I visited Europe in late 2016 and stayed with locals through Couchsurfing. Watch this video to know how was my experience with the locals and is Couchsurfing really the best way to travel?
Author – Manas Jha
I am an Indian living in San Francisco since few years. Often I fly to India to visit my parents and friends. So I thought to share some information for the benefit of American flyers intending to travel India. Here are some tips on how to get a cheaper flight from USA to India, based on my experience.
Cheapest city to fly into India from USA
First, you have to decide where to land in India. There are several international airports out of which three major International airports for tourists are Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. Now, another crucial factor is from where you are travelling i.e. East Coast or West Coast. If you travel from East coast, travel cost from New York (JFK) to Mumbai will be cheaper. If you travel From West Coast, Seattle or San Francisco to Delhi will be Cheaper.
What is the best time to fly from USA to India
Plan your trip during February-March. This is the offseason for visiting India from USA. Try to book your ticket two months in advance. Always buy a return ticket. You will be able to save 300-400 USD if you buy a return ticket. Try to start your trip on weekdays, preferably Wednesday. Trend says the flight which starts on weekdays are cheaper by 100-150 USD than weekend flights.
How to get cheapest flight tickets to India
There are several websites like kayak.com, skyscanner.com, expedia.com, travelopod.com, cheapoair.com, airfarewatchdog.com, etc. which can help you to get cheap air tickets to India. But I personally like Travelopod.com. Do price search on various websites and then compare with Travelopod.com. I will recommend calling their customer care team for further negotiation which is effective. I will also recommend checking ticket price of Kuwait Airways. Sometimes they offer dirt cheap price tickets from JFK to Mumbai.
Choose One stop over a direct flight
There are various flights options like direct flight, one stop flight & two stop flight. Cost pattern differs according to stops. I will suggest going for the one stop flight. This will not only reduce the cost of your flight ticket but also gives a chance to explore another city on the way. Probably, you may get an opportunity to explore some Asian city like Singapore or Hong Kong.
How to travel cheaply in India?
If you are a budget traveller and travelling India on a tight budget, then you should not miss these –
After reaching India (New Delhi)
- Looking for the cheapest, fastest and the most reliable way to reach Delhi city centre from Delhi airport. Then take Delhi Airport Express Metro train
- Flying somewhere else from Delhi and need to know the best way of Airport transfers in Delhi. Read this – ‘How to travel from Terminal-1 to Terminal-3‘
- Want to catch a taxi reach somewhere in Delhi? Then Watch this video to know which is the hassle free and money saver taxi service in Delhi and other big cities in India. This is how I travel in Delhi.
- You should also know which transport you should NOT take from Delhi airport. Read this.
While travelling in India
- How to travel dirt cheap in India. Watch this video and travel as low as 10 USD for almost 5000 km
- How to stay for cheap or free in India. Read this article
- Travel apps to find a confirmed train ticket while travelling in India.
Caution
- If you are going to purchase a train ticket, then please don’t land into travel scams. Watch this video before you purchase a train ticket in Delhi
- Address and phone numbers of all government tourism authorities all over India. Take a print and keep it with you. Always.
TIPS: How to get a cheaper flight from USA to India
- Fly from New York to Mumbai if you travel from East coast
- Fly from Seattle or San Francisco to Delhi, if you travel from West coast
- Take Kuwait airways from JFK to Mumbai, they offer dirt cheap tickets sometimes
- Plan a trip during February-March
- Book tickets Two months in advance
https://youtu.be/XXJBh7C72V0
Travelling by app based cabs is the smartest way to travel in Delhi. Use your smartphone to download the applications like UBER & OLA. They are the cheapest cabs to travel in Delhi since the Delhi Government have imposed a restriction on ‘Surge’ pricing. Previously these cab services also used to charge exorbitant amount from the passengers by imposing surge pricing on them. But now these cabs charge the normal fare. Click here to watch this video in high resolution to know the Cashless, Cheaper, Smart way to see Delhi
‘Uber’ discount code
You can get an instant discount of Rs 50 on your first 3 rides with Uber by using the code ‘UberCleanIndia‘. Likewise, You can also use code ‘D4RGY4‘ for OLA cabs to get discounted rides. Download Uber or Paytm like applications from the playstore of your smartphone. Also, due the to competition from their rivals they occasionally come out with attractive discounts for their users. I have personally used these discounts and have sometimes travelled for almost free.
