedicated purely to the different cultures, traditions, lifestyle, people, scenic beauty, lesser known tourist attractions and less visited countries of the continent. We have covered 20 countries in all, of these 10 being the least visited countries of the continent and the other 10 being the most popular ones. There is also an article on an Artist’s Impression of Uganda.

We are back with yet another Forest issue this time. But this is
not just an issue focusing on some national parks and wildlife
sactuaries as our readers might expect, this issue brings alive the
legendary Bagheera, the black panther from Rudyard Kipling’s
‘The Jungle Book’. There is also an article about a road trip across
Guyana in search of the elusive Jaguar. These two stories apart,
the rest of the issue is dedicated to colourful avian species from
around the world. The issue also includes an article about an artist’s
impression of Guilin in China.

Adventure Tourism is very popular with young tourists all over the world. Adventure activities appeal to tourists because they allow them to step outside their comfort zone. This month’s Touriosity is themed on ‘Adventure Tourism’ and the issue is a collection of articles about various types of adventures that tourists can take part in. From flying over the highest railway bridge to a trip to a village of former headhunters, there are many interesting stories inside. In the artist’s impression section there is a beautiful article about a trip to the ruins of Persepolis, in present day Iran.

This issue of Touriosity is dedicated to Journeys of all kinds. From the comfort of a caravan trip to a challenging road trip on one of the world’s most dangerous roads, from a luxury train that can be afforded only by the filthy rich to one of the world’s most inexpensive train rides that takes passengers across scenic landscapes for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, from a dream bike trip to Ladakh and a walking tour of Bangkok to a compilation of the world’s most dangerous roads, this issue has all that our readers would ever want to know about journeys.

This issue marks an incredible milestone for Touriosity. It’s the 100th issue of the magazine! In addition we also enter the 10th Year of the monthly publication. For the past 9 years we’ve brought innumerable inspiring stories of travel and adventure from every corner of the world. We thank you for embarking on this journey with us and to mark the occasion we celebrate the ‘People and Cultures around the world’ in this issue. There are photos, stories and illustrations from almost 100 countries in this Special Edition of Touriosity.

Prisons continue to be like a mystery, to people in general and tourists in particular. There are many historical prisons and detention centres around the world that are tourist attractions today. Some of them have been converted into museums while others into hotels or other sorts of accommodation. The result is the increasing popularity of prison tourism as a form of dark tourism. This issue is dedicated to prison tourism and there are interesting stories about numerous prisons around the world. There is also an article on an Artist’s Impression of Angkor Wat.

Like every year, we have dedicated this October issue to the annual
festivities of Bengal. During this time of the year Durga Puja dominates the life of people in this part of the country. With domestic
travel restrictions being eased to a large extent, we have made an
attempt to bring to our readers numerous small and big attractions
of the state so that they do not have to travel too far for the much
needed respite after months of lockdown. There is also a beautiful
article on Durga Puja of Bengal. In the ‘Artist’s impression’ section
one finds the watercolour illustrations of Lijiang in China.

In this issue of Touriosity we focus on time travel. We plan to take our readers on a trip to the ancient world, one that does not exist anymore. To put it simply, this issue is themed on lost civilisations and readers get to do a virtual trip to the sites that have the rem¬nants of some of the once flourishing civilisations. For the history buffs, there’s a lot information to gather from this issue, for others it is a sheer delight to go through the interesting articles. In the ‘Artist’s impression’ section one finds the watercolour illustrations of the historical settlements of Capadoccia in Turkey.

After many months and many unique issues we are back with our most favourite theme - wildlife and forests. August 2020 issue is dedicated to the very tall and elegant giraffe. There are articles about the various sub-species of the animal, the best places to sight each one of them and a gory story of a ‘chase and kill’ in the wilderness. There are other articles too, unrelated to giraffes. There is an impressive ‘Artist’s impression of Tehran’ article and one about the mangroves of the Sundarbans. In addition there are also the regular features of News and Horoscope.

impression of Guilin in China.

After three consecutives issues themed on ‘Virtual Tourism’ (because of a
worldwide lockdown due to COVID-19) we are back to our usual self with
a uniquely themed issue once again. The Snow and Ice issue has been long
overdue from our end. And with the mercury increasing, we thought this
was the best way to bring some respite to our readers. In this issue we have
addressed Snow and Ice tourism from all possible perspectives - must-visit
destinations, unique and offbeat places, ice hotels, sports and activities, festivals,
wildlife, cultures, tribes and more. This issue is therefore truly a ‘collectors’
piece’.

The scare of the COVID 19 pandemic continues, quite contrary to what the world has been thinking in terms of succeeding in putting an end to the spread of the virus. A major part of the world is still under lockdown. But the good news is that countries are gradually opening up, airline companies are beginning their operations. But in order to reflect the true state of the current situation, we decided to have one more issue on Virtual Tourism, hopefully the last one. In this issue we provide glimpses into some rather unexplored countries of the world. There is also the recent updates on the pandemic in the News section.

In the wake of the COVID 19 pandemic, the world is still under lockdown.
There is no travel and tourism almost anywhere in the world at present. But
hopefully things will get better soon. In solidarity with travel enthusiasts
around the globe who are sitting at home waiting for the menace to be over,
we decided to dedicate our issues during this pandemic to virtual tourism.
In this issue we give our readers a virtual tour of the remotest places of the
world. There is also news from corona-affected places. In addition, the issue
also contains a list of the best travel movies and travel books of all times that
one might want to watch or read now, since travel in reality is not possible.

Travel and Tourism industry is probably the biggest sufferer during the COVID 19 pandemic that originated in China in January 2020 and swept across
many countries thereafter. It is still a big threat, and although China has overcome the setback and has gone back to normal life, most countries in the
world are still under lockdown. Amidst this travel ban, we decided to give
our readers a virtual tour of the world, bringing them not only the news of
corona-affected places but also glimpses of the most popular tourist destinations as on date. The issue also contains a list of the best travel movies of all
times that one might want to watch now, since travel itself is not possible.

It may sound quite unbelievable, but in reality the subterranean world is full of interesting sights and activities that regular tourists are unaware of. There are secret tunnels and passages with both interesting and grim history, buried towns and streets, underground palaces and historical chambers, catacombs, subterranean cities, hidden caves, waterfalls and rivers underneath many places. It is possible to make trips to these interesting places. This issue is all about such unique destinations that must feature in your bucket list if you are a real explorer at heart. One also finds in this issue An Artist’s Impression of El Calafate.

The number of travellers preferring to go for adventure sport is on the rise worldwide. More and more tourists are also adding some adrenaline pumping activities to their regular holidays. No wonder, that destinations are adding new adventure activity options and more places are coming up on the map with extreme adventure sports. Over the years Touriosity has promoted adventure tourism and physical activity, and needless to say, these developments make us happy. This is our third issue dedicated to Adventure Tourism and it has interesting stories of scuba diving, hiking, backpacking and travelling to the end of the world.

Food is an important part of tourism experience and for foodies, it is one of the top priorities while choosing destinations. This is the third Food issue of Touriosity and the first one to focus majorly on the cuisines of India for inbound travellers as well as domestic tourists ex¬ploring the other parts of the country. While we have reviewed a few restaurants across the country in this issue, the most important article here focuses on the street foods of India. We are quite sure that readers and visitors to this country will be happy to populate their bucket list after reading the article.<