India, Aug. 25 -- The inimitable charm, villages straight out of a book, temple towns as small as dots on the map, and culture so diverse-the only way to truly see and experience South India is through a road trip. A drive from Chennai to Coimbatore, covering a distance of 527 km is like flipping through a travel fairytale. Needling through the heart of Tamil Nadu, this road trip offers as many cultural and religious places of interest as it does of undisturbed natural topography. Kick start your journey with some fuel, both for your car and yourself-either with a traditional South Indian fare at Hotel Saravana Bhavan or English breakfast at Chamiers Cafe. By Shubhanjana Das 1. Vellore

The first stop on your way is the princely city of V...