How to book a cab at Delhi airport
- Use Uber or Ola by downloading their apps on your smartphone
- Use code UberCleanIndia for Uber and D4RGY4 for Ola to get discount (only for first timers)
- Search for the cab by choosing the PICK UP point
- Enter the destination and get the estimated fare
- Book the cab and wait for few minutes until the cab arrives
- Reach your destination and make the payment
- Payments can be made through cash or digital wallets (like Paytm, Mobikwik) or Credit/Debit card
Ask your queries in the Comments. Watch travel videos in Hindi at my popular youtube channel “youtube.com/c/mountaintrekker“. You can also subscribe for short travel videos here, which are actually ‘Behind the scene’ videos of ‘Mountaintrekker’ channel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2sq2IqM-b4
How to travel cheaply in India? If you are looking an answer for this, then you must watch this video. This is based on tips and tricks on the cheapest way to travel by Indian railways. You’ll come to know how to get and from where to get the cheapest train ticket in India.
Advantage of watching this video
1. You’ll be able to get the cheapest Train ticket
2. You don’t have to do advance train bookings
3. You can catch any train going towards your destination
Though there are few reasons which discourage people from travelling this way, but still this is the choice of millions of people in India and that is why Indian railways have provided this facility in every long distance trains.
Watch the video till the end as there is a money saver tip, at the end of the video.
Indian railways fare chart- indian-railway-fare-chart-25-dec-2015
I always thought Indians can visit only two neighbouring countries without Visa or a passport; they are Nepal and Bhutan. But my visit to Manipur proved me wrong. Myanmar is another neighbour which allows Indians to enter without a visa. Though you can visit only upto Tamu, a border village in Myanmar. Beyond Tamu, you will need a valid visa. But still, I think a day trip to Tamu may give you a glimpse of Myanmar. This is what I felt during my visit to Tamu in early 2015. Read my travelogue “Tamu: Now Indians can visit Myanmar without Visa” to know how to cross the India-Myanmar border from Moreh. You can also watch the video which I made during the visit explaining the whole entry process.
Several Indians and Burmese people cross the Moreh-Tamu border on a routine basis to earn their daily bread and butter.
Process of crossing India-Myanmar border from Moreh (only for Indians)
- Reach Moreh, the border town. It is a 3 hours drive from Imphal to Moreh.
- Cross the border from the ‘India-Myanmar friendship gate’
- Approach the Myanmar officials. The counter is on the left side of the road
- Provide the desired documents and pay the entry fees of Rs. 20 in cash
- Get an entry ticket and visit Tamu
- Surrender the entry ticket after coming back and take back your documents
Remember to approach the right gate. There are 2 gates to cross the border. Gate no. 1 (also known as the Iron bridge) is meant only for those having a valid visa and ‘Special permission’ to cross the border. Tourists going beyond Tamu use this gate. So if you have plans to visit Mandalay or Yangon, then this is the gate for you. Gate no. 2 (a.k.a ‘India-Myanmar Friendship Gate’) is only meant for Indians and Burmese. Citizens of both the countries are allowed to visit the nearest town across the border. Burmese visitors are allowed to go only upto Moreh in Manipur, whereas Indians can go upto Tamu in Myanmar.
This permit is allowed only for one day. Do not forget to come back by the gate closing time. Otherwise, you may land into some serious problems.
Moreh-Border opening and closing time
- Border opens at 7 AM (Gate 2)
- Border closes at 4 PM (Gate 2)
Documents needed for Indians to cross India-Myanmar border
- Voter ID card in original, or
- Aadhar card in original
- Rs 20 in cash
Indians are just required to submit their Voter ID or Aadhar card to the Burmese immigration authorities on the border. Pay Rs. 20 as entry fees and they will give an entry ticket. Keep this ticket safe till you come back. You have to surrender this ticket while going back to India, only then your documents will be returned to you.
How to reach Tamu from Moreh
- Cross the border from Moreh
- Walk a little in the market of Namphalon
- Catch an Auto Rickshaw; They charge Rs 20 per person
- Auto takes 15 minutes to reach Tamu
Watch this playlist of videos to know how I reached Tamu in just Rs 20
Things to do in Tamu
- Visit Tamu market, Purchase a locally made item as souvenir
- Visit Pungi Chow, a Buddhist Monastery located on a hill in Tamu
- Get panoramic views of Tamu town and Indo-Myanmar border from the ‘stupa’ at Pungi Chow (My video)
- Talk to the locals. They are friendly. Some of them understand English and Hindi (My video – Talking with locals)
- See the eco-friendly houses in Tamu. (Here is my video)
- Walk in Tamu town and get a glimpse of Myanmar
- Do not forget to come back India before the border gate closing time
Watch this playlist of videos to get a detailed idea of 'what to do' in Tamu, Myanmar.
