As raucous and unpredictable as the family drunk, Rajasthan is India at its most brazen and extraordinary.

The state will startle you with its barrage of colour as much as it awes you with its postcard-perfect panoramas.

Hippies, sadhus and sunburned British housewives all converge on the white sandy beaches of Goa where the laid-back lifestyle, idyllic beaches and perfectly seasoned seafood make the state the quintessential holiday hotspot.

But there is more to Goa than lounge chair living. This former Portuguese colony is small enough to explore on even a short holiday.

At the very southern tip of India lies the country's soft green underbelly. It's a kinder, gentler India that oozes charm and bursts with life.

Drift down meandering canals in a rice barge-turned-houseboat, spot wild elephants in Periyar Wildlife Reserve or lose yourself in the rambling alleyways of Fort Cochin.

The lush, fertile central highlands west of Mexico City are well worthy of exploration for those in search of indigenous Mexican culture.

Colonial Morelia is a handsome capital indeed, but it's the countryside of the state of Michoacán where the magic lies.