Touring India's beaches

India has been a favourite backpacking destination for students for a long time, with many making the almost obligatory trip to Goa to 'find themselves'.

One of the reasons for Goa's enduring popularity is its beautiful beaches and affordable lifestyle, but India is actually blessed with swarms of sandy havens.

India boasts a diverse range of beaches thanks to its proximity to the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Sun-seekers can relax on beaches with placid backwaters, lagoons, bays, rough seas with crashing surf and powdery golden sands.

One of India's best beach resorts is Kovalam, with its long, coconut tree-lined coastline, making up several highly desirable beaches.

Elsewhere, on the east coast, Puri is renowned for its picture postcard looks, and is well worth a visit when around the Bay of Bengal.

Puri is popular with pilgrims as much as it is with the backpackers and tourists, so it can get quite busy. A short trip up the coast to Balighai provides more secluded bathing.

But Goa is perhaps India's most fully-realised resort, almost tailor-made, now, for the tourist.

Replete with facilities such as plentiful accommodation, from the cheap to the plush, it still manages to retain its old charm, with an abundance of Portuguese buildings scattered throughout the area.

In Goa, try Anjuna or Calangute beaches for a quiet, relaxed day in the sun, and from the latter visitors can go on dolphin-spotting tours.

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