Recent content by turtledove

That's true, lots of Indians love to spread the fun! I think such festivals are a lot more fun when you can show someone who has no idea about your culture something completely new. It's really wonderful for both the individuals involved. Overall, the more people who take people in these...

I have to agree! For anybody who's visiting Chennai and likes cricket, a visit to the MA Chidambaram Stadium is a must. The Guindy National is another place that anybody going to Chennai should visit, it's a really memorable experience. In my earlier post I also forgot to mention Covelong Beach...

That's very true: in India, people really do go all-out for every festival. it's all very grand, and so much effort and planning is put in to make every festival the best it possibly can be. There are so many old traditions that are still kept by people to this day, and that's what makes the...

I agree, there's just so much to choose from in India when it comes to food. Since there are so many different cultures in one country, it's hard to go to any specific place where you'll manage to cover every cuisine of the country. The thing I love best about Indian food is how different it is...

If you're planning on going to New Delhi, you could visit the Red Fort, or even Humayun's Tomb. The Jama Masjid (biggest Mosque in India) would also be a wonderful place to visit. The Lotus Temple is another among the numerous things to do in the city. There's also a huge range of street food to...

There are plenty of things to do in India, but I guess where you go depends on the kind of thing you want to do. For example, if you're more about scenery and beauty, somewhere like Kashmir, Ooty or even Ladakh may be better for you. If you want to see more architecture, the Taj Mahal is the...

As previously mentioned, it really does depend on which part of India you're visiting. In metro cities, it's generally okay to wear slightly more 'revealing clothes' - so shorts and skirts are more common in those areas. However, in rural areas, I don't think western clothing is a good idea...

As previously mentioned, a unique thing about India is different laws about alcohol in different states, and many visitors don't realise this until they visit a state. Another thing to avoid in India would definitely be going out late at night and going to deserted areas. Most places in India...

There are tonnes of festivals celebrated in India. A few that I'd really love to celebrate in the country itself would be Diwali and Holi, since the whole atmosphere in India would be completely different. I think that next time I visit India, I'll try and plan the holiday so that it coincides...

Generally in March. In 2016, it's going to be March 23rd, I think. It definitely would be worth visiting India around Holi, but if you want to see the best and most traditional celebrations, definitely visit Northern India. The celebrations there are usually more colourful and exciting. If you...

I think the Bandavgarh Tiger reserve is good, and you can also spot other wild animals like leopards, sloths, monkeys, wild boars, wild birds and more. The Pench Tiger reserve is also great. It's located in Madhya Pradesh, and I believe the probability of seeing tigers there is quite high. The...

I think you may have to go online to find home stays. But, when it comes to places to visit, there are plenty of options. One thing I would definitely recommend doing is just walking around a lot, and getting a good vibe for the area and its scenery. There are also many lakes like Ooty Lake...

Yes, definitely be a little more conscious of what you're ordering. There are some Indian delicacies which aren't spicy, but it's always best to ask the waiter anyway when ordering. In India, even authentic mild may be relatively spicy for those who aren't Indian, so you should definitely make...

There are plenty of vegetarian options all over India, and it's the same in Kerala. Although it's more well known for it's non-veg specialities, you can get some fantastic vegetarian south Indian delicacies there. For example, Dosa, Idly, Appam, sambhar, rasam, paratha (known there as parotha I...

There are plenty of McDonald's outlets in India, and you can get a huge variety of things. But, bear in mind, the food in the McDonald's India outlets is tailored to Indian taste buds, so many of them will taste spicy. You may want to ask the people at the counter what isn't spicy, because...