Trying to decide on a South India itinerary...
Hello all,My wife and I are traveling to Salem, Tamil Nadu for a friend's wedding (from Singapore). Currently exploring many ideas and possible itineraries but having trouble deciding between them. We have to leave right after the wedding on Feb 26 morning. Open to a schedule of anywhere between 3-10 days pre-Salem (arriving India earliest Feb 15th).
We both love photography, particularly of:
- Festivals
- Historical architecture (there are too many temples to choose from!)
- Traditional dance (it would be great to get up close to the dancers)
- Back streets and markets
Other interests:
- Shopping / bargaining
- Culture/history
- Moderate hiking/trekking
Dislikes:
- My wife thinks she might get tired of too many temples, lol
- Overly commercialized experiences
- Look-and-go experiences similar to Kinkakuji in Kyoto or James Bond Island in Phuket
- Day tours
We have been exploring itineraries for many of the surrounding areas, including:
- Kochi -> Allapuzha -> Munnar -> [Madurai?] -> Salem
- Trichy area / temples -> [Madurai?] -> [Kodaikanal?] -> Salem
- Bangalore -> Mysore -> Salem
Budget:
- Moderate, but willing to pay extra for some cool experiences
Would be great to get some opinions, thanks!
