IndiaPalani HillsThere are few more inviting places than Palani Hills to take time out of a busy itinerary, slow the pace, and enjoy doing not very much at all. Overview Trip ideas Experiences Regions Best time to visit Accommodation Back to other destinations in Kerala & Tamil Nadu Gentle hills, green forests, open plains, villages and farmland roamed by cows, goats and chickens: Palani Hills isn’t about any particular sight or monument. It’s about wandering trails that criss-cross between paddy fields and coconut groves, stopping for juicy fresh mango in villages where foreigners are a novelty. It’s about relaxing with a drink and a book, looking out over coffee plantations and shola forests filled with tropical birds. It’s about doing exactly what you want to do, whether that’s heading out on a hike or staying behind by the pool for a snooze.Few tourists make the time to come here, which means it’s delightfully unspoilt and (that holy grail of travel destinations) entirely authentic. It’s a proper slice of South Indian village life, away from the tourist trail. Other destinations in this region India NeeleshwarTucked away in the north, Neeleshwar is a proper tropical paradise, with some of the best beaches and backwaters in Kerala. India PondicherryTamil Nadu’s French-colonial enclave is chocolate-box pretty, with a unique spirituality and charming seaside atmosphere. India TanjoreTanjore is one of our favourite towns in Tamil Nadu, and home to one of the best examples of Chola temple architecture still standing. India TrichyTrichy is famous for two remarkable temples: one the largest functioning temple in the world, the other atop a hill looking over it. India Vagamon (Wagamon)Hike to Sufi tombs and hilltop churches, relax at colonial tea plantations, and soak up classic Keralan mountain scenery at the lush hill station of Vagamon. India WayanadRippling tea plantations and pristine forest blanket the hills in Wayanad, one of the most remote and beautiful hill stations in south India.