FAQ – Myanmar Visa
Do Indians require visa for Myanmar?
Yes, Indians also need a Visa to visit Myanmar. But Indians can cross the Myanmar border to visit Tamu village without any visa.
Where to get a visa for Myanmar in India?
Indians can get Myanmar visa from the Embassy of Myanmar. Address of Myanmar Embassy in Delhi is 3/50F, Nyaya Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. Phone numbers +91 11 24678822 & +91 11 24678823. Website of Burmese embassy http://myanmedelhi.com.
What is the Myanmar’s visa fees?
Myanmar’s Tourist visa in India costs Rs. 2,800. It is valid for 28 days, but only Single entry is allowed.
Documents required getting Myanmar’s Visa?
- Duly filled up application Form
- Passport having atleast 6 months validity
- Photocopy of passport
- Two colour photos with white background (should not be old than 6 months)
- Copy of round trip air ticket
- Hotel booking confirmation (Get confirmed hotel bookings without payment – Click here)
Are the people of North-East India friendly? If this question arises in your mind then you must watch this video. This is for everyone who has some misconceptions about the North-East India and the people over there.
In early 2015, I did a backpacking trip to explore the North-East India. Thanks to the Air India ticket sale due to which I got a ticket from Kolkata to Imphal in just Rupees 1,500. This trip gave me an opportunity to see the untouched beauty of the North-East and most importantly to meet the locals.
What did I do in North East
- I visited Imphal
- Went up to the border town of Moreh
- Did a day trip to Myanmar without a visa
- Trekked the Shirui peak in the district of Ukhrul
- Explored the ancient caves in Khangkhui village in Ukhrul
- Visited the land of Oranges – Tamenglong
- Struggled on some of the worst highways in India
- Was refused a stay by a Gurudwara in Silchar
- Stayed at a police station on the border of Bangladesh
- Did an exciting road trip from Karimganj to Agartala with the help of Police
- Criss-crossed entire Bangladesh to reach my office in time
I will share the information and videos which I took on this trip in the near future. So keep glued to this page.
Though you can also see some of the ‘Behind the scenes‘ videos of the initial part of this trip on my Youtube channel
Travelling the world is not easy for vegetarians. ‘What to eat vegetarian while travelling’ is one of biggest concerns of travellers like me. However, my recent trip to Europe taught me many things, which I am going to share here. Watch the video and learn how to travel vegetarian around the world.
This video shows what did I eat on my Europe trip. It will also give you a fair idea of the places to get vegetarian food while travelling. The places mentioned in this video actually helped me to save a lot of money on food. This way of travelling actually made my trip super cheap. Read my blogpost to know what were the other reasons behind my super cheap trip to Europe.
Do comment your tips to stay vegetarian while travelling.
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You can click here to subscribe the channel. The language of the videos is English.
For people knowing Hindi, Subscribe to the channel here, where you’ll get most of the travel related information in Hindi.
The year 2016 is just about to end! And for all those who have already started thinking of their travel plans for the coming year, here is my holiday calendar 2017 for best long weekends. An interesting thing about this year is the high number of long weekends. I have compiled a list of public holidays in 2017 in such a manner that it becomes easy for you to choose from them to make the most of these long weekend.
I have not mentioned about the holidays which are falling on Sundays. My focus was only on finding the possibility of long weekends in 2017. So, besides holidays on Mondays, Saturdays and Fridays, I have also taken Tuesdays and Thursdays into account. You just have to fall ‘sick’ for one working day in between to enjoy these long weekends ;)
Holidays in January 2017
- Guru Gobind Singh’s birthday – 5 January – Thursday (RH)
- Vivekanand Jayanti – 12 January, Thursday
- Makar Sankranti / Pongal – 14 January, Saturday
- Republic Day – 26 January, Thursday
Holidays in February 2017
- Maha Shivratri – 24 February, Friday
Holidays in March 2017
- Holi – 13 March, Monday
- Chaitra Sukladi/Gudi Padava/Ugadi/Cheti Chand – 28 March, Tuesday
Visiting Bangladesh can also be a better option in March. Indians can get the Bangladeshi visa for free. Check my backpacking trip to Bangladesh which I did in March 2015
3 reasons to plan a trip in advance :
- You get ample time to do proper pre-trip research (This helped me to travel Europe in just Rs 10,000)
- Save on discounted airfares by booking them well in advance.
