Dataloungers, help me plan a trip to India!

Don't go!

You will see diarrhoea everywhere.

See it, smell it, walk in it.

Prepare for the overwhelming smell and people sleeping on the street.

Where are you flying into/out of? If you don't like nature, I would do Mumbai just because it is its largest city.

What animals besides bengal tigers and indian elephants would you see? There's no guarantee you'll come across any or if it will be interesting. You only see 'the best of' animal safari videos. Many times the animals are sleeping or in the distance. THAT you don't see on videos because, well, it's boring as shit. I can see animals sleeping in a zoo.

Never been to India - but I've heard it is quite an "adjustment".

Varanasi riverfront seems to be the quintessential India,, just wash off if making any contact with the water!

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

Avoid India entirely if you are female.

Bodh Gaya, see the Mahabodhi.

Avoid fellows like these!

A Dutch tourist was recently assaulted in Lucknow, India for using a rainbow-coloured debit card to pay his bill. According to reports, a group of men attacked the 29-year-old traveller after he used his travel card issued by the Netherlands-based bank Bunq to settle his bill in a café in the north Indian town. They thought he was gay as the debit card design features bright stripes of colours which they confused with that on the LGBTQ community’s rainbow flag. The Dutch visitor was reportedly surrounded by eight men who hollered homophobic remarks at him, called him ‘gay’ and beat him up. He suffered injuries and had to be taken to the hospital.

OP before I opened the thread I knew that there would be a bunch of dire warnings from people who have never set foot out of the USA.

India is amazing. I’d go with a Mumbai as your other city but I love big heaving metropolises.

Have a great trip!

Been there on business years back. Very unsanitary sites/streets. If you must go, and particularly alone, I recommend a guided tour with a group. Choose your "must see" places and select the itinerary that best fits. The good tours will provide quality accommodations and some of the better restaurants.

Wear socks when you go too the Taj Mahal. You'll be required to remove your shoes, and the marble floors get scolding hot in the sun.

I've been to India three times : once to the north and twice to the south (Chennai,,Karnatica etc.) and much preferred the south. During the north India trip I did have a chance to visit Ranthambore and was fortunate to encounter tigers on two excursions into the park. Having said that I would suggest you change your destination and choose Sri Lanka. I came back from there with more positive memories and, being an elephant lover, I had more than enough to satisfy me after visiting their nature reserves. Also, please consider a dose of Dukoral before your trip - it combats both diarrhea and cholera !

OP, I spent two weeks in Mumbai during a three-month trip to India (about seven years ago) and I had a great time there. It’s a dynamic city with great restaurants, galleries, architecture, shopping, and more.

I strongly disagree with those recommending guided tours and such. (In fact, I think tour groups are more of a target for trouble because they’re so obvious. Plus, do you really want to be herded around like a second-grader?)

The most interesting parts of my trip were the times just spent wandering, talking and eating with strangers. India has challenges, of course, but I never encountered danger. Nor did I experience stomach problems. Just take the usual precautions and you’ll be fine.

Have been to New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad. I feel no need to go back. Every place felt desperate and threatening, and the filth was extraordinary.

Indian here. Yes, India can seem intense and dirty to tourists. Plus the infrastructure for tourism is still being developed. I recommend a visit to Goa or Kerala, if you want a more laidback trip. Rajasthan is also pretty and less crowded as compared to Delhi and Mumbai. Kolkata is crowded but has lots of character. Be prepared for surprises (and shocks) and don't try to be too adventurous. If you can, find a local who can guide you to the best places. Indian food is spicy, as you probably know. The best time to visit India is between Oct - March.

Are you traveling solo?

[quote]Prepare for the overwhelming smell and people sleeping on the street.

He's not going to San Francisco--he's going to India.

dont go

dont go

Indian again. Didn't read your initial post. I'd go to Ranthambore and not Varanasi. Most Westerners come with preconceived notions about Varanasi and are mostly disappointed when they actually arrive there. It is an interesting city, yes, and has lots of history. But it is important to have realistic expectations. Mumbai is India's largest city and is extremely crowded. It is a center of finance and movies and is definitely not boring for tourists. A lot of my Westerner friends tend to find local contacts through sites. You can always use google to find resources or contacts. Here is an interesting link for you: https://gaybombay.org/ (if you are traveling solo)

Since you're already going to one of the largest and most crowded cities on the planet (much less India alone) in Delhi, I don't think I would want to go to Mumbai too. but that's just me.

I would want to go to Varanasi, even knowing how filthy and polluted the river is, but just to say I'd seen it. The buildings are so spectacular. But again, that's me.

with a civil war/war with pakistan at the onset, i would rather visit another country for now...