Which is better, Shimla or Manali? Like many others, you are in the right place if this is your question. Today we will discuss this from start to end about Shimla and Manali.
Shimla and Manali are both the most famous tourist places in Himachal Pradesh. It is tough to decide where you can go or where not? You will get your answer after reading this article till the end.
According to tourism.gov.in, Shimla or Manali is considered among the best places to visit in Himachal Pradesh in any weather, and that’s why it is also known as “Dev Bhumi.”
Let’s find out who won the battle between Shimla vs Manali.
Shimla Vs Manali
Shimla – It is also called the “Queen of Hills.” Shimla is the most beautiful city in Himachal Pradesh. In Shimla, you can explore many places like Mall Road, The Ridge, Jhaku Mandir, Hanuman Mandir, etc.
It is a smaller city, so that you can cover Shimla in 1-2 days. Shimla is the best place if you have only a few days.
Manali – It is also known as the “Valley of Gods.” Manali is a perfect place for tourists from all over India. In Manali, you can explore many places like Hadimba Temple, Solang Valley, Rohtang Pass, etc.
It is also the most famous adventure place for the people. You can do activities like Bungee Jumping, Paragliding, Rock Climbing, Skiing, Rope walking, and many more in Manali.
Manali is the perfect fit for you if you have more than 4-5 days to spend on holiday. Manali is much bigger than Shimla, so you need more days to explore it.
Read Also – Wonderful Offbeat Places in Himachal Pradesh
Accommodation
Accommodation in Shimla – Shimla is a budget-friendly place to stay in hotels, resorts, and villas. You can find a lot of budget accommodation under Rs.1200/Night.
Some best locations in Shimla are Hotel Marina Shimla, Wildflower Hall, Clarkes Hotel, The Oberoi Cecil, Snow Valley, etc. It is among the best places for solo traveling.
If you want to stay away from the Shimla crowd and spend your night in a peaceful place, you can also stay in Kufri hotels. Kufri is 14 Km from Shimla.
The best locations in Kufri to stay are Cheog Valley, Dak Bangla Cottage, Nimesh Savla, etc. You can also stay in these places.
Accommodation in Manali – Manali is the best place to stay in hotels, but it is not budget-friendly; if you want to stay in Manali, you will need a little more budget than Shimla.
Some best hotels in Manali are Old Cafe Manali, Sun Park Resort, Golden Tulip, Hotel Meadows, Apple Country Resort, etc. You can also get some budget hotels in Manali if you find one.
If you want, you can also stay at places near Manali, like Rohtang Pass and Solang Valley. You can also stay in hostels like Young Monk Hostel, Old Manali Cafe, etc.
Best Time to visit in shimla and manali
- Shimla – You can visit between October to January; it is the best time to visit Shimla, and these days, you can also enjoy snowfall in Shimla.
- Manali – The Summer season is the best season to visit Manali because you can explore more in the summertime. If you want to visit Manali during the snowfall months, you can seen it between November to January.
Food
Famous Food in Shimla – Shimla has various varieties of food like Thukpa, Madra, Babru, Mash Daal, Dhaam, Chicken Anardana, Veg-Momos, etc. You should try these items.
Thukpa and Dhaam are the most famous dishes among all the dishes. Dhaam is the traditional dish of Shimla and Himachal Pradesh, and Thupka is the local dish of Shimla.
Famous Food in Manali – Like Shimla, Manali also has a lot of varieties of food like Sidu, Kullu Trout, Bhature, Patrodu, Vada, Sattu, Jatu, etc. Mittha is another famous street food of Manali. It would be best if you tried this.
Sidu is the most famous dish of Manali, and it is also the local dish of Manali. You can eat it in any restaurant or cafe. The average cost of food in Manali is Rs.500/person daily.
Manali is not so expensive in terms of food, but it is better to eat more in local cafes and Dhaba because the rate of food there is very budget-friendly.
Things to do
Things to do in Shimla – As I said, Shimla is a small town, so there is nothing to do much more, but you can go for a trek, and you can explore places like Mall Road, Church, The Ridge, Kali Bari Temple, Lakkar Bazaar, etc.
