Coorg
Abbey Falls, Madikeri (Coorg)
A 70-foot waterfall a short drive from Madikeri, reached by a walk through coffee and spice estates and…
Sightseeing guide
Places to Visit in Pondicherry & South India
Pondicherry’s beaches, French Quarter and churches, plus the great temples, forts, palaces and parks of South India – with timings, entry fees and tips for each place.
Kolli Hills
Agaya Gangai Falls, Kolli Hills
A 300-foot waterfall on the Aiyaru river in Kolli Hills, reached by a long stairway of more than…
Kumbakonam
Airavatesvara Temple, Darasuram
A 12th-century Chola temple at Darasuram near Kumbakonam, part of a UNESCO site, famed for its chariot-shaped hall,…
Pondicherry
Ananda Ranga Pillai Mansion
The 1730s home of Ananda Ranga Pillai, Dupleix's chief agent and famous diarist, a rare mix of Tamil…
Pondicherry
Arikamedu
An ancient Indo-Roman trading port on the Ariyankuppam river, 4 km from Pondicherry, where excavations found Roman amphorae,…
Pondicherry
Arts and Crafts Village, Murungapakkam
A government craft village on the Chunnambar backwaters south of Pondicherry, with artisan stalls, terracotta, pottery and handmade…
Tiruvannamalai
Arunachaleswarar Temple, Tiruvannamalai
One of India's largest temples, the fire-element Shiva shrine at the foot of Arunachala hill, with a 66…
Athirappilly
Athirappilly Falls
Kerala's biggest waterfall, where the Chalakudy river spreads about 100 m wide and drops some 25 m through…
Auroville
Auroville Botanical Gardens
Gardens and conservation centre for tropical dry evergreen forest plants.
Auroville
Auroville Visitors Centre
The starting point for visiting Auroville and the Matrimandir viewing point.
Velankanni
Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health, Velankanni
India's best-known Marian shrine, a white Gothic basilica by the sea near Nagapattinam that draws pilgrims of every…
Pondicherry
Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
A Gothic Revival church from 1907 on Pondicherry's South Boulevard, famous for its brick-red façade and rare stained-glass…
Pondicherry
Bharathi Park and Aayi Mandapam
The leafy central square of White Town, with the white Aayi Mandapam monument from the time of Napoleon…
Pondicherry
Botanical Garden, Pondicherry
A French-era garden from 1826 on the South Boulevard with 2,000-plus trees, a musical fountain and a toy…
Thanjavur
Brihadeeswarar Temple, Thanjavur
Rajaraja Chola's granite masterpiece, finished in 1010 CE: a 63 m vimana, a giant Nandi and Chola frescoes,…
Tirupati & Tirumala
Chandragiri Fort and Raja Mahal, near Tirupati
A late capital of the Vijayanagara Empire near Tirupati, with the three-storey Raja Mahal palace, an ASI museum…
Wayanad
Chembra Peak and the Heart-Shaped Lake, Wayanad
Wayanad's highest peak near Meppadi: a guided forest trek through grassland to the heart-shaped lake; the summit is…
Belur & Halebidu
Chennakeshava Temple, Belur
The Hoysala masterpiece commissioned in 1117 CE, famous for its carved bracket figures and lathe-turned pillars; a living…
Pondicherry
Chunnambar Boat House
The government boat house on the Chunnambar backwaters south of Pondicherry, starting point for boats to Paradise Beach…
Courtallam (Kutralam)
Courtallam Main Falls (Peraruvi)
The biggest of Courtallam's falls, beside the Kutralanathar Temple, where crowds queue to bathe under the monsoon spray…
Rameswaram
Dhanushkodi and Arichal Munai
The ghost town at the tip of Rameswaram island, destroyed by the 1964 cyclone, with church and railway…
Ooty
Doddabetta Peak, Ooty
The highest peak in the Nilgiris, about 9–10 km from Ooty, with a road to the top, a…
Coonoor
Dolphin’s Nose, Coonoor
A rock spur jutting out over deep valleys about 12 km from Coonoor, with a view of Catherine…
Pondicherry
Eden Beach (Chinna Veerampattinam)
Puducherry's first Blue Flag beach: a clean 800 m stretch of sand at Chinna Veerampattinam with a marked…
Munnar
Eravikulam National Park (Rajamala), Munnar
Kerala's first national park, near Munnar: rolling grasslands and shola forest below Anamudi, and the best place in…
Tranquebar (Tharangambadi)
Fort Dansborg (Danish Fort), Tranquebar
Denmark's seaside fort at Tharangambadi, built in 1620, now a small museum of the Danish trading era, steps…
Kochi
Fort Kochi
Kochi's old seaside quarter, shaped by Portuguese, Dutch and British rule: Chinese fishing nets, St Francis Church, heritage…
Pondicherry
French War Memorial
A 1938 monument on Goubert Avenue to the soldiers of French India who died in the First World…
Gingee
Gingee Fort (Senji Fort)
A vast hill fortress over three granite hills, held by Nayaks, Marathas, Mughals, the French and the British,…
Pondicherry
Goubert Market and the Sunday Market
Pondicherry's main bazaar for fish, flowers, fruit and vegetables, plus the weekly Sunday street market along MG Road.
