Welcome to another series of blogs on the IELTS Cue Card- an important section of the IELTS speaking test. If you wish to study abroad, IELTS is key to your college applications. In this blog, let’s look at the example of the cue card ‘Describe A Place You Visited On Vacation’ and analyse how we can tackle different kinds of questions.
Manali: Describe A Place You Visited On Vacation
Introduction And Which Is The Place
I thank you for allowing me to share with you my experience of holidaying in Manali. In my opinion, travelling and taking a break is the perfect way to keep stress at bay. My elder brother and I recently travelled to Manali. We chose Manali as we both thoroughly enjoyed the winter season.
Where Is This Place
Manali is one of the most popular hill stations situated at the northern end of the Kullu Valley in Himachal Pradesh, India. It is at a distance of 250 kilometres from Shimla, the capital of Himachal Pradesh. Situated on the Beas River, Manali is perfect for trekking, exploring local cultures, and enjoying the cold.
When Did You Go There
We went to Manali In January 2022, just after new years. We reached our destination on a Friday morning, and the temperature was around 4-5 degrees Celsius on that day. It was a cold day, just as my brother and I had expected.
How Did You Go There
Manali is a 15 hour journey by road, and my family and I geared ourselves for an exciting roadtrip ahead of us. Since my brother is the only one who knows how to drive, we opted against driving ourselves to Manali and instead to take a bus from Delhi. It took the bus almost thirteen hours to get there.
What Did You Do There
During our vacation, we went to one of the most visited temples in the northern hills of India, The Hidimba Devi temple. In addition, we also went to Solang Valley, solang valley offers plenty of activities like paragliding, skiing, and snowboarding. We had a lot of fun skiing down the steep and extended slopes that were found in the snowy mountain ranges.
Taj Mahal: Describe A Place You Visited On Vacation
Introduction And Which Is The Place
I and my family visited one of the seven wonders of the world, The Taj Mahal, it symbolizes the love of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to his wife Mumtaz Mahal.
Where Is This Place
This historical monument is located in the historical Uttar Pradesh. Agra is known for the Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world. It is surrounded by a lovely garden and is located on the banks of the Yamuna River.
About Taj Mahal
The enormous dome contains the bodies of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. The only historical structure from India included on the list of World Wonders is this one. Although the precise start of construction is unknown, it is thought to have started in the 1600s. White marble is used throughout the whole structure. In addition, it took more than 20 years to build the edifice, requiring the labour of 20,000 individuals. There are rumours that the emperor severed the hands of the construction workers to prevent them from creating another edifice of like type on the planet.
When Did You Go There
We went to the Taj Mahal in October 2023, we reached our destination on a Friday afternoon, and the temperature was around 30 degrees Celsius on that day. It was a hot day overall.
How Did You Go There
We live in Mumbai, and visiting Northern India has always been a dream for my family and I. We love travelling by train and booked ourselves train tickets for Agra.
Shimla: Describe A Place You Visited On Vacation
Introduction And Which Is The Place
I want to discuss about my most recent summer getaway. I went to Shimla with my friends last summer. There was a lot of talk about this hill station, and travelling with friends can never go wrong. My friends and I travelled there by train as well, and it took us 7 or 8 hours to get to Shimla.
Where Is This Place
A favourite among tourists, Shimla is a magnificent hill station and serves as the capital of Himachal Pradesh. It is a cozy hill station with numerous famous restaurants, lodges, and churches.
When Did You Go There
We went to Shimla during Christmas in 2022. We reached on Christmas eve and rejoiced ourselves at the Mall road.
How Did You Go There
Since our home is in Delhi, we had to take an 8-hour road trip to Shimla. All my friends can drive, so we took our very first road trip to the beautiful hill station. On our way to the beautiful hill station, we rolled the windows down to feel the breeze as soon as we reached the hills.
What Did You Do There
We went to the stunning Jakhu and Kufri temples. Upon spotting towering, verdant pine trees and the snow-capped summits of distant mountains, I was ecstatic. My greatest joy was the abundance of springs and streams.
In addition, we visited the well-known Italian pizza Hut and sampled a variety of pizzas. After that, we proceeded to the nearby park where we built a snow home and engaged in other snow-related activities like skating. We had a great time playing in the snow as well. Then I decided to go to Shimla annually.
Goa: Describe A Place You Visited On Vacation
Introduction And Which Is The Place
Despite my repeated visits, Goa remains my top travel destination. It is my favourite spot to travel. Despite having traveled to a lot of locations, I still want to do a road trip. I’ve always used trains and planes to get here. I often hear from people that traveling by road is a true adventure.
Where Is This Place
Goa is situated on the Indian peninsula’s western coast, or the Konkan coastal area. Goa is bordered to the east and south by Karnataka, to the north by Maharashtra, and the west by the vast Arabian Sea.
When Did You Go There
We went to Goa in December last year, we reached our destination on a monday evening.
How Did You Go There
Our home is in Delhi, approximately 35 Hours away from goa by car. Since all my friends can drive, we wanted to do an adventurous road trip. we opted to drive ourselves to goa instead of taking a flight or a train from Delhi.
What Did You Do There
We decided to spend our first day at Bats Island because we are adventurers. We relaxed and went snorkeling for the entire day at Bats Island. On the second day, we had the pleasure of speedboat sailing while touring. We thoroughly liked this day because the cruise was enjoyable. Afterward, we visited Fort Aguada, Jimmy’s Palace, Central Jail, Raj Bhawan, and Dolphin Watch, among other tourist attractions.
The fourth day at the fifth-largest waterfall in our nation, Dudhsagar Waterfalls, was the highlight of our tour. The most amazing natural sight we encountered was at Dudhsagar Waterfalls, where we had our greatest photo.
Follow-Up Questions
- What are some of the most popular destinations in your country?
Taj Mahal, Mumbai, Delhi, and Kolkata are some tourist favourites when it comes to India.
- What do people consider when they make travelling plans?
In my country, people consider many things like transportation, budgeting, accommodation, etc., when it comes to travelling. Moreover, since we like to travel with families, we like to go on holidays.
- How can people know about new places?
Thanks to widespread internet connectivity and the rise of influencer culture, it has become incredibly convenient for people to get to know about new tourist places.
- What do you like visiting, museums or adventurous places?
Personally, I prefer visiting museums because I enjoy learning about history. Looking at preserved artefacts that have existed for many years excites me a lot.
Other IELTS Cue Card:
Describe A Resolution You Made In The New Year
Describe Something Important That You Lost
Describe A Time When You Needed To Use Your Imagination
Describe a time you saw something interesting on social media
Describe A Difficult Thing That You Did
Describe An Invention That Has Changed How People Live
Describe A Competition You Would Like To Take Part In
Describe A Person Who Impressed You In Primary School
Describe A Famous Person You Are Interested In
Describe An Interesting Conversation You Had With Your Friend
Describe A Person Who You Believe Dresses Well Ielts Cue Card
Describe An Activity You Do To Keep Fit
Describe An Exciting Book That You Enjoy Reading
Describe A Positive Change In Your Life
Describe A Time When You Observed The Stars
Describe An Interesting Neighbour
Describe A Family Member Who Made You Proud
Neha Sharma is an IELTS faculty with a decade of experience in teaching IELTS. She holds a PhD in English from Stanford University, USA. Excelling in tailoring her teaching to individual student needs, she has helped over 50,000 students achieve their target scores. Actively involved in research, she ensures that her methods remain effective and innovative.
