Interesting experiences in India

I'm going to India for the first time, not sure how long yet, and I don't know where to begin searching for things to do there. I'm looking for interesting experiences that I can either only do there or they're originally from there and should be done in India.

I'm thinking of doing a Vipassana meditation retreat to see if it changes my life at all. Other than that, I'm not sure what else to look for. I'm into the outdoors and hiking, riding motorbikes, like sampling unusual local dishes wherever I go, and I'm open to most experiences (not going for sex tourism). Any suggestions on cool experiences in India?

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  1. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    The whole thing is a trip. What an insane country, I did vipassana in Leh and spent 6 months there. Every minute is an experience, it’s like another planet. Just go and take it all in buddy. Wish I was heading there

  2. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Was thinking of going the winter after next, I'll be monitoring this thread.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      same. planning on cycling it. camping wild. eating where ever and just taking it day by day. will be buying MAX travel insurance. psyched.

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        >camping wild.

        terrible idea

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          ill be in nagaland

  3. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Where have the 2 or 3 Indiaboos on this board gone?
    If they don't show up you can find some alright tips from them in the archive.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      I rarely have time to snoop through SighSee these days. Have been traveling since April and want to continue until next year. Heading now towards Asia and India is my first stop. There's so much to see and do there, I'm usually good at finding everything there is to do in a place I go to but India seems a bit overwhelming.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      I’ve been to India about 20 times, have been posting here for almost a decade, and currently live in the country. I don’t bother responding to India threads anymore unless the OP or other posters ask specific, well-meaning questions. There have scarcely been any decent India threads since 2018-2019. Everything is either a shitty attempt at trolling, general nonsense, or typical pop-in-loo memes.

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        Ok.

        What kind of budget would I need to travel around India, let's say per month? I'm frugal and humble, but I also value my health and safety, don't feel comfortable living like a total bum.

        Do Indians appreciate it if you try to speak some Hindi instead of English (I know there are tons of languages, but Hindi seems like the local lingua franca)? I'm sure I could pick up some basics.

        How hospitable or friendly are the local people really? Is it easy to connect with people and make friends or are they going to try and take advantage of you or treat you as an ATM. I don't mean cooming by the way. Just regular life. I always felt that Indians can be a bit weird or undersocialized.

        How dangerous is the hinterland outside of the cities, the remote countryside and the villages? I sometimes get the impression that the grip of the government and the rule of law does not extend far outside the cities.

        What are some really underrated regions or destinations that few foreigners visit?

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          >What kind of budget would I need to travel around India, let's say per month?
          India can be as cheap or as expensive as you'd like. I think you can be QUITE comfortable on $50 per day. This means:
          >reasonably nice 2-3-star hotel room ($20-30/night)
          >travel everywhere by Uber/AC train/AC bus/occasional domestic flight (variable, average for a 2AC/3AC berth in a high-priority train would be about ~1900-2900 overnight)
          >eat a nice combination of street food and good-quality restaurant food (street food is basically free, good-quality restaurant can easily be found for $3-5/meal)
          >go out on the weekends without having to worry much about finances (booze prices can be as bad as Western countries in nice hotels, otherwise you can get a liter of beer for like $2 or a 60mL glass of local rum for $.80-$1.50, depending on the state/place)
          >rent a motorbike in the mountains (bike rental is $5-10/day for a shitty bike and/or a bike somewhere like Goa, $15-20/day if you don't want to have to worry *as* much about the brakes falling off etc)
          >basically don't have to second-guess any of your expenses, within reason

          However, you do not need to spend $50 per day to be "comfortable." I think you wouldn't have to sacrifice much luxury--or opportunity--on a budget closer to $25-$30 per day. Like, if you get a hostel bunk for $5-10/day and aren't going on guided tours, getting shit-faced, or trying to see 2-3 different paid monuments every day, you'd actually be pretty hard-pressed to spend the $20.

