The travel tales of Iris Maju

Iris Maju, former Mrs India-World, has travelled to a host of countries as part of her professional commitments and her personal passion. On her favourite spot in Kerala, the Kochi native names Kumarakom, famous for its backwaters.

“Kumarakom has a wide range of flora and fauna. It is well-known for its houseboat experience. It has a moderate climate throughout the year. The appetising cuisines are a delight to the tourists,” she says.

Another favouirte place of hers is Leh in Jammu and Kashmir where she has stayed for five years. “The main attraction is the Royal Palace, also known as Leh Palace, a nine-storeyed edifice that accommodates the erstwhile Royal Family in Ladakh. The mountains dominate the landscape and the town offers alluring shops and restaurants,” says Iris. She also carries fond memories of her sojourns to Udaipur, the Amer Palace in Jaipur and the Jal Mahal Palace.

Shillong, is the capital of Meghalaya where she currently resides. Nature’s wealth — plants, animals, landscape, and so on — is abundantly seen in this hill station, says Iris.

Her idea of tourism is that it should be close to nature and heart so that every visitor should enjoy it. Despite the rich cultural and natural heritage India possesses, security issues and crime against women has been plaguing the Indian tourism industry, she feels.