Been there twice. Sri Lanka is what India should've been. Many people visit India with certain expectations, only for them to be shattered as soon as they leave the airport. Sri Lanka actually makes good on most of them.
>less expensive >fewer scammers >if you do see a scammer, they usually give up more easily than Indians >less garbage >no street-shitters (or they're at least better at hiding it) >food is great
That said, only downside is that most of the women are ugly as fuck. If you intend on dating or hooking up there, I wouldn't recommend the local women. There are a lot of British, Russian, German, and Arab students & professionals living there, and they are infinitely more attractive.
Couldn't say, as I've never been to Nepal. But from a tourist perspective, Sri Lanka was a lot more enjoyable than India. When I left India, I just wanted to get the fuck out of there as soon as possible. When I left Sri Lanka, I felt sad about not staying longer.
Couldn't say, as I've never been to Nepal. But from a tourist perspective, Sri Lanka was a lot more enjoyable than India. When I left India, I just wanted to get the fuck out of there as soon as possible. When I left Sri Lanka, I felt sad about not staying longer.
Any advice for making the most out of a trip to India?
And don't say 'don't go' - what places should I avoid, what tricks are there to minimise hassles?
From my experience, South India was less annoying than North India. Almost every "how to minimize hassle" advice I have applies to the north.
>if arriving at the Delhi Airport (DEL), do not take any of the tuktuk ride offers that you'll inevitably be swarmed with as soon as you leave the exit >if possible, book your first hotel within travel range of the Delhi Metro >do not walk late at night/early in the morning (1:00-5:00 AM); stray dogs go crazy during those hours >be aggressive with tuktuk drivers >>if you don't want a ride, firmly tell them no >>if you do want a ride, lowball them. If they say 600 rupees, you say 50. >the Taj Mahal is fucking ruined; it's a shell of its former self >>you're probably gonna visit the Taj Mahal anyway, so at the very least don't get your hopes up >it's normal for locals, especially young men, to cut in line (at ticket booths, fast food restaurants, etc.). If you want to be served, you gotta push through these assholes, otherwise you're gonna be waiting forever
I mean, it's obviously a tourist trap, so it's kind of expected, but it's the most in-your-face attraction I've ever been to. The Taj Mahal itself is fine, but it's surrounded by bullshit.
>peddlers trying to sell souvenir trinkets right in front of the gate >fake tour guides claiming that the Taj Mahal is closed to foreigners unless you pay for a guide (this is bullshit, don't believe their lies) >long, congested, disorganized lines that have no rhyme or reason to them >finally make it inside >think you're safe >nope, there are more people coming after your money >you just want to see the goddamn Taj Mahal >then some asshole gets up in your face to try to sell you a selfie stick, even though there are signs outside the gate that says selfie sticks aren't allowed >then you're bothered by another pajeet who's offering "photography services" (ie. you pay him to take a picture of you with your own camera) >there are multitudes of these guys >you're just trying to enjoy yourself, but you're bombarded by what are essentially human pop-up ads >when you leave, people are trying to drag you into their gift shops
1 year ago
Anonymous
Do you think organising a guide could help minimise this? I can see that either resulting in them shooing away pests or doing nothing because they also see you as a walking dollar sign.
1 year ago
Anonymous
The guides are only really there to give you a half-assed explanation of the Taj Mahal that you can easily find on Wikipedia. People can & will still try to sell you shit you don't need, guide or no guide. So long as you're visibly non-Indian, you are moneybags to them. All you really have to do is ignore any Indian who approaches you, and look for the line with white/non-Indian people in it.
1 year ago
Anonymous
I think he meant organising a guide or two who will pick him up from whatever hotel and accompany him the whole day until dropping him back at the hotel.
1 year ago
Anonymous
I mean yeah he could, but imo the Taj Mahal isn't worth that much preparation. It might be more cost-effective to hire the fake guides. "Here's a couple hundred rupees, I don't give a shit about the history, just get those selfie stick sellers away from me.
1 year ago
Anonymous
There should be a service where you hire two off-duty bouncers to keep people away from you.
For an extra fee you can have them dress up in black suits with dark sunglasses for the VIP experience.
1 year ago
Anonymous
Do you think organising a guide could help minimise this? I can see that either resulting in them shooing away pests or doing nothing because they also see you as a walking dollar sign.
The guides are only really there to give you a half-assed explanation of the Taj Mahal that you can easily find on Wikipedia. People can & will still try to sell you shit you don't need, guide or no guide. So long as you're visibly non-Indian, you are moneybags to them. All you really have to do is ignore any Indian who approaches you, and look for the line with white/non-Indian people in it.
Just learn Hindi and meme on them
1 year ago
Anonymous
This is the worst advice because a white dude speaking hindi only attracts MORE attention due to the curiousness it causes. If anything they only become more annoying as they try to be all familiar with you.
>t. White dude speaking hindi
1 year ago
Anonymous
I mean, it's obviously a tourist trap, so it's kind of expected, but it's the most in-your-face attraction I've ever been to. The Taj Mahal itself is fine, but it's surrounded by bullshit.
