SOUTH ASIA
South Asia
The Taj Mahal, the evening rites on the Ganges, the Golden Temple and the Buddha’s birthplace: a subcontinent of many faiths, where you often take off your shoes or cover your head.
City guides
Start with a city
Every city guide has a timeline, stories of local figures, must-see sights, festivals and local etiquette.
आगरा Agra
Agra
2 places
The capital of the Mughal Empire: the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort
दिल्ली Delhi
Delhi
1 places
A capital built from seven ancient cities: Humayun's Tomb and New Delhi
जयपुर Jaipur
Jaipur
1 places
The 'Pink City': a planned city of the Rajput princes
वाराणसी Varanasi · Kashi
Varanasi
1 places
The holy city on the Ganges: ghats, evening rites, life and death
काठमाडौं Kathmandu
Kathmandu
3 places
The Newar valley: Durbar Square, the living goddess and the Buddha's eyes
මහනුවර Kandy
Kandy
3 places
The last capital of the Sinhalese kings: the Temple of the Tooth and Kandy Lake
Phewa Lake, Pokhara
A lakeside town reflecting snowy peaks, Nepal's most relaxed blend of culture and scenery.
Lumbini
Birthplace of the Buddha, foremost of Buddhism's four great pilgrimage sites.
Boudhanath Stupa
A circuit under the Buddha's eyes, the spiritual centre of Tibetan Buddhism.
Kathmandu Durbar Square
A royal palace square of Newar woodcarving, a microcosm of Hindu–Buddhist fusion.