40 METRO Monday, October 13, 2014 Escape travel Bazaar Chennai Chennai – formerly Madras – is often ignored by visitors. Most fly into the Tamil capital and make a beeline for the pretty (but slightly boring) former French colony A NOVEL of Pondicherry, a four-hour drive away. But Chennai (left) deserves more. The best way to see it is by foot. Chennai Magic offers a two-hour walk through George Town, which is full of bazaars, warehouses and markets. And expect Kodak moments PASSAGE around Kasi Chetty Street. A two-hour walk costs £30 per person TO INDIA or £17 each for a couple. chennaimagic.com With monsoon season over, now is the best time to splash out on an Indian adventure. By Caroline Eden Go shopping in the desert Soak up the art of Kochi city of Jaipur With its gentle sea breeze, contemporary public art event in Kochi in Kerala is the go-to the country celebrates destination for those global film, installation, tired of India’s noise new media, painting, and dust. More sculpture and recently, it has performance art. become a magnet Stay at the Old for artists, too. From Harbour Hotel in chic December 12, for Fort Kochi. It has three months, Kochi will a pool with shaded host its second Kochi loungers and live alfresco Muziris Biennale classical music come sundown. It’s fair to say that the desert (kochimuzirisbiennale.org) with Doubles from £100 a night, city of Jaipur gets less of events in some of the city’s including breakfast. a drenching than the other grandest buildings. The largest oldharbourhotel.com cities mentioned here but the end of the scorching summer means less oppressive temperatures and the start of the tourist season. Live the high life by the Arabian Sea Jaipur is Rajasthan’s capital Inspired by the BBC documentary Hotel Slap-bang on the Arabian Sea, it is and a shopper’s paradise, with India? Then treat yourself to afternoon home to the Gateway Of India, the some of the world’s best gems tea at Mumbai’s luxurious Taj Mahal Bombay Stock Exchange, the old-school and textiles for sale. Save your Palace hotel (tajhotels.com, right) Regal Cinema and, for what it’s worth, rupees for bangles and bindis where the series is shot – but stay at India’s first Starbucks. by staying at the cheap and Adobe, located around the corner. This For those coming and going, Mumbai cheerful Dera Rawatsar, new budget hotel is already drawing in also has a new international airport a family-run hotel perfect for the arty crowd with its retro-styled terminal that boasts a kitsch 3km art solo female travellers. guestrooms, free wi-fi and rain showers. wall depicting Indian culture. Doubles from around £40 a Both hotels are located in downtown Doubles at Adobe cost from £35 night. night, including free wi-fi and Colaba, Mumbai’s principal ’hood. abodeboutiquehotels.com breakfast. derarawatsar.com THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE free free BALCONY UPGRADE PLUS UP TO $400 free ONBOARD SPENDING MONEY PER COUPLE MEDITERRANEAN & NORTHERN EUROPE • ALASKA • CARIBBEAN • FAR EAST WINNER AWARDS PRINCESS CRUISES BEST CRUISE LINE TO BOOK OR REQUEST A BROCHURE contact your travel agent call 0843 374 2261 visit princess.com *Terms and conditions apply, for full details please visit princess.com/bestthings. ABTA and ATOL protected. Calls cost 5p/min plus set up fee of up to 6p from a BT landline. Mobile and other providers’ charges may vary. ABTA No.V8764.