IndiaTrichyTiruchirappalli (AKA Trichy) may be one temple town among many in South India, but two of them in particular make it absolutely worth your time: the Rockfort, and the Ranganathaswamy Temple at Srirangam. Overview Trip ideas Experiences Regions Best time to visit Accommodation Back to all places in Kerala & Tamil Nadu Trichy’s Rockfort perches on top of a hill thought to be one of the oldest geological formations in the world (older than Greenland, apparently, if you can imagine such a thing). It juts out in the centre of the city, accessible up 437 red-and-white painted steps that wind through rock-cut tunnels and over outcrops. People stop to rest on the way up, lounging either side of the stairway, looking out over the pastel-coloured jumble of the city and the greenery of the Kaveri River Delta in the distance. It’s a particularly lovely sight at sunset, when everything glows orange and gold.Srirangam is a different experience again. This is the largest functioning temple in the world – of any denomination – and trust us when we say it’s truly enormous. Enter the outermost of seven concentric walls and it’s like entering a self-contained town, with mopeds pushing through crowds of women in bright saris, old men wheeling bikes, shops selling devotional images and brightly-coloured powders beneath parasols and stripy awnings. At the end of each parade you pass beneath one of 21 magnificently painted gopurams writhing with statues of gods and goddesses, on and on until you reach the heart of the temple. Here, people chat and snack, nap on the floor, and make offerings to Vishnu while temple elephants wander about among them.Beyond these two temples, Trichy is much like any other mid-sized South Indian city. That is to say, it’s unremarkable – but in the best way. Packed with life, amazing for buying textiles and exploring markets, it’s a wonderful place to soak up a slice of local everyday life. 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