1. Avoid starting your holiday at the biggest airport in the biggest city
There are over a billion people living among India's heady kaleidoscope of spices, saris and scenes straight out of Slumdog Millionaire. If you can travel to India, you can travel anywhere.
First-timers might want to avoid starting their trip in the megacities of Mumbai, Calcutta or Delhi.
Opt to fly into a city such as Chennai (formerly Madras), which is large by North American standards but more manageable for jet-lagged travelers. Chennai also offers aromatic spice markets, historical landmarks, public gardens and Marina Beach – the second largest beach in the world – and it's close temple-laden cities of Mamallapuram and Kanchipuram.
