What to See in South India

last edited Dec 20, 2019

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Location Map of South India

South India Open the interactive map

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

South India has six sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list:

Western Ghats (2012)
This is a mountain range stretching approximately 1,600 km along the Arabian Sea, known for its stunning landscapes, biodiversity, and hill stations (Mahabaleshwar, Matheran, Munnar...). It is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Goa:

Old Goa (1986)
The former capital, adjacent to Panaji, is a gem of Portuguese colonial architecture, with its churches and convents classified as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Karnataka:

Hampi (1986)
This village is built within the ancient city of Vijayanagar, where you can visit its remarkable ruins. The site, which includes several hundred temples scattered across the landscape, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and attracts a large number of visitors.

Pattadakal (1987)
This beautiful UNESCO-listed site is home to a collection of remarkably well-preserved temples.

Tamil Nadu:

Mahabalipuram (1984)
This town near Chennai is home to a major archaeological site and numerous Hindu temples. The entire complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Chola Temples (1987-2004)
These are three major Hindu sanctuaries built by the Chola dynasty during the 11th and 12th centuries. They are UNESCO-listed for their exceptional architectural quality and the abundance of sculptures.

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana (created in 2014 from western Andhra) are far from being among the most visited, even though they contain a few points of interest such as Hyderabad, the temples of Tirumala, the Belum Caves, and various wildlife reserves.

Hyderabad
The capital of Telangana is rich in history and traditions, particularly its old city.

Srisailam
In the namesake wildlife reserve, this holy Hindu city also features important caves and temples in its immediate surroundings.

Tirupati-Tirumala
On the outskirts of the small town of Tirupati, Tirumala is a Hindu temple. It is the most visited religious site in the world. Other important temples are located in the surrounding area.

Visakhapatnam
This major port city on the Bay of Bengal is surrounded by beautiful beaches, Hindu temples, and Buddhist sites.

Warangal
About a hundred kilometres from Hyderabad, Warangal is locally known for its temples and the remains of its fort.

Natural Heritage

Belum Caves
One of the largest cave networks in India.

Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary
This is a coastal sanctuary that is home to birds, turtles, and crocodiles.

Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary
This small area of hills and valleys is home to wildlife including bears and elephants.

Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Reserve
A vast natural reserve south of Hyderabad with leopards, bears, crocodiles, and especially tigers, for which this is the country's most important reserve.

Araku Valley
This lush valley near the port of Visakhapatnam offers beautiful landscapes (including caves like Borra Caves) and numerous coffee plantations.

Goa

Numerous traces of the Portuguese era, beaches, festivals, and music make this a highly touristic state—a hippie hotspot in the 1960s, quite different from the rest of India.

Anjuna Beach
Famous beach in northern Goa known for its techno parties and other events, as well as its weekly flea market.

Arambol
This beautiful beach in the far north is a little quieter than many others along the coast.

Baga
Between Anjuna and Calangute, this is more Goa’s all-inclusive beach.

Calangute
One of the most famous (and touristy) beaches in Goa.

Candolim
A stunning beach in the northern part of the state. Nearby is Fort Aguada, a well-preserved 17th-century Portuguese fortress overlooking the Arabian Sea.

Chapora
A beautiful beach in the north with an old Portuguese fort.

Mapusa
It's the large town in northern Goa, set back from the coast and not truly touristy except for a few temples and colonial-era buildings.

Margao
The major city in the south boasts numerous traces of the Portuguese era, along with churches and temples. Several beaches lie on its outskirts (Colva, Benaulim, Varca).

Old Goa
The former capital, adjacent to Panaji, is a gem of Portuguese colonial architecture, with its churches and convents classified as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Palolem Beach
This is a stunning beach in the southern part of the state of Goa, very popular with foreign visitors.

Panaji
The current capital of Goa, with its old quarters, many traces of the Portuguese era, and a few beaches (Miramar, Dona Paula).

Ponda
A small town with many temples.

Vagator
A stunning beach at the northern tip of Goa, also popular for its techno parties.