          Frankly, if you're planning to stay in hostel dormitories--or in budget hotels--you can pretty easily skate by on $20-$25 per day, provided that you're not an alcoholic, or a coomer, or someone who has a lot of regular "additional" expenses.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            cont
            >Do Indians appreciate it if you try to speak some Hindi instead of English
            If you're in the Cow Belt, then sure. People will go ape-shit if you can speak a single understandable sentence in ANY Indian language, since most foreigners don't learn to say literally anything and expect that everyone will speak English.

            I speak Hindi quite well, and I have found that being able to speak Hindi means that people immediately take me more seriously. It also leads to some hilarious conversations. For instance, I once had an auto-wala in Bilaspur go on a 20-minute tirade in Hindi about how much he loves WWE, and why the Undertaker is the best wrestler of all time.

            >How hospitable or friendly are the local people really? Is it easy to connect with people and make friends or are they going to try and take advantage of you or treat you as an ATM.
            Walking ATM shit is a huge meme. Just don't trust people who come up to you on the street and saying shit like, "Hi bro, nice shoes. Which country? First time in India? Come to my uncle's shop, bro."

            The average Indian either doesn't give a shit about you, or will very happily help you with anything you need.

            I genuinely think India is one of the best countries in the world for just meeting genuinely nice strangers.

            • 2 years ago
              Anonymous

              cont
              >How dangerous is the hinterland outside of the cities, the remote countryside and the villages?
              Not very, I just went off-roading on a motorbike in the middle of bumfrick nowhere in Jharkhand, worst that happened is some tribal people laughed at me for not taking their advice (they told me I couldn't take a bike further down the road, I told them I'd try anyway, lol).

              Just don't be moronic, you'll be fine. Ask local people for advice, they'll tell you what to watch out for. For example, generally not a good idea to be driving around late at night in parts of rural Jharkhand or Bihar, since they do have big problems with bandits (and commie guerrillas in some areas, but they don't target foreigners and you'd have to be extremely stupid to come across them anyway). Otherwise, you don't really have to worry about much if you're a man. Aside from the occasional risk of phone snatching / bag snatching, the most you have to worry about is getting ripped off by tourism touts and taxi drivers and shit.

              • 2 years ago
                Anonymous

                Ok.

                What kind of budget would I need to travel around India, let's say per month? I'm frugal and humble, but I also value my health and safety, don't feel comfortable living like a total bum.

                Do Indians appreciate it if you try to speak some Hindi instead of English (I know there are tons of languages, but Hindi seems like the local lingua franca)? I'm sure I could pick up some basics.

                How hospitable or friendly are the local people really? Is it easy to connect with people and make friends or are they going to try and take advantage of you or treat you as an ATM. I don't mean cooming by the way. Just regular life. I always felt that Indians can be a bit weird or undersocialized.

                How dangerous is the hinterland outside of the cities, the remote countryside and the villages? I sometimes get the impression that the grip of the government and the rule of law does not extend far outside the cities.

                What are some really underrated regions or destinations that few foreigners visit?

                >What kind of budget would I need to travel around India, let's say per month?
                India can be as cheap or as expensive as you'd like. I think you can be QUITE comfortable on $50 per day. This means:
                >reasonably nice 2-3-star hotel room ($20-30/night)
                >travel everywhere by Uber/AC train/AC bus/occasional domestic flight (variable, average for a 2AC/3AC berth in a high-priority train would be about ~1900-2900 overnight)
                >eat a nice combination of street food and good-quality restaurant food (street food is basically free, good-quality restaurant can easily be found for $3-5/meal)
                >go out on the weekends without having to worry much about finances (booze prices can be as bad as Western countries in nice hotels, otherwise you can get a liter of beer for like $2 or a 60mL glass of local rum for $.80-$1.50, depending on the state/place)
                >rent a motorbike in the mountains (bike rental is $5-10/day for a shitty bike and/or a bike somewhere like Goa, $15-20/day if you don't want to have to worry *as* much about the brakes falling off etc)
                >basically don't have to second-guess any of your expenses, within reason

                However, you do not need to spend $50 per day to be "comfortable." I think you wouldn't have to sacrifice much luxury--or opportunity--on a budget closer to $25-$30 per day. Like, if you get a hostel bunk for $5-10/day and aren't going on guided tours, getting shit-faced, or trying to see 2-3 different paid monuments every day, you'd actually be pretty hard-pressed to spend the $20.

