India > Wandering through Manali

A free day in Manali. I walk to the river, cross the bridge, and settle on a terrace along the water for breakfast. Afterwards, I stroll into Old Manali—a true backpacker’s haven.

India - The Beas River flows between Old and New Manali

Old Manali is known for its hippies and the open smoking of weed. All around me, I see cannabis plants growing along the roadsides. Among the many restaurants and shops stand the old wooden local houses of Old Manali. I walk between the old houses and follow the road uphill, continuing all the way to the Manu Temple. In the Hindu temple, a service has just ended. Men are still sitting around the temple, chatting, while women are busy making flower garlands. From Old Manali, I walk to New Manali, a distance of about three kilometers. I decide to go through the Reserve Park, for which I need to buy a ticket for 5 rupees (about 4 euro cents). The path winds between tall trees and along the fast-flowing Beas River. At New Manali, I leave the park, cross the street, and enter the pedestrian area. New Manali is more of a commercial center, with many shops, stalls, and street vendors. Children immediately start begging for money. I continue walking until I reach the Gadhan Thekchokling Gompa.

India - The old wooden houses of Old Manali

I enter the Buddhist temple. The atmosphere here is very different from the Buddhist temples in Ladakh, probably because this temple is in the middle of Manali town and receives many more visitors. In the afternoon, I walk along the Beas River to the Vashisht neighborhood. I have to ask for directions several times to find the start of the trail to the area. The path leads me up a long staircase to Vashisht. Like Old Manali, Vashisht is especially popular with hippies and backpackers. In various spots, there are chill areas where people smoke hashish. I visit the bathhouse next to the Lord Rama Temple in Vashisht. The local people still bathe in this hot spring. The temple itself is simple in design. I take off my shoes and take a look inside. When I return to the hotel, I see the front pages of the local newspapers. There are photos of the gaping hole from yesterday. Prior to the landslides, there had been a cloudburst in the area around the Rohtang Pass. In the washed-away section, apparently ten people died—mostly Nepalese workers who lived in tents along the riverbed.