India is a hedonistic mix of hot sun, glamour, colonial beauty and mystery. From the clamour of the flea markets to the ethereal beauty of Goan beaches and the slick chic of Mumbai nightclubs, India has something to offer every type of traveller.

Situated in Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal - nestling between Burma and Pakistan - India has remained a firm travellers' favourite since bands of hippies descended on golden Goan beaches in the 1960s to while-away the sunburned days and feverishly hot nights.

But the country has so much more to offer the traveller than beaches.

India's history is more vibrant, romantic, spicy and exciting than any Bollywood film - one of the country’s most famous exports.

A merger of the ancient, 5,000-year-old Induus Valley civilisation, Aryan tribes from the north-west of the country and the Dravidian inhabitants, created Indian culture as it is known today.

Incursions by the Arabs, Turks and continental Europeans throughout the centuries paled into comparison with the invasion of the British in the 19th century, which resulted in imposition of British sovereignty in the country.

Non-violent resistance by the famous Mohandas Ghandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru finally saw independence in 1947.

However, India's problems did not end with its independence. Three wars later and its relations with Pakistan are still fraught, particularly regarding Kashmir.

Nonetheless, the country's economy has, in recent times, been experiencing unprecedented growth, and new policies have been introduced in an attempt to alleviate rural poverty.

The best place to experience India's good mood, boosted by a burgeoning economy, is Mumbai (formerly Bombay), where beautiful young things dance away the sizzling nights and spend their hard-earned rupees in the India's growing number of shopping malls by day.

The city is the capital of the Indian island state of Maharashta and is the most populous city in India, something which the bustling streets and horn-honking snakes of traffic reinforce.

As well as being a great place to eat, shop, see a Bollywood movie or two and dance off the weary traveller blues, Mumbai is the commercial capital of India and is home to the Bombay Stock Exchange and other important financial institutions.

It is also home of the Hindi film and TV industry, Bollywood, and a national park - a rarity in India's overcrowded cities.

If cities are your thing, plan a trip to New Delhi, India's capital, which has transformed itself in recent years from quiet political centre to the luvvie of Indian cities, hosting book launches, fashion shows and providing a glamorous backdrop for India's growing glitterati.

A city of parallels, New Delhi is the home of Indian politics as well as all-night parties, and boasts over 20,000 breathtaking ancient ruins.

But it is not before long that weary travellers traversing this diverse country tire of the frenetic hubbub of city life.

Former Portuguese enclave Goa has been synonymous with sandy beaches, rolling waves and psychedelica since its popularity among the hippy set in the 1960s and is the perfect place to wash off city dirt.

Though mainly Hindi, there is a strong Roman Catholic presence and despite its colonial appearance, it has a decidedly Western feel.

But if you get bored with beaches and want to eschew the slightest suggestion of anything that is 'Westernised', there's no better way to feel as far away from home as possible than heading out to see India's superb wildlife.

India has more than 90 national parks and 490 wildlife sanctuaries which are home to over 500 types of mammal - including tigers, elephants and rhinos and Asiatic lions.

The beauty of India is its diversity, and while some travellers leave exhausted by the constant assault on their senses by new sights, sounds and smells, others leave revitalised by their experiences in sweaty Mumbai clubs, burning Goan beaches and mysterious Indian ruins.