If you are an adventure or sports lover, you can do various things here like, Paragliding, Trekking, Camping, River Rafting, Skating, Cycling, Golfing, etc.
If you are looking for an area in Shimla where you can relax, you visit some hidden places like Scandal Point, Chadwick Waterfall, Tara Devi, Green Valley, Shaily Peak, Naldehra, etc.
These are the most famous tourist attractions in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. You can explore all these places one by one, and it is all in Shimla or nearby Shimla.
Read Also – Best Places to Visit in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh
Things to Do in Manali – Manali is a place that attracts adventure lovers and travelers. In Manali, the to-do list is more than 100, but I will tell you some best things.
You can go skiing, Paragliding, ATV riding, Bonfire, rock climbing, Zorbing, Camping, etc. You can also trek to Jogini Waterfalls, Hadimba Devi Temple, Beas River, etc.
These are the top attractions in Manali that you can see. There are many other attractions, but these are the most famous; you can explore even more of the 20 places in Manali.
How to Reach?
How to reach Shimla via Flight– Shimla is easy to reach via bus, flight, or car. To reach Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, you can fly to Shimla from major cities like New Delhi, Chandigarh, Bangalore, Mumbai, etc.
Jubbarhatti is the nearest airport to Shimla. You will land there and then take a cab or bus to Shimla.
Via Bus -Like flights, there are many options from the bus to Shimla. To reach Shimla, you can take a bus from major cities like New Delhi, Rishikesh, Jaipur, Chandigarh, etc, to reach Shimla directly.
Via Car or Bike – If you own a vehicle like a car or a bike, you can reach from anywhere to Shimla. The distance between Chandigarh to Shimla is around 115 Km.
Via Train – The only direct train to Shimla departs from Kalka, Haryana railway station. If you want, you can take a train from cities like New Delhi and Chandigarh, but, in this case, you need to change your train 2-3 times.
How to Reach Manali via Flight -Manali is very famous among tourists, so there are many options to reach Manali. You can reach Manali via flight from major cities like New Delhi, Bangalore, Chandigarh, etc.
There is no airport located in proper Manali. The nearest airport to Manali is Bhuntar which is 50 km from Manali. You can land there directly and then take a bus or cab to Manali.
Via Bus – The bus is the cheapest way to reach Manali. You can take a bus from major cities like New Delhi, Dehradun, Rishikesh, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Mumbai, etc.
Manali is around 550 Km from New Delhi, which takes approximately 12 hours to reach Manali. But if you travel the first time to Manali, it is highly recommended you travel via bus.
Via Train – No railway station is nearby, so the train is not a way to reach Manali. But if you want, take a train to Chandigarh or Shimla, then take a cab from there to reach Manali.
Via Car or Bike – You can reach Manali easily via car or bike, but it is only recommended for those with experience driving a car or bike in the mountains.
The road from Shimla to Manali is narrow, so you should drive very slowly and carefully, but this is also an excellent way to reach Manali.
Read More – Dream Places to Visit in India
Which Is Better Shimla Or Manali?
The simple one-line answer is Manali. Manali is a winner because, compared to Shimla, there are more things to do in Manali, it is less crowded than Shimla, and it is also more beautiful than Shimla.
But this doesn’t mean that Shimla is looser; you can visit Shimla if you travel to the mountains or with friends for the first time.
Conclusion on Which is Best shimla or manali?
It is a complete comparison between Shimla and Manali. I believe that you will find out which is best Shimla or Manali? Manali is slightly better than Shimla in terms of activities and views.
Shimla and Manali these both places are worth visiting. You can see both of these places one by one. You can consider Shimla first if you travel first time to the mountains.
Comment your Shimla or Manali travel experience in the comments. And don’t forget to share this article with your family, friends, and loved ones.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Which is the cheapest, shimla or manali?
Shimla is cheaper than Manali.
Q2. Which is colder Shimla or Manali?
Manali is colder than Shimla in any month.
Q3. is manali bigger than shimla?
Manali is much bigger than Shimla. Manali is almost ten times bigger than Shimla.
Q4. Why is Manali Famous?
1. Paragliding
2. Bungee Jumping
3. Camping
4. Bonfire
5. ATV Ride
Q5. How many days are enough for manali?
5-6 days are enough to explore Manali.