5 Amazing Fun Things to do when in Chennai

Did you know that Chennai’s Vandalur Zoo was India’s first zoo? Established in 1955, this is also the largest zoo in South Asia. The capital of Tamil Nadu is famous for its scenic beaches and beautiful temple architecture. While you plan out all the fun things to do here, be sure to book a comfortable room in a luxurious hotel like The Leela. Choose a hotel near the Chennai airport if you’re looking for spacious rooms overlooking the sea. The Leela offers Deluxe and Premier rooms and suites, various dining options with Pan-Asian and authentic Chennai cuisines and rejuvenating spa treatments, among other luxuries.

1.  Take Selfies at the Marina Beach

This is the largest beach in India and the second largest in the world. Extending 6.5kms from Fort St. George to Besant Nagar, the Marina Beach offers breathtaking views of the ocean. There are a number of landmarks located along the beach, including an old lighthouse, Victoria War Memorial, Mahatma Gandhi Statue and several other buildings from the time of the British rule. The Marina Beach is a photographer’s delight; and even if you aren’t one, be sure to take many selfies.

2.  Surf at the Covelong Beach

This location is known for beach activities, and is frequented by adventure enthusiasts. For the less brave-hearted, the beach still offers mesmerizing views of tides breaking on the sands. People love swimming and surfing here. Located nearby are various forts, churches and mosques.

3.  Get Amazed at the Guindy National Park & Snake Park

This national park and wildlife conservation area is a must visit for animal lovers. Here you can spot the blackbuck, spotted deer, jackals, snakes, tortoises and over 130 species of birds. Located close to the park is the Madras Crocodile Bank, a reptile zoo and herpetology research center. It is the biggest captive crocodile breeding center in India. It also breeds turtles and tortoises.

4.  Visit the Cholamandal Artist Village

This is India’s largest artists' commune and is home to more than 20 painters and sculptors. The resident artists showcase their best works to visiting guests, while sending some to be displayed at galleries across the globe.

5.  Tour the Royal Enfield Factory

Established in 1955, it is the oldest motorcycle factory in India where bikes can still be seen assembled by hand. Visit to see the different stages in manufacturing of a living legend like Royal Enfield.

Book early to get great offers at the most luxurious hotels near the Chennai airport. Choose one that offers spa treatments, which will help you relax after all the excitement of exploring the various landmarks of Chennai.

The Easiest Way to Buy Movie Tickets Online

We Indians are simply crazy about movies, aren't we? Sultan had already crossed the Rs. 500 crore mark at the box office before the end of July 2016.

In 2015, India had total box office collections of US$1.6 billion, which is expected to rise to US$3 billion by the end of 2016. The global movie tickets booking market is estimated to grow by US$13.72 billion by 2017. The current value in India is US$50 million and nearly 3.6 billion online movie ticket bookings are done every year. With the penetration of smartphones and the internet among the youth, this number is expected to continue to rise in future.

The Easiest Ways to Buy Tickets Online

• Websites: The whole idea of online movie ticketing started with the introduction of websites for just his purpose. You can use these sites to book tickets for almost any event in the city of your choice, from movies to concerts, plays and more. The online ticketing portal, BookMyShow alone, aims at selling 100 million tickets in the financial year of 2016-17. “The size of the total addressable market in India is 500 million tickets and we are looking to tap (the remaining) 80% of the market (as well),” said Ashish Hemrajani, co-founder of the company. The reason for this growth is the exclusive offers that people get by booking tickets online. For example, if you buy tickets using a DBS digibank debit card, you get 30% off. So, if 2 tickets cost Rs. 400, the buyer actually needs to pay only Rs. 280. Not a bad deal, right?

• Mobile Apps: The second most popular and probably even easier way of buying tickets is through mobile apps. Buyers can get many lucrative cashback offers here too. For example, if you book tickets through the BookMyShow app on weekdays, you get 50% off. Similarly, one of the best offers on movie tickets right now is the 10% cashback that you get by booking tickets through digisavings account of digibank.

• Mobile Wallets: The third way of buying tickets online is by using mobile wallets. You can add money in these wallets and book tickets with a simple touch. Again, the buyers get many exclusive offers on these wallets.

Butter Chicken in Mumbai v/s Butter Chicken in Delhi

Ask any Indian foodie what their favorite desi dish is, and most would exclaim, “Butter chicken, of course!” You would agree that there is something sinfully decadent and satisfying about eating a plate of well-made butter chicken. It satiates you like nothing else does – though most people also agree that it does no favors to their waistlines!

The butter chicken dish was said to be invented in Delhi in the early 1920s, by a clever tandoori chicken seller who improvised a dish out of his leftover chicken pieces. The story goes that he prepared a curry for the leftover chicken pieces to soak up, so that the food could be sold and he would not make a loss. Another theory goes that the butter chicken was first prepared in the kitchens of Moti Mahal in Daryagunj. It was said to be an experiment with existing Indian curries, using tomato chunks and butter instead of oil.