Guruvayur & Thrissur
Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple
Kerala's most famous Krishna temple: a strict traditional dress code, entry for Hindus only, a 3 AM opening…
Hogenakkal Falls
Hogenakkal Coracle Ride
A ride in a round woven coracle on the Kaveri at Hogenakkal, past the smoking rocks and close…
Belur & Halebidu
Hoysaleswara Temple, Halebidu
A 12th-century twin-shrine Shiva temple at the old Hoysala capital, its walls wrapped in friezes and some 340…
Pondicherry
Immaculate Conception Cathedral
Pondicherry's cathedral on Mission Street, rebuilt three times after wars and consecrated in its present form in 1791.…
Coimbatore
Isha Yoga Centre and Adiyogi, Coimbatore
The Isha ashram at the foot of the Velliangiri hills, with the Dhyanalinga meditation dome, the Linga Bhairavi…
Yelagiri
Jalagamparai Falls, Yelagiri
A rocky cascade on the Attaru river below Yelagiri, reached by road from the Tirupattur side or on…
Kanchipuram
Kailasanathar Temple, Kanchipuram
Kanchipuram's oldest surviving temple, built in sandstone by the Pallava king Rajasimha around 700 CE, with 58 small…
Yercaud
Kiliyur Falls, Yercaud
Where the overflow from Yercaud Lake drops about 300 feet into the Kiliyur valley, reached by a steep…
Kodaikanal
Kodaikanal Lake
The star-shaped lake at the heart of Kodaikanal, created in 1863, with rowing and pedal boats, a lakeside…
Thiruvananthapuram & Kovalam
Kovalam Beach, Thiruvananthapuram
Kerala's best-known beach resort: three crescent bays south of Thiruvananthapuram, a red-and-white lighthouse on the headland and plenty…
Kumarakom
Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary (Vembanad Bird Sanctuary)
A 14-acre patch of wooded wetland on the shore of Vembanad Lake, walked on a shaded 2 km…
Pondicherry
Manakula Vinayagar Temple
Pondicherry's best-loved Ganesha temple, older than the French town around it, with a gold-covered chariot and painted walls…
Auroville
Matrimandir
The golden meditation dome at the heart of Auroville – viewing point and inner chamber.
Madurai
Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai
Madurai's great temple of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar: 14 painted gopurams, the Golden Lotus Tank and a hall of…
Kalvarayan Hills
Megam Falls, Kalvarayan Hills
A forest waterfall in the Kalvarayan Hills of Kallakurichi district, reached on foot down a steep trail and…
Chikkamagaluru (Chikmagalur)
Mullayanagiri, Chikmagalur
Karnataka's highest peak, about 16 km from Chikkamagaluru: a winding drive, a short climb of a few hundred…
Mysore
Mysore Palace (Amba Vilas Palace)
The grand Indo-Saracenic seat of the Wadiyar kings, completed in 1912, with lavish durbar halls, a stained-glass marriage…
Ooty
Nilgiri Mountain Railway (Ooty Toy Train)
A UNESCO-listed metre-gauge rack railway climbing from Mettupalayam to Ooty through tunnels, bridges and tea country – India's…
Pondicherry
Old Lighthouse, Pondicherry
The 29 m white lighthouse on the seafront, inaugurated in 1836 and retired in 1979, one of the…
Ooty
Ooty Lake and Boat House
The long, narrow lake built in 1824 at the foot of Ooty town, with TTDC rowing, pedal and…
Pondicherry
Our Lady of Angels Church (Notre Dame des Anges)
A Greco-Roman church from 1855 on Rue Dumas facing the sea, known for its twin towers and masses…
Pondicherry
Ousteri Lake (Oussudu Bird Sanctuary)
Puducherry's largest lake, a protected wetland west of town where migratory birds gather in winter and a tourism…
Kanyakumari
Padmanabhapuram Palace, Thuckalay
The old wooden palace of the Travancore kings near Kanyakumari: carved halls, a council chamber, murals and a…
Rameswaram
Pamban Bridge, Rameswaram
Three bridges across the Pamban channel: the 1914 rail bridge now being dismantled, India's first vertical-lift sea bridge…
Mahabalipuram
Pancha Rathas (Five Rathas), Mahabalipuram
Five 7th-century Pallava shrines, each carved from a single granite outcrop, with a stone elephant, lion and Nandi,…
Pondicherry
Paradise Beach
A long sandy beach on a sandbar south of Pondicherry, reached by a short government boat ride through…
Tiruvannamalai
Parvathamalai Hill Trek, near Tiruvannamalai
A steep pilgrim trek up a sacred hill near Tiruvannamalai, with stone steps, iron rails and ladders on…
Thekkady
Periyar Tiger Reserve, Thekkady
A 925 sq km tiger and elephant reserve around Periyar Lake at Thekkady, best known for its boat…
Chidambaram & Pichavaram
Pichavaram Mangrove Forest
A maze of mangrove channels between two river mouths near Chidambaram, explored by rowing boat, with water birds…
Point Calimere (Kodiakkarai)
Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary (Kodiakkarai)
