Rajasthan

October, when daytime heat eases and the travel season begins. October to March is ideal for forts, cities and desert camps, though December and January nights in the Thar can drop close to freezing. April to June brings temperatures above 45°C in Jaisalmer and Barmer, while the monsoon, from July to September, refills Udaipur's lakes and brings mist to Mount Abu.

The Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, through its section to Dausa and the link road onward, can bring the drive down to around three and a half hours. Jaipur, Udaipur and Jodhpur have the state's busiest airports, with smaller airports at Jaisalmer and Bikaner. Vande Bharat trains run between Delhi and Jaipur, and the Palace on Wheels offers a luxury rail tour of the state.

Hawa Mahal has 953 small windows, or jharokhas, across its five-storey pink sandstone front. Built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, it allowed royal women to watch street processions without being seen, while the latticework kept air flowing. It's mainly a façade, best photographed from the street opposite in the soft light after sunrise. Jaipur's other highlights include Amber Fort and the City Palace.

Octopussy, released in 1983, featured the Lake Palace and other Udaipur locations. The 18th-century palace sits on Jag Niwas island in Lake Pichola and is now a luxury hotel. Boat rides on the lake pass the palace and stop at Jag Mandir, another island palace, while the City Palace, the largest palace complex in Rajasthan, rises along the eastern shore.

No single answer exists. One theory links the colour to Brahmin households, another to indigo-tinted lime wash, which was believed to keep homes cooler and keep insects away. Over time, the blue spread across the old city below Mehrangarh Fort. The best views are from the fort's ramparts, and the fort also runs a zip-line tour over its walls and lakes.