Traveling safely and for cheap in India during monsoons
What tourists should know about traveling in India during monsoons
Unlike what many people think, traveling in India during rainy monsoon season can be fun. Sure, there are usual reasons against it like unreliable routes, humid weather etc. A random flood or land slide can spoil any well planned travel itinerary. But traveling in India during monsoon season can be advantageous for a number of reasons. Tourists get great discounts on air fares, hotels and also enjoy their sightseeing as peak season crowds are absent.
Let us explain a little about Indian monsoons before going any further.
India is a a very big country and is justly classified as a sub-continent not only due to it’s size but also the large diversity in terms of landscapes and weather. Evergreen tropical forests in east, cold snow covered Himalayan mountains in north, hot Thar deserts in west, temperate coasts in south and more, these all provide tourists with a wide variety of options and time periods in which to explore the country. There is actually no definite or set time to visit India. Different regions have different peak-season for tourists , but that will need another article by itself.
Raneh waterfalls during monsoon season, India
Monsoon is the rainy season in India which lasts from June to September in different parts. It hits Kerala in southern India first in early June and travels northwards. Northern parts of India receive first monsoon showers late June or early July. Not every region experiences equal rainfall or at same time. They all have different experiences with monsoon rains. These rains are very important in economy and lives of everyone in the sub-continent.
The arrival of monsoon rains marks the end of infamous hot and dusty Indian summers and makes the conditions cooler and surroundings much more green and beautiful. Indian people like rains and seeing them enjoying the rainfall by getting soaked in the rain showers is a common sight. One of the most common snacks during this season is a combination of Chai ( type of milky Indian tea) and hot Pakoda (a fried salty snack)
Here is how tourists can enjoy monsoon travel in India
Advantages of traveling during monsoons in India
1) Good discounts in hotels, airlines and other businesses
A lot of airlines and hotels offer very good discounts during monsoons due to lean season, which can really decrease your travel expenses. As the majority of people like to stay indoors during rains, tourist activity is much less and you can enjoy your travel in comparative peace and leisure.
3) Different weather, landscapes and customised plans
Due to different landscapes and weather in different regions, tourists in India can plan their trips all year round. A tourist in India is not bound to dates in a calendar or weather reports to plan and enjoy the journey.
3) Greenery and pleasant weather
Everything comes to life during monsoons in India. The weather is pleasant, cool breeze blow almost all day long and the surroundings are covered with lush new greenery which is a relaxing sight . Places like parts of eastern and central India, Kerala, Western Ghats are even more stunning during monsoons due to clouds and greenery. A lot of rivers are in full flow and this makes for spectacular waterfalls.
4) Cleansing season
Many people think that rains of monsoons are have a cleansing effect, Pollution due to smoke and dust particles is minimised and people are generally more comfortable in this cooler weather. Ayurvedic detoxification during monsoon is very popular these days. Some herbs used in certain ayurvedic practices grow only during monsoons and the rains seem to have a good effect on efficacy of certain plants.
Precautions for travelers in India during monsoon season
Here are some basic precautions that the tourists should observe while traveling in India during monsoons:
1) Carefully plan road trips
Mountainous regions almost everywhere are susceptible to road blockages due to landslides, flash floods etc during rainy season. Plans your road trips by taking these factors in to count.
2) Closed wild life parks
Most of national parks and wild-life areas are closed for tourists during monsoons. So if you are looking for clicking a rhinoceros, tiger or any other exotic animal, confirm the availability in advance.
3) Consume safe water
Although it’s a very general rule, we can’t stress this enough. Don’t drink tap water or even from natural sources like lakes and rivers during rainy season. Always stick to bottled or filtered water.
4) Be cautious of bugs
Bugs and other critters like mosquitoes, flies, snakes etc can be a nuisance during rainy season. Keep an insect repellant handy and be careful of where you step or sleep/
That’s everything that we have to say about traveling in India during rainy monsoons for now. We hope that this article may be of some use for travelers. Please feel free to contact us for feedback or more information.
