Places to see and things to do in Kerala from chilling out on tropical South Indian beaches, boat trips to Kerala's backwaters and Ayurvedic massages in Kerala's spas.

Bordering on the Arabian sea and on the Western Ghats mountain range, Kerala one of South India tour best holiday destinations. Most visitors come to Kerala between November and March to make the most of its tropical climate.

Kerala used to be a centre for spice trade and it still grows spices from green cardamon to cinnamon, ginger and black pepper. Coconuts grow everywhere in Kerala and are a key ingredient in Keralan food. But Kerala is not just a tropical holiday heaven: it has the highest literacy rate in India (90%) and had the world's first elected Communist government in 1957. Kerala also has a large Muslim population, and only in Kerala it is still possible to see a Communist flag right next to an Islamic mosque.

Chill Out on Kerala Beaches

Kerala's southernmost beach, Kovalam, is where hippies used to hang out, but today the beach is one of India's most developed resorts. Travellers looking for less action prefer Varkala, located further north along the coast and famous for its seafood. In Northern Kerala beaches are much less developed. Whichever beach one chooses, a great seafood dinner is guaranteed.

Escape the Heat to the Western Ghats

The Western Ghats are a forest covered mountain range that separates Kerala from the neighbouring state of Karnataka. On the ghats grow coffee, tea and spices including Kerala's speciality, green cardamon. The ghats are a great place to escape to when Kerala's beaches become too hot as the summer approaches in March. Munnar is a popular hill station in the middle of Kerala's tea estates, and the Periyar Tiger Reserve near the town of Thekkady. South India tour packages offer walks in the forest, a good way to spot wild elephants and maybe even tigers.

Take a Boat Trip to Kerala Backwaters

A classic way to travel in Kerala is a boat trip along its backwaters, a vast network of interconnected canals and rivers. There are private houseboats (kettuvallams or rice barges), day-long tourist cruises and public ferries, but all make their ways slowly along peaceful canals surrounded by coconut groves and rice fields. Many hotels and most travel agents in Kerala can arrange India tour packages and backwater boat trip.

Get a Traditional Ayurvedic Massage in Kerala

Kerala is the birthplace of Ayurveda, the traditional Indian medical system. While real Ayurveda is serious medical treatment, simple Ayurvedic massages are available everywhere in Kerala from cheap but relaxing oil massages on the beach to 5-star spas dedicated to Ayurvedic treatments in India tours.

See a Kathakali Dance Performance in Kerala

Kathakali is a traditional Keralan dance form best known for its dancers' extraordinary make-up and colourful costumes. Performances are usually based on Hindu mythology. Traditional Kathakali dance dramas can continue all night but shorter versions are provided for tourists in India holidays.

In terms of area and population, India is one of the largest countries in Asia. This size means that it offers tourists a choice of diverse natural and cultural destinations, from the well known to those that remain to be fully discovered and appreciated.

Indian Cities and Heritage

Built over 350 years ago as a monument of the love between Shahjahan and his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj Mahal, which forms a shrine to Islamic paradise, still remains the best known attraction in India today. Architecturally, there are few places that can match the beauty and splendour of this building. Every part of the Taj Mahal and its grounds has special Islamic meaning. This includes the four beautifully kept gardens which, separated by four stretches of water, are home to a wide and rich variety of trees, fauna and birdlife. However, the historic city of Agra, where the Taj Mahal is situated, also has a number of other historical monuments, which include a Fort complex, which houses a number of palaces, gardens and mosques. Within easy travelling distance of Agra (47 km north-west) one can also visit the now deserted city of Akbar, with its unique red sandstone buildings. India travel packages

Delhi is perhaps the most modern and cosmopolitan of India’s major cities. It is a place where skyscrapers, retail shopping centres, the arts and museums, as well as a hive of modern attractions and night-life dwells side by side with the historic attractions of Hindu, Buddhist and Bahai temples. For the city-break tourist Delhi therefore provides an ideal mix of the contemporary and traditional, as well as a number of beautifully kept gardens and parks. As is the case with capital cities, throughout the year the streets and other locations in Delhi are also home to a number of colourful fairs and festivals, which heighten the visitor’s experience.