Delhi is thus known as the birthplace of butter chicken, but the dish is now found all over the country to lip smacking results. Still, the two main food centers of the country – Delhi and Mumbai – arguably serve the best butter chicken dishes in India.

Delhi butter chicken: The fundamental difference between the butter chicken found in Mumbai and that in Delhi is the treatment of the chicken itself. In Delhi, chefs roast or char grill the chicken after marinating it in herbs and salt. The curry, too, may be prepared using local tomatoes for a deeper color and more zing. Though butter forms the major base for the curry, it is perfectly balanced with a host of spices. The chicken is cooked slowly to ensure that its juices remain intact, and is served in succulent pieces doused in fiery red curry.

Mumbai butter chicken: The butter chicken found in India’s busiest city is milder and sweeter than its fuller-bodied Delhi counterpart. The chicken is often cooked raw with the curry instead of being pre-roasted. The curry is often sweeter and not spicy to the palate. While Delhi eats kebabs and tandoor roti with its butter chicken, Mumbai prefers the fattier butter naan or roomali roti.

Take a culinary trip to explore the many tastes of butter chicken in Delhi and Mumbai. Book a Mumbai to Delhi flight to embark on your tasting sojourn. Once your flight tickets are booked, start by sampling the best varieties of butter chicken in Mumbai and then move on to do the same in Delhi. So whether you find the clear winner in each city, your taste buds and tummy will sing with happiness!

Kovalam - The Perfect Getaway This Fall

Life had been long and monotonous for a while, so I finally decided to take a break from everything related to city life. Tired of the hustle-hustle of a fast moving metro city, I wanted a silent getaway where I could relax and maybe enjoy a cool sea breeze, while watching the sun disappear below the horizon. Where better to do that than in our very own southern heaven, Kerala. Kerala is known as God’s Own Country for a reason. It has beautiful scenic locales, great beaches and amazing backwaters, which makes it the perfect getaway from our congested city life. However, this is also one state that offers a huge variety of destinations to choose from, making it quite difficult to pick just one. After some research, I finally settled on Kovalam for its calm and serene beaches, as well as the popularity of Ayurvedic spas in Kovalam, which are famous around the world. Being in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, Kovalam is well connected to the outside world as well.

Once the place was decided, the dilemma was to choose the best possible place to make the most of my time there. This also took some research on Kovalam hotels and I finally chose The Leela, India's only cliff-top beach resort, and I can say without any doubt that it was one of the best decisions of my life.

Location

The location of the resort was among its best features, since it was just a 15-minute walk from both Kovalam Beach and Hawah Beach, so I could go down to the beach any time I wanted to. The famous Lighthouse Beach was also at an easily accessible distance from the resort.

Accommodation

The room that I stayed in was tastefully done, offering a perfect blend of a great view of the Arabian Sea and the luxurious comfort of modern amenities.

Dining

I chose to dine in at The Tides, which was a sea side restaurant at The Leela. Apart from offering amazing Pan-Asian cuisine, this restaurant also has music by live bands and a great dance floor to lose yourself on. Even the bar offers a stunning view of the coastline, apart from offering best the quality wines.

Spa

The Ayurvedic spa treatment with natural oils and herbs was so rejuvenating that it gave me the feeling of my body being much closer to nature. The spa sessions seemed to detoxify my body and soul alike.

The whole experience of the trip was so memorable and amazing thanks to the great hospitality of the staff and the entire ambience of the whole place. I will surely come back to Kovalam and would definitely staying once again at one of the best Kovalam hotels, The Leela.

This way to shopping paradise, Thailand

One of the best ideas you could have this year is to indulge in some retail therapy in Thailand. Why Thailand? Because it features the most diverse shopping experiences this side of Asia, and it makes every shopping expedition an affair to remember. So go ahead, get your flight tickets and Thailand visa and head to the best shopping delights at

Bangkok.

From swanky malls to floating markets, and from night markets to outlet shops, Bangkok has all of these and more. You can go quite crazy trying to decide what to pick and what to leave – so you might just end up buying everything in sight! When in Bangkok, also check out the famous vintage shops that sell stuff made from old valuable items, or rummage through the sheer variety of clothes at Pratunam Market.

Handicrafts at Chiang Mai.

You will love the sheer variety of handicrafts on sale – prices vary as per item and location – at Chiang Mai, where factories and workshops frame the city centre. You can also head down to these factories to watch artisans at work, apart from picking up several pieces here at excellent prices. There are also good shopping malls here, apart from street markets and boutique stores that sell antiques and handicrafts.

Food items at Phuket.

For the freshest and tastiest produce, head straight to the food markets at Phuket. The island exudes a great vibe that invites shopaholics to spend all day strolling its food and cloth markets. You can also walk into large department stores (the prices here are higher) and boutique shops. Check out cheap clothing options, jewellery, arts and crafts and of course, fresh fruit and vegetables.

