About 35km east of Madikeri at Bylakuppe — one of the largest Tibetan settlements in India — Namdroling Monastery is a startlingly grand complex of golden-roofed prayer halls, monks' quarters, and gardens. The main temple, the Padmasambhava Buddhist Vihara, houses three 12-metre gilded statues of Padmasambhava, Buddha, and Amitayus.
The setting — coconut groves and South Indian rice paddies — could not be less Tibetan, which is half the strange charm of the place. Foreign visitors technically need a Protected Area Permit to enter Bylakuppe; in practice most travellers visit the monastery itself without one, but check current rules before going. Best timed to coincide with morning or evening prayers when the halls fill with chanting and horns.