>peddlers trying to sell souvenir trinkets right in front of the gate >fake tour guides claiming that the Taj Mahal is closed to foreigners unless you pay for a guide (this is bullshit, don't believe their lies) >long, congested, disorganized lines that have no rhyme or reason to them >finally make it inside >think you're safe >nope, there are more people coming after your money >you just want to see the goddamn Taj Mahal >then some asshole gets up in your face to try to sell you a selfie stick, even though there are signs outside the gate that says selfie sticks aren't allowed >then you're bothered by another pajeet who's offering "photography services" (ie. you pay him to take a picture of you with your own camera) >there are multitudes of these guys >you're just trying to enjoy yourself, but you're bombarded by what are essentially human pop-up ads >when you leave, people are trying to drag you into their gift shops
What happens if you get physical with them? I've found in Europe scammers and shit sellers work through intimidation and pressure, if they don't leave me alone after I've made it clear I'm not interested or they touch me a good shove that staggers them causes them to fuck off.
>Didn't their government collapse a week ago?
Crisis tourism is a very real thing. It can even be interesting. People do like the idea of seeing history in the making, even if they aren't a direct part of it.
Their tourism in 2019 after terrorist attacks and just as the public forgot about the attacks and tourism started to come back the coof happened.
The government collapse is just a symptom of that and corrupt ideologues pushing it just a bit too far.
>Donbass
is a post-Soviet industrial shithole not to be compared with a tourist destination like Sri Lanka.
As soon as the situation get a bit more stable you can probably go to Sri Lanka for cheap and people will welcome you after 4 years of waiting for tourists.
Sri Lankan women are so hot. I don't know, I much prefer them to Indian women... once I stayed with a Sri Lankan couple in Singapore and ended up cucking the guy. Gotta love those dark cocksucking lips.
(OP)
I travelled there a fair bit during peak COVID, when India was at its worst and Sri Lanka was looking pretty bad too. I was filming the military dropping off medical supplies, so there was basically nothing open and the few people I interacted with were in 'sperm suits' (as was I) and masks.
But the people we did meet were very friendly (possibly because we were there to help their desperate country) and based on eyes and foreheads, which was all I could see, the women were pretty fuckin cute. And I generally hate Indians and anyone who looks indian.
I spent most of the trip on the road, looking at how nice the country looked though. Especially the rural areas. It was beautiful. And very clean. Which could be related to there being no one on the streets during lockdowns but I doubt they cleaned up in a rush before closing their businesses.
Also helped my opinions of them when the govt put us up in the Shangri-La for the stay and we were the only guests there for the week.
Their nurses are fucking brutal. Daily PCR tests while I was there and the nurse that got me on day one must've lost her keys and started looking for them in my skull.
Sri Lanka packs a lot into a small space. Beaches, hill country, wildlife and culture is all easily accessible without traveling too far because it's so small. The food is shit compared to India and the women are fugly.
Been there twice. Sri Lanka is what India should've been. Many people visit India with certain expectations, only for them to be shattered as soon as they leave the airport. Sri Lanka actually makes good on most of them.
>less expensive
>fewer scammers
>if you do see a scammer, they usually give up more easily than Indians
>less garbage
>no street-shitters (or they're at least better at hiding it)
>food is great
That said, only downside is that most of the women are ugly as fuck. If you intend on dating or hooking up there, I wouldn't recommend the local women. There are a lot of British, Russian, German, and Arab students & professionals living there, and they are infinitely more attractive.
Also, "professionals" is not a euphemism here. There are a lot of white-collar Europeans & Arabs for some reason.
How does it compare to Nepal? Liked that place a lot after an enormously disappointing trip to pajeetland.
Couldn't say, as I've never been to Nepal. But from a tourist perspective, Sri Lanka was a lot more enjoyable than India. When I left India, I just wanted to get the fuck out of there as soon as possible. When I left Sri Lanka, I felt sad about not staying longer.
Were people more friendly there than in India?
Oh yeah, Sri Lankans are incredibly friendly. It can be overwhelming if you grew up in an environment where friendliness is rare.
Any advice for making the most out of a trip to India?
And don't say 'don't go' - what places should I avoid, what tricks are there to minimise hassles?
From my experience, South India was less annoying than North India. Almost every "how to minimize hassle" advice I have applies to the north.
>if arriving at the Delhi Airport (DEL), do not take any of the tuktuk ride offers that you'll inevitably be swarmed with as soon as you leave the exit
>if possible, book your first hotel within travel range of the Delhi Metro
>do not walk late at night/early in the morning (1:00-5:00 AM); stray dogs go crazy during those hours
>be aggressive with tuktuk drivers
>>if you don't want a ride, firmly tell them no
>>if you do want a ride, lowball them. If they say 600 rupees, you say 50.
>the Taj Mahal is fucking ruined; it's a shell of its former self
>>you're probably gonna visit the Taj Mahal anyway, so at the very least don't get your hopes up
>it's normal for locals, especially young men, to cut in line (at ticket booths, fast food restaurants, etc.). If you want to be served, you gotta push through these assholes, otherwise you're gonna be waiting forever
>>the Taj Mahal is fucking ruined; it's a shell of its former self
Could you elaborate on this?
