diff --git a/doc/user_guide/Customization.ipynb b/doc/user_guide/Customization.ipynb
index 4f99b0b6f..8a097c19c 100644
--- a/doc/user_guide/Customization.ipynb
+++ b/doc/user_guide/Customization.ipynb
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@
     "    projection (default=None):\n",
     "        Coordinate reference system of the plot (output projection) specified as a string or integer EPSG code, a CRS or Proj pyproj object, a Cartopy CRS object or class name, a WKT string, or a proj.4 string. Defaults to PlateCarree.\n",
     "    tiles (default=False):\n",
-    "        Whether to overlay the plot on a tile source. Tiles sources\n",
+    "        Whether to overlay the plot on a tile source. If coordinate values fall within lat/lon bounds, auto-projects to EPSG:3857 unless `projection=False`. Tiles sources\n",
     "        can be selected by name or a tiles object or class can be passed,\n",
     "        the default is 'Wikipedia'.\n",
     "    tiles_opts (default=None): dict\n",
diff --git a/doc/user_guide/Geographic_Data.ipynb b/doc/user_guide/Geographic_Data.ipynb
index 2f2f378a1..7a3a8c70a 100644
--- a/doc/user_guide/Geographic_Data.ipynb
+++ b/doc/user_guide/Geographic_Data.ipynb
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
    "source": [
     "## Tiled web map\n",
     "\n",
-    "A [tiled web map](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiled_web_map), or tile map, is an interactive map displayed on a web browser that is divided into small, pre-rendered image tiles, allowing for efficient loading and seamless navigation across various zoom levels and geographic areas. hvPlot allows to add a tile map as a basemap to a plot with the `tiles` parameter. Importantly, `tiles` is a parameter that can be used **without installing GeoViews if the data is already projected in Web Mercator**.\n",
+    "A [tiled web map](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiled_web_map), or tile map, is an interactive map displayed on a web browser that is divided into small, pre-rendered image tiles, allowing for efficient loading and seamless navigation across various zoom levels and geographic areas. hvPlot allows to add a tile map as a basemap to a plot with the `tiles` parameter. Importantly, `tiles` is a parameter that can be used **without installing GeoViews**.\n",
     "\n",
     "We'll display this dataframe of all US airports (including military bases overseas), the points are expressed in latitude/longitude coordinates:"
    ]
@@ -78,7 +78,11 @@
    "cell_type": "markdown",
    "metadata": {},
    "source": [
-    "We'll first start by displaying the airports **without GeoViews**. To do so, we must convert the coordinates to Web Mercator, which can be easily achieved using the `lon_lat_to_easting_northing` function provided by HoloViews, that doesn't require installing any of the usual geo dependencies like `pyproj` or `cartopy`."
+    "We'll first start by displaying the airports **without GeoViews** with tiles by setting `tiles=True`. \n",
+    "\n",
+    "Under the hood, hvPlot projects lat/lon to easting/northing (EPSG:4326 to EPSG:3857) coordinates without additional package dependencies if it detects that the values falls within expected lat/lon ranges.\n",
+    "\n",
+    "Note, **this feature is only available after `hvplot>0.10.0`**; older versions, `hvplot<=0.10.0`, require manual projection (see below)."
    ]
   },
   {
@@ -87,17 +91,14 @@
    "metadata": {},
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
-    "from holoviews.util.transform import lon_lat_to_easting_northing\n",
-    "\n",
-    "airports['x'], airports['y'] = lon_lat_to_easting_northing(airports.Longitude, airports.Latitude)\n",
-    "airports[['Latitude', 'Longitude', 'x', 'y']].head(3)"
+    "airports.hvplot.points('Longitude', 'Latitude', tiles=True, color='red', alpha=0.2)"
    ]
   },
   {
    "cell_type": "markdown",
    "metadata": {},
    "source": [
-    "We can now easily display the airports on a basemap by setting `tiles` to `True`."
+    "If you do not want it to be auto-projected under the hood for any reason, set `projection=False`, **but note it will not be properly placed on the tiles** without manual intervention. In doing so, the data will be plotted around the [null island location](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Null_Island), roughly 600km off the coast of West Africa. `padding` was added to demonstrate this."