Natural Heritage

Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary
A small, touristy "zoo-reserve" in northeastern Goa showcasing local wildlife.

Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary
This forest in the south is home mainly to birds.

Karnataka

This state, bordering the Arabian Sea, boasts several interesting tourist sites, foremost among them Hampi, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the Jog Falls, the tallest waterfalls in all of India.

Badami
In its picturesque setting, this small town is renowned for its series of stunning rock-cut sanctuaries in its red cliffs, as well as those built along the lake’s edge.

Bengaluru
The capital of Karnataka, with its American-style downtown, offers few tourist attractions. It is primarily an economic and scientific hub, or occasionally an air gateway to southern India.

Belgaum
This large city has an old fort, temples, and churches. However, it’s the surrounding area—with its hill stations and waterfalls—that holds the most appeal.

Belur
It’s an ancient capital built on a riverbank with two remarkable old temples.

Bijapur
This ancient city boasts stunning architecture heavily influenced by Islam.

Halebid
A small town in central Karnataka known for its stunning temples.

Hampi
This village is built within the ancient city of Vijayanagar, where you can visit its remarkable ruins. The site, which includes several hundred temples scattered across the landscape, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and attracts a large number of visitors.

Karavali Coast
This is the coastal strip of Karnataka facing the Arabian Sea for about 300 km. It’s loved for its forested landscapes, temples, and beaches (Gokarn, Karawar, Mangalore).

Mangalore
It’s primarily the beaches near the city that make this major Arabian Sea port—a place that has seen significant growth in recent years—such a key tourist draw.

Mysore
The cultural city of Karnataka boasts beautiful palaces, temples, parks, and several museums.

Pattadakal
This beautiful UNESCO-listed site is home to a collection of remarkably well-preserved temples.

Shravanabelagola
This small town is known for its Jain temple and the massive statue that accompanies it.

Natural Heritage

Jog Falls Waterfalls
At 253 metres high, these are the tallest waterfalls in all of India.

Bandipur National Park
This large park in the south of the state is renowned for being home to tigers, leopards, bears, elephants, and numerous bird species.

Ranganathittu Reserve
Birds and plenty of crocodiles in this small reserve that you can explore by boat.

Kerala

A coastal state primarily known for its nature, featuring the Backwaters (navigable canals and lagoons), beaches, hill stations, and parks in the eastern part.

Alappuzha
Nicknamed the "Venetian capital of India" thanks to its canals, the former Allepey is one of the main starting points for exploring the Backwaters.

Kannur
A beautiful city on the northern coast of Kerala. It is home to an old 16th-century Portuguese fort and has several beaches on its outskirts.

Kochi
Formerly Cochin, this is the major commercial and port city of Kerala. In addition to numerous religious buildings, Kochi also has remnants of Portuguese, Dutch, and other influences in the region.

Kozhikode
The former Calicut, where Vasco da Gama landed in 1498, offers little of tourist interest (just a few temples and beaches).

Kovalam
Certainly the most famous beach on the entire southern coast of India, "typical of the region". It is close to Trivandrum.

Munnar
This hill station is popular for its tea plantations and rolling landscapes dotted with waterfalls. You can trek in the surrounding areas.

Ponmudi
It’s a hill station, often set in a rather picturesque landscape.

Thrissur
This historic city in Kerala boasts several interesting temples and churches. It’s also a cultural hub with renowned festivals.

Trivandrum
Also known as Thiruvananthapuram. The city is famous for its palaces and other historical landmarks, as well as its nearby beaches (Kovalam and others).

Varkala
A small seaside resort with beautiful beaches on the southern coast of Kerala.

Natural Heritage

Backwaters
These navigable canals and lagoons spanning nearly 1,500 km are one of the main reasons tourists visit Kerala. Their exceptional natural setting is best explored by water.

Western Ghats
This is a mountain range stretching approximately 1,600 km along the Arabian Sea, known for its stunning landscapes, biodiversity, and hill stations (Mahabaleshwar, Matheran, Munnar...). It is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Nilgiri Hills
Small mountains spanning both Kerala and Tamil Nadu, offering beautiful landscapes and trekking opportunities from several hill stations. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway, a UNESCO-listed site under "Mountain Railways of India," also runs here.