                Frankly, if you're planning to stay in hostel dormitories--or in budget hotels--you can pretty easily skate by on $20-$25 per day, provided that you're not an alcoholic, or a coomer, or someone who has a lot of regular "additional" expenses.

                cont
                >Do Indians appreciate it if you try to speak some Hindi instead of English
                If you're in the Cow Belt, then sure. People will go ape-shit if you can speak a single understandable sentence in ANY Indian language, since most foreigners don't learn to say literally anything and expect that everyone will speak English.

                I speak Hindi quite well, and I have found that being able to speak Hindi means that people immediately take me more seriously. It also leads to some hilarious conversations. For instance, I once had an auto-wala in Bilaspur go on a 20-minute tirade in Hindi about how much he loves WWE, and why the Undertaker is the best wrestler of all time.

                >How hospitable or friendly are the local people really? Is it easy to connect with people and make friends or are they going to try and take advantage of you or treat you as an ATM.
                Walking ATM shit is a huge meme. Just don't trust people who come up to you on the street and saying shit like, "Hi bro, nice shoes. Which country? First time in India? Come to my uncle's shop, bro."

                The average Indian either doesn't give a shit about you, or will very happily help you with anything you need.

                I genuinely think India is one of the best countries in the world for just meeting genuinely nice strangers.

                RE: the budget, this isn't something you need to read too much into. I usually recommend $30-50 per day, because I'm operating under the assumption that most people don't want to travel like absolute poorhomosexuals. However, I want to re-emphasize the fact that you CAN travel for under $10/day if you sleep in gurudwaras and mosques and other such shit.

                I recommend a slightly higher budget because it gives you the freedom to basically do whatever you want on a day-to-day basis, but if you want to do $15 or $20 per day, well, you can fricking do that, and you'll still probably have a good time. For example, I have tentative plans to go stay in a very, very isolated tribal village for 1-2 months (no road access, no running water, no toilets, militants in the area, etc) some time early next year to learn their language for planned future research... was just there last week, went with a local contact, spoke to the villagers, etc, they just want me to pay for food and like 100 rupees per day and occasionally help them haul water up the hill, kek. So, all in all, it'll run me maybe ~$60 for an entire month

                oh:
                >What are some really underrated regions or destinations that few foreigners visit?
                see picrel, but that's my preferences, might not be yours

                can count the number of foreigners I've seen in Andhra Pradesh (it's smaller than it appears on the map, AP split in two separate states, Andhra Pradesh and modern-day Telangana), Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, etc, on my fingers, despite these states having some amazing nature, really friendly people, and some of the most unique tribal cultures in the entire country

                Indian posters will try to scare you with some "ooga-booga, commies with guns" nonsense, but that shit is a non-issue unless you're an actual moron

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            cont
            >Do Indians appreciate it if you try to speak some Hindi instead of English
            If you're in the Cow Belt, then sure. People will go ape-shit if you can speak a single understandable sentence in ANY Indian language, since most foreigners don't learn to say literally anything and expect that everyone will speak English.

            I speak Hindi quite well, and I have found that being able to speak Hindi means that people immediately take me more seriously. It also leads to some hilarious conversations. For instance, I once had an auto-wala in Bilaspur go on a 20-minute tirade in Hindi about how much he loves WWE, and why the Undertaker is the best wrestler of all time.

            >How hospitable or friendly are the local people really? Is it easy to connect with people and make friends or are they going to try and take advantage of you or treat you as an ATM.
            Walking ATM shit is a huge meme. Just don't trust people who come up to you on the street and saying shit like, "Hi bro, nice shoes. Which country? First time in India? Come to my uncle's shop, bro."

            The average Indian either doesn't give a shit about you, or will very happily help you with anything you need.