    ]
   },
   {
@@ -106,14 +107,14 @@
    "metadata": {},
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
-    "airports.hvplot.points('x', 'y', tiles=True, color='red', alpha=0.2)"
+    "airports.hvplot.points('Longitude', 'Latitude', tiles=True, projection=False, color='red', alpha=0.2, padding=10000)"
    ]
   },
   {
    "cell_type": "markdown",
    "metadata": {},
    "source": [
-    "A common mistake is to display data referenced in WGS84 on a tile basemap without projecting the data to Web Mercator. In doing so, the data will be plotted around the [null island location](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Null_Island), roughly 600km off the coast of West Africa."
+    "To manually project use the `lon_lat_to_easting_northing` function provided by HoloViews, that doesn't require installing any of the usual geo dependencies like `pyproj` or `cartopy`."
    ]
   },
   {
@@ -122,10 +123,11 @@
    "metadata": {},
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
-    "airports.hvplot.points(\n",
-    "    'Longitude', 'Latitude', tiles=True, color='red', alpha=0.2,\n",
-    "    xlim=(-1000000, 1000000), ylim=(-1000000, 1000000)\n",
-    ")"
+    "from holoviews.util.transform import lon_lat_to_easting_northing\n",
+    "\n",
+    "airports['x'], airports['y'] = lon_lat_to_easting_northing(airports.Longitude, airports.Latitude)\n",
+    "airports[['Latitude', 'Longitude', 'x', 'y']].head(3)\n",
+    "airports.hvplot.points('x', 'y', tiles=True, color='red', alpha=0.2)"
    ]
   },
   {
@@ -415,7 +417,7 @@
     "- `global_extent` (default=False): Whether to expand the plot extent to span the whole globe\n",
     "- `project` (default=False): Whether to project the data before plotting (adds initial overhead but avoids projecting data when plot is dynamically updated)\n",
     "- `projection` (default=None): Coordinate reference system of the plot (output projection) specified as a string or integer EPSG code, a CRS or Proj pyproj object, a Cartopy CRS object or class name, a WKT string, or a proj.4 string. Defaults to PlateCarree.\n",
-    "- `tiles` (default=False): Whether to overlay the plot on a tile source. Accept the following values:\n",
+    "- `tiles` (default=False): Whether to overlay the plot on a tile source. If coordinate values fall within lat/lon bounds, auto-projects to EPSG:3857 unless `projection=False`. Accepts the following values:\n",
     "    - `True`: OpenStreetMap layer\n",
     "    - `xyzservices.TileProvider` instance (requires [`xyzservices`](https://xyzservices.readthedocs.io/) to be installed)\n",
     "    - a map string name based on one of the default layers made available by [HoloViews](https://holoviews.org/reference/elements/bokeh/Tiles.html) ('CartoDark', 'CartoLight', 'EsriImagery', 'EsriNatGeo', 'EsriUSATopo', 'EsriTerrain', 'EsriStreet', 'EsriReference', 'OSM', 'OpenTopoMap') or [GeoViews](https://geoviews.org/user_guide/Working_with_Bokeh.html) ('CartoDark', 'CartoEco', 'CartoLight', 'CartoMidnight', 'EsriImagery', 'EsriNatGeo', 'EsriUSATopo', 'EsriTerrain', 'EsriReference', 'EsriOceanBase', 'EsriOceanReference', 'EsriWorldPhysical', 'EsriWorldShadedRelief', 'EsriWorldTopo', 'EsriWorldDarkGrayBase', 'EsriWorldDarkGrayReference', 'EsriWorldLightGrayBase', 'EsriWorldLightGrayReference', 'EsriWorldHillshadeDark', 'EsriWorldHillshade', 'EsriAntarcticImagery', 'EsriArcticImagery', 'EsriArcticOceanBase', 'EsriArcticOceanReference', 'EsriWorldBoundariesAndPlaces', 'EsriWorldBoundariesAndPlacesAlternate', 'EsriWorldTransportation', 'EsriDelormeWorldBaseMap', 'EsriWorldNavigationCharts', 'EsriWorldStreetMap', 'OSM', 'OpenTopoMap'). Note that Stamen tile sources require a Stadia account when not running locally; see [stadiamaps.com](https://stadiamaps.com/).\n",
diff --git a/hvplot/converter.py b/hvplot/converter.py
index 25c624b6f..07b1785cf 100644
--- a/hvplot/converter.py
+++ b/hvplot/converter.py
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
 from holoviews.plotting.util import process_cmap
 from holoviews.operation import histogram, apply_when
 from holoviews.streams import Buffer, Pipe
-from holoviews.util.transform import dim
+from holoviews.util.transform import dim, lon_lat_to_easting_northing
 from pandas import DatetimeIndex, MultiIndex
 
