Going to India - advice?

[pr0ficient]

I'm going to India next month for 3-5 weeks (still deciding on the return date). My itinerary is: Delhi -> Jaipur -> Agra -> Mumbai -> Goa -> Kochi

Who has been? Are there any must-sees not currently on my itinerary? Is it worth doing Goa and Kochi during monsoon season?

Any comments, suggestions or advice regarding my itinerary or trip in general is appreciated.

[Micko]

Re: Going to India - advice?

Haven't been Sir

Sounds like a blast though

Perhaps some photos when you return

[MusicJatt]

Re: Going to India - advice?

bottled water

[floridaorange]

Re: Going to India - advice?

Don't eat anything that may have been stored in a pesticide container.

[audrey_w]

Re: Going to India - advice?

Don't eat anything that may have been stored in a pesticide container.

wow. It really does take a special kind of nobhead to make a "joke" about dead children

[diegoff]

Re: Going to India - advice?

bottled water

:d

[floridaorange]

Re: Going to India - advice?

wow. It really does take a special kind of nobhead to make a "joke" about dead children

It wasn't a joke Missy.

[audrey_w]

Re: Going to India - advice?

Missy? I put the word joke in a pair of these "" boy

So, it was a genuine piece of advice to a would be traveller was it? Er ok then ?

[floridaorange]

Re: Going to India - advice?

It was a word of caution Ms.

[Kamal]

Re: Going to India - advice?

I'm going to India next month for 3-5 weeks (still deciding on the return date). My itinerary is: Delhi -> Jaipur -> Agra -> Mumbai -> Goa -> Kochi

Who has been? Are there any must-sees not currently on my itinerary? Is it worth doing Goa and Kochi during monsoon season?

Any comments, suggestions or advice regarding my itinerary or trip in general is appreciated.

If you've lived outside India for more than 6 months (this is coming from someone who's born and raised there), like someone else has posted here, don't drink regular water or eat seafood there (unless it's at a high-end restaurant). I had a horrific case of salmonella poisoning 2 years ago and I lost 8 lbs overnight. Take your Malaria shots as well before you fly and carry bug/mosquito spray/lotion. You seriously don't wanna catch Malaria (or worse, Dengue fever).

Having covered that....

Agra, you have to see the the Taj Mahal, cliche tourist shit but yes you should go there just to gasp at its beauty. I had been there when I was in my early teens so yea I can't comment on the nightlife from 25 years ago but that is more of a place for its historic value than for its night life. The one thing that impresses me about the Taj Mahal is that it was built as a tomb and since Emperor Shahjahan didn't want another one replicated, he blinded and cut off the hands of the artists who created it. He also wanted to blind the chief architect but as a last request, he permitted him to spend 24 hours in the Taj Mahal before they left him without his sight. The architect was so good, he knew there was an underground river passing by, he tapped into the walls of the tomb (which is below ground) and somehow managed to get water to consistently drip into the tomb. While it was not immediately noticeable when it was done, over the years, it has become moss-filled and smells inside. It was his way to get revenge for what was done to him.

Jaipur is all historical sightseeing. Try to locate guided tours for the old forts and palaces on the hilltops outside the city limits. It's been a while since I was there but the constructions were nothing short of spectacular. Really transports you back in time.

Delhi on the other hand is a massive party place (check out the clubs at the various 5 star hotels) and has great historical value. Check out the India gate, the Parliament, Red Fort, Qutub Minar (pronounced Kutub), handy craft emporium and just about every other place in Connaught Place (if you wanna check out typical market places). Be careful of being pick pocketed and falling in trouble with the law, everyone in Delhi is a politician or a 6th cousin of. Delhi international airport is apparently now the 2nd best airport in the world (completely remodeled during the recent Asian olympics iirc). Also, try to get taxis arranged from the hotels and don't walk onto the streets to get one, you don't wanna end up with a crooked cabbie.

Mumbai - not much historical value but India's business epicenter is loaded with nightlife. The only landmark to visit would be the "Gateway of India", which is right across from the 5 star hotel Taj, where the most recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai took place. Again, be careful of pickpockets and try not to get cabbies on the streets. Like Delhi, majority of the nightclubs are in 5-star hotels, check out Heera Panna (if you're interested in shopping) or head off to Bandra / Juhu area. Tons of stores there. Juhu beach is a decent beach to spend the evening on the beach (if that's your thing), but don't expect Tropical turqoise waters. The Juhu area is also well known for its nightlife so you can spend the entire day there. Lastly, you can check out Haji Ali (mosque built offshore on the sea). INCREDIBLE restauraunts.