            I genuinely think India is one of the best countries in the world for just meeting genuinely nice strangers.

            cont
            >How dangerous is the hinterland outside of the cities, the remote countryside and the villages?
            Not very, I just went off-roading on a motorbike in the middle of bumfrick nowhere in Jharkhand, worst that happened is some tribal people laughed at me for not taking their advice (they told me I couldn't take a bike further down the road, I told them I'd try anyway, lol).

            Just don't be moronic, you'll be fine. Ask local people for advice, they'll tell you what to watch out for. For example, generally not a good idea to be driving around late at night in parts of rural Jharkhand or Bihar, since they do have big problems with bandits (and commie guerrillas in some areas, but they don't target foreigners and you'd have to be extremely stupid to come across them anyway). Otherwise, you don't really have to worry about much if you're a man. Aside from the occasional risk of phone snatching / bag snatching, the most you have to worry about is getting ripped off by tourism touts and taxi drivers and shit.

            [...]
            [...]
            [...]
            RE: the budget, this isn't something you need to read too much into. I usually recommend $30-50 per day, because I'm operating under the assumption that most people don't want to travel like absolute poorhomosexuals. However, I want to re-emphasize the fact that you CAN travel for under $10/day if you sleep in gurudwaras and mosques and other such shit.

            I recommend a slightly higher budget because it gives you the freedom to basically do whatever you want on a day-to-day basis, but if you want to do $15 or $20 per day, well, you can fricking do that, and you'll still probably have a good time. For example, I have tentative plans to go stay in a very, very isolated tribal village for 1-2 months (no road access, no running water, no toilets, militants in the area, etc) some time early next year to learn their language for planned future research... was just there last week, went with a local contact, spoke to the villagers, etc, they just want me to pay for food and like 100 rupees per day and occasionally help them haul water up the hill, kek. So, all in all, it'll run me maybe ~$60 for an entire month

            oh:
            >What are some really underrated regions or destinations that few foreigners visit?
            see picrel, but that's my preferences, might not be yours

            can count the number of foreigners I've seen in Andhra Pradesh (it's smaller than it appears on the map, AP split in two separate states, Andhra Pradesh and modern-day Telangana), Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, etc, on my fingers, despite these states having some amazing nature, really friendly people, and some of the most unique tribal cultures in the entire country

            Indian posters will try to scare you with some "ooga-booga, commies with guns" nonsense, but that shit is a non-issue unless you're an actual moron

            Thank you, anon. Much appreciated.

      • 2 years ago
        in all fields

        Have you been to any of India's offshore island, Andaman Islands, Laccadive Islands, etc. What are they like?

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          Andaman is more of a domestic tourist destination, mostly just your typical beach/seadiving experience. Not really something to include in say a couple month India itinerary. You can also go on human safaris though (through lands of the cousins of Sentinese who you may have heard of)

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            That's exactly the kind of thing I'd include in a couple month itinerary. Now, if I was there for a week, probably not but most of my travel has revolved around diving, beaches and boating in some way, those are the things I'm into. I'd want to do that if I was in the country.

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          No, I’m not really a beach and islands sort of person.

          Andaman is more of a domestic tourist destination, mostly just your typical beach/seadiving experience. Not really something to include in say a couple month India itinerary. You can also go on human safaris though (through lands of the cousins of Sentinese who you may have heard of)

          So far as I’m aware, the so-called Jarawa “human safaris” have been banned for years. I haven’t been to the islands, but it does sound like the local administration has taken pretty significant steps toward eliminating exploitative cultural tourism. In fact, I think there may even be prohibitions against photographing Jarawa people from moving vehicles (or something similar).

          Even if they are still running in some capacity, it’s a shitty practice and shouldn’t be encouraged. A lot of Jarawa people were driven into extreme poverty by over-tourism and forced relocations.

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        Well your input is always appreciated by lurkers like myself regardless, so thanks.

  4. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    >be me
    >go to the brothel
    >hop in the ganges
    >take a shit in the streets
    >done

    Wow! Whew knew traveling could be so easy! I also drank some cow's milk for ganesh and took a picture of a swastika. The End! Hope the vaxxie was worth it!

