IndiaTanjoreIf you’re travelling through South India, three names are likely to become familiar to you: the Cheras, Cholas, and Pandyas. These three great Tamil civilisations ruled the region from around 300 BCE and beyond, trading with ancient Sumerians, Greeks and Romans, and spreading their own flourishing cultures across Southeast Asia. If you want to glimpse some of what they left behind, Tanjore has got to feature on your journey. Overview Trip ideas Experiences Regions Best time to visit Accommodation Back to all places in Kerala & Tamil Nadu Brihadishvara Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site at the heart of Tanjore, is perhaps the finest example of Chola architecture still standing. Unlike the vividly painted gopurams common to most temples in South India, the intricate granite carvings of Brihadishvara (simply ‘Big Temple’ to the locals) have been left bare, so that the whole temple glows terracotta in the afternoon sun.Visit on a Sunday and it’s clear that this is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Tamil Nadu. People travel from miles around to be there, all dressed in their Sunday best, to buy flowers and offerings at the temple entrance, receive blessings from the priest, and chat to friends and foreigners alike. It’s a wonderfully friendly atmosphere.Tanjore isn’t packed with sights in the traditional sense, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty to see. You might pop into the palace museum to see its library, which contains tens of thousands of Sanskrit and Tamil manuscripts written on palm leaves. We recommend a visit Tanjore Art Village, by the temple, to see bronze-casting and Tanjore painting (now with gold foil, lace and semiprecious stones instead of rubies, emeralds and precious metals). We’ve found it much less pushy than some craft centres in India, where you can be made to feel like you have to buy something.It’s not big – you might only spend a few hours here – but it’s one of our favourite places in Tamil Nadu, and more than worth an afternoon of your time. Other destinations in this region India CalicutA cultural crossroads, seaside Calicut is refreshingly un-touristy – despite having plenty to see and do, from medieval mosques to martial arts. India ChennaiYoung, vibrant and always in the throes of change, Chennai is one of India’s most exciting and creative cities — with some of the best street-food anywhere. India ChettinadA land of ghostly, abandoned mansions, like the ruins of a fairytale kingdom, Chettinad is one of the most spectacularly unexpected destinations in India. India Kannur & TellicherryThis charming, low-key corner of Kerala wouldn’t get much press if it weren’t for Theyyam: a Hindu festival unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. India Kerala backwatersKerala’s pride and joy, the backwaters offer mile upon mile of jungle-fringed paradise, where life is slow, water is king, and everything happens by boat. India KochiIndia’s coolest and most progressive state capital, Kochi feels like a European city transplanted to the palm-fringed Keralan coast. India KumbakonamPaddy fields, betel farms and coconut groves provide a picture-perfect backdrop for experiencing village life in rural south India. India Madurai‘The Soul of Tamil Nadu’, ‘The Athens of the East’, ‘The city that never sleeps’ – Madurai is one of the oldest cities in India, and it has collected its fair share of epithets over the years. India MahabalipuramWorld Heritage temples combine with sand, surf and backpacker vibes to make Mahabalipuram a beach break with a difference. India MarariArguably the best beach destination in Kerala, with golden sands, glittering seas, and plenty of laid-back south Indian charm. India MunnarEnjoy old-world luxury in a plantation bungalow, surrounded by the emerald-green tea fields and mist-cloaked mountains of Munnar. India MuvattupuzhaExperience life in the Keralan countryside, surrounded by lazy waterways and fields of pineapple, banana, coconut and black pepper. Load More