Three Reasons to Go Backpacking in India
Why India Is Still One of the Best Backpacking Destinations
May 27, 2009
Backpacking has its trends, but India is always a favourite among backpackers. Here’s why:
Backpacking in India Is Really Cheap
India continues to be one of the cheapest countries to backpack and spend the winter months in. Even though prices are rising and tourism in India is aimed more and more towards the domestic middle class, it is possible to stay in a bamboo hut in Gokarna for 100 Indian rupees a night (that’s about 2 US dollars).
Travelling around India is cheap too, especially for those who don’t mind the 2nd class sleeper in trains, or who are happy to use local buses. Train and bus travel takes time, but costs little.
It is possible to eat cheaply in India and spend just couple of dollars a day, especially if one sticks to the cheapest local meals. Food is more expensive in places that cater specifically for foreigners. Western food is always more expensive than Indian food. Backpacker restaurants in Gokarna or Manali are cheaper than restaurants in five star tourist hotels, but still more expensive than the local food stall.
There Is Enough to See in India for Years
India is huge. One could spend years in the country and still not see half of it. There are tropical beaches in Goa and Kerala, there are South Indian Hindu temples and Rajasthani palaces and forts, there are beautiful Himalayan valleys in Himachal Pradesh, breathtaking mountain views in Ladakh, holy cities from Varanasi to Bodhgaya - and of course there are backpacker centres like Manali or Gokarna, where many travellers end up staying a lot longer than they had originally planned.
One can travel around India for the six months that most tourist visas allow, and still feel like s/he only saw a tiny part of the country and its cultures. Of course some don’t want to move much at all, and are happy to spend the whole winter on the backpacker beaches in Gokarna (and who can blame them).
Backpacking in India Is Easy, but Not Too Comfortable
India is used to backpackers, and although travelling around takes time, it is easy enough. It is relatively safe too, providing one uses common sense and doesn’t look for trouble. Most backpackers in India travel on a route that has been travelled by thousands of other backpackers before them, and there are plenty of backpacker centres in India with services geared especially towards the backpacker market.
However, travelling in India is never boring and there’s always something to write home about. Most backpackers in India get sick at some point, even if it is just a 24-hour attack of diarrhoea. Those 48-hour train journeys across the country in a 2nd class sleeper with a broken fan and a stinking toilet are awful at the time, but make for great stories later. Those who leave the backpacker ghettos behind and explore India outside the tourist centres will feel more like a traveller and less like a tourist.
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