Offbeat Tourist Places in India

Tourist Attractions in Southern India
There are plenty of iconic and famous sights to visit in India, but head off the beaten track and you'll find many hidden gems just waiting to be discovered.

India is a vast country and you could spend a lifetime travelling through all of its states and visiting its temples, palaces, tropical beaches, markets and museums.

From the heat and noise of Mumbai to the desolate ruins of Khaba Fort in Jaisalmer, India has something for everyone.

Darjeeling

The Japanese Peace Pagoda is the place to go in Darjeeling to soak up tranquil and quiet surroundings with only the sound of drumming at prayer time. Situated high on a hillside to the south of the city, the pagoda shimmers white, providing the perfect place to take some time out on a packed trip to West Bengal.

Agra

Undoubtedly Agra is most famous for its iconic Taj Mahal but it's also home to some of the most offbeat tourist places in India. The city of Agra offers plenty more attractions if you know where to look. For somewhere just as impressive spend a few hours discovering the sheer beauty of the Mariam-Uz-Zamani Palace, which can be found in the Fatehpur Sikri fort complex (pictured). The gardens that surround it are also stunning.

Srinagar

Okay so when you think of tulips India probably doesn't spring to mind but the Indira Gandhi Tulip Garden close to Dal Lake is really quite special. There is a week-long Tulip Festival each year where you can see some of the 70 different varieties of tulips blooming in a blaze of colour across 90 acres of gardens.

Climb the 250 steps to the temple at the top of Shankaracharya Hill and you'll be rewarded with far reaching views over Dal Lake and Srinagar. Take a drive away from the city to the beautiful Betab Valley and picnic by the peaceful stream that snakes through the green valley.

Shimla

Shimla is no doubt one of the offbeat tourist places in India. When visiting Shimla, take a trip on the Kalka-Shimla Railway. The train meanders for a good five or six hours through countryside filled with lush green hills and past delightful Himalayan springs. The railway line is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

New Delhi

Escape the dust and exhaust fumes of New Delhi and lose yourself in Lodi Gardens, an expansive area featuring beautifully maintained gardens, interesting ruins and a peaceful lake.

The National Gandhi Museum is another must-see place to visit while in New Delhi. It's a fascinating museum detailing the life and death of Gandhi, also featuring a gallery showcasing his paintings and a library featuring both books about Gandhi and ones actually written by him.

Chennai

There are a great number of temples to visit in Chennai, from the most popular Kapaleeshwar Temple to the lesser known but beautifully renovated Kalikambal Temple, the 8th century architectural gem. You can also visit the Sri Parthasarathy Temple, Triplicane, and the peaceful Shirdi Sai Baba Temple.

Has this whetted your appetite? All you need to do is find flights to India, grab your backpack, hop on a plane and begin an Indian adventure visiting places you won't necessarily find on the typical tourist trail.
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