Goa

Goa has a reputation. Psychedelic trance, spiked lassis, rave revelries, flowing alcohol, heady hedonism. It's the black sheep of India, alluring and more seductive than any Khajuraho mural. But Goa is also unbelievably quaint - all fading villas and gabled roofs and a surfeit of green. Goa constantly surprises, being brazen and demure at the same time. Eventually, it makes you fall in love with its idiosyncrasies.

Divided between North and South, North Goa is the party hub. The popular beaches of North Goa swarm with tourists and vendors. The vendors offer massages, henna tattoos, cocktails, even deck chairs. Do sprawl here, drink Kings beer (or fresh juice), watch the effervescent sea, let the sea breeze ruffle your hair and give yourself up to the happy haze.

Enjoy people watching? Topless men, some only in their Y-fronts, paunches protruding, splash in the sea here. Konkan women in sarees hassle girls and foreign tourists for a foot massage but stay clear of bachelor boys. Ladies from Andhra Pradesh try to sell colourful scarves. Waiters follow beach bums around, persuading them to read their menu cards. Had enough? Just claim your own spot and jump into the water.

And the partying. Shake a leg at legendarynightspots such as Tito's and Mambo's, complete with state of the art lights and music systems, the crowds swaying with abandon. Or sit sipping a drink at a pub with live music, dim lights, thatch and bamboo decor, and happy people in various stages of inebriation.

But Goa is also breathtaking. It glimmers dark green. Palm fronds flank the roads, trees filigree the sunlight throwing patterns on the tarmac and paddy fields are guarded by umbrellas of coconut trees.

Goa is gentle. It has the laidback attitude of a small town merged with a global approach. So while there are funky restaurants in Goa with heavenly seafood, there are also locals who also shyly ask you 'which country' you are from. And they always smile at you.

The real beauty of Goa is in its interiors, and the best way to explore it is to hire a scooter and set off. The undulating roads are bordered by swaying grass; on the way there are little villages, friendly locals and hole-in-the-wall bars.

South Goa is where all the resorts are and it's a curious place. Even more verdant than the North, it is less crowded, more rural outside its plush resorts. Small villages and lakes burst out of the thick greenery. There are shops few and far in between, but they cater to expatriates, to people used to an urban lifestyle, selling cheeses, spreads and tetra-pack juices. ATMs pepper the area but it still has a rustic, small town air with women sitting by the roads, selling fish. But the beaches are breathtaking. The sea is light blue here, glittering, shimmering, inviting.

You can choose your Goa. It will delight you, charm you, keep you entertained. You will be floored, returning again, and again.

Dharamshala

The concoction of fresh mountain air, smell of pines, vibes of Buddhist prayers, colours of Tibetan people, aromas of mouth-watering delights, and changing shades of the sky.

Dharamshala, famously the home of the Dalai Lama and a large Tibetan population, is really two little towns separated by a winding 9 km road – lower Dharamshala and McLeodganj. Lower Dharamshala is not the centre of tourist attraction, being a busy hill town with sensible shops and grocery stores. It is McLeodganj that has boomed, home to the Dalai Lama and Tibetan refugees who have fled the oppressive Chinese regime and made this Himachal town their home, adorning it with monasteries and temples, colourful thangkas and Buddhist prayer bells, cosmopolitan restaurants and funky shops. The tiny town is actually centred around the main market chowk, and lanes leading off from it, packed with shops and restaurants.

With the Dhauladhar mountains in the backdrop, Dharamshala is perched on the high slopes in the upper reaches of Kangra Valley. Dense pine and deodar trees blanket the slopes, and the nearby snowlines provide a constant supply of numerous streams, rapids and scattered waterfalls.

Monks in maroon can be seen strolling down the mountain roads. Although the town has a strong Tibetan flavour, one can also see hints of a colonial, English past. The colourful temples and gompas reflect a rich Tibetan culture while the Museum of Kangra Art in lower Dharamshala offers an insight into the heritage of the region. Numerous institutes work towards preserving the art, culture and traditions of Tibet as well.

