Immerse yourself in the action in the city of Chennai, once known as Madras. Explore Fort St. George, housing a museum devoted to the city’s roots as both a British military garrison as well as an outpost for the East India Trading Company.

Once the seaport of the ancient Pallava kingdom, you’ll be amazed at the Shore Temple, a stone structure built from blocks of granite and one of the oldest temples in South India. Every Deecmber, a festival celebrating Indian dance is held here.

Get under the skin of this French colonial settlement commonly abbreviated to Pondy to learn more about its fascinating past. Its French Quarter is where you’ll find chic shops, boutiques, colonial villas and streets lined with elegant trees.

Gravitate towards this centrer of South Indian art, architecture and religion, in the city once known as Tanjore. Sure to make its mark is the impressive Brihadishwara temple, a Hindu place of worship dedicated to the goddess Shiva.

Exploring Madurai means one thing: checking out the fourteen gateway towers or gopurams of Meenakshi Amman Temple. This distinctive landmark is covered from head to foot with bright, colourful depictions of Hindu gods and is an important pilgrimage site for followers of the Hindu religion.

Explore Kumarakom’s famous freshwater lake, the Vembanad, fringed with coconut groves, The islands on the lake provide a sanctuary for exotic birds and the cottages on stilts that sit right on the water will give you a front-row seat to and the show staged by the wildlife that make their home on the beautiful lake shore.

Sail away to this serene port once frequented by Dutch, English, Arab, Chinese and Portuguese sailors. A visit to the atmospheric city of Cochin, whose history spans the centuries, opens up all kinds of unexpected places and experiences in the state known as "God’s Own Country.