Goa is popular not only for its beaches, parties and nightlife, but it also has some superb street foods. Street food in Goa excels in all aspects and there is no denying to the fact that street food both South Goa and North Goa is lip-smacking. Bebinca is a type of pudding and a traditional Indo-Portuguese dessert. Traditional Bebinca has seven layers. The ingredients include plain flour, sugar, ghee, egg yolk, and coconut milk. It is a traditional sweet of Goa .It is also easily available to carry and preserve for a long time or eaten fresh. Chorizo Pav is a famous delicacy in Goa. Locals enjoy it as a breakfast item or even as a tea-time snack. Eaten with bread, this spicy pork meat preparation is made using a pre-cooked sausage, onions and potatoes. Gadbad Ice Cream , Goan’s favourite is served in a tall glass or bowl. It is a combination of different ice creams served in one serving, topped with noodles and jelly. The perfect summer special everyone will enjoy the Gadbad Ice Cream on a hot summer day. Vindaloo represents the diverse culture of Goa. One of the most popular street foods in the state, it is known for its spicy flavors enriched with vinegar. Made with boneless pork, a variety of Indian spices are added to the dish to make its taste memorable, including cloves, cumin, cinnamon, Kashmiri pepper and many others Ras Omelette is a regular omelette served with some chicken curry.It is garnished with coriander, onions and a dash of lime juice sprinkled on top of the completed dish and has omelette dipped in it.
A lot of people suffer from upset stomach and other related illness by consuming unsafe water and food while traveling. A few people are blessed with iron stomach and immune system better than Terminator. But for rest of us, a lot of effort is spent on not getting sick whenever we step outside our homes for any period of time. This issue is of particular importance for people who are traveling to foreign countries. You will find different notions of hygiene, cleanliness and even different pests and germs in different places. For example, communicable diseases like malaria are almost completely eradicated in western world, but they still claims hundreds of thousands of lives in many other countries. Although, this topic can be written about in a very detailed manner, time and space constraints dictate that I limit this article to basic precautions related to water and food safety only. Although, this article is written with India in mind, these are some general instructions which hold true almost everywhere. So let’s begin with Food Safety Rules For Travelers Taking even basic precautions related to food safety and hygiene can save you a lot of trouble. High end restaurants and hotels are considered cleaner than most road-side street food vendors. But this is not true everywhere in very case. One such case in example is freshness of ingredients used. A lot of ofstreet food vendors prepare their dishes earlier in day or during the work hours and serve them as fresh as possible. Meanwhile, restaurants usually prepare large quantities of their most popular food items or ingredients and store them in refrigerators to be heated up just before serving.Here are some points for you to keep in mind when eating food in India or almost anywhere else in the world: a) Get food only from a recommended and trusted source Many street food businesses have good reputations among their customers for solid reasons. If you don’t know much, then take advice from your local friends, guides etc . But make sure that they have no commercial stake in recommending you something. Observing the customers is also a good way of making a choice. A good food vendor will have large number of customers compared to a non-trusted one. Food safety is always important to good vendors. b) Always make sure that the utensils used in serving are clean. Most street food vendors use disposable plate, spoons made of plastic, leaves, cane etc. But if metal utensils are being used, ensure that they are clean first. Use your own wipes, napkins etc to clean them if not sure. c) Do not eat at any place where the food is not covered and exposed to dust and flies. These are major source of germs and observing this basic food safety precaution alone can save you from lots of trouble d) Have fresh food In some places, the food you ask for is prepared right in front of you out of semi-prepared ingredients. Not every vendor brings 100 % read to eat food with him. So, if you see food cooking before being served, it’s very likely that it’ll be fresh. A good food vendor will usually pay heed to your requests and prepare the food exactly to your requirements. But if there are other people waiting, he may have to pay more attention to others. e) Precautions related to food are can be