Anyone been to India/Thailand?

[Bimgy85]

Hi,
How many of you have visited either India or Thailand or both?

Really wanting to see other parts of the world and doing a lot of research online a lot of people seem to travel around India for the Scenery.

Where would you recommend, fly to Mumbai then up north towards jaipur, onto delhi?

Also what about Thailand, is it worth it?

And is India really as cheap as everyone makes out? I've seen some guesthouse rooms average price at €3 a night

[DragonSnaps]

I've been to India. I did a group tour, starting in Delhi and going to various places before ending in Goa. It's a lot cheaper than here, but be careful of people trying to rip you off.

[KC225]

I have been to both. Thailand is an easier lead in if you are not used to travelling about off grid.

I went to India in 2000 so a long time ago. We felt safe other than the constant quests to rip you off. However I think I would need to do more research if going now. There have been some high profile crimes against women.

Are.you on the lonely planet website? These are boards like this where people are posting specific questions about places they want to go.

[VetOnCall]

I've been to both. India is pretty crazy, it's a real assault on the senses but also a real experience. It is obviously huge and very diverse though so unless you have unlimited time you need to decide which places appeal to you most - do you want cities/people/culture or countryside/desert/national parks or a bit of both etc. It is very cheap compared to Europe, I've backpacked all over the world - over 80 countries - and in terms of accommodation, food and transport it's one of the cheapest I've been to overall. I'm a backpack/hostels/local buses traveller though so it was a bit rough and ready at times. I went overland from Nepal so went to Varanasi then Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur, Delhi and then flew down to Goa.

Thailand isn't one of my favourite places but a lot of people love it. Depends what you're after really. There are some beautiful places there but some really awful ones too. I would avoid Phuket and anywhere offering full moon parties on the islands but that's just my preference. I preferred most of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia to anywhere in Thailand.

[Rachelweasel]

We went to Thailand, stayed in Khao Lak. It was incredible and beautiful, I actually miss it sometimes. It was a Thomson package deal and we did a few trips out which suited us perfectly. Guess it depends what you want😊 I'd recommend it to anyone.

[TheGr3atEscapez]

Went to Thailand earlier this year. Have been a few times to different parts. Booked own flights and accommodation. Amazing country, friendly people, lots to do, easy to travel around via public transport. If you visit temples you need to wear long sleeve shirt and long skirt or trousers. Food is excellent and very cheap if you eat where the locals eat, for tourists the food is generally more expensive. This year we went to Bangkok and Chang Mai during the 3 day water festival which was an amazing experience. We have also island hopped in the past. Where do you want to go and for how long ?

[Kolo]

Thailand is lovely, and you can definitely do it cheaply if you look for it. Street food was something like 30p a meal in Bangkok. I stayed in a hotel for £6 per night near Khoa San and then £50 per night on sukumvit.

Bangkok is crazy and amazing. You’d probably have to fly in to Bangkok anyway, so definitely worth spending time there. I also went down south, to some amazing beaches and snorkelling, but it was the most expensive part of our holiday. We went to phi phi, and there are some secluded beaches and diving, but I think you’d need to plan well to avoid the full moon party types (unless that’s what floats your boat). I’m sure there are islands in the south just as beautifull and less expensive, though.

My favourite place of all in Thailand was the north, in the mountains. Chiang mai is a lovely city, very chilled out. From there we also went on treks though the mountains, visiting and staying in Karen villages.

[Sparklehead]

I’ve spent 9 months in India, 4 months working and 5 months travelling and I absolutely loved it. As a pp has said, it is an assault to the senses and can be overwhelming but worth it for the richness of the experience. We travelled across the length and breadth of the country - from south-east to north-West and Some highlights were Kerala, Cochin and the backwaters that you can travel on by boat: Calcutta, and the mountain range, north of there, Goa is great to unwind and relax, you can go to Hampi from Goa which I loved, Varanasi was amazing (but very intense, and hugely busy). I need to look at my map of India to remember where else we went, as it was back in 2008. I’d love to go again but feel less certain now we have 3 kids in tow. Oh, and the food - especially the street food stalls - so, so delicious. Good luck with your travels!

[DramaAlpaca]

I've been to northern India, mainly the Golden Triangle of Delhi, Agra & Jaipur. It was a long time ago & I mostly enjoyed my time there, but I'm not sure I'd go back even though there's loads more I'd like to see. I got a bit of hassle when I was there 25 years ago and from recent news reports it hasn't got any safer.

[NameChangedAgain18]

I’ve been to India several times. It’s basically like a whole continent in a country, so I would stick to one region, such as Rajasthan or Kerala. Or maybe combine Delhi, Agra and Jaipur with Kerala. If you’re interested in wildlife, the tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh are a great experience, though a bit of a journey to get to. If you want a fairly laid back trip that offers a bit of everything, I’d recommend Karnataka- we flew into Bangalore, then went to Mysore (amazing market and palace), Belur and Halebid (ancient temples), Coorg ( coffee and spice plantations, very scenic), Kabini (safari, saw leopard, tiger and elephants), and then beach in north Kerala (Neeleshwar Hermitage).

