India

If you close your eyes and think of India, your mind is filled with images of bright colours, bustling markets and roads filled with cattle, rickshaws and people.

It is a mystical land full of seductive images and intoxicating sights and sounds. It has a mind-bending diversity; from snow-clad heights to sun-drenched beaches, shabby old bazaars to chic designer boutiques, tranquil temples to spirited festivals and ramshackle rural villages to techno-savvy urban hubs.

Yet no matter where you stay a common thread remains -the hospitality and genuine caring showered on guests. There is a Sanskrit saying "Athithi devo bhava', and translated it means that a guest should be treated like God...and that's exactly how your stay here will be.

Flying time: Mumbai -   8 hours 30 minutes. Delhi -  8 hours 50 minutes.

Time difference: GMT +5½ hrs.

Getting there: Direct services to Delhi and Mumbai with British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. Additional services with other carriers, such as Emirates, via Dubai.

Currency: Indian Rupee.

Vaccinations: Precautions for tetanus, typhoid, diphtheria, hepatitis A, rabies, poliomyelitis and cholera are recommended, with some regions under risk from malaria - please contact your doctor for up-to-date information.

Visas: British passport holders require visas. All other nationals please check visa requirements with the embassy.

Best time to visit: The coolest time to visit is from December to February, with fresh mornings and dry, sunny days. The weather can be very hot from March to May. The monsoon rains occur mainly from June to September, with the highest rainfalls particularly in the south.