Have you been to Manali? No I mean Manali and not just the mall road or cafe hopping in Old Manali or posing with rabbits at the Hadimba temple (like seriously?). A lot of travellers, even me; in my initial few visits to Manali, are unaware of what magic lies beyond the obvious attractions in Manali. It was only after I started living here permanently that I stumbled upon the realisation— there are so many amazing vistas beyond the cafe and market hustle bustle.
For instance, as you keep walking straight ahead of the Manu temple Parking (not the temple but the parking lot) towards the village side that you encounter the magic of the local village life and the Paradise valley.
After I uploaded this picture, a lot of people mistook this to be Kasol but this is our very own Old Manali. All you need to do is keep following the trail towards the river. Here are a few pictures that will help you see the unseen parts of Old Manali.
On a clear sunny day, the trail in the paradise valley of Old Manali is no less than what one can imagine the real paradise to be like.
Since the past couple of years, experiencing a sudden rise in the concrete giants in Old Manali has given me goosebumps. Wood is expensive and concrete is a quick and cheap alternative to creating establishments. However, this has sadly resulted in a lot of mountain villages, including Old Manali losing their charm. But if you are someone who loves experiencing what Manali would have looked like a couple of decades ago, then you should head straight to the village side where you will be astonished to experience theses dream abodes. Reaching the village side in here is no rocket science. You just need to start walking the narrow lanes adjacent to the cafes most of them conclude in the magical village life.
I was amazed to discover these gems of the old world charm hiding in plain sight in the Old Manali village. Have any secret spots in Manali? Let them be known in the comments.
NOTE: These are some of my favourite secret places in Old Manali. They are clean and uncluttered because not many people know about them. I dearly hope that when you visit, you keep in mind that mountains are sacred, that nature is beautiful and that it should stay like that. In simpler terms, DO NOT LITTER!