Rows of pine trees have climbed up the mountain slopes. Some mountains have settlements nestled in their lap. Blue and red houses peek out here and there. The high mountain peaks behind them are covered in white snow. Walking through the mountain village paths, one notices vast apple orchards. In the summer season, small flowers have bloomed there.
Again, some people's home garden apple trees are full of flowers. Somewhere, fruits have also started to appear. The sound of the fast-flowing Beas can be heard even from the hotel balcony. And in the evening, Mall Road seems to light up brilliantly. This is the picture that comes to mind when hearing the name Manali. And visiting this hill station in summer presents exactly such scenes.
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Manali, a city built along the banks of Beas
Among the hill stations that see increased tourist footfall in summer, Manali is one of the prominent ones. But Manali is now divided into two parts for tourists. On one side of the Beas River lies the old Manali town. And on the other side is the new Manali arranged along Mall Road. How much difference is there between the two places? Which place has more attractive natural beauty?
How far is old Manali from Mall Road?
Old Manali is 2-3 kilometers away from the glittering Mall Road, up on the mountain. There are hardly any tourist crowds there. What exists are old mountain villages, ancient temples, wooden houses, apple orchards, deodar forests and silence. There are cafes too. But comparatively fewer.
How different is new Manali?
Where Mall Road is located, that side of the Beas River is new Manali. Tourist footfall is higher here. This is where most restaurants, hotels, and shops are located. So, the crowds are also highest here. Natural beauty is not lacking here either. But peace remains in old Manali.
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What are the places to see in old Manali?
Very close to old Manali are the popular Hidimba Temple and Manu Temple. From here, one can visit places like Naggar Fort, Jogini Waterfall, hot springs, etc. Besides, the main attraction of old Manali lies hidden in apple orchards. There are apple orchards along walking paths here. And cafe hopping is a must when visiting old Manali.
So which Manali would you choose?
For visiting places like Rohtang Pass, Solang Valley, Sissu, you can choose new Manali. New Manali has more hotels. So many tourists spend nights in new Manali. However, the distance from new Manali to old Manali is not very far. So you can easily visit old Manali for a day. If you have a work from hills plan, then hostels or homestays in old Manali would be better.
