10 PLACES YOU HAVE TO VISIT IN INDIA

What a choice to make – the 10 places that you simply must visit while you’re in India, my masala bucket list ! The choices are just overwhelming, but the list I’ve come up with are those special places that I believe imbibe something unique; those places you visit that perhaps add that extra little piece of who you become, and how you view the world around you.  The list is in no particular order but the starting point just had to be….

The Taj Mahal (Agra)

This iconic shimmering white marble structure will take your breath away with its simple beauty and poignant story of devotion, love and ultimately betrayal. The monument to a life’s love built by the emperor Shajehan for his Queen, Mumtaz, sits in the northern city of Agra just a few hours out of Delhi. Personally I find the Taj best viewed in the soft light of the evening but dawn tours are also very popular. Make sure you use one of the great old guides you’ll find inside, they’ll add the real sparkle to your viewing. Whilst in Agra you must visit Fatehpur Sikri, the 16^th century ‘City of Victory’ built by Emperor Akbar, as well as his tomb at Sikandra. If your pockets are deep the incomparable Amar Villa’s will beckon, but there are also some gorgeous boutique heritage properties at more palatable tariffs.

Udaipur (Rajasthan)

Sitting on the edge of Lake Pichola, Udaipur is home to the exquisite Lake Palace as well as the massive City Palace complex, the Hill Palace, numerous temples and many other incredible buildings and sights. Udaipur is undoubtedly one of the prettiest cities in India and it also boasts some of the country’s most magnificent hotels led by the world renowned Lake Palace, with a number of enchanting boutique properties dotted around the city as well. There are a host of perfect places to eat set around the lake. One of my favourite memories of the city is an elephant just wandering unattended through the middle of the old city one afternoon…

Gulmarg (Kashmir)

Gulmarg has a split personality, it is literally the ‘valley of flowers’ in summer, but in winter it turns into one of the world’s most unique and breath taking skiing destinations. The town is 1 ½ hours’ drive from Srinagar airport and sits at 2,700m above sea level. You can stay in ski in/out accommodation at some great old raj chalets with full kit gear hire from around Rs.500 per day and private instructors from around Rs.1,500 for the full day. There are a range of bunny (beginner slopes) around the lodges as well as a French built gondola that takes you to over 4,000m for the highest drop point in the world – this section is definitely for black run skiers only, and just remember there are very limited medical and search/rescue facilities available – take the advice of the locals in regards conditions.

Pondicherry

La Côte d'Azur de l'Est (the French Riviera of the East) is how this quaint little piece of France sitting on the eastern coast of India has been described. It might not be the Riviera, but you can stay in superb colonial era hotels that have been beautifully restored, take a croissant and black espresso for breakfast, some pate and crispy baguette for lunch then dine by candlelight with a wonderful beef bourguignon accompanied by a bottle of quality French wine in the evening. Get along to Auroville the nearby 60’s community dedicated to world peace and harmony, even if you don’t get the hippy vibe there’s an amazingly good wood fired pizza place on the road back to Pondy, also some of the best antique shopping to be found in India.

Goa

Sitting on the west coast of India on the Arabian Sea, Goa was initially colonized by the Portuguese in 1510 and only became part of India in 1961. The result is a great mix of culture (and food) with an odd sort of South Beach meets slum dog juxtaposition. Good in either the season (Sept-March) or the monsoon. I just love the casual vibe, the great scenery and gorgeous food. Go up to my fave Greek restaurant at Little Vagator Beach and if you like it as much as I do you can just grab a cabin for a few hundred rupees a night and stay as long as you like! Scooters are around 200 rupes a day and make sure you head up to Tiracol Fort for a memorable lunch on the terrace overlooking the sea. Fantastic night market at Apora in the season.

Mumbai

Bollywood and being the financial heart of India are what Mumbai is known for but one of my favourite things to do in Mumbai is the Dharavi slum tour. It really is something everyone should do, and you can take the tour with a ‘slum dog’ route that grabs the old red light district featured in the movie, as well as the Dhobi Ghat laundry and maybe finish with the Chor Bazaar (thieves market). Mumbai also boasts some of the best dining and nightlife in India for those with the energy. If the weather is good grab a boat in front of the Taj Hotel and take a trip to Elephant Island and the caves.

Amritsar (Punjab)

The Punjab has much of India’s most fascinating history from the founding of the Sikh faith to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919, and the disaster of partition. In recent history operation Bluestar in the 1980’s led to the death of over 1,000 Sikhs and ultimately Prime Minister Indira Ghandi.  The Golden Temple complex of Amritsar is the holiest place of the Sikh faith and has more visitors that the Taj Mahal – a spectacular building with the  Hari Mandir (Divine Temple) at its heart surrounded by the Amrit Sarovar (Pool of Nectar). A truly Indian experience that will not be easily forgotten. The Punjab is a rich part of India with endless wonder for visitors.

Calcutta

The city of Calcutta (or Kolkata if you subscribe to current norms) was the original capitol of the British for its Indian empire, and is has a style and feel all of its own. Whilst the western image of this city has been aligned to Mother Teresa and intense poverty, Bengali’s pride themselves as having the 2^nd largest city in India that resonates as its cultural heart. Fantastic food is another feature of the city from rich curries and seafood to the most amazing sweets. The city sits on the banks of the Hooghly River which is a tributary of the fabled Ganges. If you’re free on any day around 1pm nip down to the city’s main street to watch the one way traffic change direction – highly entertaining ! There are also some really lovely old boutique hotels scattered through the city.

Fort Cochin and the Kerala Backwaters

Fort Cochin is undoubtedly one of the most scenic places you will see in India with a relaxing charm and great character, one of my absolute favourite destinations. You can see the fishermen using Chinese nets on the banks of the bay and walk down to the spice markets and the original Jewish area of the village. Fort Cochin also has some of the best accommodation to be found with a string of upmarket boutique hotels and some really lovely old heritage properties ringed around the waterfront. A short drive from Cochin and you are at the start point for a fantastic excursion onto the Kerala backwaters on a classic wicker houseboat, just sit back on the deck and watch the world float by as the crew  cook up some great Kerelan seafood and look after you’re every need.

Darjeeling

Wedged between Nepal and Bhutan, Darjeeling is the quintessential old raj hill station, and was for many years considered the English Raj’s summer capital. The 130 year old narrow gauge ‘toy train’ is a must and you should also look at the various treks and mountain bike excursions. Trekking is made easier by the abundance of good guides and porters so all you have to do is enjoy the scenery. There are numerous classic old lodges now running as boutique hotels and food ranging from Tibetan to Bengali, and yes plenty of tea shops.

So there it is, my Masala bucket list. I hope you get to travel throughout this great country, not just to the 10 places I’ve picked but to the dozens of other exotic and wonderful destinations like the annual Pushkar camel festival – Namastai !