The best time to visit this 445-hectare safari park (2674278; dirvvnp@sancharnet.in; Indian/foreigner Rs 15/200, camera/video Rs 40/300, autorickshaw/car Rs 20/40; 6.30am-5.30pm Sat-Thu Mar-Sep, from 8am Oct-Feb) is at 4.30pm, when animals including two white tigers, an albino sloth bear and a lion pace the edges of their cages waiting to be fed. You may want [...]
A series of rusty cliffs and headlands bursting out of thickets of greenery help to give Vagator and charming Chapora one of the prettiest settings on the north Goan coast. It’s this back drop, rather than the beaches (which are largely forgettable) that have made these two little villages the centre for the wild, outdoor [...]
Vadodara (or Baroda as it’s often known) is a cultured, harmonious university town 100km southeast of Ahmedabad, which explodes into life during festival season. The impressive museum, overwrought Indo-Saracenic palace and beautiful Tambekar Wada can be visited in a day or two, but the main reason for coming here is the nearby, wonderful Unesco World [...]
For a small state, Uttarakhand (formerly Uttaranchal) packs in an incredible amount. You can be taking yoga classes at an ashram in Rishikesh and white-water rafting down the Ganges one day, trekking in the shadow of the Himalayas the next. Walk with pilgrims to ancient temples near the source of Ganges and Yamuna Rivers, or [...]
Uttar Pradesh doesn’t quite roll off the tongue like Rajasthan, Kerala or Kashmir, but as a travel destination this expansive state looms large, thanks to Agra, home of the Taj Mahal, and the enthralling city of Varanasi.
On the route to Arunachal Pradesh, Upper Assam is a sweet spot to sip tea in a colonial mansion or to visit tribal villages.
Ujjain initially seems like an outpost of Indore – a nondescript city where sadhus (spiritual men) squatting on the pavement are occasional flashes of colour. But sit at a chai stand on the ghats at sunset, alongside fellow customers clapping along with the music drifting across the water, and it becomes clear what has drawn [...]
Watermarked by whimsy and splendour, the Venice of the East holds stage as one of India’s truly seductive cities. Udaipur is an international destination unto itself, with splendid Lake Pichola lapping against shimmering white buildings, and the Aravalli hills closing in to savour the view.
Tripura is culturally and politically fascinating, and the state’s royal palaces and temples now draw a growing flow of domestic tourists from Kolkata. However, if you’re expecting the exotic grandeur of Rajasthani castles, Tripura might seem a long detour for relatively little.
Tiruchirappalli, universally known as Trichy, is a sprawling but extremely enjoyable city with two extraordinary temples – one perched high above the town on a rocky mount – and many travellers find Trichy more enjoyable than the clamour of the more renowned Madurai. It’s a well-serviced regional transport centre, always busy with locals especially during [...]