very confusing. People may follow all the hygiene and cleanliness related precautions, but may still suffer from an upset stomach due to some unknown food intolerance or allergy they did not knew about earlier. It can be really difficult to avoid such incidents. In case you know about your food intolerance and allergies, confirm with the vendor before consuming anything. If that’s not possible , try only small portions to check whether you are okay with it. If you have no side-effects and like the dish, go on to enjoy larger portion. Also, always keep a basic first aid kit consisting of a few medicines for an upset stomach, antacid, antihistamines etc. Water Safety Rules For Travelers Contaminated water causes biggest source of preventable infectious diseases worldwide. A number of potentially fatal infectious diseases can be prevented from spreading by just using clean water. Fortunately for travelers, it’s pretty easy almost everywhere. One of the most convenient solutions is to use branded bottled water. It’s easily available almost everywhere and comparatively easily. Some people consider it expensive. It is if you consider that it’s just ordinary water, but considering the alternative of spending so much money on medicines, it’s good enough. Even with bottled water, make sure that you buy only the original brands and properly sealed bottles. If in doubt, leave it and buy it from some place else. But what happens when you are in a place with no bottled water ? Unless you are near a river source with clear fast moving water, glacier etc. you have to boil and filter before drinking. You can use water purifying tablets or drops. Sometimes it causes slight change in taste of water but most people will accept it. Portable filters are another option. There are many types of big and small filters available in market. One portable filter as big as a pen and is used as one would use a straw. It’s very lightweight and small and can be carried in a pocket. Additionally, you can use bottles which come with water filter already fitted in. Most of other filters are are usually too big to lug around comfortably. If you are not carrying your own water filter, then best option to quench thirst are bottled water, juice or soft drinks, in that order. We hope this article may help you keep safe while traveling in India. Contact us for any feedback or information.
Tourism in India is a tale of amazing potential, confusing paradoxes, missed opportunities and massive under utilisation of resources. Compared to rest of the tourist hotspots around the world, India has mind boggling variety of tourist attractions of all types which can attract almost every single type of tourist out there. Ancient archaeological heritage of India which goes back to nearly 4000 years is spread all over India, from Laddakh to Kanyakumari. India is blessed with such awe inspiring ancient monuments at a scale unrivaled by any other country in the world. Forts of Rajput rulers in Rajasthan, artful temples of Bundels, luxurious monuments constructed by Mughals, amazingly beautiful Konkan temples are just a small fraction of this wealth spread across it’s length and breadth. Adventure tourists have some of the best and virtually untouched destinations in Laddakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttranchal, Sikkim, Mizoram and other north-eastern states . Wild life enthusiasts have the option of seeing some of the rarest wildlife not found anywhere else in world in Gir, Jim Corbett and many other national parks. Adventure tourism, specially in north-eastern states has a lot of potential but hasn’t been explored even partially. The north-eastern states states have some of the best places for adventure activities like trekking, mountain climbing, camping and much more. Culinary tourism in India which has the biggest potential is just a small speck. Considering the vast culinary diversity of India, the country should be the top destination for all foodie tourists. So many religions like Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism originated in India and their followers from all over the world wish to visit places important to their faiths. Medical tourism in India due to high quality healthcare at very low prices attracts people from all over the world. Culture and food junkies can’t find any place better than India with it’s diversity in languages, people, food, music, literature and culture which go back thousands of years. To top that, India is one of the cheapest tourist destinations compared to most of western countries. There is no other country in the world which offers so much diversity in such a package. Anyone would think that with so many blessings, India would be the tourist hub of the world. To top it all, India is one of the cheapest destinations in