Periyar National Park
This vast high-altitude site, also known as Thekkady, is home to numerous tigers and elephants. You can go hiking and take boat rides on Periyar Lake. The region is also famous for its tea and spice plantations.

Silent Valley National Park
This lovely high-altitude park is home to tigers, leopards, bears, monkeys, and birds. Hiking is possible here.

Réserve ornithologique de Kumarakom, Inde

Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary
The site at the heart of the Backwaters is renowned for birdwatching.

Tamil Nadu

This southernmost state is home to numerous temples and archaeological remains (Chola temples, Madurai, Mahabalipuram), several of which are UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Auroville
Just next to Pondicherry, Auroville is known for its international experimental city.

Chennai
Formerly Madras, Chennai is the capital of Tamil Nadu and one of the country's largest urban areas. It boasts numerous religious buildings, an old English fort, and beaches.

Darasuram
This small town is home to one of the three remarkable Chola sanctuaries listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Gangaikonda Cholapuram
This former capital of the Chola Empire is home to an extensive temple from that era, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Kanchipuram
This holy Hindu city, once known as the "city of 1,000 temples," still has over a hundred that attract both tourists and pilgrims.

Kanyakumari
The former Cape Comorin is the southernmost point of India. It is also a Hindu pilgrimage site and a place of spirituality, featuring a memorial dedicated to Gandhi, where some of his ashes were scattered.

Kodaikanal
Built around a lake, this is one of the most renowned hill stations in southern India. Hiking and other nature activities are possible here.

Madurai
The second-largest city in Tamil Nadu is famous for the vast and impressive Meenakshi Temple at its heart. Beyond this, Madurai has other sanctuaries and palaces to explore.

Mahabalipuram
This town near Chennai is home to a major archaeological site and numerous Hindu temples. The entire complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Ooty
A beautiful hill station in the Nilgiri Mountains. You can hike here.

Chola Temples
These are three major Hindu sanctuaries built by the Chola dynasty during the 11th and 12th centuries. They are UNESCO-listed for their exceptional architectural quality and the abundance of sculptures.

Thanjavur
This former Chola capital is home to the renowned Brihadesvara Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Tiruchirappalli
The major city of Trichy (its other name) is known for its religious buildings.

Natural Heritage

Mudumalai National Park
This major wildlife reserve is home to tigers, elephants, monkeys, birds, and more.

Mukurthi National Park
The site, on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border, is home to tigers, leopards, elephants, and numerous bird species.

Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve
This is a tiger reserve located at the southernmost tip of India.

Islands and Territories

Andaman and Nicobar Islands Territory

A long archipelago in the Bay of Bengal, near Myanmar, appreciated for its landscapes, beaches, and diving.

Andaman Islands
Four main islands, and many smaller ones, prized for their unspoiled natural landscapes, but especially for their beaches and diving opportunities (Havelock, Neil). The Andamans are home to an indigenous population.

Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park
Off the coast of Port Blair, around twenty islands and their surrounding waters form this park, known for its coral reefs and marine life.

Port Blair
The capital of the Andaman Islands still has some remnants of the British era and World War II.

Nicobar Islands
Less visited than the Andaman Islands due to strict regulations, particularly regarding foreign access, the Nicobar Islands also boast beautiful landscapes, beaches, and diving opportunities. They are home to an indigenous population as well.

Lakshadweep Territory

Several hundred kilometers off the southwest coast of India.

Lakshadweep Islands
A territory comprising the main islands of Kavaratti, Agatti, Minicoy, and Amini. With stunning landscapes, they offer a full range of water sports and boast remarkable marine life.

Pondicherry Territory

Four small territories formerly under French rule (Karaikal, Mahé, Pondicherry, Yanam) scattered across southern India and administered from Pondicherry. Traces of this era remain, particularly in Pondicherry.