A Ramsar-listed coastal sanctuary at Kodiakkarai near Vedaranyam, known for winter flamingos, huge flocks of shorebirds, blackbuck and…
Pondicherry
Pondicherry Museum
A compact government museum in White Town with Chola bronzes, Roman-era finds from Arikamedu and rooms of French…
Pondicherry
Pondy Marina Beach
A sandy beach near Pondicherry's harbour and lighthouse, redeveloped as a family spot with food stalls, play areas…
Poompuhar
Poompuhar Beach and Silappathikaram Art Gallery
Where the Kaveri meets the sea at the ancient Chola port of Puhar: a beach, a seven-storey Silappathikaram…
Pondicherry
Promenade Beach (Rock Beach)
Pondicherry's 1.2 km seafront on Goubert Avenue, car-free in the evening, lined with the Gandhi statue, War Memorial,…
Pulicat Lake (Pazhaverkadu)
Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary (Pazhaverkadu)
India's second-largest brackish lagoon, north of Chennai, where flamingos, pelicans and storks gather in winter and fishermen's boats…
Yelagiri
Punganoor Lake, Yelagiri
The man-made lake at the centre of Yelagiri, with pedal and rowing boats, a lakeside walk and a…
Rameswaram
Ramanathaswamy Temple, Rameswaram
The Jyotirlinga temple of Rameswaram, one of the Char Dham, famous for its 22 holy wells and some…
Mysore
Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, Srirangapatna
Six wooded islets in the Kaveri near Mysore, crowded with nesting storks, pelicans and spoonbills, seen up close…
Trichy (Tiruchirappalli)
Rockfort Temple (Malaikottai), Trichy
Trichy's landmark: an 83-metre rock with Pallava cave temples, the Thayumanavar Shiva temple and the Ucchi Pillayar shrine…
Mahabalipuram
Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram
An early 8th-century Pallava granite temple on the beach at Mahabalipuram, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site,…
Kodaikanal
Silver Cascade Falls, Kodaikanal
A roadside waterfall of over 180 feet on the ghat road about 8 km below Kodaikanal, fed by…
Coonoor
Sim’s Park, Coonoor
A hillside botanical garden laid out in 1874, with more than a thousand plant species, a small lake…
Pondicherry
Sri Aurobindo Ashram
The spiritual community founded in 1926 by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. Visitors can sit in silence at…
Trichy (Tiruchirappalli)
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam
A huge living temple town on a Kaveri river island near Trichy, first among the 108 Divya Desams…
Srikalahasti
Srikalahasteeswara Temple, Srikalahasti
The Vayu (air) lingam of the Pancha Bhoota temples, famous for the Kannappa legend and Rahu-Ketu puja, about…
Vellore
Sripuram Golden Temple, Vellore
The gold-clad Sri Lakshmi Narayani temple at Thirumalaikodi, Vellore, reached by a star-shaped garden path. Consecrated in 2007;…
Munnar
Tea Museum, Munnar (KDHP Tea Museum)
The Kanan Devan Hills Plantations tea museum at Nallathanni estate: old machinery, a working processing line, a short…
Thanjavur
Thanjavur Maratha Palace (Royal Palace)
The Nayak and Maratha royal palace of Thanjavur, home to Chola bronzes, the Saraswathi Mahal Library, a Durbar…
Mudumalai & Masinagudi
Theppakadu Elephant Camp, Mudumalai
The forest department elephant camp on the Moyar river inside Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, where you can watch camp…
Chidambaram & Pichavaram
Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram
The temple of Shiva as the cosmic dancer Nataraja, with a gold-roofed sanctum, dance-carved gopurams and the mystery…
Pondicherry
Thirukameswarar Temple, Villianur
A large Chola-era Shiva temple in Villianur, about 10 km west of Pondicherry, with tall gopurams, a temple…
Madurai
Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal, Madurai
The 17th-century palace of Thirumalai Nayak, with a vast pillared courtyard, a domed throne hall and an evening…
Varkala
Varkala Cliff and Papanasam Beach
Red laterite cliffs above the Arabian Sea, a National Geological Monument, with a clifftop path of cafés and…
Vellore
Vellore Fort
A 16th-century granite fort ringed by a wide moat, with the Jalakandeswarar Temple, a church, a mosque, museums…
Hampi
Vittala Temple and Stone Chariot, Hampi
Hampi's finest temple complex by the Tungabhadra, home to the famous stone chariot, musical pillars and a ruined…
Kanyakumari
Vivekananda Rock Memorial, Kanyakumari
The 1970 memorial on a sea rock off Kanyakumari where Vivekananda meditated in 1892, reached by ferry and…
Pondicherry
White Town (French Quarter)
Pondicherry's old French Quarter: a grid of quiet, tree-lined streets with mustard-yellow villas, bougainvillea, churches and cafés, best…
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