Dharamshala is an altogether different world – a world you would like to know, be in and never forget.

Delhi - Capital of India

One of the oldest cities in the world, Delhi is also one of the largest. Emblematic of India in the paradoxes it holds, the city is a modern metropolis where you encounter antiquity at every bend. With a history spanning over 5000 years that saw several dynasties, invasions, migrations, destruction, construction and the Partition, Delhi is a cultural conundrum. The best way to relish Delhi is not to try to unravel its idiosyncrasies but enjoy the cultural patina it offers.

If you haven't seen Delhi's monuments, you haven't seen Delhi city! So pull out a Delhi map and get going. Ubiquitous as the ruins are, scattered over the city, do visit tombs such as the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Qutub Minar and Humayun's tomb. Even though they are a bit of a cliche, the breadth of history they represent will leave you dizzy with cultural overload.

If you manage to be in Delhi when the weather is cooler, walk through the city - battle your way through the maze of Chandni Chowk and then amble along the Janpath savouring the incredible sense of space in Lutyens' tree-flanked Delhi. Pad across the grass at the Lodhi Gardens littered with ruins or haul your way up the Ridge area also called the lungs of Delhi city, offering dense forests and an occasional fox. The city has so much to offer that the smell of tarmac later will always remind you of your Delhi days.

Whatever be the season, do not forget to sample the food in Delhi. Astounding variety and outstanding flavours. What you cannot miss are the kebabs around Jama Masjid, the chaat at Chandni Chowk, momos at various shacks around the city and the sinfully indulgent Mughlai and Punjabi food.

What you would definitely enjoy is the exemplary shopping in Delhi. Traditional wear, ethnic-chic, trinkets, furnishings, antiques, ostentatious jewellery, chromatic pajamas, designer wear and labels, posh bookshops and second hand treasures, flea markets, curios, handicrafts - New Delhi has it all. It is, after all, the capital of the republic of India.

CORBETT

This is the lair of the majestic beast, the Big Cat, the stately tiger. Breathe in the smell of the forest, revel in the resounding silence as the dirt track undulates and your jeep bobs. Although any tiger sighting must be considered only an added bonus – visit Corbett for the sheer thrill of being inside a real, live forest.

But all is not well in India’s premier tiger and wildlife reserve. While the official count of tigers remains 143, the actual count is rumoured to be as less as 50. In January 2001, poachers had killed eight wild elephants in the park. Poaching of deer and other such animals is common in the reserve too. In 2006, poachers shot a male tiger point blank in the eye. In August 2006, there were reports of 11 tiger skins being smuggled to China.

Efforts are being made by the Forestry department and organisations such as Save the Tiger Fund, but they face difficulties as poachers are usually aided by locals looking to make a quick buck. Which is a shame because the reserve remains one of the richest wildlife sanctuaries in India. Spread over an area of 1288 sq. km, the reserve is divided into three zones – outer, tourist and core. Only 25% of the reserve is open to public, the rest remains out of bounds, safeguarding the natural habitat. Animals commonly sighted include barking deer, Stork beak kingfisher, wild elephants, wild boar, serpent eagles, leopards and so on. Corbett also has over 600 species of birds and 110 varieties of trees. While inside, keep in mind that it is not allowed to step out of your jeep.

There are four entry gates into the forest, Amdanda on the way to the Bijrani Camp being the closest. The Dhangarhi gate leads you to Dhikala, what the locals call ‘real Corbett’. The safari through Bijrani lasts for over an hour and a half. However, if you choose to roam the Dhikala area it is compulsory to stay the night within the reserve at a Forest Rest House (roam, of course, in a jeep or atop an elephant, after obtaining permits and with a trained guide only). Abundant with savannah grasslands, it is here that the park is the wildest and tiger spotting the most common.

