Karnataka

The magnificent ruins of Hampi dot an unearthly landscape that has captivated travellers for centuries. Heaps of giant boulders perch precariously over kilometres of undulating terrain, their rusty hues offset by jade-green palm groves, banana plantations and paddy fields. While it’s possible to see this World Heritage Site in a day or two, plan on lingering for a while.

The main travellers’ ghetto has traditionally been Hampi Bazaar, a village crammed with budget lodges, shops and restaurants, and towered over by the majestic Virupaksha Temple. Tranquil Virupapur Gaddi, across the river, has become a popular hang-out. However, recent demolitions in both areas have seen businesses closed.

Direct daily flights to Jindal Vijaynagar Airport, 35km south of the ruins, mean that Hampi has never been more accessible.

The historic settlement of Mysuru (which changed its name from Mysore in 2014) is one of South India's most enchanting cities, famed for its glittering royal heritage and magnificent monuments and buildings. Its World Heritage–listed palace brings most travellers here, but Mysuru is also rich in tradition, with a deeply atmospheric bazaar district replete with spice stores and incense stalls. Ashtanga yoga is another drawcard and there are several acclaimed schools that attract visitors from across the globe.

A regular nominee among travellers’ favourite beaches in India, Gokarna attracts a crowd for a low-key, chilled-out beach holiday and not for full-scale parties. Most accommodation is in thatched bamboo huts along the town's several stretches of blissful coast.

In fact there are two Gokarnas. For most Indian visitors Gokarna is a sacred pilgrimage town of ancient temples that are the focus of important festivals such as Shivaratri and Ganesh Chaturthi. International travellers flock to the 'other' Gokarna: a succession of ravishing sandy beaches south of town.

Cosmopolitan Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore) is one of India's most progressive and developed cities, blessed with a benevolent climate, a modern metro system, and a burgeoning drinking, dining and shopping scene. Its creature comforts are a godsend to the weary traveller who has done the hard yards, and it's a great city for mixing with locals in craft-beer joints or quirky independent cafes. Though there are no world-class sights, you'll find lovely parks and striking Victorian-era architecture.

The past decade or so has seen a mad surge of development, coupled with traffic congestion and rising pollution levels. But the central district (dating back to the British Raj years) remains little changed, and the landmark corporate headquarters and business parks of the city's booming IT industry are mostly in the outer suburbs.

Once the capital of the mighty Chalukya empire, today Badami is famous for its magnificent rock-cut cave temples, and red-sandstone cliffs that resemble the American Wild West. The scenery is stunning, once you're away from the horrible, dusty, traffic-plagued main road that cuts through town.

Badami's backstreets are fascinating to explore, with old houses, carved wooden doorways and even the occasional Chalukyan ruin.

Nestled amid evergreen hills that line the southernmost edge of Karnataka is the luscious Kodagu (Coorg) region, gifted with emerald landscapes and hectares of plantations. A major centre for coffee and spice production, this rural expanse is also home to the Kodava people, who are divided into 1000 clans. The uneven terrain and cool climate make it a fantastic area for trekking, birdwatching or lazily ambling down little-trodden paths winding around carpeted hills. All in all, Kodagu is rejuvenation guaranteed.

Kodagu was a state in its own right until 1956, when it merged with Karnataka. The region’s chief town and transport hub is Madikeri, but for an authentic Kodagu experience you have to venture into the countryside. Avoid weekends if you can, when places can quickly get filled up by weekenders from Bengaluru.

West of the Kabini River is the 643-sq-km wildlife sanctuary of Nagarhole National Park (pronounced nag-ar-hole-eh). The lush forests here are home to tigers, leopards, elephants, gaurs, muntjacs (barking deer), wild dogs, bonnet macaques and common langurs, and 270 species of bird. The park can remain closed for long stretches between July and October, when the rains transform the forests into a giant slush pit.

A historic city epitomising the Deccan's Islamic era, Vijapura (renamed in 2014 but still widely called Bijapur) tells a glorious tale dating back some 600 years. Blessed with a heap of mosques, mausoleums, palaces and fortifications, it was the capital of the Adil Shahi kings from 1489 to 1686, and one of the five splinter states formed after the Islamic Bahmani kingdom broke up in 1482. Despite its strong Islamic character, Vijapura is also a centre for the Lingayat brand of Shaivism, which emphasises a single personalised god. The Lingayat Siddeshwara Festival runs for eight days.

Until recently the city was somewhat lacking in tourist facilities and perhaps consequently few travellers dropped by. But new hotels have recently opened and there's now a decent selection of places to stay.