Tamil culture is one of the few living classical civilisations in the world, shaped by the powerful Dravidian empires of the Cholas, Pandyas and Pallavas. Its temple architecture, characterised by gopuram towers swarming with elaborate and colourful figures, is one of the highlights of any visit to the south – as is its cuisine, rich in tamarind, coconut and black pepper.

In Kerala, meanwhile, rolling tea fields blanketed in a sea of green descend toward the coast into coconut groves, paddy fields and the myriad waterways of the backwaters. Keralan culture has been shaped since antiquity by its position on the Arabian Sea, first by traders from ancient Rome, Arabia and China – then by colonisers from Europe in the Golden Age of Exploration. Its coastal regions are a maze of palm-fringed waterways, while in its hinterlands you’ll find villages, tea plantations and bewitching tribal festivals. Its beaches, we should also mention, are among the finest in India.

Kerala and Tamil Nadu make a fantastic pairing for showcasing India’s diversity and contrasts. Plus, as two of the country’s wealthiest and most progressive states, they’re wonderfully accessible for first-time visitors.