I mean, it's obviously a tourist trap, so it's kind of expected, but it's the most in-your-face attraction I've ever been to. The Taj Mahal itself is fine, but it's surrounded by bullshit.
>peddlers trying to sell souvenir trinkets right in front of the gate
>fake tour guides claiming that the Taj Mahal is closed to foreigners unless you pay for a guide (this is bullshit, don't believe their lies)
>long, congested, disorganized lines that have no rhyme or reason to them
>finally make it inside
>think you're safe
>nope, there are more people coming after your money
>you just want to see the goddamn Taj Mahal
>then some asshole gets up in your face to try to sell you a selfie stick, even though there are signs outside the gate that says selfie sticks aren't allowed
>then you're bothered by another pajeet who's offering "photography services" (ie. you pay him to take a picture of you with your own camera)
>there are multitudes of these guys
>you're just trying to enjoy yourself, but you're bombarded by what are essentially human pop-up ads
>when you leave, people are trying to drag you into their gift shops
Do you think organising a guide could help minimise this? I can see that either resulting in them shooing away pests or doing nothing because they also see you as a walking dollar sign.
The guides are only really there to give you a half-assed explanation of the Taj Mahal that you can easily find on Wikipedia. People can & will still try to sell you shit you don't need, guide or no guide. So long as you're visibly non-Indian, you are moneybags to them. All you really have to do is ignore any Indian who approaches you, and look for the line with white/non-Indian people in it.
I think he meant organising a guide or two who will pick him up from whatever hotel and accompany him the whole day until dropping him back at the hotel.
I mean yeah he could, but imo the Taj Mahal isn't worth that much preparation. It might be more cost-effective to hire the fake guides. "Here's a couple hundred rupees, I don't give a shit about the history, just get those selfie stick sellers away from me.
There should be a service where you hire two off-duty bouncers to keep people away from you.
For an extra fee you can have them dress up in black suits with dark sunglasses for the VIP experience.
Just learn Hindi and meme on them
This is the worst advice because a white dude speaking hindi only attracts MORE attention due to the curiousness it causes. If anything they only become more annoying as they try to be all familiar with you.
>t. White dude speaking hindi
What happens if you get physical with them? I've found in Europe scammers and shit sellers work through intimidation and pressure, if they don't leave me alone after I've made it clear I'm not interested or they touch me a good shove that staggers them causes them to fuck off.
Didn't their government collapse a week ago?
Sure, visit it. Donbas is nice too
>Didn't their government collapse a week ago?
Crisis tourism is a very real thing. It can even be interesting. People do like the idea of seeing history in the making, even if they aren't a direct part of it.
Their tourism in 2019 after terrorist attacks and just as the public forgot about the attacks and tourism started to come back the coof happened.
The government collapse is just a symptom of that and corrupt ideologues pushing it just a bit too far.
>Donbass
is a post-Soviet industrial shithole not to be compared with a tourist destination like Sri Lanka.
As soon as the situation get a bit more stable you can probably go to Sri Lanka for cheap and people will welcome you after 4 years of waiting for tourists.
Well there are more police officers on the streets. They often stop people and ask for their ID and such
imagine a katana through them both. 2 birds one stone.
>food
We are brainlets
Whats the tinder scene like in Sri lanka? I need a monkey to lanka deez nuts.
Sri lanka is a glorious tropical paradise, it's Hawaii in the 1940s
hello sir do you want to elephant ride
Country is in an economic crisis. Tell me about the coom possibilities anon.
Even though it’s in crisis there’s still much to do and to eat
Sri Lankan women are so hot. I don't know, I much prefer them to Indian women... once I stayed with a Sri Lankan couple in Singapore and ended up cucking the guy. Gotta love those dark cocksucking lips.
It's pretty good.
(OP)
I travelled there a fair bit during peak COVID, when India was at its worst and Sri Lanka was looking pretty bad too. I was filming the military dropping off medical supplies, so there was basically nothing open and the few people I interacted with were in 'sperm suits' (as was I) and masks.
But the people we did meet were very friendly (possibly because we were there to help their desperate country) and based on eyes and foreheads, which was all I could see, the women were pretty fuckin cute. And I generally hate Indians and anyone who looks indian.
I spent most of the trip on the road, looking at how nice the country looked though. Especially the rural areas. It was beautiful. And very clean. Which could be related to there being no one on the streets during lockdowns but I doubt they cleaned up in a rush before closing their businesses.
Also helped my opinions of them when the govt put us up in the Shangri-La for the stay and we were the only guests there for the week.
Their nurses are fucking brutal. Daily PCR tests while I was there and the nurse that got me on day one must've lost her keys and started looking for them in my skull.
I've done the PCR tests when I was traveling in India and it wasn't fun either
Sri Lanka packs a lot into a small space. Beaches, hill country, wildlife and culture is all easily accessible without traveling too far because it's so small. The food is shit compared to India and the women are fugly.