The second leg of our Kerala trip was in rolling hills and lush forests of Thekkady, where we spent two nights at the Lake Palace, deep inside the Periyar National Park.
Category: South India
Posts about travelling in South India
Is Thekkady worth visiting? Our short experience says yes, but…
Our short stay showed us that Thekkady is definitely worth visiting, as long as you have a nice place to stay, and keep away from the crowds.
Video diary: Kicking off our Kerala trip with a quick visit to Kochi
Our ten-day Kerala trip started with a one-day visit to Kochi, during which we had some interesting experiences.
A one-day trip to Kochi, and eight interesting experiences
Our one-day trip to Kochi was shorter than we would've liked. But we still managed to squeeze in some interesting experiences.
A not-so-perfect road trip to Machilipatnam from Hyderabad
It took a road trip to Machilipatnam to answer a question we'd been asking for a while: why was one of the the closest beaches to Hyderabad not on the tourist map?
Tips for a Hyderabad to Gokarna road trip via Chorla and Hampi
If you’re thinking of doing a Hyderabad to Gokarna road trip, here are some tips from our trip during which we stopped in Chorla on the way there, and at Hampi on the way back to Hyderabad.
A 3-day trip to Pondicherry before the pandemic
In February 2020, we happened to be in Chennai, so we thought we'd take a quick 3-day trip to Pondicherry. We were lucky we did, because a month later, everything went south.
Hyderabad to Hampi road trip: Things you should know
If you're thinking of doing a Hyderabad-to-Hampi road trip, here are some things that we’ve learned during our six trips. Things that'll help you plan your own trip.
11 restaurants for surprisingly good vegetarian food in Hyderabad
If you’re vegetarian and running out of places to eat in Hyderabad, here are some places that serve surprisingly good vegetarian food.
A Hyderabad to Bidar road trip over the weekend
A Hyderabad to Bidar road trip on our motorbike was the perfect way to indulge our love for travel and history while keeping our carbon footprint down.
Six reasons why Valparai should be your winter holiday destination this year
Crisp air, vast tea plantations, rolling hills, lots of wildlife, colonial-style tea estate guesthouses, and hardly any visitors make this tiny hill station a great winter holiday destination.
Photo diary: Sweeping views and post-apocalyptic scenes on Khanapur hill
We had often driven over and past Khanapur hill, and had always wanted to stop and explore its boulders. When we did, we were shaken by what we found.
Photo diary: A day trip to Lepakshi from Bangalore
During a recent visit to Karnataka's capital, we took a quick day trip to Lepakshi from Bangalore to see its famous temple. The 500 year-old temple, and the massive Nandi statue next door, were well worth the drive.
IQ’s veg review: ‘Zza Café – Serving arguably the best pizza in Hyderabad
‘Zza Bar (short for ‘Pizza Bar’) may only be a little hole-in-the-wall vegetarian pizzeria, but it serves up some of the best pizza and cheesecake you’ll ever eat in Hyderabad. Or anywhere, for that matter.
Rediscovering the secrets of Golconda Fort
The inner citadel of Golconda Fort is arguably Hyderabad’s most popular sight, with its panoramic views and palace ruins. And even if you’ve seen it before, there’s always something new to discover.
A quick guide by a local on things to do in Hyderabad
Hyderabad's 400-year history means the city has lots to see and do, not to speak of its rich and varied cuisine. This downloadable infographic will give you some easy-to-reference Hyderabad itineraries and things to do.
IQ’s veg review: Tatva, Hyderabad’s best-kept vegetarian secret?
Tatva may just be Hyderabad’s best kept secret, as far as vegetarian restaurants go. With excellent Italian, continental and north Indian cuisine, this is a place foodies should try at least once.
Durga Puja 2018: Glimpses of gods and mortals
While most of India celebrates Navratri and Dussehra, some parts celebrate Durga Puja instead. And no one does Durga Puja quite like the Bengalis, no matter where they are.
12 places with heritage sites that left us spellbound
Every place has some kind of history, with the past of some being longer and more complicated than that of others. But history leaves its mark in the heritage and architecture it leaves behind. And here are places with heritage sites that we found particularly fascinating.
Things to do in Hyderabad: The outer ramparts of Golconda Fort
The central citadel of Golconda Fort is one of the most popular tourist spots in Hyderabad. But most visitors don’t realize that there are some magnificent sights among the outer fortifications, too.
An interesting morning inside Salar Jung Museum
The Salar Jung museum may seem a little disappointing at first. But look closer, and you're sure to spot something spectacular.
We found the best time to visit Charminar: early morning
Nothing says Hyderabad like the Charminar. The 400 year-old monument and mosque was built when Hyderabad was founded, and is still the symbol of the city today. But though it’s impressive at any time of day, we decided to try and avoid the crowds and the summer heat by going at 7:00 AM in the morning.
Video guide: How to start planning your Lakshadweep holiday
If you've always wanted to visit the Lakshadweep islands but didn't know how to plan your trip, this short video guide will get you started.
