Hustle away from the bustle 

HYDERABAD: It is after two whole years that India has a summer season with no major Covid restrictions. People are looking for quick, if not short, getaways to escape the blazing heat and exhaustive work. Airbnbs, farmhouse pool parties, theme (water parks) and waterfalls, among others are some places Hyderabadis are looking at, to beat the heat. 

“Who said breaks only have to be long? It can be as simple as a  long drive during the evenings — they are still the preferred ones along with resorts on the outskirts of the city. You can always go to places down south — Munnar, Kodaikanal and Ooty are people’s go-to holiday spots amid the hot summers,” says travel blogger and content creator Vaibhav Mittal. He lists places like Dindi and the Chirala beach as some places that could be hot during the day but extremely pleasant during the evenings. 

Most people in the city have been preferring resorts with private pools or farmhouses like the Palm Exotica, Golkonda Resorts and Brown Town Resorts. Wonderla too has become one of the city’s favourites, thanks to its water rides. “After two bleak summers, we are finally seeing an increasing trend of people venturing out post-pandemic. Theme parks are a great way to relax and rewind after a stressful week, or bond with friends and family. This year, as part of our Summerla Fiesta, we came up with summer special programs including the ‘heat wave’, a special rain dance, some live shows and more. We’re finally going back to our pre-pandemic numbers,” says Arun K Chittilappilly, managing director of Wonderla Holidays, Raviryal. 

Safety is still a concern in the post-Covid era. Farmhouses, Airbnbs and theme parks are fully aware of the changing needs and are doing all they can to ensure the safety of their customers. “We have been taking necessary precautions since the very start of the pandemic and these will continue. We have an exhaustive water treatment, the rides are cleaned and sanitised on a regular basis and all of our staff are fully vaccinated,”  tells CE. 

He adds that their park now has dry areas covered so that even when not in the water, you don’t feel hot. “We have our sprinklers in place and have painted and treated surfaces in such a way that you can still walk barefoot without being worried about the hot sun,” Airbnbs aren’t just for international travel. They can be that quick place to rent for a catchup with friends after a long gap. “After being unable to travel abroad for so long, many people are excited to take that long-awaited overseas trip — something we’ve seen reflected in the searches on Airbnb, following a number of border reopening announcements. Our current focus is on innovation, this summer, so guests can experience both well-travelled and new destinations in fresh ways,” says Amanpreet Bajaj, general manager, Airbnb India. 

And finally, summer camps too are turning to be a big hit this summer. After having attended a hoard of webinars in the past two years, kids and adults alike, are more than enthused to have a fun learning experience in the presence of their peers.

People are looking for quick getaways to escape the blazing heat and exhaustive work. Airbnbs, farmhouse pool parties, water parks and waterfalls are some places Hyderabadis are looking at, to beat the heat