Forts and Palaces
Our Indian architecture tells a tale of conquest, domination and inordinate riches.
1. Rajasthan : Nowhere matches the Land of Kings for romantic splendor: Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Amer, and Udaipur tops the fort and palace stakes.
2. Maharashtra : The land of warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj prickles with defensive masterpieces including Daulatabad and Island fortress Janjira.
3. Hyderabad : Royal Relics fills the Telangana capital, from time ravaged Golconda fort to lavish Falaknuma Palace.
4. Delhi : This historically strategic city has imperial forts like other places has traffic Islands.
5. Mysuru : The majestic Mysuru palace once housed one of India's most extravagant Maharajas.
Grand Temples
No one does temples like India - from psychedelic South Indian Hindu towers to serene and silent Buddhist cave temples.
1. Tamil Nadu : Bustling with Gopouram ( gateway) temple towers that climb to the sky in rainbow - coloured tiers of sculpted deities.
2. Golden Temple : The greatest of all Sikh temples rises like treasure box above the sacred pool in Amritsar.
3. Rajasthan : Jain temples at Jaisalmer, Ranakpur and Mt. Abu offers some of the India's most mind blowingly intricate carvings.
4. Khajuraho : Exquisite carvings of deities, spirits, musicians, regular people, mythological beasts and sex.
5. Ladakh : A wealth of Buddhists monasteries in a stunning lunar landscape.
Ancient Ruins
The ruins left behind by countless cultures and empires lie scattered around cities and countryside.
1. Hampi : Rosy-hued temples and palaces of the mighty capital of Vijayanagar are scattered among other worldly boulders and hilltops.
2. Mandu : The tombs, palaces, monuments and mosques on Mandu's green plateau are among India's finest Islamic structures.
3. Delhi : Conquered and built up repeatedly over 3000 years. Delhi is packed with monumental ruins of ancient powerhouses.
4. Fatehpur - Sikri : A ghostly abandoned Mughal city close to Agra and The Taj Mahal.
5. Maharashtra : Magnificent rock cut Buddhist temple caves at Ajanta and Ellora.
City Sophistication
India's cities offer fabulous fine dining , star studded nightlife, five star shopping and the cream of the arts.
1. Mumbai : Home of Bollywood, Mumbai has it all: fashion, film stars, elegant dining ritzy bars and top notch art galleries.
2. Delhi : Sophisticated Delhi is famous for its cultural life, with a packed festival calendar, exceptional shopping, stunning museums and fabulous dining.
3. Kolkatta : Renowned for music, poetry, literature and films. Kolkatta also offers magical markets, grand colonial-era buildings and delicious sea- food based cuisine.
4. Bengaluru : Karnataka's burgeoning IT hub is loved for its nightlife, with microbreweries, gastro pubs and music bars packed with partying locals.
5. Chennai : Towering temples, stylish bars, swish hotels , fabulous shopping and booming restaurants scene filled with the flavors of the south.
Hill stations:
Those with the means have always fled to the hills to escape the hair-dryer heat of summer.
1. Tamil Nadu: Kodaikanal and Ooty serve up misty forests, rolling tea plantations, mountain hikes, and accommodation in colonial-era bungalows.
2. Munnar : Kerala's not-too-touristy hill station sits amid rolling tea and spice plantations, where tropical birds give song in the morning mist.
3. Shimla : Packed with Raj-era relics, Shimla is a great appetite whetted for the magnificent Himalayan peaks visible from its ridge-top promenade.
4. Darjeeling : The quintessential summer escape, surrounded by emerald-green plantations, with a backdrop of Himalayan giants.
5. Nainital : Uttarakhand's favorite hill station, whose once-grand colonial-era hotels lie scattered around a lovely lake.
Beaches
India has some stunning stretches of coast that more than fulfill the tropical dream.
1. Kerala : Backpacker's favourite Varkala is backed by beautiful sea cliffs, Kovalam curls around a golden bay, and more deserted Thottada is shaded by nodding palms.
2. Goa : Even when overrun with travellers, Goa's beaches are still gorgeous; Mandrem and Palolem are 2 prettiest.
3. Havelock Island ( Swaraj Dweep) : In the Andaman Islands one of the most gorgeous beaches with clear, aqua-marine water lapping against white pillars.
4. Gokarna : Sun seekers and devotees mix of Gokarna's beautiful beaches which back onto an ancient pilgrimage town.
5. Puri : Atmosphere lures people to this sea-side pilgrim town with a lively beach festival each November.
Yoga Ayurveda and Spiritual Pursuits
India was the birthplace of myriad spiritual traditions from yoga and meditation to plant-based ayurvedic medicine.
1.Bihar : Pilgrims and the spiritually curious flock to Bodhgaya to study and meditate where Buddha attained enlightenment.
2. Kerala : This lush, green southern state is where Ayurveda originated, and there's a herbal oil-based treatment on almost every corner.
3. Rishikesh : One of India's most popular places to salute the sun, with lessons for every level.
4. Mysuru (Mysore) : K Pattabhi Jois developed Ashtanga yoga here, and it's still a great place to join a long or short course.
5. Ladakh : Leh is packed with places offering meditation courses and yoga, and anyone can join in the real deal at a Buddhist monastery.
Wildlife Safaris
India's legendary Royal Bengal tigers can be elusive, but leopards, elephants, antelope, bison, one-horned rhinos and deer are often less shy.
1. Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh : This is serious tiger country, and sightings are likely in a string of national parks, including Kanha, Bandhavgarh and Pench Tiger Reserve.
2. Assam : Kaziranga National Park is the world's rhinoceros capital; you may see dozens on a single safari.
3. Kerala : Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the few places where you have a good chance of spotting wild elephants.
4. Gujarat : Gir National Park provides a sanctuary for Asia's only wild lions, along with over 300 species of birds.
5. Rajasthan : Spot tigers and other signature species amid the jungle and fortress ruins of Ranthambhore National Park.
Mountains
View the peaks from the comfort of a hill-station bungalow or see the summits up close on a mountain trek.
1. Ladakh : Traverse 5000m passes between saw-tooth crags and sleep in villages that have survived unchanged through the centuries in this desolate old moonscape.
2. Lahaul & Spiti : Green Lahaul and rain-starved Spiti are divided from the rest of Himachal Pradesh by soaring mountain passes; even the drive up here is an epic adventure.
3. Darjeeling : Overnight in simple lodges on the Singalila Ridge Trek, or sit pretty in one of Darjeeling's historic hotels for incredible views of the eastern Himalaya.
4. Sikkim : View mighty Khangchendzonga, the world's third-highest mountain, up close from Pelling or the trekking trails to Goecha La and Dzongri.
5. Uttarakhand : Join the pilgrim crowds bound for the dramatic Char Dam temples, or find true peace in Uttarakhand's mountain meadows.
Traveller Enclaves
Sometimes you just want to find some like-minded souls to swap stories from the road and discuss life altering bowel events.
1. Goa : Traveler magnet and beach haven, with Palolem and (cheaper) Arambol as its chief enclaves.
2. Rishikesh : Yoga practitioners. are irresistibly drawn to this self styled yoga capital at the foot of the Himalaya.
3. McLeod Ganj : The spiritually minded flock to this Buddhist community near Dharamsala to glean wisdom from the Dalai Lama.
4. Pushkar : Travelers and pilgrims converge on this holy town for its Camel Fair, but you'll find a lively crowd here year-round.
5. Parvati Valley : People linger for weeks or months sampling local 'herbs' and enjoying the ethereal beauty of this Himalayan valley.
6. Leh : In summer half of Goa decamps from the coast to the lofty capital of Ladakh to continue the party.
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