My 50th blog post, and a roundup of my top 10 posts so far
It's been a little more than year since I started this travel blog, and it's been tough but fun! Though I've enjoyed writing everything I've published, here are the top 10 posts I've enjoyed writing the most.
The vast necropolis of Hyderabad’s Qutb Shahi kings, also called the ‘seven tombs’
The necropolis of the Qutb Shahi kings—also called the Qutb Shahi tombs—is over 400 years old, and still shows you something new with every visit.
IQ’s veg review: Olive Bistro
Nice craft beer, a great view, and surprisingly good vegetarian food make Olive Bistro in Hyderabad’s Jubilee Hills a great place to eat, drink and make merry.
5 great destinations to beat the heat—and the crowds—this summer
Escape the Indian summer heat and the crowds of visitors in these amazing but relatively less touristy destinations.
6 great one-day road trips from Hyderabad
These six destinations for great one-day road trips from Hyderabad have heritage, modern marvels, natural splendour and more to offer. And they're all within a few hours’ drive of the city.
13 interesting Indian veggie dishes that you need to try
Indian cuisine has an incredible variety, and if you like vegetarian food, here are some brilliant Indian veggie dishes that you should definitely try.
Agonda, South Goa: 4 great reasons to spend your beach vacay here
Agonda in South Goa has beautiful beaches, plenty of eateries, accommodation for all budgets and lots of things to do.
In the shadow of elephants in Valparai
Humans live alongside elephants, bison, leopards and macaques in South India's Anamalai hills, as tea and coffee plantations slowly replace the area’s ancient rainforests.
A visit to two of the most famous temples in Tamil Nadu
The jaw-dropping size and intricacy of these ancient temples in South India will leave you speechless, even if you only see them from the outside.
5 great mountain holiday destinations in India
From lush green plantations, cloud-topped peaks and dense jungles, to precariously perched monasteries, Martian landscapes and sapphire lakes, these five destinations can offer you some of the most spectacular mountain experiences in India.
The surreal rocks of Fakhruddingutta in Hyderabad
If you’re in Hyderabad and don’t know what to do with yourself over the weekend, take an hour or two to experience the surreal rocky expanse at Fakhruddingutta near Gachibowli.
Nine things your Coorg travel guide might not tell you
We learned the hard way that having a good time in Coorg is not as easy as you might think. Here are nine things that we found out that you should know too, if you’re planning a visit.
The forgotten Paigah Tombs of Hyderabad
Go back in time to Hyderabad’s glorious past with a visit to the Paigah Tomb complex, the last resting place of five generations of the foremost noble family of Hyderabad.
20 evocative beach pictures from around the world
From walking a protected turtle breeding ground in Goa with two doggies and swimming in rock pools in the Seychelles to riding a motorcycle on a beach in West Bengal, here are 20 evocative beach pictures from our travels around the world.
Yay! A review of mine’s been published in Lonely Planet Magazine India
I recently wrote a short reader’s review on Thinnakara Island, Lakshadweep and submitted it to Lonely Planet Magazine India. I never thought they’d publish it, but they did! Of course, this isn’t a commissioned review or anything, just a reader’s contribution, but it’s still very reassuring. Hopefully, this is a sign of good things to come.
A perfect long weekend among the hills and tea plantations of Coonoor
Surrounded by the Nilgiri mountains, the hill stations of Coonoor and Wellington make for the perfect long weekend, with spectacular views, rolling tea plantations and misty winding roads.
20 spectacular travel photos we’ve managed to take so far
From Germany to the Seychelles, and from all across India, here are 20 spectacular travel photographs we've taken during our travels so far.
How we lived the island life for a few days in the Andamans
From snorkeling around the spectacular corals of South Button island and sitting in the still water of Wandoor beach to wandering around creepy Ross Island, here is how we lived the island life for a few days in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India.
Photo diary: Magical sights of Hampi
While the majestic Virupaksha temple, and the Vitthala temple with its massive stone chariot and musical pillars, are probably on ever visitor’s itinerary, Hampi has a lot more to offer—regardless of the weather. From riverside walkways with stairs cut into the living rock, and hidden shrines emerging from their lush sugarcane fields, to gigantic boulders in fantastic shapes, and emerald rice fields reflecting the sunrise in their motionless waters, here are some of the sights that have enchanted us over the years.
An off-the-beaten-path Goa holiday
From staying in an old Portuguese-era mansion and eating amado curry in the family's kitchen, to taking a ferry and driving all over an island in search of an elusive viewpoint, this is how we had a Goa holiday that was very different from the usual.
A getaway in the clouds: O’Land Plantation, Coonoor
Most visitors to the Nilgiris take in the sights and sounds of Ooty and its populated environs without realizing that the seemingly-infinite tea plantations on the hills offer a completely different experience, far from the madding crowd and closer to the wild
Our holiday in the magical Lakshadweep islands
Pristine beaches, spectacular sunsets, and tiny magical islands. We experienced all that and more during our time in in the Lakshadweep islands.
How to plan your own Lakshadweep itinerary
Planning a trip to the Lakshadweep islands takes time, effort and patience. Here's how to plan your Lakshadweep trip, based on what we learned during ours.