Hip shopping at Phi Phi Islands.

Earlier known as a wanderer’s paradise, Phi Phi Island has now emerged as a hippie shopping destination featuring a mishmash of shopping experiences. Almost every shop here doubles up as something else (cafes sell clothes, book stores stock beer, you get the drift…) so it might take a while to shake off your disorientation. But the prices here are quite reasonable, the wares on sale are of a good quality and you must especially check out shops selling blown glass items. Plus, you can get a new tattoo at the island’s famed tattoo parlours.

Affordable shopping at Koh Phangan.

Head straight to Koh Phangan if you want budget shopping in Thailand. You will find a variety of wares at this beach town, from jewellery to shoes and from lingerie to skin care creams. However, this is not a typical shopping destination but more of a market evolved for everyday needs at the beach.

Are you in Bengaluru? Take an evening off for yourself

Bengaluru is truly one of the most pleasurable cities in the country today. A fairly well-planned city with good infrastructure and the most salubrious climate in all of south India, Bengaluru is a good city to live and do business in.

In recent times, Bengaluru has also emerged as a premier destination for IT and allied businesses. As a software hub, it attracts a lot of engineering talent from across the country and abroad. At the same time, the city is host to a lot of high profile events such as concerts for global rock stars. Altogether, Bengaluru is a premier business and pleasure destination in south India.

Chances are that you often head to Bengaluru for meetings, off-site conferences, business training, etc. You probably stay at a hotel, work all day, then head back, pack your bags and leave for home. There are many people who go to Bengaluru but are too busy to enjoy the sights or even take in the city’s metropolitan vibe. This means that they are often unaware of the many joys that the city has to offer the traveller.

One of these joys is the typical south Indian massage that you can enjoy at a premium spa in Bengaluru. It consists of deep tissue massage and reflexology using warm herbal oils to relax tense muscles and eliminate toxins. The massage may be a foot spa or a full body massage using oils and aromatherapy.

Both men and women can partake of excellent spas in Bengaluru, which also offer Swedish massages, head and foot spas, pain relieving massages and many more. Those who opt for traditional south Indian massages find that not only does their stress decrease while the massage is on, but various aches and pains also disappear gradually. The warm herbal oils seep into the skin’s tissues and help in cell repair and rejuvenation, apart from offering anti-oxidant action.

In addition, most good spas in Bengaluru serve healing cups of green or white tea after the massage is over, or a brew of honey in ginger tea so that toxins are removed from the system and the body feels fresher.

So the next time you are in Bengaluru, do take the time and set an evening off for yourself. Book yourself into a spa, get a full body massage, have an early vegetarian dinner and head to bed. When you wake up the next morning, you will be refreshed and ready to take on the world!

A perfect location in Mumbai to celebrate every life event

The stress of life in Mumbai is such that one hardly gets the time to sit back and unwind after a hard day. Many hours spent in tiring commutes, constant deadlines and impossible targets make working life a miserable one for many Mumbaikars. Then there is the absolute paucity of lush green spaces where one may go and just sit quietly to contemplate one’s life and future.

The only spaces that provide any scope for entertainment for the whole family are shopping malls and cinema theatres. With so little time one gets to relax during the week, weekends are spent in cleaning up the house and meeting only with immediate family members. This busy lifestyle ensures that many Mumbaikars do not get the time to catch up with family members unless there is a public holiday.

So why not plan a get-together?

A get-together is the perfect opportunity for family and friends to meet each other after a long time, exchange views and hugs, bond over food and drinks and generally pick up the threads of their lives. If you have been wanting to hold a small gathering of friends and family, pick a special occasion and book a suitable banquet hall for it.

It is fairly easy to plan a get-together in Mumbai if you have the guest list ready. But be sure to book only the most prime facility if you want to make the occasion extra special. There are many good banquet halls in Mumbai, but only the very best, like The Leela Mumbai, are actually worth booking. The Leela Mumbai puts together one of the most exquisite banquets in Mumbai backed by opulent spaces and the best support staff to make your event a grand success.

Spread over a plush 11,742 square feet of area, the Leela Mumbai offers opulent banquet space in its Grand Ballroom that can seat up to 1,200 guests. Now that’s a large amount of space for the most boisterous celebration you can think of! Or you can book the smaller Ball Rooms if you’re planning a more intimate do, like a silver wedding anniversary or a 50th birthday or even a mehndi ceremony.

The Leela Mumbai offers the best seating options, exquisite international or Indian cuisine of your choice, extremely attentive and helpful staff and the most luxurious banquet spaces that you can ask to be customised for your function. Plus, the hotel is conveniently located at Sahar, in the heart of Mumbai, so it is fairly easy to reach it as well.

All in all, you can have the best banquet in Mumbai at The Leela!