the world for tourists. In 2011, 62 lakh foreigner tourists arrived in India. Tourism sector in India employs nearly 4 crore people and is $ 121 billion dollar industry. Seems impressive, only till compared to 2.5 crore tourists per year Malaysia which has little to offer except beaches and and cheap shopping. Top tourist destination in world is France with 8.2 crore tourists in 2011 and 8.3 crore in 2012. India is not even in top 10 tourist destinations in world or even Asia. It’s actually ranked 38, preceded by countries like Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Egypt and even Tunisia. Just for sake of perspective, go through the following list: ( 1 million = 10 lakh, 100 lakh = 1 crore) Country No. of tourists Turkey 3.5 crore Morocco 92 lakh Tunisia 69 lakh South Africa 80 lakh China 5.8 crore Saudi Arab 1.7 crore Egypt 94 lakh Thailand 1.9 crore Looking at these figures, one can’t help but wonder what is wrong with Indian tourism sector. It’s not that people around the world are unaware of what India has to offer. Established travel forums like TripAdvisor and Lonely Planet are full of foreigners discussing and asking for information related to travel in India. Sections related to India are the ones with maximum number of posters. On Tripadvisor, India section has more than 10000 threads, exceeded only by 15000 threads of Thaliand. A lot people from all over the world wish to visit India but are turned away by numerous factors. Some of such issues are: 1) Complicated visa procedures: Infamous Indian red tape and bureaucracy is a nuisance outside the country too. Unlike other tourist hotspots, India makes it much more difficult and expensive for tourists to get a visa. India offers on arrival visa to only a handful of countries including Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and 4-5 others. In comparison, Malaysia offers on arrival visa to majority of countries except Israel, India, China and some African countries. 2) Bad infrastructure : Even though rapid development is happening, India is still a long way from having a world class tourist infrastructure. 3) Safety : Image of India has taken a severe beating recently due to various factors. Pakistan sponsored terrorism in various parts of India is also a big turn 0ff. 4) Lack Of Promotion Unlike other countries where governments and private organisations, spend large amounts of money and effort to promote tourism in their own countries, Indian efforts in this case have been very limited. Incredible India campaign which was launched with much fanfare a few years back ran out of steam pretty quickly. Above mentioned points are not unique to just India. A lot of countries face similar problems, have very little tourist attractions but still manage to attract many more tourists than India. We need to learn from them and make necessary changes as soon as possible. Some recent high profile projects like Golden Quadrilateral Highway project, Delhi Agra expressway, high speed trains with bio toilets etc are steps in right direction. But a lot more needs to be done. A lot of our customers are solo travelers, men and women of all ages. Some of them spend months or even years traveling inside India without facing any problem. But the recent bad press and selective reporting has messed up image of India badly. In an industry where perception counts for a lot, an effort has to be made to promote the attractions and good points of India rather than just the bad news. Development
Arunachal Pradesh street food differs from tribe to tribe. As one move toward the eastern side of Arunachal people are dependent on bamboo and other leafy vegetables which are strictly boiled. Fried food is not as popular as people like to eat either boiled or smoked food. Apong is a type of rice beer, which is traditionally prepared by tribes of Arunachal Pradesh.India. Apong is prepared by fermenting rice. The two types are Nogi Apong and Poro Apong.The two apongs differ in their taste and colour. Chura Sabji is a kind of curry made of fermented cheese made by either yak milk or cow’s milk and not to forget the most important the flakes and a few pieces of the King chilly which makes it spicy but delicious. Lukhter is another delicacy of the Arunachal Pradesh.Lukter is a combination of cooked dry meat and chilli flakes from the King chilly or Bhut Jolokia. Like the norm goes with Aunachal, this is a side dish meant to be eaten with rice. Pehak is made by use of fermented Soybean and King chilly. In this dish, the king chilli is used as the main ingredient. It is also used as a side dish with rice. The pickle is hot and very spicy that gives the rice a very unique hot flavor. Pehak is very popular among Arunachalis. Pictures sourced from various sources on internet. Please contact for credits.
