India Travel Tips 1: Best Places

If you’re curious about exploring India and need some travel tips, you could simply open up a Lonely Planet. But wait, did you know the India version is 1,250 pages long?! It's a little overwhelming. So if you’re an India novice it might be easier to get a few tips from people who’ve gone there before you. I believe that if you’d ask ten people what they recommend, you’d end up with the following list:

Must see

• Agra (to see the Taj Mahal)

• Rajasthan (Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Pushkar)

• Goa (beaches and parties)

• Kerala (backwaters/houseboats, tea plantations, beaches, Aryuveda)

• Amritsar (to see the Golden Temple and the border ceremony)

• New Delhi (because it’s the capital)

• Varanasi (Hindu religion)

Could see

• Tiger reserves (various states)

• Pondicherry (beaches and French history)

• Darjeeling/Assam (nature, tea plantations)

• Andaman Islands (snorkeling and diving)

• Himalayas (Shimla, Ladakh, Rishikesh, Kashmir)

• Bangalore (because it’s the “Silicon Valley” of India)

• Kolkata (English history)

People might suggest a number of culturally significant events that you should see, because India is bursting at the seams with festivals and celebrations. To experience Holi, Ganesh Chaturthi, Navratri, Diwali, the Desert Festival in Jaisalmer or the Camel Fair in Pushkar is definitely special. It takes extra planning though.

Then again, going during major holidays is more expensive and might make you feel even more overwhelmed than India normally makes you feel already, so it's not for everyone. India is safe and family friendly, but with big crowds you never know what's gonna happen.

I’ve lived in Mumbai for two years and so far I've been to eight of the 14 suggestions above. I also went to a few tourist destinations closer to Mumbai that I didn't list because they're not world reknowned. Part of me wishes I visited even more places, but I don't regret getting "distracted" by visiting nearby countries like Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the Maldives.

Summary of my Indian travel experiences:

Agra (Taj Mahal)

There are direct flights from Mumbai to Agra, but it’s easier/cheaper to go from Delhi by car or train. I thought the Taj Mahal was stunning. I loved having a guide (the same guide President Obama used, incidentally) who also showed us the beautiful Red Fort and an incredible marble shop where I wanted to buy everything. Compared to other major sights in India, this tourist destination felt easygoing and well managed.

Rajasthan (Udaipur)

I would have loved to see more of Rajastan, because it’s where all the dazzling palaces are, and it’s a hub for the most gorgeous fabrics and other art, but so far I only visited Udaipur, which is famous for its beautiful lakes. It’s a bit chaotic, but we found some peace and quiet at a nearby Marwari horse farm we stayed called Krishna Ranch.

Goa (beach)

Our favorite getaway from Mumbai is Goa, hands down. We keep going back to Palolem Beach to stay at the Art Resort; so far for a total of six trips of one week each. I love the beach, kayaks, cooking classes, live music, massages, and all around bohemian vibe. I  can’t say anything about mid- or north Goa, where it’s a lot busier and all the major hotels and parties are, because I haven't been!

Kerala (tea plantations)

My mom loved our five-day trip to Munnar in the hills of Kerala. Kerala felt cleaner, healthier (big focus on Aryuvedic medicine there) and more organised than other places she visited in India. We didn’t do the houseboat experience like most folks do, but I hear good things about it—except that you’re actually docked at night. In Munnar, we hiked a lot and stayed at the fancy but still rustic Windermere Estate.

Andaman Islands (snorkeling/ diving)

The Andaman Islands are remote, but it’s an easy flight from Mumbai or Chennai. The main tourist island is Havelock, but you have to spend a night in Port Blair on the day you arrive. At Havelock we stayed in the ecological Barefoot resort, next to the unbelievably beautiful Radhaganar Beach. I also recommend the CGH Earth Tilar Siro hotel in the north, which is closer to all the fantastic diving and snorkeling sites.

New Delhi

Visiting big Indian cities is unavoidable because that’s where the airports are. But they're not great tourist destinations. Indian cities are too crowded and polluted to enjoy much of anything. In my opinion, the best way around it is to take a tour; a heritage walk or food tour, for example, ideally early in the morning or after dark, when the streets are quieter. I loved my food tour with Delhi Food Walks. Going into places I’d never attempt by myself and eating the most incredible dishes is super affordable and heaps of fun and you still see some of the major sites on the way.

Bangalore

I visited Bangalore because of the marathon and I’m happy I went. This city felt the most developed and easy to navigate of all the Indian cities I've seen. There are many micro breweries and nice bars. Relaxed people who generally speak English (more than in the north of India). The ITC Gardenia hotel there is really beautiful, with wonderful breakfast in a lush garden. We took a heritage tour and visited tons of temples.

Kolkata (English history)

I spent three weeks in Kolkata for work. I was busy so I didn’t venture out much. I enjoyed staying at the Oberoi Grand hotel though, which felt very “old world.” I went on a lovely Bengali Nights food tour, visited the Mother Theresa house and saw a number of churches and museums, the flower market, an impressive artisan neighbourhood, and learned about the Kolkata’s literary tradition by booking a random private tour on Trip Advisor for $150 (private car plus tour guide, snacks, lunch, etc.)

NEXT: Indian Travel Tips 2: near Mumbai