Must-see attractions in South India
Panaji & Central Goa
On the westernmost point of the peninsula stands an old fortress, Cabo Raj Bhavan, nowadays the official residence of the governor of Goa. Plans to build…
North Goa
Just 2km from the ferry point in Naroa, the Shri Saptakoteshwara Temple is tiny, tucked away in a narrow emerald-green valley and undisturbed by anything…
Old Goa
Perhaps the best way to arrive in Old Goa is the same way that visitors did in the city’s heyday. Approaching along the wide Mandovi River, new arrivals…
Ruins of the Church of St Augustine
Old Goa
Standing on Holy Hill (Monte Santo) is perhaps the most mournful memorial to Old Goa’s fallen might. All that’s left today of the Church of St Augustine…
North Goa
On Corjuem Island around 2km northeast of Aldona, now linked by modern road bridges, you’ll find the remains of Goa's only still-intact inland fort, the…
North Goa
In the centre of town, the small, pastel-coloured Maruti temple was built in the 1840s at a site where the monkey god Hanuman was covertly worshipped…
North Goa
Below the fort is Fort Aguada jail, once Goa’s largest prison. It closed in 2015, with inmates moved to a new jail in Colvale, and there are now proposals…
Church of Our Lady of Miracles
North Goa
Founded in 1594 and rebuilt several times since, the Church of Our Lady of Miracles (also known as St Jerome’s), around 600m east of the Municipal Gardens…
Margao
The most famous of the traditional old Portuguese mansions in Largo de Igreja is the grand 1790 Sat Burnzam Ghor. Originally, as its name suggests, there…
Tamil Nadu
Vellore's fort, with nearly 2km of moat-surrounded ramparts, was built in the 16th century and passed through Maratha and Mughal hands before the British…
Panaji & Central Goa
About 3km south of Goa Velha, at the south end of the small village of Agassim, is the Church of St Lawrence, a plain and battered-looking building that…
Panaji
This modern, technicolor temple is not particularly imposing, but it’s worth a look inside as it was the first Hindu shrine established in the city during…
Old Goa
Next to the Convent of St Cajetan, this freestanding basalt doorway, atop five steps, is the only remains of the grand palace of Goa’s 16th-century Muslim…
Panaji & Central Goa
The Safa Shahouri Masjid, Goa’s oldest remaining mosque, is on Ponda’s northern outskirts. Built by Bijapuri ruler Ali Adil Shah in 1560, it was…
North Goa
Near the beach, the Casa dos Monteiros is an example of the peak of Candolim’s architectural splendour. Built by Goa’s most powerful family, the Monteiros…
Tamil Nadu
This memorial near the shoreline commemorates K Kamaraj, the 'Gandhi of the South’. One of the most powerful and respected politicians of post…
Panaji & Central Goa
Aside from the beautiful views afforded from the roof terrace of Pilar Seminary, a few kilometres north of Goa Velha and 12km southeast of Panaji, it is…
Tamil Nadu
Poignantly placed at the end of the nation that Gandhi fathered, this cream-coloured memorial takes the form of an Orissan (Odishan) temple. The central…
Calangute & Baga
Casa dos Proença is a grand mansion built in the early 18th century by Calangute’s then-wealthiest family. You’ll notice the grand, tower-shaped veranda,…
Arambol (Harmal)
Quiet Querim is the place to come to while away the hours in relative peace, with just a few beach shacks setting up here in season. Backed by a shady…
North Goa
Though it’s not open to the public, seek out the beautiful Casa dos Costa-Frias, down a side road just opposite Candolim’s football field, which belonged…
North Goa
The narrow road northwest of the village leads you past lots of village homes with rooms for rent, up to a small harbour where the day’s catch is hauled…
Archaeological Survey of India Museum
Tamil Nadu
Inside the fort, this museum houses a small collection of very worn Pallava, Chola and Nayak stone sculptures, plus British-era cannons and displays on…
North Goa
Southwest of Bicholim and about 35km from Panaji, glistening Mayem Lake is a pleasant sort of place that’s popular among local picnickers and families. In…
South Goa
A clean, if slightly characterless stretch of beach, Utorda makes for a pleasant afternoon. Take your pick from a ragtag bunch of beach shacks, most of…
Panaji
Tiny Jama Masjid, barely 100m south of the Municipal Gardens and built about two centuries ago, is easy to miss. The exterior of the mosque is plain, its…
Margao
Located about 500m southeast of Sat Burnzam Ghor and a fair climb up Monte Hill, Margao’s only hill, Mount Church is a simple whitewashed building, faced…
Margao
Largo de Igreja, the area around the Church of the Holy Spirit, features a number of traditional old Portuguese mansions, in various states of decay or…
Maharashtra
An unfinished excavation, cave 5 lacks sculpture and architectural elements of note and its interiors are inaccessible. It does however have an ornate…
Kerala
Kollam's main beach, 2km south of town, is a bit tatty but worth an evening stroll for its sunsets and the colourful local fish market at the harbour to…
Northern Kerala
Around 3km southwest of Vythiri (10km southwest of Kalpetta), Pookot Lake is a beautiful mirror framed by forest. With well-maintained gardens, a cafe, a…
Calangute & Baga
A relic of Calangute’s past can be found at the old customs post at the market crossroads. Several of these posts were built during Portuguese rule to…
Madurai
Attached to the very interesting Gandhi Memorial Museum, this is a sadly neglected collection of archaeological finds, sculpture, bronzes, costumes and…
