There is a reason why humans don’t have roots like trees. It’s because they aren’t supposed to stay in one place. Travelling is one of the best gifts that you can give to yourself. Travelling to different places not only helps in changing your thought process but also educates you about really vast things. Travelling has become popular among Indians particularly in the past decade with many opting it as a full-time career. Despite the increasing popularity of travelling among the common people in India, many are not able to travel due to the complex paperwork including the visa process. But what if someone tells you that there are countries that you can travel to without having to apply for a visa. Yes, many countries allow Indian tourists to visit their country without a visa or provide visa-on-arrival.
Let’s take a look at 5 such countries that allow visa-free travel for Indian passport holders:
- Nepal: Situated at the Northern border of India, Nepal is a landlocked country that shares its border with Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Sikkim. The Himalayan beauty that is home to the world’s tallest peak, Mt. Everest, is a center of attraction for adventure junkies. One can travel from India to Nepal via bus, flight, or a private vehicle. The open borders between the two countries make it easy for people from every class to visit Nepal. All you need to show is an Indian identity card. When travelling via road, even a passport is not required for Indian tourists. The shared cultural heritage between the two countries is the reason that a lot of pilgrims visit Nepal to visit the holy places like the Pashupatinath Temple, a famous Hindu religious site, and Boudhanath, a stupa which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Bhutan: Bhutan is another landlocked country situated at the eastern border of the country. Bhutan is known as the world’s happiest country that shares its border with India and Tibet. Bhutan is home to picturesque monasteries, marvelous hills, greenery, and valleys. Like Nepal, Bhutan also attracts a lot of travel junkies from all across the world. Paro Dzong is the most picturesque and popular place in the country that can’t be missed. The Taktsang Monastery and the capital city of Thimphu are some other important places to visit. Like Nepal, no visa is required for Indian nationals in Bhutan as well. Indian nationals can enter Bhutan by showing either their passport or a valid Voter ID card. The most popular way of travelling to Bhutan is via road.
- Mauritius: Mauritius is one of the most exotic travel destinations in the world enriched by marvelous beaches. Mauritius attracts a lot of young travelers and married couples from Indian every year. It is full of blue-water beaches, reefs, and lagoons. Some of the popular tourist destinations include Chamarel, where various colours of the uneven volcanic surface can be seen, and L’Aventure Du Sucre, which is a popular sugar museum with its sugarcane fields. Indian nationals get a 60-day Visa-on-arrival after landing in Mauritius and they don’t have to book the visa along with the flight.
4. Fiji: Fiji is a very popular travel destination due to its magnificent views and picturesque trekking points that have an abundance of natural beauty. Fiji is an archipelago of more than 333 islands situated in the South Pacific close to Australia and New Zealand. It also offers different adventure sports such as snorkeling and jet-skiing with the most popular stop for it being Denarau Island. Another famous place is Kula Eco Park, which is home to Fiji’s rich flora and fauna. Thanks to the close diplomatic ties, Indians do not need a visa to travel to the beautiful country apart from special cases.
5. Ecuador: If you have had enough of typical beaches and mountains and want to add variety to your travel experience, head to Ecuador to witness mother nature at its very best amid the vast Amazon forests that are home to thousands of species. Ecuador is situated on the Equator in north-western South America, between Colombia and Peru. You can actually reach the center of the world after taking a bus. You can also pay a visit to the iconic Galapagos Islands, the place where Charles Darwin developed the theories of evolution. You can also travel to other Latin American countries from Ecuador easily. Indians do not require a visa to visit Ecuador. All you need is a passport with a validity of six months, a return ticket and travel insurance.