 from .backend_transforms import _transfer_opts_cur_backend
@@ -309,7 +309,8 @@ class HoloViewsConverter:
         CRS object or class name, a WKT string, or a proj.4 string.
         Defaults to PlateCarree.
     tiles (default=False):
-        Whether to overlay the plot on a tile source:
+        Whether to overlay the plot on a tile source. If coordinate values fall within
+        lat/lon bounds, auto-projects to EPSG:3857, unless `projection=False`.
         - `True`: OpenStreetMap layer
         - `xyzservices.TileProvider` instance (requires xyzservices to
            be installed)
@@ -667,6 +668,9 @@ def __init__(
                     xlim = (x0, x1)
                 if ylim:
                     ylim = (y0, y1)
+        elif projection is False:
+            # to disable automatic projection of tiles
+            self.output_projection = projection
 
         # Operations
         if resample_when is not None and not any([rasterize, datashade, downsample]):
@@ -2092,6 +2096,40 @@ def _process_chart_args(self, data, x, y, single_y=False, categories=None):
         not_found = [dim for dim in dimensions if dim not in self.variables]
         _, data = process_derived_datetime_pandas(data, not_found, self.indexes)
 
+        data, x, y = self._process_tiles_without_geo(data, x, y)
+        return data, x, y
+
+    def _process_tiles_without_geo(self, data, x, y):
+        """
+        Tiles without requiring geoviews/cartopy.
+        """
+        if self.geo or not self.tiles or self.output_projection is False:
+            return data, x, y
+        elif not is_geodataframe(data) and (x is None or y is None):
+            return data, x, y
+
+        if is_geodataframe(data):
+            if data.crs is not None:
+                data = data.to_crs(epsg=3857)
+            return data, x, y
+        else:
+            min_x = np.min(data[x])
+            max_x = np.max(data[x])
+            min_y = np.min(data[y])
+            max_y = np.max(data[y])
+            x_within_bounds = -180 <= min_x <= 360 and -180 <= max_x <= 360
+            y_within_bounds = -90 <= min_y <= 90 and -90 <= max_y <= 90
+            if x_within_bounds and y_within_bounds:
+                data = data.copy()
+                lons_180 = (data[x] + 180) % 360 - 180  # ticks are better with -180 to 180
+                easting, northing = lon_lat_to_easting_northing(lons_180, data[y])
+                new_x = 'x' if 'x' not in data else 'x_'  # quick existing var check
+                new_y = 'y' if 'y' not in data else 'y_'
+                data[new_x] = easting
+                data[new_y] = northing
+                if is_xarray(data):
+                    data = data.swap_dims({x: new_x, y: new_y})
+                return data, new_x, new_y
         return data, x, y
 
     def chart(self, element, x, y, data=None):
@@ -2622,6 +2660,7 @@ def _process_gridded_args(self, data, x, y, z):
             not_found = [dim for dim in dimensions if dim not in self.variables]
             _, data = process_derived_datetime_pandas(data, not_found, self.indexes)
 
