Sunrise seekers and those looking for a quiet alternative to some of Havelock's busier beaches should consider a visit to Kalapathar Beach. This small, eastern-facing beach features a mix of powdery sand and large dark rocks, making it a particularly picturesque place to swim, sunbathe, or simply take in the scenery.
The Akbari Fort is a 16th-century fort housing the Rajputana Museum. It's also known as Ajmer Fort or the Government Museum of Ajmer. It was established in 1908 to display collections of coins, religious sculptures, miniature art, and arms, much of which came from excavation sites.
Among Hampi's best-preserved historical sites is its Elephant Stables, a long dome-topped structure that was originally used to house elephants during the reign of the Vijayanagara Empire. Most of the elephants housed here appeared in regal processions and military parades.
The Shanti Stupa in Leh is a pointed white dome on a rocky hill behind Ladakh; you can see it from many parts of the popular Changspa neighborhood. It’s not centuries-old like many of Ladakh’s Buddhist sites, but it’s a must-visit attraction for the views across Leh and the mountains beyond.
Travelers in North India will probably have seen a few of Akbar the Great’s grand designs before they reach Prayagraj (Allahabad), including Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. If you’re passing through Prayagraj, add 16th-century Allahabad Fort to your list. Although largely dismantled now, the solid riverside walls hint at its past as the largest of Akbar’s constructions.
Bhuj’s Prag Mahal strikes visitors with its cultural and geographic contradictions: The 19th-century red-brick palace resembles something you might see in Oxford, England, yet rises out of the desert landscape of western Gujarat. Although the building isn’t ancient—it was built in 1865—it isn’t in great shape, as it was badly damaged by a major earthquake in 2001.
On the outskirts of central Ahmedabad, Dada Harir Stepwell (Bai Harir Vav) was built in 1499 by a supervisor of Sultan Mahmud Begada’s harem; Sanskrit and Persian inscriptions say that a royal midwife of Begada’s household named Halima commissioned the stepwell, and a mosque and tomb alongside it. The steps lead to an often dry well, while Halima’s tomb features elegant carved lattice screens called jali.
Ladakh means “country of high passes,” and at an altitude of 17,480 feet (5,328 meters), the Taglang Pass (Taglang La) in the Zanskar Range is one of the highest of all. The Leh–Manali Highway (NH3) stretches through it for several miles, with colorful Tibetan Buddhist prayer flags flying at the summit. Anyone undertaking the grueling-yet-spectacular overland route to Leh will cross the pass.
Arguably Hampi's most popular viewpoint, Matanga Hill is a great place to watch the sunrise or sunset or simply take photos of the city. According to legend, it was once the hermitagehome of Matanga, a sage who provided guidance for Lord Rama.
When Ahmad Shah I founded Ahmedabad as the new capital of the Gujarat Sultanate in 1411, he built Bhadra Fort to fortify the city. The former site of a medieval court and a British colonial jail, the fort was fully renovated in 2014 and remains one of the modern city’s great landmarks—a squat fortress with Indo-Saracenic-style arches, balconies, and latticework.
Travelers interested in religious architecture will enjoy visiting Ahmedabad’s Sarkhej Roza, a 15th-century mosque, palace, and tomb complex centered around a man-made water tank. The carved stone geometric screens by the entrance are especially beautiful, and the whole complex melds Islamic and Hindu elements. Swiss–French modernist architect Le Corbusier famously compared Sarkhej Roza to Athens’ Acropolis, highlighting its beauty and architectural significance.
Set inside the gargantuan Gwalior Fort, the Sas-Bahu Temple comprises two stone temples dating from the 11th century. Step inside the partial ruins, consisting of one larger temple and one smaller one, and you’ll see intricate carvings that cover every surface, spanning statues, arches, and columns.
Alwar Fort, also known as Bala Quila, presides over the city of Alwar from its perch in the Aravali Range. Although now in ruins, it’s among the few remaining forts in Rajasthan that predate the Mughal Empire and offers lovely views of the city.
Ahmed Shah’s Mosque—also known as Shahi Jam-e-Masjid Bhadra and Juni Juma Masjid—is one of Ahmedabad’s oldest mosques, built in the early 15th century in the city’s original walled area. It reflects a Gujarati Islamic style of architecture that developed independently of the dominant strands in Mughal Delhi, with Hindu and Jain influences, too.
Hyderabad’s Sudha Cars Museum isn’t your typical classic car museum. Established by Kanyaboyina Sudhakar, an inventor who holds a Guinness World Record for creating the world’s largest tricycle, the museum contains all kinds of weird and wonderful cars, from a hamburger car to a high-heeled shoe car. As well as having plenty of fun, visitors can also admire more traditional vintage cars here.
