5 Eco-Friendly Places You Must Visit In India

However polluted our cities get, there are still plenty of eco-friendly places you can visit in India right now. And they are spread across the length and breadth of the country so you're never too far away from one of them. Today, we'll be taking you through five of the most amazing eco-friendly places you must visit in India and also telling you everything about what makes them so visit-worthy. That said, let's get going with the list.

Kumbalangi, Kerala

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You must recognise that name from the hit Malayalam film Kumbalangi Nights. If you've watched it, you'll know exactly how beautiful this island village is. Situated amidst backwaters, it is the first eco-tourism village in India and attracts tourists from all over the world for its famous Chinese fishing nets. You will find several homestays in this serene location, which will serve you local fish preparations that are worth dying for.

Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim

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If that name sounds too hard to pronounce, just remember it stands for the same Kanchenjunga mountain that we learnt about in school. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this National Park is filled with lush temperate broadleaf and mixed forests consisting of oaks, fir, birch, maple, and willow. Wildlife present here includes musk deer, snow leopard, sloth bear, and red panda, among others.

Mawlynnong, Meghalaya

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Mawlynnong is known as Asia's cleanest village. It is located 90kms from Shillong and has immense lush green forests, especially during and after the monsoon season. The village's commitment to cleanliness is visible everywhere as you'll find bamboo-made dustbins on every corner. A fun fact about Mawlynnong is that it has a matrilineal society, which means that the traditional Khasi people have their property and wealth passed from the mother to the youngest of her daughters.

Kodagu (Coorg), Karnataka

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Kodagu was formerly known as Coorg and is among the many amazing eco-friendly places you must visit in India. It has a rich history that dates back to the Sangam period and that's perhaps the reason why everything here keeps giving you an old-world feel. The rich biodiversity of this region is to die for and so is the welcoming nature of its locals.

Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh

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If a tiger reserve is what your heart desires, Kanha is the place to be at. The plentiful mixed-forest trees interspersed with meadows are home to big populations of tigers, wild dogs, sloth bears, leopards, foxes, and jackals. Even after you're done with the safari, the stays that are offered on the outskirts of the National Park give a calm and serene experience that isn't worth missing out on.

A few other amazing places didn't make it to the list but are also worth being counted among eco-friendly places you must visit in India. These include Pragpur and Lahaul Spiti in Himachal Pradesh, Khonoma Village in Nagaland, Thenmala in Kerala, and Melghat Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra.