South India
The Tropical south offers a laid-back gentle introduction to India. The fertile state of Kerala is surrounded by a profusion of natural landscapes; coconut palm-backed beaches, cool tea plantations, bright green paddy fields and lush waterways teeming with exotic bird life. Here there is a gentler pace of life: spend your days drifting through the latticed canals on a private houseboat, relaxing on the Malabar Coast, or soaking up the architectural styles of Fort Cochin. Well known for its Ayurvedic spas, yoga retreats and Malabar fish curry a luxury holiday to South India is the place to unwind.
North of Kerala is the dry plateau of Mysore, in the state of Karnataka, where scents of sandalwood and jasmine swirl round the lavish Hindu Maharaja’s Palace. Karnataka is home to amazing ancient cultural sites, rain forested hills and untouched beaches. Since the infrastructure of this fascinating state may be a little tricky, why not hop aboard the Golden Chariot train, for a luxury holiday to South India, which effortlessly weaves it way throughout the land stopping at all the major sites along the way, from garden city of Bangalore to the champagne sands of colonial Goa and of course the highlight, the primordial city of Hampi with its colossal ruins that are scattered throughout the boulder strewn landscape, the last remnants of the Vijayanagara Empire.
On the south-eastern tip of India is the colourful state of Tamil Nadu, a sacred state brimming with ornate Hindu temples, ritualistic dance customs and traditional festivals. Here the ancient temple towns of the Hindu heartland give way to the hospitable capital of Chennai and the French colonial city of Puducherry, with is bougainvillea lined avenues, white washed churches and French flavoured café culture.
For an alternative entrance to the south, start in Hyderabad. A Mughal city, once home to the richest man in the world, The Nizam of Hyderabad, the city is replete with many splendid palaces and luxury hotels. A former diamond trading centre and now one of the major tech hubs in India this city offers a fascinating fusion of old and new.