The royal city of Jaipur, capital of the north-western Indian city of Rajasthan, is rich in culture and heritage, and is a great place to visit for those who simply want to visit places of historical interest. The old city, which is renowned for the pink coloured façade of all of its buildings, provides a wealth of different traditional arts and crafts, including the jewellery for which the area is well known. Surrounding the city is a number of palaces. These include the Amer, which is located high upon the rugged hillside outside the town, which provides a vantage point from which one can survey the festive activities thattake place in the city. The Jal Mahal, encircled by water on Lake Man Sagar, is another unique palace worthy of a visit.

However, for those who want to explore modern life in India holidays, the densely populated city of Mumbai (formerly Bombay) is the place to visit. As the financial heart of India, and the capital of its Bollywood culture Mumbai, which is home to more millionaires than most other areas of the country, features the unashamed trappings of wealth. Mumbai is therefore the place for the tourist who wants pampering and luxury.

The natural and wildlife environment

Due to its size, India has a vast array of diverse natural and wildlife environments available to be explored by the nature-loving tourists. In the centre of the country can be found the Bandhavgarh National Park In addition to the white tiger population, a protected species that inhabits this park, it is also home to a host of other mammals and birdlife, as well as being rich in fauna. The Nagarahole National Park, set near the foothills of the Nilgiri Mountains, is another tropical forest location that is home to the rapidly depleting Indian Tiger and other wildlife such as elephants and birds of prey like the eagle. It has watering holes on the river where wildlife can be seen gathering in the summer months and rivers where families of otters can be found congregating of tailor made tours India. From the many lodge sites located in the park, you can also arrange boat trips which provide some of the best views of the park and its wildlife.

Sun, Sea and Beaches

For beach holidays in India, the best known location is undoubtedly Goa. With miles of golden and pristine white sands, as well as entertainment and activities for all the family, set against a backdrop of natural beauty, locations such as Calangute beach are like a magnet for holiday makers and water sports enthusiasts. However, away from the holiday crowds there are one or two special beaches that India has to offer. Varkala Beach, in the Kerala district and the Island beaches surrounding Agatti Island are two such beach locations. tourist attractions in India Both are set in a coastal area renowned for its palm trees and other exotic fauna and vegetation and, for water enthusiasts, the clean blue waters that stretch out for miles, which can be shared with a myriad of underwater creatures. In the evening, you can relax on the sand and watch the spectacular sunset, which seems to engulf the whole of the sky. Surely, it is worth forgoing some of the normal trappings of the popular resorts and escape to the peace, quiet and beauty of these and other secret beaches that sit like jewels in India’s coastal crown.

India tour packages abounds with a vast variety of travel destinations, of which those that have been described within this article represent but a very small sample. However, having experienced the attraction of these gems, the dedicated traveller will want to venture further afield to experience more of the tourism delights that India tours have to offer.

Tips for planning a trip to India including the best places to visit in India, the best times to go to India and advice for travelling around India on public transport.

Most travellers make the mistake of trying to see too much of India in too little time. Travelling around the country takes time and too much travel from one place to another in India will leave anyone exhausted. It is impossible to see everything in a few months so some planning is required.

Places to Visit in India

South India has tropical beaches, Hindu temples, vibrant cities and spicy food. Rajasthan in the West of India offers beautiful old palaces and forts as well as camel safaris in the desert. Many travellers spend months in the gorgeous Himachal Pradesh valleys, surrounded by the magnificent Himalayas. For those who really love the mountains, Ladakh is the place to go for stunning mountain scenery, high-altitude lakes and Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Few want to leave India without seeing the Taj Mahal in Agra, and the holy cities such as Varanasi attract Hindu pilgrims and tourists. But between all these amazing destinations is thousands of miles of bad road, and some very slow trains.

