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9 Beaches In India You Need To Visit On Your Next Holiday

When we think of beaches, we only think of Goa. Agreed, it has some of the prettiest beaches in the country, but there are more that you don't know about. They are well maintained and too gorgeous to be true. Except that they're true. Take a look.   1. Bangaram Island Beach, Lakshwadeep        Silver sand, turquoise water and vast stretches of coconut trees. Really, what else can one ask for? And since many tourists don't visit the Lakshwadeep Islands, you can expect cleanliness. Tourists enter this place on helicopters during the monsoon and try their hand at various under-water sports. The best thing to know about this beach is that it is considered one of the top 10 secret beaches in India.      2. Radhanagar beach, Andaman and Nicobar Islands     Located on Havelock Island and popularly known as Beach No. 7, this beach was listed as Asia's best beach in 2004 by Time magazine. It is without a doubt one of the most peaceful beaches in India. The never ending white sand and clear water make this beach nothing short of paradise.      3. Cola Beach, Goa     The sweet fresh water lagoon makes this one of the most breathtaking beaches in Goa. It is completely unperturbed. Go here for the sun and the sea.      4. Mahe Beach, Puducherry      If you want to go to a secluded beach then this is perfect for you. It hasn't been discovered by tourists yet and one gets to enjoy a rare untouched beauty that other beaches lack. Walking over the warm sand alongside fishermen hamlets is a thrilling experience. This beach is surrounded by a wooden string of palm trees and is about 22 kms from Kunnur.      5. Mandrem Beach, Goa    Situated in North Goa with only a very small village inhabiting it, this beach is perfect for honeymooners. There will be no shortage of privacy at all. It is unbelievably clean, with pleasing views on the side. If you wish to sunbathe or simply sleep in the sun, this is your best bet.     6. Muzhappilangad Drive-in Beach, Kerala     You can enjoy a long drive on this beach. Isn't that great news already? Additionally, this beach is ideal for swimmers as the presence of black rocks prevents deep currents from the sea. You can enjoy adventure sports such as power boating and catamaran rides as well.     7. Yarada Beach, Andhra Pradesh      If you happen to visit Vizag then you cannot skip this beach. It is lesser known and a place where you can enjoy a good time with your entire family. To reach the beach, you need to cross the Dolphin Hill. Just so you know, the view of the beach from the hill is to die for. There are not many food hawkers or shacks here so it's a good idea to carry your own food.    8. Ganpatipule beach, Maharashtra      Some tourists believe that this is the best beach on the Konkan coast. The white sand along with blue-green water makes the entire vibe pleasing enough. Sadly, the beach lacks public amenities. The sunset should not be missed here and if you have the time, definitely enjoy a ride on a water scooter.    9. Tarkarli beach, Maharashtra      Tarkali Beach is located in the Sindhugarg district of Maharashtra, a small village blessed with attractive surroundings. The beach is located at the junction of the Karli River and the Arabian Sea. It is ideal for a romantic getaway. On a good day, you can see clear water about 20 feet under the bed. In the background lie the Shuru trees, beautiful sailboats and the wide river, making every moment simply perfect.

Lava Lake At The Nyiragongo Volcano

Mount Nyiragongo is located inside Virunga National Park, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, about 20 km north of the town of Goma and Lake Kivu. It is one of the most active volcanoes in Africa, and one of eight volcanoes in the Virunga Mountains. The main crater is about two km wide and usually contains a lava lake which appear in the summit crater.   Nyiragongo's lava lake has at times been the most voluminous known lava lake in recent history. The depth of the lava lake varies considerably depending on the activity of the volcano. A maximum elevation of the lava lake was recorded at about 3250 m (10,700 ft) prior to the January 1977 eruption - a lake depth of about 600 m (2000 ft). A recent very low elevation of the lava lake was recorded at about 2700 m (8800 ft).   Not much is known about how long the volcano has been erupting, but since 1882, it has erupted at least 34 times, including many periods where activity was continuous for years at a time, often in the form of a churning lava lake in the crater.     The lava emitted in eruptions at Nyiragongo is often unusually fluid, possibly due to the presence of melilite nephelinite, an alkali-rich type of volcanic rock having unusual chemical composition. Because of the extreme fluidity, Nyiragongo's lava flows can race downhill at up to 60 miles per hour (up to 100 km/h), whereas most lava flows at a walking pace and rarely pose a danger to human life.   Between 1894 and 1977 the crater contained an active lava lake. On 10 January 1977, the crater walls fractured, and the lava lake drained in less than an hour overwhelming villages and killing at least 70 people. Some reports quote much higher figures of up to several thousand people. The hazards posed by eruptions like this are unique to Nyiragongo. Nowhere else in the world does such a steep-sided stratovolcano contain a lake of such fluid lava.   Another major eruption of the volcano began on January 17, 2002. Lava from the reformed lava lake streamed out in 200 to 1000 m wide streams and up to 2 m deep. Warnings had been given and 400,000 people were evacuated from the city across the Rwandan border into neighbouring Gisenyi during the eruption. Despite the precautionary measures, about 147 people died in the eruption from asphyxiation by carbon dioxide and buildings collapsing due to the lava and earthquakes.   Six months after the start of the 2002 eruption, Nyiragongo volcano erupted again. Activity at Nyiragongo is ongoing, but currently confined to the crater, where another lava lake has formed about 250 metres below the level of the 1994 lava lake.   In June 2010, a team of scientists and intrepid explorers stepped onto the shore of the lava lake boiling in the depths of Nyiragongo Crater. These pictures are from the trip, by photographer Olivier Grunewald.

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