    And I fought off 1 million street "vendors"
    A hero without equal

  5. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Been stroking to indian OF web bawds on instagram for a while now. They are poor there right? What's the best app to find college freelancers?

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      Yeah normally im not fond of shitting up threads with coomer shit, but as India threads are gonna go to shit no matter what, I also want to know this. I need to frick some Indian women, they are so hot

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        Well, they aren't very hot and are hardly accessisible.
        They look like melting globs of plastic coming through their sarong outfits
        You know those wraps of fabric or whatever they wear, especially the aunties
        No surprise since the cows eat street goo and plastic debri
        I drank some milk tho
        From a cow not an auntie
        Aunties wouldn't touch me, very stuck up and pretentious and make annoying noises
        Good luck with your Delhi escort experience but I'll pass

  6. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    forgot pic

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      Northeast and Kashmir I know about, could you explain the other circles a bit more? What makes those regions so interesting?

  7. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    I spent a week in Bangalore trying to get lying subcontractors to do a thing correctly

    India is fricking nuts anon, incredible wealth gradients, absolute cacophonous chaos everywhere, national geographic nature and really genuinely friendly locals apart from the obvious scammers. Didn’t see much outside of the office but I want to visit again.

    Guy I was working with took me to a hill station (mountain resort built for colonists during the Raj, with bearable temperatures) which was just beautiful. Scent of jasmine in the air and everything. India should be a bigger tourist destination than it is

  8. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    I want to visit India so bad.

  9. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    OP here, I'm also appreciative of any further info I can get. Unfortunately I don't have a "specific" question to ask about India. It's going to be my first time going. I'm not some vacation dreamer trying to start shit on SighSee, I've been traveling since April around Europe and have now booked flights to India. It's a country that's been on top of my to-visit places that I'm finally going to be able to visit.

    The reason I'm asking a vague question is because this is a huge country, it's a whole subcontinent. In the 2 months I'll be there I will probably just scratch the surface. But I'd like to get at least a few good experiences under my belt to have me drawn in for next time. So any help is very appreciated.

  10. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Didn't witness pajeets gangraping

  11. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Ok I have a real question, since I already bought my tickets to travel to India this winter. Where do I meet people to hang out with, drink, go out to clubs, etc. In Europe and SA, you just stay in a decent hostel and you'll meet people, but I heard hostels in India don't have that vibe, so where should I go instead?

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      >Where do I meet people to hang out with, drink, go out to clubs, etc. In Europe and SA, you just stay in a decent hostel and you'll meet people, but I heard hostels in India don't have that vibe, so where should I go instead?

      India is not that kind of country for the most part, but I met a bro from Hungary kn Delhi and we had a good night out, also had a good night out in Mumbai a few times in Colaba, you can meet young liberal women at a bar called the Colaba Social, also in Bandra. India is not a clubbing destination though like Europe. It's just not, most people are going to get away from that shit. There are parties in Goa, I avoided that, full of Russians, I hate them. If you are going with the intention to drink and club you made the wrong choice. Head up to Himachal Pradesh and go hiking or way down south to Gokarna, it's kind of a hippy chill party there.

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        Ok I have a real question, since I already bought my tickets to travel to India this winter. Where do I meet people to hang out with, drink, go out to clubs, etc. In Europe and SA, you just stay in a decent hostel and you'll meet people, but I heard hostels in India don't have that vibe, so where should I go instead?

        Plenty of hostels in Mumbai, Goa, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, etc.

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          Nothing worse than smelly and furry hippy pussy.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            If getting laid is one of your main motivations for travel, then you really shouldn't bother with India.

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        I'm going to India because I've been studying Sanskrit for a few years in school, I picked up some Hindi and I'm interested in traveling to the country where this shit comes from. I used to be spiritual and all that, but I got over it now I just have fun and party when I travel. I think hippies are well meaning but kind of dumb.

  12. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    ganges

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