There are so many places to see in India that it can be difficult to decide where to go. If time is limited, it is best to stick to exploring one region. One can easily spend months travelling around South India alone and still only see a small part of it. Most tourist visas allow a maximum stay of six months, which gives enough time to see a little bit of the North as well as a little bit of the South India tour.

Travelling in India is an experience in itself but can be hard work, and although it is good to have a plan, any schedule should not be too tight. In India anything can happen and it can happen very fast, from violent political demonstrations to a statewide strike that stops buses and trains for a day or two. There are areas in India that might be unsafe for tourists from time to time, especially in Kashmir.

Best Times to Visit India

The best time to visit South India is from November to March. The southwest monsoon starts from the Keralan coast in June and moves up to cover most of the country by July. It finishes by November, but the northeast monsoon still rains on the east coast and surrounding areas from October to December.

Those who don't mind some rain can get great discounts in India's hotels during the rainy season. Many beach resorts close for the monsoon but some, such as Palolem in Goa, are open around the year.

In November and December nights can still be cool even on Goa's beaches but daytime temperatures are pleasant. Further north, however, winters get cold, and Delhi can be a surprisingly cold place to arrive to in December.

Around March it starts to get hot again and by May temperatures have become almost unbearable in south and central India. April and May are the months when most visitors move north to the mountains and hill stations, and this is the start of the high season in Himachal Pradesh and surrounding areas. The northernmost part of India, Ladakh, opens for tourism in May and the road from Manali to Leh is only open between May and October.

Best Ways to Discover India Tours

Domestic flights cover many destinations although airlines are raising flight prices in India blaming increased fuel costs.

Train travel in India can be either an interesting experience and a great way to see the country and meet local people, or a complete nightmare in a hot filthy carriage filled with twice as many passengers as should be humanly possible. Tickets for cheaper classes are very cheap but travelling in the pricier air-conditioned classes makes a long train journey much more enjoyable. First class tickets can be almost as expensive as flying.

The Volvo Bus network connects many cities and is a comfortable, fairly fast way to travel by coach in India. Local buses are cheap but uncomfortable and stop every couple of minutes. There are also private buses that connect many cities and tourist destinations.

For shorter trips and sightseeing it makes sense to rent a car with a driver. And of course there is the possibility of renting a motorbike.

Jodhpur, Rajasthan's second largest city, has long been a popular destination with international tourists. Few, though, know the origins of it's tag, "the blue city".

The city is a wonderful example of vivid colours providing a photogenic backdrop to everyday life. One colour, above all others, impresses visitors to Jodhpur Holidays; blue. The colour is closely associated with the city’s identity and Jodhpur carries the well-known sobriquet of "the blue city".

Jodhpur - A City of Bustling Bazaars

But upon arrival in Jodhpur visitors may well be tempted to ask why the bustling city has that tag. So many other colours can also be seen on the busy streets and in the bazaars. The majority of Rajasthani women wear long, colourful skirts as they visit the shops of the Nai Sadak and while examining wares on the stalls of the Sardar Market. Eye-catching, bright oranges and yellows are popular colours for their fabrics. And the Rajasthan tourism tradition for women to cover their heads with scarves - in materials of complementary hues - adds to the impression that life takes place among a vivid swirl of colour.

That’s exacerbated by the men wearing sizable turbans. The yellows and reds of their traditional tribal headgear is as much a draw to the eye as the women’s garments.

The Blue City - Jodhpur's Old Town

Yet to gain an understanding as to why Jodhpur is known as "the blue city" one has to push on from the market places and away from the new town, and head into the older quarters of Jodhpur. Here, under the centuries old protection of Meherangarh Fort, whose foundations were laid on the orders of the city’s founder, Rao Jodha, in 1459, many of the houses are blue in colour.