Bhuj’s 18th-century Aina Mahal is a must-visit attraction in the western Gujarati city. Though both the palace’s exterior and the collections within have seen better days—Bhuj was the epicenter of a large earthquake in 2001 that badly damaged the Aina Mahal’s top floor—it still houses an interesting collection of locally made, European-inspired arts, crafts, and historical artifacts.
Among the more popular of Mahabaleshwar's many viewpoints, Elephant's Head Point is a great place to take in views of the Sahyadri mountains and beyond. Be prepared to do a bit of light hiking to reach the top, but you’ll be rewarded with impressive vistas worth the climb.
The Quest Mall in Kolkata is a stylish place to shop, eat, or just escape from the hustle of the city outside. The 5-story mall isn’t just home to a wealth of luxury, upmarket clothes and lifestyle brands, but has a multiplex cinema and a food court, which serves a variety of Indian and international fare.
Undoubtedly one of Ahmedabad's more out-there experiments in craftsmanship and architecture, Amdavad Ni Gufa is an underground art gallery that showcases the works of Maqbool Fida Husain, among the most celebrated Indian artists of the 20th century. Visit to see the artist's paintings and experience a gallery space that looks like a giant caterpillar/spaceship half buried underground.
In the heart of Old Bikaner, Rampuria Haveli is a group of nine havelis (city mansions), constructed in pink Dulmera sandstone. Most of the havelis were likely built around the 15th century, and are a great example of Rajasthani architecture.
Gujarat’s far-western Kutch region is a culturally, geographically, and artistically rich place. Learn more about it through the diversity of artifacts and exhibits on display at Bhuj’s Kutch Museum. It’s the oldest museum in Gujarat, and though it may show its age and not everything is well-labeled, curious travelers should be able to sift through to find the treasure.
Snow is a rare sight in India (outside the Himalayas), but Maniar’s Wonderland Snow Park in Ahmedabad provides a wintery experience the whole year round. Kids and adults will enjoy playing in the park, riding the roller coasters and zip lines, and even having snowball fights—a particularly enticing option when it’s hot outside.
Also known as Kempegowda's Fort after the founder of Bangalore (Kempe Gowda), this landmark construction was originally built in 1537 out of mud and converted to stone in 1761. It was later captured by the British East India Company in 1791. Today, only two bastions and one gate remain, along with gardens and a Ganesh temple.
Spanning around 55 acres (22 hectares), Mount Opera is the Hyderabad area's largest amusement park. Here you'll find all sorts of rides and attractions, plus a water park offering pools and slides suitable for visitors of all ages. A special kids’ zone includes a playground designed for the littlest of guests.
Bandhej (tie-dye) saris, traditional blouses, and colorful wall hangings line the stalls of the Law Garden Night Market, where business starts after sunset. So-called because of its proximity to the Gujarat Law Society University, and the garden of the same name, the market is where locals and tourists shop for traditional Gujarati handicrafts and local street food.
The Kochi branch of South India’s Wonderla Amusement Park chain has state-of-the-art land and water rides for all ages, plus live shows daily. Highlights include two wave pools, a 120-foot-high (37-meter-high) vertical-drop ride, and India’s first reverse looping roller coaster. The water park is a popular way to cool off when the weather’s hot—which it often is in Kochi.
Archaeology and ancient history enthusiasts will want to make a detour to Lothal, an archaeological site that was part of the Indus Valley civilization about 4,500 years ago. While many Indus Valley civilization sites are less accessible nowadays, in the deserts of modern-day Gujarat and Pakistan, Lothal is just 50 miles (80 kilometers) southwest of Ahmedabad.
Also called the Pu La Deshpande Garden, the Pune Okayama Friendship Garden is among the largest public gardens in Pune, India. Established as a symbol of friendship between the sister cities Pune and Okayama in Japan, this landscaped space is said to be the largest Japanese-style garden outside of Japan, and offers visitors a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of Pune’s city life.
By some accounts, this historic road stretching from Alka Square to Quarter Gate Square in the heart of Pune is named after Laxmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity—hence, the road bazaar overflows with shops and stalls where you can bargain for almost anything, from clothing to textiles and jewelry.
Located in the Kazhakuttom area of Thiruvananthapuram, the Magic Planet Theme Park is dedicated to magic in its many forms. It explores the historical, scientific, mathematical, and psychological aspects of magic through performances of street-style magic, comedy magic, illusions, puzzles, and more.
