India is a huge country and potential travellers to India are often spoilt for choice of the places they want to visit in India. India has numerous cities, towns and villages where history speaks for itself. No wonder, travellers from all over the world no matter where they are coming from, love this place. The culture, the food, the history, the sounds and the smells of India is something that one cannot experience anywhere else other than India itself.
Let’s look at some of the 5 top most important tourist destinations of India
New Delhi
Between North and South India, the North just beats the South by a fraction of a point as far as tourism is concerned. One of the most popular destinations in North India includes Delhi, the national capital of India. In fact, Delhi seems to be one of the most visited destinations in India today. For many tourists visiting India, Delhi would be the first port of call. This is where they will land first at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. Statistically speaking, most travellers to North India come to Delhi first where they do some site seeing before they move on to other places such as Agra, Jaipur and Amritsar.
Delhi is perhaps one of the oldest cities of the world. It has a lot of history associated with it. I would highly recommend visiting the capital. The city of Delhi has numerous places for the curious minded such as the Qutub Minar, the Lotus Bahai Temple, Red Fort, Raj Ghat and many others. The great thing about the Delhi is that it has hotels to cater for everyone. There are various types of hotels in Delhi, from the budget type hotels to seven stars. In fact, it has hotels to suit all travellers no matter how much they want to spend.
Agra
The more said about this magnificent city, the less it is. This is where the epitome of all love monuments, none other than the glorious Taj Majal is situated. Most visitors to India don’t go to Agra directly. The city of Agra can be reached by coaches, buses or trains. There are numerous travel agents who are able to organise one day tours to Agra. In many cases, the hotels are able to organise day or overnight trips to Agra.
Jaipur
Jaipur is the capital city of Rajasthan founded by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. It is one place; a tourist to India must visit. The city is an epitome of magnificence and vibrancy, India has to offer. Due to the extreme heat, the best times to visit Jaipur are between October and March where the temperatures are slightly milder. Some of the things to do in Jaipur include taking part in the kite festival, riding a camel festival, visiting numerous forts in and around the city, getting your hand dyed with henna, buying excellent embroidered textiles, eating delicious food and site seeing. Some of the best places to visit in Jaipur include City Palace, Hawa Mahal (also known as Palace of the Winds), Galta Monkey Temple, Amber Fort and Palace, Nahargarh Fort, Jaigarh Fort, Jantar Mantar Observatory, Albert Hall Museum and Dera Amer Elephant Safari. Jaipur can be toured from Delhi on a single day trip. However, to make the most of Jaipur, I would advice tourists to stay in the city for a couple of days to make the most of their tours.
Bangalore
The cyber city of Bangalore is the capital of the South Indian state of Karnataka. The city is located on the Deccan Plateau in the South East Karnataka. The city came on the world map when several Indian and global IT giants particularly Infosys set up their locations in the city. Bangalore can be a hot place, so the best time to visit this city would be between the months of September to February, when the temperatures are slightly cooler. Bangalore is a very pleasant city with a vibrant nightlife and a large numbers of Indian expatriates now residing in the city. There are no shortages of decent budget to 7 star hotels in Bangalore. In fact, hotels in Bangalore are the best in India. Some of the best places to visit in Bangalore include, Vidhana Soudha, Cubbon Park, The Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium, The Bull Temple, Lal Bagh Gardens, Nandi Hills close to the city, iconic, Shiva Statue, breathtaking ISKCON Temple Complex, Ulsoor Lake and the the Bangalore Palace.
Mumbai
Previously known as Bombay, now called Mumbai, is capital city of Maharashtra. It is also largest city and the financial capital of the country. The city has been named as an “Alpha city” meaning that it’s an important node in the global economic system. This is also where Bollywood movies are made and this is the city where some of the India’s richest people live. Some of the best places to visit in Mumbai include the Gateway of India, Marine Drive, the posh Juhu Beach, exciting rides at Essel World, Mani Bhawan, Jehangir Art Gallery, very popular Siddhivinayak Temple and the excellent bazaars in Mumbai. Although, most of the year, Mumbai is hot and humid, the best time to visit Mumbai is between October and March.
I hope I have not confused you with all these excellent places to visit in India. No matter where you decide to go, you will enjoy what India has to offer.