I would be very wary about staying anywhere that costs £3 a night! Hygiene standards are unlikely to be good at that price. Check the weather patterns, as May and June is unbearably hot, and then the monsoon starts.

[Bimgy85]

I actually picked up a lonely planet book for India today in a charity shop, and even from that have found out a lot I wouldn't have even thought about, yeah there does seem to be a lot of warning about scams etc

[Suffraduck]

Following with interest - I want to go too!

[Bimgy85]

Thanks for all replies ... so, basically would you recommend travelling a good bit first before going all out and travelling around the likes of India or Thailand?

I'm not experienced with backpacking, then again I've flown to places alone since the age of 15 and am quite street wary and well able to look after myself.

Would you recommend I travel around Europe first to get used to the feeling of hopping from city to city or country to country?

If I'm going it would be February or March. Will deffo check out the lonely planet board!

[NameChangedAgain18]

I have never had issues in India. But then I always organise all accommodation and transport before I arrive, and I don’t use buses if I’m travelling alone. I don’t think it’s a good idea to turn up and wing it. The south of India is generally more laid back than the north (and more green and lush).

[NewBallsPlease00]

Have been to both
I wouldn’t stay in India unless in very secure accommodation, especially as a female right now
It’s facinsting but depends what you want from it?
I prefer Sri Lanka, but v different again, but each to own!

[Bimgy85]

The kind of trip I'd be looking for is not too relaxing but not 10 activities a day either. I want to soak up the culture, go to markets, see some nice sights/buildings/ architecture and ruins. Eat the food (I understand about being very careful and will most likely go vegetarian for the time I'm there and obviously no tap water) and would love to see the tiger reserves etc

Just basically soak up the countries culture and scenery in India, experience the craziness. In Thailand we are young so wouldn't mind going to a full moon party once to experience it, but apart from that, relaxing, spiritual peaceful places would be amazing.

[Bimgy85]

I wouldn't be travelling alone and certainly won't be turning up and winging it either,

I'm like you ^ all my hotels and transport will be booked beforehand, with the exception of one or two if need be!

Travelling with my partner so I presume that will cut a good percentage of the possibility of getting followed or constant unwanted attention?

[whattimeislove]

I think Europe is a completely different experience to Asia.

I would start with Thailand and maybe consider Cambodia & Vietnam - beautiful places.

India (I felt) you have to be more on your guard, especially if travelling independently. If you go independent, you can book train travel in advance from the uk (always travel secondclass AC if you're going any distance). Try to experience areas away from the golden triangle (although these are nice) - Varanasi for example has real religious significance and can be quite beautiful.

[NameChangedAgain18]

If you’re not travelling on your own, you’ll be fine. You may still get some attention though, people asking to take your photo, etc, especially if you’re very fair. My husband gets people asking to take his photo as he is tall!

I’ve always checked out hotel reviews very carefully on TripAdvisor before booking, and it’s not let me down yet.

[19lottie82]

I’ve not been to India, but have been to Thailand a couple of times. It’s great, and the internal flights are so cheap it’s easy to get to other parts of the country quickly.
Vietnam and Cambodia are fantastic also.

[NameChangedAgain18]

I wouldn’t bother with Mumbai, by the way. It’s huge, the traffic is horrendous, and there’s not that much to see (plus it’s not near many of the major sights).

February would be a great time to go to India.The heat and humidity will begin to ramp up towards the end of March. It was 42 degrees in Madhya Pradesh when I was there once at the end of March.

[spreadingchestnuttree]

Thailand is easy - you don't need to be a seasoned traveller at all. But you do need some good advice of where to go and where to avoid as some places are pretty seedy no matter how nice they look in the brochures.

I loved India too but it's a bit "in at the deep end" if you're new to travelling.

[TheGr3atEscapez]

One holiday went to Bangkok. Flew to Krabi. Bus and ferry to Khoh Pangnan and full moon party. The fire dancers were amazing. The police patrol the beach during the party. You can fly to Khoh Samui and get ferry to Khoh Pangnan.

[TheGr3atEscapez]

India is one of many places on my to do list. I was invited to a wedding in India last year and sadly was unable to go due to moving house.

[Peakypush]

Since you're young and new to backpacking I'd suggest Thailand/Vietnam over India. Although it was quite an experience I don't think I'd go back to India. I went with a friend and we got quite a bit of hassle along the way which was a shame. It was really off putting and I felt on edge most of the time, plus everyone tries hard to get you to part with your money... it's tedious! Tourist attractions openly have separate prices for locals and "foreigners" and people got arsey with us if they didn't think we tipped them enough (we tipped generously!) amazing history and architecture but not quite worth the hassle IMO

[Stirner]

I loved India when I went, but I'd stay away from the markets.