This photo series highlights best of street food items from different regions in India. First is Jammu. 1.Kimb a citrus fruit is skinned, juice & seeds squeezed out and then mixed with spices, salt, bit of sugar etc. A sweet, sour and spicy snack commonly prepared in many homes, but rare to find it for sale. 2. Bhijja Kulcha with Rajma (kidney beans). World’s best Rajma are grown in Jammu and this is evident in the number of Rajma dishes available in region. Another popular dish is Raajma Chawal served with mango pickle, chutney and clarified butter on some food shops on NH1 near Banihal. 3.Pattode, made with Colocassia Leaves. These are made in many parts of northern India. But each region has it’s own flavours. 4.Chana Kulcha, a very popular snack food item sold by street food vendors outside schools. Now there are a few other versions of it, like one with soyabean. 5.Kaladi Kulcha . Kaladi is a dense, salted cheese very popular in most parts of Jammu. It may have a bit of fungus on it which gives it a unique flavour. Eaten by heating on a pan with little oil and addition of salt, sauce or spices. It can be eaten with or without the bun. 6.Kachalu chaat. Another very popular street food snack for school children. Made of Taro rootstock and mixed with a wide variety of spices like tamarind, chilli, rock salt, pepper and more. Different places have different flavours. 7. Bhalla. Though this dish is quite common in most of northern India. But residents of Jammu just love these bhallas sold by small vendors in a few bus stands in southern border of Jammu. Served with spicey chutney and radish. Source: Pictures from various sources on net. Please contact for credits.
The food of Kerala is a blend of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. It includes a variety of items like fish, poultry and red meat. Rice, fish and coconut are the three most common ingredients of Keralite food. Banana chips and Kerala go hand in hand.Most of the tourists prefer banana chips as their snacks as they are easily available and can be tried at any time of the day. Banana chips are dried slices of bananas.They can be covered with sugar or honey to have a sweet taste, or they can be fried in oil and spices to have a salty or spicy taste. Cheera Parippu Thoran or spinach stir fry with coconut is for health conscious people who are looking for a dish that is healthy and is very less in calorie count.The dish is made using leafy vegetables. It makes the best side dish which one can either try with roti, rice. It is a rich source of minerals, vitamins, and iron. Ela Ada is one of those dishes which represent the best and authentic flavors of South India.The dish comprises of rice, coconut, jaggery, etc.One can try this dish for either breakfast or can even as an evening snack. Idiyappam is also known as Noolappam in Kerala cuisine. Idiyappam is made of rice flour, salt and water with a number of thin strands entwined together to make the lovely texture that this dish bears. It is this texture that makes it versatile. It tastes best with Egg Curry. Parippu vada or masala dal vada is a savoury fried snack in Kerala. It is made from legumes and is best consumed for breakfast. Sambar and coconut chutney are the standard accompaniments for Parippu vadas. Puttu and Kadala curry is a famous breakfast recipe out of the many Kerala. Puttu is a cylindrical steamed rice cake that is cooked in a mould with grated coconut. It is served with kadala curry(black chickpeas).It tastes best when served with poori or with roti. Semiya Payasam or popularly known as Vermicelli rice is one of the most famous and popular sweet dishes of Kerala.It is prepared only for some special festivals and occasions. It is served in mud pots which makes the dish even tastier and attractive for the tourists. It is served with lots of nuts and is made using milk, rice, etc. thus is one healthy dish to try.
