Rashmi Narayan

“The one thing that will stay with you for life is that first glimpse of the Taj – there’s nothing quite like it,” said my guide, Manohar Singh, as we walked towards the eastern gate of the mausoleum.
He was right, as amid the cacophony of both local and international sightseers walking through the colossal gates, everything soon faded away into the shadows as the Taj Mahal unfolded right before us. Its bulbous white dome and four accompanying minarets stood tall against the clear, azure sky.

With Jules Verne reporting a sharp increase in bookings for Sri Lanka, Rashmi Narayan gives a taste of what to expect on the operator’s top-selling Highlights of Sri Lanka tour.

The Deccan Odyssey promises colourful cabins, red-carpet service and the luxury of your own loo as you glide from Delhi through Rajasthan and the Golden Triangle
“That first glimpse of the Taj Mahal never gets old — and I’ve seen it at least 50 times,” says my guide, Mohammed Nadeem Khan, with a glint in his eye. We walk towards the monument for what is my comparably paltry second time in 17 years.

From elaborately furnished bedrooms to views out onto the canals, these are the best of Amsterdam’s boutique hotels for every type of traveller

It's easy to find stylish digs in the Netherlands (Alamy)
From elegant refurbished mansions and heritage buildings to quaint townhouses speckled around its canals and beyond, Amsterdam is a vibrant capital city that is constantly transforming itself.

The ornamental medronho tree from which Algarvians make their brandy of the same
name is much more than a household staple – it is a part of their identity, finds Rashmi
Narayan.

Travelling to New York, one of the world’s famously most expensive cities, for just three days – and experiencing the best of it on a budget? Impossible, I hear you cry.

Thankfully, it’s not only possible but entirely worthwhile, as I discovered during my recent trip. When planned right, a short stay in this magnificent city can see you ticking off everything you want to see, experience and eat without worrying about spending too much – even after factoring in taxes and tipping.

They may be as beloved as each other in the southern US state of Louisiana, but Cajun and Creole aren’t interchangeable terms. Loosely defined as Cajun being ‘country’ food and Creole as ‘city’ food, it’s fair to say it’s a lot more complex than that, each one—and each dish—telling a story of Louisiana’s multi-layered history and heritage.
From my seat on the starboard side, I could see the muddy Mississippi snaking its way through New Orleans, between the mighty Lake Pontchartrain and Lake S...

Local food heroes along The Interstate 10 in Louisiana gladly help road trippers understand what’s Creole and what’s Cajun through their gastronomy, finds Rashmi Narayan.

From epic city views in swanky high-rise hotels to refurbished industrial warehouses in cool new neighbourhoods, Amsterdam’s budget-friendly options are eccentric and full of style.

Beyond NASA, cowboys and barbecue, the Lone Star State is also home to a world of natural wonder, finds Rashmi Narayan.

From extraordinary mansions by the canals dating back to the Dutch Golden Age to smart, repurposed industrial spaces, these are the best in Amsterdam for 2025 stays

The renaissance of Scotland's ghost distilleries

After ceasing operations in the 1980s and 1990s, distilleries like Brora, Port Ellen and Rosebank have resurged into the whisky world in new avatars where the visitor experience is key, finds Rashmi Narayan.

The very mention of Louisville probably conjures thoughts of the Derby, bluegrass music and its crown jewel – bourbon whiskey. It is Kentucky’s largest city, and the birthplace of Muhammad Ali. It was also a haunt of literary greats such as F Scott Fitzgerald, who was a regular at the Rathskeller of the Seelbach Hotel. Rashmi Narayan discovers the Kentucky home of bourbon, bluegrass and a boxing legend.

Mastering the art of going on holiday with the family in cities, especially popular ones like Amsterdam, can seem challenging – but there’s a hotel for everyone to enjoy

This month it’s National Curry Week (7-13 October). One person who probably won’t be celebrating is Bangalore-born food and travel writer Rashmi Narayan, for whom the very word ‘curry’ is an insult to Indian cuisine.