Guest Zone

The answer to most questions about India lies in understanding its diversity and the complexity that comes with it. Generally speaking, India is a very safe and tourist friendly country. While petty thefts can be common if you are not careful, violence is extremely rare. At major tourist destinations everyone, no matter their ethnicity and gender, will be treated with equal respect and you will find many people who are eager to help the tourists.

The question of women’s safety in India has come up recently raising concerns among many travellers. However, the fact is that India remains generally safe for female travellers and most women will experience, at worst, unwelcome attention from men. Needless to say, like any other place in the world, it is always a good idea to exercise caution and be aware of the local culture.

Some safety tips to follow while travelling in India:

• It is always a good idea to keep an extra stash of cash away from the wallet that you are carrying around. Pickpocketing is not uncommon at tourist destinations.
• Avoid talking to touts and agents who offer to show you around the place or organize transportation for you.
• It is very important in India to dress appropriately, especially so for female travellers. It is a conservative country, so be respectful of that by covering your shoulders and legs and watching your cleavage.
• Avoid arriving at a new destination late in the night (unless it is a major city).
• As rude as you may feel, be assertive when dealing with persistent and persuasive vendors, beggars or touts.

Well, India is a huge country – both geographically and culturally. So, that’s a difficult question to answer. But, I’d say that if it’s your first time, you should definitely visit Rajasthan, which would offer you the real essence of India, and it’s also a very comfy destination for a solo traveller.

Then, you should visit Goa and Kerala for sure. I’d also recommend Delhi, as it’s the capital and a heritage city as well. In terms of important cities, you should visit Mumbai – the ‘mad’ city of India, which is lots of fun!

Well India is huge so it is a little different in each region.

THE TRIANGLE AND OTHER RAJASTHAN CITIES

Best Months: February, March, October and November. Perfect weather but of course hotel, food and guide costs are the highest.

Cheap Options: Winters are very foggy and summers are extremely hot but everything is of course everything is cheaper in the off season.

To be avoided: July/August. Monsoon season. Avoid if possible Delhi in particular is very prone to flooding.

My tip: I visited in September and found it very enjoyable with little rain and not too humid of days. We only had one really bad day in Delhi where the most of the city flooded.

 

MUMBAI AND SOUTH INDIA

Best Months: November to February. The temperature is mild with cool days perfect for outdoor activities and sightseeing.

Cheap option: March to May. Temperatures are starting to rise but evenings are still pleasant, definitely possibility of rain.

To be avoided: June to October. Monsoon season. Traveling is difficult but not impossible.

 

HIMALAYAS

The Himalayas cover a vast area but in general the best months to visit are late October until early May, depending on the exact location and altitude of the trek. An exception is Ladakh, where tourist facilities are only open between May and September.

Delhi – A huge modern airport with tons of flights from the entire world. Indira Gandhi International Airport – airport code DEL.

Flights from the US to Delhi can be found for around $700-1100 round trip but I have seen deals for as low as $500 round trip. Word of warning Delhi sometimes can be covered in fog, which can delay flights.

Mumbai – India’s other huge modern city. Again a huge modern airport just a different region of the country.

Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, formerly Sahar International Airport is the main international airport – airport code is BOM.

Top Tip: If you have time a lot of many travelers fly into Delhi and out of Mumbai. Be warned they are at very far apart with lots of sights in between. (1400km apart or 870 miles)

Once you get to India traveling between cities is pretty inexpensive.

Plane – You could fly to the smaller airports and arrange transportation to your hotel. But I wouldn’t do this, especially if you are traveling short distances like the Golden Triangle. There are much easier ways to get from each city and this is definitely the most expensive option.

Trains – A GREAT way to travel India on the cheap. It is intimidating but easily done if you are bold. Third class tickets are insanely cheap but third class really means third class in India. Think people crammed into cars, live animals with you and huge doors that stay open while you move. It is an experience you won’t forget if you do it.

Automobile – You can hire a driver to take you from city to city. It sounds like a luxury but is actually just as cheap as a first class train ticket! This is also the route we went for the journey from Jaipur to Agra. It worked out well because we were able to see Chand Baori and Faturpur Skrir along the way. The cost for two was only $90. That included a private car, driver, pickup from hotel in Jaipur, drop off at hotel in Agra, the 4 hour drive from Jaipur to Agra plus all the stops we wanted to make along the way.  In total we were allowed to have the driver for up to 12 hours.

I never had a problem at any hotel, landmark, or airport finding people that spoke perfect English. Same goes for the drivers and guides we hired. Some spoke better English than us and at the very very minimum  they will speak easily understandable broken English.

Try to blend in. Don’t show too much skin. Maxi skirts/dresses are your best friend. Cap sleeve shirts or a scarf covering your shoulders also is recommended. You will have to cover up in temples. Also, buy saree’s the local love when you embrace their culture! You can buy them in street markets for as little as $3 or you can buy a premade one with a matching top in a nicer shop for about $15.

India has one of the largest populations at 1.2 billion. Now add in tourists and you’ve got a lot of people in one place. So yes, it will be crowded. Not to mention Indians don’t really understand personal space. So yes it will be crowded when seeing major sights and exploring the markets and cities.