India is a fascinating land of eclectic cultures. This is because from the earliest times people of myriad races and nationalities have come to India-some as conquerors who came for some time and others who made India their home. All of them contributed something to the brilliant mosaic that makes up Indian culture, and nowhere is it more visible than in its varied cuisine. From Kashmiri cuisine with its more than a dozen meat dishes to the extensive vegetarian fare of the Gujarat’s; from the robust cuisine of the Punjabis to the delectable fish based recipes of the Bengalis, and from the fiery Goan curries to the fiery Chettinad chicken dishes of the South, one could go on till the cows come home and still not be done with describing the glories of Indian food. For the sake of convenience let’s just pick up two cities as examples of places where you can sample the best of Indian food. Though I daresay, just about any city would do considering the fact that Indians love their food as they do. Delhi Delhi is one of the most ancient cities of the world and has been the centre of many empires including the Mughal and the British. Some of the most popular eating joints in the city are: 1. Karims’ – This is near the historic Jama Masjid(Friday Mosque ) that was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan who also had the Taj Mahal built. You can sample the best of Mughlai food in the shape of Chicken Shorbha, Mutton Shorbha, Tandoori Chicken, Tandoori Raan, Tandoori Burra, Murgh Massalam and a variety of Indian breads. For those who know Mughlai cuisine Karim’s is right there at the top. 2. Parnthey Wali Gali – This is located in the Chandni Chowk or the moonlight square area of Delhi, and again the Emperor Shah Jahan, had this place come up in his rule as a trader and merchant hub. Paranthey Wali Gali or the fried flat bread street consists of a number of pretty basic eating joints that serve old style paranthas(fried Indian bread) in a variety of stuffing options. The bread is quite wholesome and filling, fried as it is with clarified butter. This is accompanied by a little vegetable side dish or two. For anyone visiting Delhi a visit to the Paranthey Wali Gali is de rigueur. 3. Moti Mahal Restaurant -This chain of restaurant’s claim to fame has to be the invention of the butter chicken, the ubiquitous chicken dish that defines Indian Punjabi cooking. That apart you can have top rate chicken tikkas, dal makhni, seekh kebabs and shami kebabs. Lucknow This imperial city was home to the Nawabs who were known for their fascination with food, and this led to the evolution of the world famous Awadhi cuisine. A few examples of this awesome way of preparing food are given below- 1. Kakori Kebab -Made from the mince obtained from the tendon of a leg of mutton, it is defined by its legendary softness. 2. Shami Kebab – Again made from mince tempered with raw mango. Absolutely mind blowingly delicious. 3. Boti Kebab – Delectable kebabs that are the result of lamb marinated in yoghurt, which is then skewered and cooked. If your mouth is watering already and you can’t wait to get on that plane to India you may want to start making the arrangements right now. Guest post by Amy Lawson from National Express .
The cuisine of Bihar is largely similar to North Indian cuisine but has influences from other East Indian cuisines especially Bengali cuisine. The scrumptious and exotic Bihari dishes are highly capable of tingling the taste buds of every food connoisseur. Khaja is deep fried in oil and the ingredients use is wheat flour, sugar, mawa. It is very crispy. It tastes amazing when it melts in the mouth and its wafery texture makes it very tempting. It is known for its puffiness. Laung latika is a traditional dessert of the food of Bihar. At the centre is clove which makes it stand apart from the others. The pungent taste of the clove with the sweet stuffing dipped in sugar-syrup melts in the mouth. The complex amalgam of tastes altogether makes Laung Latika exclusive to Bihar. Litti Chokha can be considered as the dish of Bihar. It was started as a meal of poor and then was sold on carts on the street Chokha is prepared by mashing boiled vegetables ,adding spices and chopped onion, garlic etc and served with Litti as a complimentary delicacy. Malpua is a popular dessert sweetmeat that can be found in Bihar.It involves mixing flour, milk, sugar and mashed bananas and deep frying them so that the edges get crispy while the centre is still soft. Thekua is the most commonly prepared snack of Bihari food. It is a mixture of wheat flour and jaggery .One can also use rice flour instead of wheat flour and sugar instead of jaggery to make different varieties of Thekua. Tilkut is made from sesame seeds and jaggery makes its taste more flavored. Tilkut is cooked with a sugar base rolled into a ball filled with copious amounts of crushed sesame seeds. The tilkut gets tastier, softer with sesame seeds.
