Manali is such a wonderful place that I can never get bored of it. I stayed there for two months and yet there are still so many places that I didn’t get to see. A local from Manali once said, “Mam you will have to stay for at least one year to cover all the places in and near Manali”. I completely agree. Here I am noting down 8 offbeat places that have stolen my heart. Make sure you visit at least 3-To to 4 of them to experience the different faces of Manali. 

One more thing I would like you to know is that we have covered all the offbeat places on either a moped or a bike.

Moped Rent in Manali – Rs.500

Bike Rent in Manali- Rs.800

Bijli Mahadev – This place comes at number one in my list of offbeat places. Located at 64kms from Manali,Bijli Mahadev is worth every climb as it offers a totally different aura! I have mentioned a detailed blog about this beautiful offbeat place here.

Soyal – This offbeat place is the best heavenly place I have ever visited in my entire life! Soyal is untouched magical and totally out of the world! Located just 18kms away from Manali, the entire route after Naggar is worth a bike ride! I have visited twice during my stay at Manali and won’t mind visiting again. Make sure to have lunch there at the small Dhaba;its delicious!

Jispa – At a distance of 92kms from Manali, Jispa is an offbeat place to make memories. I highly suggest planning a two-day itinerary here and spending the night under the starry sky. I have traveled till Baralacha La Pass and I was speechless by the beauty it offered me all along the way. A detailed description of my travel can be read here.

Prashar Lake – Located 103kms from Manali and 49kms from Mandi, Prashar lake offers a pristine view and an interesting history. There is a floating island that rotates on its own at any time. Also, nobody can calculate the depth of Prashar Lake. So it’s the best offbeat place to go when in Manali.

Jibhi – Another offbeat place I can suggest is Jibhi. It is situated at 101kms from Manali and you must plan at least a two-day itinerary to visit here. Tirthan Valley is situated a few km from Jibhi and you should spend some time there (you can thank me later!). It’s a good place to stay in a camp for one day to fully enjoy Jibhi.

Sethan – Another one-day beautiful offbeat destination near Manali is Sethan. In winter, this place is also known as the “Igloo village” of India. It’s a quaint village which offers wonderful scenes and peace of mind. Sethan is the base camp for the Hampta Pass trek. Even if you don’t want to trek, you should just walk along that route and it won’t be a disappointment.

Sissu – Recently gaining a lot of attraction in Manali, Sissu is a treat to the bikers. It is located 39 km from Manali and is a wonderful offbeat place to visit. I visited in October and all the details are mentioned here.

Kasol -Tosh – Another hippy and less offbeat place near Manali is Kasol. Located at 75 km, Kasol is also known as Mini Israel of India. People love coming here again and again because of rave parties along with the beautiful scenes. Tosh is the more offbeat place at a distance of 20km from Kasol. More details about this place are mentioned here.