Dimming the lights in your apartment, opening a bubbly, and watching a Wong Kar Wai flick just doesn’t make the grade for quality time with the better half anymore. What you need is an immersive experience, ideally in an exotic locale—a tailor-made scenario for a road trip. With car rental agencies now offering a cross-section of cars and SUVs for self-drive trips, there’s never been a better time to borrow a plush ride and trawl the corners of the country for that special place, to whisper sweet endearments and get giddy under cupid’s spell.
Zanskar, Ladakh
The surreal lunar landscape of the remotest region in the country is completely off-the-grid: no internet or annoying phone notifications to intrude on your quality time together. It’s a long haul to the biggest town—Padum—from Srinagar, or alternatively Leh: this vacation requires a minimum of a fortnight. Expect larger-than-life boulder-strewn fields in the shadow of the Nun and Kun peaks interspersed with glacial streams. Perfect place for a spiritual communion, with nature and…well, you know.
Munsyari, Uttarakhand
Gone are the days when a cosy weekend in the hills meant driving up to Nainital. Now you’ve got to drive further toward the Himalayas to escape the tourist juggernaut. Munsyari, on the last green hillside before the peaks is still pristine and untouched by the vagaries of modernity. Plan your first pit stop at Almora, then spend a night in Chaukori before finally ascending up to Munsyari.
Bir, Billing, Himachal Pradesh
For adventurous couples, Bir, in Himachal Pradesh, considered one of the finest paragliding destinations in the world, is a peach of a spot. And since there is no airport nearby, most tourists give it a miss. Strap into a tandem harness and take off into an expansive valley where you can glide for hours. Down on terra firma, a host of quaint cafes provide intimate settings for quiet candlelit dinners.
Kaziranga, Assam
The best part about driving to Kaziranga is that you don’t have to spend days seeking out its primary occupant—the Rhinoceros. The gigantic animal can be easily spotted ambling about nonchalantly from the peripheral roads, as can herds of elephants. For the nights lay your hat at one of the colonial-era estate-turned-guesthouses in the vicinity of the park. Cuddling takes on a different quality when you hear the jungle come alive at night.
Nashik, Maharashtra
India’s very own Napa Valley comes alive during the monsoon. Take the gorgeous route to Trimbakeshwar which has one of the best blacktops in the country. Sparse traffic, sweeping curves and a horizon dominated by low hills make it excellent driving country. Top it off with a wine and cheese tasting at the Sula vineyards where you can check into a luxury tent for the night. Spend a weekend replete with lazy lunches, bicycling, and copious consumption of wine.
Vagamon, Kerala
Give the legions of honeymooners in the backwaters a slip and drive to the hills of Wayanad instead. Lush as only Kerala can be, the country roads around these parts wind through coffee estates and little hamlets where you’ll find the most succulent food in the State. For your romantic interludes head to Vythri and check into a treehouse resort. Waking up in the morning and looking down at the forest canopy has to be experienced to be believed.
Ranthambore
Perfect winter driving destination if you fancy a bit of tiger spotting, Ranthambore isn’t your usual couples’ retreat. But the drive, that is almost entirely on smaller state highways, is quite lovely and makes it worth the effort. You’ll never get into a traffic snarl, or find yourself trailing big trucks. You have to be lucky to spot a big cat at this national park, although your chances of a close encounter go up dramatically if you can talk a forest ranger into showing you about it. At least you have each other.
Goa
Done to death you say? Take the longer route from Mumbai that meanders along the coast passing through unspoilt villages where you’ll find some of the yummiest Malvani cuisine. Stop at Sindhudurg for the night, before heading to your favourite haunts in India’s most popular honeymoon destination. Or, may we suggest, if you’ve had enough of that—give North Goa a miss and go for long walks on the quiet untrammeled beaches of South Goa.
Udaipur
In spite of the clichés, Udaipur, with its lovely lakes, erstwhile royal residences-turned-hotels, and romantic vibe, never disappoints. Add to that some of the best roads in the country—leading up to the City of Lakes, and to places of interest near and around including the atmospheric Kumbhalgarh Fort. From the Capital, there’s no better road trip to Rajasthan. Plan a night’s halt at Jaipur, and, if you haven’t had your fill at Udaipur, then carry on to Bikaner for a taste of old Rajasthan.