India offers historical, adventure, medical , spiritual and beach holidays.

Most people know that India is one of the most culturally diverse countries on the world, and this couldn’t be more graphically illustrated than in its range of tourism options.

The country, which has the longest coastline in the Eastern sphere, has a history as an affordable destination for students and backpackers. However, over the past decade this has changed. India also offers top-class travel by rail, land and boat and has five-star hotels to match any in the world, as well as some of the most beautiful scenery on earth harmonising with a rich cultural heritage.

It was named “the travel destination of the new millennium” by its government tourism department, and Conde Nast recently ranked India among the top 10 tourist destinations in the world.

Surrounded by the sea on three sides and the Himalayas to the north, India is a travellers’ paradise.Visitors can divide their trip into its four areas – north, south, east and west.

In the first region, the capital Delhi has bazaars, fine restaurants and many historical sites that are architectural delights.

The north is home to the famed Golden Triangle of three cities, including Agra, where the famous Taj Mahal is located. One of the other cities, Jaipur, is in the desert lands of Rajasthan known as the Land of Kings. Epics about its medieval Rajput warriors are still sung by travelling minstrels.

Opulent palaces and ancient battle fortresses are scattered over the sandy hills. Also in the triangle is Fatehpur Sikri, a perfectly preserved medieval red sandstone ghost town, built by the Emperor Akbar.

The heart of India, Madhya Pradesh, has forests made famous by Rudyard Kipling in The Jungle Book.Also here, the Sikh Golden Temple in Amritsar welcomes people from all faiths.The temple is a magnifi cent shrine surrounded by white marble walls and a moat of holy water.

South India’s towns have many lovely temples, and in Pondicherry, the area’s French heritage is visible in the seaside villas and street names.The state of Kerala’s western coast is a green escape with beaches, historic port towns and pretty retreats.

For more beaches, head east. South-east from Calcutta’s imperial edifi ces, teeming markets, golf courses and museums are more than 300 islands in the Bay of Bengal. Visit Andaman and Nichobar for endless sandy beaches, a turquoise sea with colourful shimmering fish and dolphins and picturesque coral reefs.The clear waters are ideal for snorkelling and scuba diving.

Western India is home to Mumbai, the financial capital of India, which also has shopping arcades and art galleries. See the Gateway of India, built in 1911 to commemorate visiting King George V and Queen Mary. Not far from Mumbai is the hill resort of Mahabaleshwar, with lakes, waterfalls and a stunning landscape of wildflower meadows.

Apart from all these delights, India also offers something for adventurers. Its protected wilderness comes alive in 75 national parks and more than 420 sanctuaries, home to more than 350 mammals and 1200 bird species.

In Jim Corbett National Park, in the foothills of the Himalayas, wild elephants, leopards, gharials, langurs, rhesus macaques, peacock and several types of deer live.Tigers and rhinoceros inhabit other parks, and some companies offer safari-style tours to see them.