India

India is a vastly diverse country geographically, encompassing white-sand Arabian Sea beach towns, tiger-filled forests, and the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas. The country’s architecture is as varied as its climate, thanks to a legacy of thousands of years of different historical influences. Here you’ll find ancient rock-cut temples, sublime Mughal buildings like the Taj Mahal, and stately colonial-era structures built in the Indo-Saracenic style.

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Overview

Planning your trip

Use these articles, resources, and guides to plan and inspire your next trip to India.

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READ BEFORE YOU GO
HOTELS
The new Oberoi Vindhyavilas offers world-class luxury while giving you prime access to Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve.
Afar’s resident hotel expert uncovers 12 of the most alluring new and renovated hotels of 2025, from California to Indonesia.
These are the 24 hotels we recommend most for wellness.
Afar’s resident hotel expert shares the summer 2024 openings that are worth a special trip.
Omer Acar, the CEO Raffles and Fairmont, shares his vision behind the recent growth of both luxury hotel brands and talks about what great hospitality truly means. (Spoiler alert: It’s all about people.)
AFAR’s picks for the 31 best new hotels in the world.
If you’re looking for serenity in 2024, check out these top destination spas.
One of Rajasthan’s most celebrated hotels is grand in both scale and design—and surprisingly family friendly.
The first Raffles hotel in India sits on its own private island on Udaipur’s Udai Sagar Lake.
RESOURCES TO HELP PLAN YOUR TRIP
Journeys: Asia
Go beyond Kerala’s typical sightseeing destinations with characterful stays, private meetings with artisans, and meals in local homes.
Whether you’re hunting for rare Italian truffles or meeting Japan’s legendary pearl divers, these five adventures prove that the most memorable journeys often happen far from the well-trodden path.
More than 1,200 places are on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Here are some of our favorites.
Answer the call to adventure on one of these conscientious tours.
After an escalation in tensions between India and Pakistan, this is the situation on the ground and what travelers should know.
The world’s first café staffed by acid attack survivors, Sheroes Hangout opened in 2015 in Agra and has since expanded to two other locations.
The Seven New Wonders of the World created some controversy when they were announced, but they—and the last remaining original Wonder—are still worth a visit, if you know how.
Afar’s picks for the 25 best new hotels in the world.
Experience the unrivaled highs and lows of chasing the jungle’s most elusive cat.
We’ve rounded up some of the most amazing places to visit by sea in the coming year—from Alaska’s Aleutian Islands to Albania, from New Guinea to Northwest Greenland.