Abigail Hole - Lonely Planet Discover India

This is India

Bamboozling. No other word better captures the enigma that is India. With its ability to inspire, frustrate, thrill and confound all at once, India presents an extraordinary spectrum of encounters for the traveller. From rural serenity to big-city swirls of colour, from dizzyingly intricate carved temples to musicians playing ragas in the desert, from harlequin-bright elephants to gourmet restaurants in stylish cities, India will jostle your entire being, and no matter where you go or what you do, its a place that fires the imagination and stirs the soul like nowhere else on Earth.

India is arguably the worlds most multidimensional nation. Even a fleeting visit there could encompass snow-dusted mountains, sun-washed beaches, lantern-lit villages and software-supremo cities. For those seeking spiritual sustenance, India has sacrosanct sites and thought-provoking philosophies galore. For those in search of a different kind of nourishment youre about to jump on board one of the wildest culinary trips of your life! Frying, simmering, sizzling, kneading and flipping a deliciously diverse variety of regional dishes, feasting your way through the subcontinent is certainly one hell of a ride. History buffs will stumble upon gems from the past almost everywhere from grand vestiges of former empires serenely peering over swarming streets, to crumbling fortresses looming high above plunging ravines. Meanwhile, aficionados of the great outdoors can paddle in the shimmering waters of one of many beautiful beaches, scout for big jungle cats on blood-pumping wildlife safaris or simply inhale pine-scented air on meditative forest walks.

With such a feast of opportunities, youre bound to find many more things to fascinate in this astounding, confounding country. And even on a short trip you can go surprisingly in-depth and experience a remarkable range of wonders.

Visitors entering Mehrangarh Fort (), Jodphur
IZZET KERIBAR/LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Indias Top Experiences

Taj Mahal

Dont let fears of tour buses or hordes of visitors make you think you can skip the Taj you cant. Even on a crowded, hot day, this world wonder ( ) is still the Crown of Palaces, a monument to love whose very walls seem to resound with the emperor Shah Jahans adoration of his beloved Mumtaz Mahal, the Gem of the Palace. The marble mausoleum is inlaid with calligraphy, precious and semiprecious stones, and intricate flower designs representing paradise.

SEAN CAFFREY/LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Holy Varanasi

Everyone in Varanasi ( ) seems to be dying or praying or hustling or cremating someone, or swimming or laundering or washing buffaloes in the sewage-saturated Ganges. The goddess river will clean away your sins and help you escape from that tedious life-and-death cycle and Varanasi is the place to take a sacred dip. So take a deep breath, put on a big smile for the ever-present touts, go to the holy water and get your karma in order.

Sunrise prayer ritual by the Ganges
CHRISTER FREDRIKSSON/LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Nodding palms, beach huts on stilts and white sands this is one of Goas loveliest spots. ( )

Dramatic russet sea cliffs drop down to a broad sandy beach that hosts a mix of Hindu priests, backpackers and local volleyball enthusiasts. ( )

This jostling, colourful beach is a favoured spot for an evening stroll and a serve of bhelpuri (fried dough with rice, lentils and spices). ( )

A beautifully unspoilt stretch of South Goa sand, with good facilities and less of a scene than some other resorts. ( )

Backwaters of Kerala

Its unusual to find a place as gorgeous as Keralas backwaters ( ): 900km of interconnected rivers, lakes and lagoons lined with tropical flora. And if you do, there likely wont be a way to experience it thats as peaceful and intimate as a few days on a teak-and-palm-thatch houseboat. Float along the water maybe as the sun sets behind the palms, maybe while eating to-die-for Keralan seafood, maybe as you fall asleep under a twinkling sky and forget about life on land for a while.