+        data, x, y = self._process_tiles_without_geo(data, x, y)
         return data, x, y, z
 
     def _get_element(self, kind):
diff --git a/hvplot/tests/testgeo.py b/hvplot/tests/testgeo.py
index 0ed617fa1..24930aad5 100644
--- a/hvplot/tests/testgeo.py
+++ b/hvplot/tests/testgeo.py
@@ -443,6 +443,15 @@ def test_geometry_none(self):
         polygons.geometry[1] = None
         assert polygons.hvplot(geo=True)
 
+    def test_tiles_without_gv(self):
+        polygons = self.polygons.copy()
+        polygons_plot = polygons.hvplot(tiles=True)
+        polygons_plot.get(1).data.crs is None
+
+        polygons.crs = 'EPSG:4326'
+        polygons_plot = self.polygons.hvplot(tiles=True)
+        polygons_plot.get(1).data.crs == 'EPSG:3857'
+
 
 class TestGeoUtil(TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
diff --git a/hvplot/tests/testgeowithoutgv.py b/hvplot/tests/testgeowithoutgv.py
index 97430fd96..de1d90159 100644
--- a/hvplot/tests/testgeowithoutgv.py
+++ b/hvplot/tests/testgeowithoutgv.py
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ def test_plot_tiles_doesnt_set_geo(self, simple_df):
         assert len(plot) == 2
         assert isinstance(plot.get(0), hv.Tiles)
         assert 'openstreetmap' in plot.get(0).data
+        assert 'x_' in plot.get(1).data
+        assert 'y_' in plot.get(1).data
         bk_plot = bk_renderer.get_plot(plot)
         assert bk_plot.projection == 'mercator'
 
@@ -31,6 +33,8 @@ def test_plot_specific_tiles_doesnt_set_geo(self, simple_df):
         assert len(plot) == 2
         assert isinstance(plot.get(0), hv.Tiles)
         assert 'ArcGIS' in plot.get(0).data
+        assert 'x_' in plot.get(1).data
+        assert 'y_' in plot.get(1).data
         bk_plot = bk_renderer.get_plot(plot)
         assert bk_plot.projection == 'mercator'
 
@@ -47,12 +51,16 @@ def test_plot_with_specific_tile_obj(self, simple_df):
         assert len(plot) == 2
         assert isinstance(plot.get(0), hv.Tiles)
         assert 'ArcGIS' in plot.get(0).data
+        assert 'x_' in plot.get(1).data
+        assert 'y_' in plot.get(1).data
         bk_plot = bk_renderer.get_plot(plot)
         assert bk_plot.projection == 'mercator'
 
     def test_plot_with_xyzservices_tileprovider(self, simple_df):
         xyzservices = pytest.importorskip('xyzservices')
         plot = simple_df.hvplot.points('x', 'y', tiles=xyzservices.providers.Esri.WorldImagery)
+        assert 'x_' in plot.get(1).data
+        assert 'y_' in plot.get(1).data
         assert len(plot) == 2
         assert isinstance(plot.get(0), hv.Tiles)
         assert isinstance(plot.get(0).data, xyzservices.TileProvider)
diff --git a/hvplot/tests/testgridplots.py b/hvplot/tests/testgridplots.py
index 1a90b1ed8..2ab063eb5 100644
--- a/hvplot/tests/testgridplots.py
+++ b/hvplot/tests/testgridplots.py
@@ -257,3 +257,10 @@ def test_dataarray_label_precedence(self):
 
         plot = self.da_rgb.sel(band=1).hvplot.image(label='b', value_label='c')
         assert plot.vdims[0].name == 'b'
+
+    def test_tiles_without_gv(self):
+        plot = self.ds.hvplot('lon', 'lat', tiles=True)
+        assert len(plot) == 2
+        assert isinstance(plot.get(1), Image)
+        assert 'x' in plot.get(1).data
+        assert 'y' in plot.get(1).data