The Taj Majal is a must-see for any visitor to India.

Picture: Graeme Israel

Practically the emblem for India itself, the Taj Mahal is a must-see for any visitor to India.

The surrounding city of Agra is a sprawling industrial town that is lacking in any real charm but well worth tolerating to view the staggering beauty of the Taj Mahal for yourself.

Built as an elaborate tomb to Shah Jahan's favourite wife, the Taj Mahal may now seem cliché but it's impossible to over-hype this astounding example of Mughal architecture.

Photography can't do justice to the breathtaking play of light across the surface of the white marble of the Taj at sunrise.

Don't forget to do your best 'lonesome Princess Diana' impression on the bench at the far end of the reflecting pool.

Also well worth a visit is the Agra Fort. The red sandstone structure is a mini-city that once imprisoned Shah Jahan. It offers impressive views of the Taj and the Yamuna river.