Goa - my favorite place. I've been there about 10 times during the 90s. From Casinos to 5 star hotels to nightlife and great food, there's just about everything there. South Goa is known for its Casinos and Five Star hotels. Colva is the best beach to head to. The Leela Resort with supposedly the best Casino in Goa, is minutes from the beach. Their beachfront property at the Leela is exclusive, accessible only from the hotel. The white sands on their beach were supposedly imported. They have a great restaurant there as well. North Goa is known for its topless beaches and mad psy parties (the birthplace of Goa trance / techno). Bagga Beach (where the Taj group has it's five star hotel - The Fort Aguada) is where nearly all of the international crowd likes to spend time during the day. North of Bagga is Anjuna beach, this is where ALL the psy trance / techno parties are. There use to be schedules when the best parties are played, but its been so long since my last visit, I don't remember when these are held. Anjuna also has a lot of hippy crowd and if you're there on a Wednesday, look for the makeshift markets they setup under the coconut groves. You can find some really unique things that internationals carry with them on their trips to India and sell off some stuff for extra cash.

If you ride a motorcycle, the BEST way around Goa is to rent a motorcycle or a scooter for a day. They'll run you a couple of hundred Rupees ($5 - $10) for the entire day - get a map / ask for directions as you go. The roads are very well maintained (being a tourist spot) and you will absolutely love riding around getting to know the state. Also, if you don't have your stay already organized, try to look up for monsoon packages at the Five Star hotels. I got a maddeningly cheap deal where we paid $300 for 4 nights + 5 days at Fort Aguada. They have a phenomenal seafood restaurant and a free bottle of local wine every day.

I can't really comment on Kochi, but I think you'll be deadbeat at the end of your trip, especially if you go crazy in Delhi, Mumbai and Goa.

Lastly, what is going to absolutely kill you in India, especially in Agra, Jaipur, Delhi and Mumbai is the summer heat (if it's not raining). In the North, its scorching hot and in Mumbai, it will be the insane humidity. If you're not heat tolerant, you might not make it 15 minutes walking in the afternoon sun.

Good luck and enjoy your stay there...you will always carry a piece of India with you once you leave.

[pr0ficient]

Re: Going to India - advice?

If you've lived outside India for more than 6 months (this is coming from someone who's born and raised there), like someone else has posted here, don't drink regular water or eat seafood there (unless it's at a high-end restaurant). I had a horrific case of salmonella poisoning 2 years ago and I lost 8 lbs overnight. Take your Malaria shots as well before you fly and carry bug/mosquito spray/lotion. You seriously don't wanna catch Malaria (or worse, Dengue fever).

Hi Kamal! Thanks for the thoughtful post. This is some great information. A couple follow ups: 1) Why do you recommend not getting taxis from the street? Is it an issue of them taking you where you want to go?, 2) What's monsoon season like in Goa? Those discount packages seem great, but what about sightseeing, going to the beach, and hiking in late August/early September? Will we be confined to our hotel due to the rain?

[Kamal]

Re: Going to India - advice?

Hi Kamal! Thanks for the thoughtful post. This is some great information. A couple follow ups: 1) Why do you recommend not getting taxis from the street? Is it an issue of them taking you where you want to go?, 2) What's monsoon season like in Goa? Those discount packages seem great, but what about sightseeing, going to the beach, and hiking in late August/early September? Will we be confined to our hotel due to the rain?

1) If you're an international, chances are they will take you through a round-about way to your destination, charging you a lot more. I don't remember what cab fares are like in New Delhi but they are a nightmare in Mumbai. Despite being a local and fluent in the local dialect, I've been fleeced in broad daylight.

2) If you end up in Goa on a rainy week, you're SOL. My last time in Goa was in August 2005 and it poured for 3 of the 5 days. But of what I remember, it doesn't rain incessantly like it does in Mumbai, it's sporadic - so you might still get to leave your hotel. If not, find a bus to take you around the state and enjoy the fine-dining and casinos at the various five-stars. There are quite a few of them to keep you interested. You may also be lucky if you rent out a cab from the hotel. And, at the risk of being brave and getting a bad stomach, some of the best foods to try are kitchen shacks built on the beaches. I've had some of the best Tandoori Shark Sizzlers there.

[Jenks]

Re: Going to India - advice?

Kamal, your post really makes me want to visit India. It's a part of the world I don't often think of adding to my travel bucket list, but I might have to now.

So many places to see, so little time.

[floridaorange]

Re: Going to India - advice?

^Have you watched "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" yet?

[trick12]

Re: Going to India - advice?

id love to visit india, will be one special trip for you man, enjoy...ahh goa is beautiful