NEVER BEEN TO… UDAIPUR

DOZENS of chartered planes carrying celebrities flew into a sleepy airport in western India in December for the pre-wedding celebrations of 27-year-old Isha Ambani – daughter of Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries’ chairman and Asia’s richest man Mukesh Ambani (worth around US$42 billion) – and 33-year-old Anand Piramal, the son of another billionaire industrialist.

US singer Beyoncé was flown in for a private performance. Instagram and Twitter have been blowing up with photos of the celebrations.

Those without a wedding invite may still find Udaipur an intriguing place to visit, however. The city has a wealth of beautiful lakes and palaces to explore. James Bond fans will be pleased to learn that a large part of 1983’s Octopussy was shot here.

From Delhi, Jet Airways or Air India will get you down to Dabok Airport, 25km north of the city centre, in around an hour.