South India, hints, tips, suggestions

Hi all,

We are off to India for about 2 months, Feb and march, travelling independently. Any hints, tips, suggestions and advice gratefully received, including phone and money.

I know it will be fab once we get into the swing of things but feeling a bit daunted at the moment.

Tech, I am thinking either esim or lebara sim.

Money, I am thinking getting a new credit card, with a low limit which I will ditch afterwards.

We would love some home stay accommodation ideas and few day trek suggestions please.

NB ideas just for south India for now please , and we will probably skip beach areas.

I would struggle with accurate or up to date in detail. But I’ve have 3 generations of my family live in and love Ootacamund (Ooty). Fabulous old town in middle of tea country, surrounded by proper jungle and protected tiger and elephant areas..

However I was 6 when I left and haven’t been back!

I would struggle with accurate or up to date in detail. But I’ve have 3 generations of my family live in and love Ootacamund (Ooty).

Small world. My wife taught there for 6 years. I went back with her in the mid 90s.

Munnar and the surrounding areas are worth a visit. The protected areas are great but I’m not sure what are the better options. Tea plantations are interesting and Top Station is popular. If possible drop down into Tamil Nadu and head into the countryside, in places it’s like going back in time.

Cheers Ooty and Munnar are on the list. Currently struggling with an Indian website trying to book a stay in a sanctuary. It doesn’t like my credit card

Welcome to Indian bureaucracy – it’s both broken and hugely complex…

I get to the payment page, enter cc number, go to the enter expiry and the cc number goes blank. Tried on my phone and laptop, arrrr

@matt_outandabout we have a vague similarity. I was born in Cyprus, left at 3. Never been back. Keep saying we should.

Don’t, whatever you do, take any sort of GPS/navigation device like a Garmin Edge 540 into India!

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/beware-this-gadget-can-get-you-jailed-heres-why/articleshow/116292537.cms

https://www.unilad.com/news/travel/woman-warns-not-bring-gps-india-travel-arrested-993745-20241219

Best leave our phones behind as well then!

I had the best holiday with MTB Kerala… Mikes still going strong if you were tempted… trails around Munnar and Kuttikanam. Was there in Jan 2009

@ampthill – taught at Hebron by any chance? Long family connections for me there too …

Don’t take ice in your drinks and don’t eat the street food.

Those were the 2 things I was told when I’ve gone to India – Mumbai 3 times for work and Patna once for a wedding – so west or north, so probably not a huge help really!

I heeded both bits of advice and found the food to be amazingly tasty (but I did avoid the street food), food from restaurants, cafes, deli-type places was all good.

Apart from that, India is an absolutely amazing place, the culture is amazing, the people are incredibly friendly (although tourist places are swamped by beggars). Everywhere I’ve been it has been vibrant with loads of people doing loads of things.

Aware this isn’t much advice, but I’m very jealous and hope you have an amazing time.

I liked Coonoor which is down the road from Ooty. I’m not a beach person, but found Agonda beach so relaxing I changed my plans to extend my stay there.

Food wise I stay veggie when in India. No problems with street food myself, I always see what’s on offer, but it’s a case of picking the place which is busy. Issues I’ve always had have been from quiet hotel restaurants.

Can’t remember if it was North or South India but one of the best places (and cheapest) I ate at, was a local hidden thali place. It was like a school dinner hall, tables and tables of people, with a real cross section of society. No menu, just sit down and different people pass by and load something on your tray. And just keep doing it. Worth asking the locals for a recommendation.

Wash your hands. Often. No such thing as too often.