The walls of the old town’s buildings explain why Jodhpur is tagged as "the blue city" but even experienced tour guides cannot agree on the underlying reason as to why that colour was chosen. Agra Holidays

Some say that blue is associated closely with Brahmins, India's priestly caste, and that the blue houses of the old city belong to families of that caste. As a consequence, they are frequently called "Brahmin Houses".

Did the Blue Repel Termites?

Dissenters argue that termites are the real reason. Proponents of this argument believe that, historically, termites caused significant structural damage to a large number of the buildings of Jodhpur. The termites are said to have munched their way into the walls of dwellings and businesses. The residents repelled them and discouraged further damage by adding chemicals, such as copper sulphate, to their standard whitewash.

Those who believe in the termite theory say that it is mere coincidence that many of the blue houses are owned by Brahmins, and that there are numerous families from other castes who also live in blue-painted homes. They even rubbish the theory that chemical compounds are added to the whitewash, swearing that Jodhpur is a fine example of an environmentally-friendly city. Nothing but indigo, a natural dye, is the cause of the blue tint, they say. Jaipur City Guide

So while there may be no way of establishing the root cause as to why the houses are blue, strolling through the streets of the old city enables visitors to peek into the homes. Many of the doorways remain open, allowing an insight into moments of everyday Rajasthani family life.

Viewing the Blue City From Meherangarh Fort

But for an overview of Jodhpur, and the blue houses of the old town, nothing beats the view from Meherangarh Fort. A winding lane leads up the 125 metre high hill, upon which the ancient fortress is built. The walls are 36 metre high in places, providing additional elevation to appreciate just how many of the houses in Jodhpur are blue. Delhi City Guide

Not all cities deserve their sobriquets, but anyone looking out over the flat roofs of Jodhpur, from the perspective of the Meherangarh will realise that the term "the blue city" is indeed apt, whatever the true reason behind the prevalence of that colour.

Karnataka (South India) boasts of innumerable wildlife tours India, the most unique being an elephant camp in the Coorg district, 240 kilometers from the state capital, Bangalore. Dubare Elephant Camp is situated on the banks of the river Cauvery, and is reached after a short, picturesque ride in a motorboat. However, the more adventurous can choose to cross over by stepping on big rocks that dot a shallow stretch of water.

Dubare affords a rare opportunity to interact at close quarters with Asian elephants, including bathing and feeding them! Every morning and evening, herds of majestic elephants head towards the river for a scrub bath, accompanied by their caretakers. Visitors can help to bathe the elephants as they take a dip, or just watch them playing and spraying themselves, sometimes with dust! The jumbos lie patiently in the water while tourists (young and old alike!) wade in to rub and wash them!

After a bath, the elephants make their way to the "feeding enclosure", where one can watch them being fed, or feed them with bananas and balls of an indigenous cereal (cooked at the camp). Next, a couple of elephants take visitors for short rides around Dubare. We were privileged to see a special training session of elephants selecting logs of wood from a pile and depositing them elsewhere, according to instructions from their trainers of India Tours.

A conversation with naturalists at the reception center yields interesting facts. Dubare is home to elephants "retired" from their work of helping to capture and train "rogue" elephants for the forest department. There are twenty elephants at Dubare, with popular Indian names!

Apart from observing and participating in elephant activities, visitors to Dubare can enjoy fishing, rafting, bird watching or simply floating down the river in a coracle, (a circular, indigenous boat)! One can soak in the beauty of the landscape around Dubare as the coracle drifts between the rocks and under overhanging branches, lulled by the chirping of birds and insects. Cormorants, partridges, woodpeckers and kingfishers abound in the lush green forests along the river.

Accommodation at Dubare camp consists of modern yet eco-friendly cottages (complete with logwood furniture!) set amidst tall trees, with rooms overlooking the river. The best time to visit is between September and March, though Dubare is open throughout the year. This is a must-see eco places to visit in India to learn about and enjoy the lovable giant: the Indian elephant.