South India

Backwaters, tall temple towers and hill-station tea.

Photo: Hans A. Rosbach · CC BY-SA 3.0

The Short List

Must-See

Must-See
Nature · Houseboats

Kerala Backwaters

Quiet houseboats through palm-lined canals, with Munnar's tea hills nearby.

Guide Coming Soon
Must-See
Heritage · UNESCO

Hampi

Karnataka

The ruined capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, among giant boulders.

Guide Coming Soon

Worth a Detour

Worth a Detour
Spiritual · Temples

Madurai and Tamil Temples

Tamil Nadu

Towering carved gateways, with Thanjavur and Mahabalipuram nearby.

Guide Coming Soon
Worth a Detour
Mountains · Mountain towns

Munnar

Kerala

Kerala's rolling tea estates, high in the Western Ghats.

Guide Coming Soon
Worth a Detour
Cities · Food

Hyderabad

Telangana

The Charminar, Golconda Fort, and India's most famous biryani.

Guide Coming Soon
Worth a Detour
Cities · UNESCO

Chennai and Mahabalipuram

Tamil Nadu

Shore temples and rock carvings, near South India's largest city.

Guide Coming Soon

If You're Nearby

If You're Nearby
Cities · Palaces

Mysore

Karnataka

A dazzling palace, lit on Sunday nights, and Dasara.

Guide Coming Soon
If You're Nearby
Beaches · Diving

Andaman Islands

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Remote beaches in the Bay of Bengal.

Guide Coming Soon
If You're Nearby
Spiritual · Pilgrimage

Tirupati

Andhra Pradesh

One of the world's most-visited holy sites, on a hilltop in Andhra Pradesh.

Guide Coming Soon
If You're Nearby
Cities · French quarter

Pondicherry

Puducherry

Old French streets and Auroville, by the Bay of Bengal.

Guide Coming Soon
If You're Nearby
Cities · Food

Bengaluru

Karnataka

India's tech capital, with gardens and craft beer.

Guide Coming Soon
If You're Nearby
Nature · Mountain towns

Coorg

Karnataka

Misty coffee hills in Karnataka.

Guide Coming Soon

On the Map

Grey pins: guides still being written.