Named after the famous hunter turned conservationist Jim Corbett, a trip to Corbett makes an ideal weekend getaway from Delhi. Carry binoculars and your luckiest charm – that tiger might not elude you after all.

Chennai

Dusty, crowded and polluted, you might not take to Chennai at the first glance. But persist, and you will discover the city's many treasures. Offering delectable cuisine, excellent shopping and 500-years worth of monuments, the city will always have your hands full.

Settled by the British in 1639 at the site of a small fishing village, the city gradually grew to incorporate surrounding villages in its terrain. Colonial struggles between European powers, on the turf of India, lead to the city being home to Raj-era structures, Portuguese Churches and ancient Hindu temples. One of the biggest attractions is the Marina Beach, the world's second longest city beach.

Another plus point for Chennai is the variety of authentic Tamil food you find here - cheap, spicy and scrumptious. Look beyond the cliches and discover the Chettinad, the Tamil Vegetarian Thali or the Tiffin. Chennai also offers delicious sweets and desserts.

Although Chennaiites will tell you time and again that Chennai shopping is much more than silk, dotted as it is with designer boutiques and hip malls, it is the silks that win you over. Tanjore paintings, antiques, silver jewellery studded with stones add to the shopping experience.

Chennai is also perfect as the focal point to start exploring rest of Tamil Nadu. Well connected to destinations across India, as well as internationally. The city has an airport that caters to domestic and international carriers and also has good inter-city transport facilities. With plenty to see in and around the Chennai, it is ideal for a seaside holiday.

Keoladeo Ghana National Park

A 55 kilometer drive from Agra, in the town of Bharatpur in the eastern part of Rajasthan lies the Keoladeo Ghana National Park, a rich avian sanctuary, probably the finest in Asia.

It boasts of an extensive variety of avian species, some of which are difficult to find in other parts of the world. The warm climate and the inviting terrain of Bharatpur, is populated every year in winter months by the rare Siberian cranes.

Bharatpur also has some structures, which tell the story of its royal past. The marvelous Bharatpur Palace houses a rich repository of ancient artifacts dating back to the early 15th Century.

A visit to Bharatpur surely promises an inevitable tryst with both nature and history!

Golden Temple - Amritsar

The colourful city of the Golden Temple, the Jallianwalla Bagh and NRIs. The city that accommodates everything and everyone, from the sublime Shabad Kirtan to Bhangda Balle Balle. The city of kulchas and lassi. The city that exemplifies every Punjabi cliche and makes you fall in love with each one of them.

Amritsar is synonymous with the Golden Temple that lies in the heart of the Old City. One of the most secular sites in India, it is open to all. The largest city of Punjab, Amritsar is crowded and congested, the Old quarter a maze of labyrinthine alleys and gullies. Above them all tower the walls and domes of the Golden Temple in pristine marble and gleaming gold, permeating the city with a sacred air.

Founded in 1577, Amritsar has had a rich and varied history and played an important part during the freedom struggle. But it bears many wounds, having been home to many tragedies. The Jallianwalla Baghremains one of the most poignant symbols of India's hard-won independence. Tragedy struck Amritsar again during the Partition and it saw some of the greatest blood shed in the riots that followed. Peace resumed, but in 1980 Amritsar was under attack again by Bhindranwale who occupied the Akal Takht and the following Operation Blue Star which damaged the temple complex.

But Amritsar rises above the tragedies again and again, as if from its Pool of Nectar that endows immortality and its people remain warm, its alleys jostling. Everywhere you look there are colours, chhola-kulcha dhabas and jalebi kiosks. The sidewalks are lined with pavement shops selling all things glittery and the guttural sounds of Punjabis are everywhere.

Amritsar's real charm lies in the Punjabi heartiness that pervades its food, dress, pagdi colours and people's attitudes. A cheerful, carnival-like atmosphere greets you here every day of the year and you cannot but be brushed with the mirth.