India is one of the most unique places on the planet as a travel destination. If you haven’t been there before, it’s unlikely that you’ll go anywhere like it ever again.
What makes India special is hard to put into words. You essentially have to experience it to believe it, and be prepared to sometimes step outside of your comfort zone.
The Intense Challenges Mixed With Charm
India is a land of challenges and charm. If you go there, don’t expect things to work like clockwork, like they do in the West. You’ll need to essentially fight to have the experience you want to have. It’s not always straightforward.
For example, you’ll need to deal with the overcrowding in many of the cities. India has a higher population density in some areas than most other parts of the world.
You’ll also need to consider the traffic. It’s chaotic, and doesn’t behave how you’d expect in many other places.
Then there is the sensory overload. India is just full of things happening and going on. It’s the most vibrant expression of life you’ll find anywhere, with so many things happening wherever you look.
For many people, the sheer intensity of the place is transformative. They discover that India changes them on a spiritual level, without even going to any temples or ashrams.
The Experiences
India is also a land where you can indulge in unique experiences that, again, you won’t find in other locations.
For example, India is a place with real, living traditions. You can watch artisans go about their work and engage in their handicrafts, even buying their products if you want them.
At the same time, India is home to plenty of opportunities for adventure. You can go trekking in the Himalayas or join various Ayurvedic retreats in places like Kerala, allowing you to enhance your health and really experience some of the majesty of the world and what it has to offer.
If you’re the sort of person who prefers to stick to cities, then, again, India won’t disappoint. Every major urban area has incredible markets that allow you to pick up fresh produce and trinkets to accompany you on your travels. When you’re there, you’ll experience sights and sounds that you won’t see anywhere else.
Hospitality
Part of the reason for India’s success as a tourist destination is the sheer level of hospitality on offer in the country. India is famous for providing a warm and welcoming service to the people who go there.
The reason for this goes back thousands of years into Indian history. There’s a tradition in the culture that says that locals should treat their guests like God. What that means is that they are often willing to roll out the red carpet and spend a lot of time catering to travellers while they are there, guiding them on what to do and where to go.
Modern And Traditional Elements
Like most cultures, India is also a mix of modern and traditional elements that have grown up side by side. These come together in various settings, especially in ancient cities like Bangalore and Mumbai. Here, you can see gleaming skyscrapers and modern apartment blocks next to ancient temples and shrines.
Furthermore, many parts of rural India still preserve all their ancient customs. They haven’t removed them from their lives. Therefore, if you travel outside of the city, you will often see activities going back centuries, including festivals and traditional village life.
Affordability
Another reason India is so popular is because it is one of the most affordable places to live in the world. Unlike most other countries, it hasn’t seen the same level of price inflation, especially in housing, meaning that it is cheaper to go there as a Westerner.
What’s more, these cheap prices extend all the way up the value chain. Even luxury accommodation is often a fraction of the price, and transport is also inexpensive.
If you look at a cost comparison database for cities, what you’ll find is that most Indian cities are among the cheapest in the world. You can live for very little in them, or in neighboring Pakistan.
The food is also cheap, particularly if you center your diet around beans and rice (which a lot of northern Indians do). Food costs are sometimes less than a dollar a day if you find the right vendors or buy and cook the ingredients yourself. You don’t need to spend a lot.
Culinary Richness
At the same time, India is home to some of the most impressive culinary richness anywhere on the planet. You can find all sorts of unique dishes here that simply aren’t available anywhere else.
What’s nice about when you go to the real India is that you can eat the same foods the locals eat. This way, you can get a real sense of what Indian food is actually like, and how they use spices.
In North India, you’ll find more tandoori dishes and rich curries. You can also explore things like chaat here, which is a type of quick curry, usually made with chicken, but also chickpeas.
South India is a different story. Ingredients here are more tropical, so expect plenty of coconut curries.
If you want street food, then the biggest cities often have the best options. Vendors will usually line up in a row and dole out their food, such as puri puri or jalebis.
Location Variety
Finally, there’s quite a bit of location variety in India, so it matters where you fly into using services like Mann Travel. The northern provinces tend to be cooler in the winter and offer stark Himalayan beauty. Here, you’ll find snow-capped peaks and plenty of trekking routes to explore.
If you go a little south to Rajasthan, you’ll come across forts, deserts, and glimpses of the area’s former glory.
In South India, there are more beaches and backwaters. Most tourists head to Goa because it is so famous, but there are plenty of other locations worth exploring.
