India is so vast and diverse that even though I have been there 10 times, I have only been able to experience a tiny fraction of this amazing country.
But with each trip, I have become better at getting around India, especially its bustling cities.
Along the way, I learned some tricks to make the most of your holiday there. From avoiding crowds to making the most of your phone technology, from staying comfortable on the road to discovering its lesser-known attractions, here are my six tips for enjoying the country.
The author is an Australian journalist and photographer whose passion for India has seen him visit the country ten times, including separate trips with his mother, father and siblings.
Credit: Exploring the Parsi Fire Temples of Mumbai. Photo: Ronan O’Connell
Compared to Singapore, Indian streets are very congested, so many travellers prefer to take a taxi, which may be the best option, especially during peak summer months when walking can be tiring.
But remember that India has more to offer than ancient temples and forts: discover the vibrant neighbourhoods nestled among its world-class attractions.
At least once during your trip, take the time to walk and discover it.
And that’s how I stumbled upon Mumbai’s fascinating fire temples. I decided to take a stroll along the 2km stretch from the tourist-filled arched monument that is India Gateway to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, a beautiful railway station that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Along the way, we came across a winged, human-headed bull that adorned an old stone building, which a Google search revealed to be a 3,500-year-old fire temple of the Parsis, an Indian people of Zoroastrian faith.
Never trust Google Maps
Photo credit: Goa, in western India, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Photo: Ronan O’Connell
In my hometown of Perth, Google Maps is my go-to tool for accurately predicting how long it will take to drive anywhere in the Australian city, which is super handy since Perth is large, sparsely populated, and has very few traffic issues.
Meanwhile, in India, you have to give up on using Google Maps to determine travel times, just like when I lived in Bangkok.
While traffic in most Indian cities is not as bad as in Thailand’s capital, roads are congested and unpredictable, making using an app to predict how long a trip will take unreliable.
For example, in Goa 2023, I was happy to find that the travel time from the airport to my hotel was five minutes shorter than Google Maps predicted.
But on a recent trip to India, my taxi ride to the airport took three times longer than the app predicted, and I nearly missed my flight from Kolkata.
In India, Google Maps is still extremely useful for tracking your progress while walking or traveling in a taxi.
But in the big cities, forget about getting anywhere quickly by road – instead, enjoy the slow pace of a taxi and take in the colour and charm of this beautiful country from outside the window.
India has an excellent metro system
Credit: Magnificent yet empty: Qutub Shahi Tomb, Hyderabad. Photo: Ronan O’Connell
Modern metro systems can sometimes help you avoid the traffic jams in big cities: Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai all have extensive metro networks.
My first experience using the metro was about 13 years ago in India’s capital, Delhi, when it allowed my friends and I to travel quickly from our hotel to the Akshardham temple, about 10 kilometers east, bypassing the busy roads below.
Akshardham station had only been open for about a year at the time, and the Delhi Metro network was still small at the time. Today, the network has 11 routes, over 250 stations, and covers a total distance of about 350 km.
To get an idea of just how widespread this is, consider Singapore’s mass rapid transit system, which stretches over 200 km and has six lines with around 140 stations.
Relatively cheap and luxurious flight
Credit: Jaipur is firmly established on India’s tourist route. Photo: Ronan O’Connell
Domestic flights in India are great value for money: you can fly from Delhi to Jaipur, Mumbai to Goa, and Bangalore to Chennai for just $35 one way. My three domestic flights in India in 2023 were extremely comfortable, thanks to a hack I stumbled upon.
Booking a front row seat on an Indian airline like Indigo not only gives you more legroom but also free snacks and drinks, all for just an extra $15. As I am 1.97m tall, this was a very enriching experience for me.
India has some great food delivery apps
Credit: Get tasty meals and snacks delivered to your hotel with Food App. Photo: Ronan O’Connell
During my stay in Mumbai in March 2023, I spent 90 minutes first searching for a large supermarket where I could buy high-end instant coffee and other Western essentials, then detouring to a Subway sandwich shop to bring dinner back to my room.
Then the hotel staff made me realize how much time I had wasted.
They say that with food delivery apps like Zomato, they could have all this delivered to their hotel lobby for just a few dollars.
I don’t use such apps in Australia because I prefer to walk around supermarkets and my wife, who is a talented cook, cooks most of my meals.
But Indian delivery apps have made my trip so much better. At the end of the day, I ordered dinner, drinks, and snacks on my way back to the hotel in a taxi. Then, I spent a few minutes in the hotel lobby, picked up my order, and headed back to my room to get well rested and nourished.
Off the tourist route
Photo credit: Golconda Fort in Hyderabad was the centre of the Islamic empire. Photo: Ronan O’Connell
Delhi, Jaipur, Mumbai, Agra and Goa are all fantastic destinations, and it’s easy to see why they’re such a mainstay of international tourism in India, but if you have time for a detour, or have already visited these places and are heading back to India, make sure you stray from the tourist trail.
India is home to 1.4 billion people and occupies an area equal to the combined land area of the five largest European countries. As a vast and historic country, it has many fantastic destinations to explore beyond its world-famous tourist sites.
For example, consider the metropolis of Hyderabad, which is filled with magnificent Islamic architecture, or Bangalore, which has an eclectic mix of modern cityscapes, botanical gardens, and European palaces. These less-traveled destinations can save you time and money.
The contrast was apparent when I visited Hyderabad and Mumbai in 2023. In Hyderabad, I paid half the amount for the same standard of accommodation compared to the better known Mumbai.
While Mumbai’s major tourist attractions were thronged with tourists, in Hyderabad we enjoyed the silence and space at the imposing Golconda Fort and Qutub Shahi Tomb.
This article originally appeared in The Straits Times.
