Usually, travel blogs that list the Indian cities you should visit will almost always include the Goa beaches or the Rajasthan desert. But, not this time.

In its list of ’52 places to go in 2016′, The New York Times has named Tamil Nadu. In fact, at no. 24, Tamil Nadu is the only Indian state to have made to the list.

NYT says that while North India may be the country’s most popular tourist destination, Tamil Nadu in the south “has an equally rich and undiscovered history.”

According to NYT, the state must be visited as that’s where India’s major temple cultural complexes are.

“There’s Meenakshi Temple in Madurai, a sprawling complex dedicated to a powerful female deity, Brihadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur, built by the ancient Cholas, one of India’s greatest dynasties, and several hundred other temples dotting the countryside and brimming with art carvings dating back as far as the 9th century,” it says.

Not just that. NYT says one should visit Tamil Nadu also for the cuisine and the charm of its authenticity. “It is among the spiciest and most aromatic in the country and often served on banana leaves,” it says.

The other destinations listed by NYT are Mexico City, France, North Dakota, Toronto and Abu Dhabi among others.

Last year, NYT did not feature any Indian city in its list. However, in 2014, they had featured Chennai.

Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2015 had named Chennai among the top 10 cities to visit in 2015.

Courtesy : Huffingtonpost