India

India is a vast South Asian country stretching from the Himalayas to the Indian Ocean. In the north, Delhi has bazaars, gardens and ancient monuments, and Agra the Taj Mahal, a UNESCO-listed 17th-century mausoleum in white marble. Rajasthan brings Udaipur's lake palaces, Jaipur's pink façades and the clifftop fortress above Jodhpur at the edge of the Thar Desert. In Ranthambore and central India's forests, naturalists track wild tigers.

The Himalayan foothills bring cool air, cedar slopes, yoga and Ayurveda as spa traditions, and the Ganges at Rishikesh between green hills. The south differs: Kerala's palm-fringed backwaters and spice hills, Coorg's coffee estates, the UNESCO-listed ruins of Hampi, Mumbai's Arabian Sea waterfront and Hyderabad with its biryani (spiced rice with meat). The Andaman Islands add white beaches and reefs.

Cuisines bring thali (a platter of small dishes), dosa (a thin rice pancake), tandoor (clay-oven) dishes and masala chai (milky spiced tea); block printing, music and dance remain living arts. The best time for most of the country is roughly October to March; the foothills are pleasant in spring and autumn, summer brings heat to the plains, and the monsoon runs roughly June to September, when tiger parks usually close. The currency is the Indian rupee. India suits couples, families, culture, wildlife and wellness travellers, and those combining palaces with beaches.