Better chances of getting leaves approved at your office if applied in advance.
Holidays in April 2017
- Ram Navami – 4 April, Tuesday
- Hazrat Ali’s birthday – 11 April, Tuesday (RH)
- Baisakhi/Vishu – 13 April, Thursday (RH)
- Ambedkar Jayanti / Good Friday – 14 April, Friday
- Vaisakhadi / Bahag Bihu- 15 April, Saturday (RH)
Holidays in May 2017
- Labour Day or May day – 1 May, Monday
- Rabindranath Jayanti – 9 May, Tuesday (RH)
- Buddha Poornima – 10 May, Wednesday
Holidays in June 2017
- Jamat-Ul-Vida – 23 June, Friday (RH)
- Idu’l Fitr – 26 June, Monday
Do mention in the comments section, if I have missed any holiday. I’ll add them to this list.
Holidays in August 2017
- RakshaBandhan – 7 August, Monday (RH)
- Independence Day – 15 August, Tuesday
- Ganesh Chaturthi – 25 August, Friday (RH)
Holidays in September 2017
- Id-ul-Zuha/Bakr-Id – 2 September, Saturday
- Onam – 4 September, Monday (RH)
- Dussehra / Durga pooja, Saptami – 27 September, Wednesday (RH)
- Dussehra / Durga pooja, Ashtami – 28 September, Thursday (RH)
- Dussehra / Durga pooja, Navami – 29 September, Friday (RH)
- Dussehra, Vijay Dashami – 30 September, Saturday
Visiting Europe in September is a good Idea. Check my backpacking trip to Europe which I did in September 2016
*RH = Restricted Holiday
Holidays declared by Government of India on certain occasions having religious and cultural importance. Unlike Gazetted holiday, the government offices remain open and keep functioning normally. You may choose such holidays only in a limited number as per the rules of your office.
Holidays in October 2017
- Gandhi Jayanti – 2 October, Monday
- Valmiki Jayanti – 5 October, Thursday
- Kali Pooja / Diwali (South India) – 18 October, Wednesday (RH)
- Diwali – 19 October, Thursday
- Govardhan Puja – 20 October, Friday
- Bhai Dooj – 21 October, Saturday
- Chhat Pooja – 26 October, Thursday
Holidays in November 2017
- Guru Nanak Jayanti – 4 November, Saturday
- Guru Teg Bahadur’s Martyrdom Day – 24 November, Friday
Holidays in December 2017
- Id-e-Milad – 2 December, Saturday
- Christmas – 25 December, Monday
So folks, let’s start making your travel plans for the year 2017.
Do mention in the comments section, if I have missed any holiday. I’ll add them to this list.
I am back after a low budget backpacking trip from Europe. I could manage all my traveling, food and accommodation expenses in less than 10,000 Rupees (140 Euro) for 16 days (How! Read here). But could not manage to get a dirt-cheap deal for air tickets. So I had two options. Either pay more to full fare airlines and reach the destination in less time or break the journey in parts & travel by low-cost carriers to save some money. I opted the second option and got tickets in Rs. 34,000 with this itinerary – New Delhi-Dubai-Prague & Prague-Kiev-Dubai-New Delhi. Both the ways I had long layovers at Dubai airport.
- Read : I spent the long layovers at Dubai and Kiev airports under travelogue category.
Terminal 2 : Dubai Airport (DXB)
My Air India Express flight from Delhi to Dubai landed at the terminal 2. This is a small terminal meant only for ‘Fly Dubai’ and other low-cost carriers. My connecting flight operated by Smartwings was scheduled after a gap of 3.5 hours. Getting the new boarding pass, Internal transfer from arrival to departure and security check took almost One hour. Rest of the time I spent using the free wifi and searching the mobile charging points. This terminal has just 3 mobile charging stations in the departure waiting lounge, which is very less for the huge number of passengers it handles. Also, the WiFi is not completely free. It is complimentary only for the first 1 hour, thereafter you are required to pay. I used the rest of time in chatting with some friendly airport staff from Philippines, Pakistan and India.
Terminal 1 : Dubai Airport (DXB)
Dubai Airport Terminal 1
While returning to India, the Ukraine International Airlines from Kiev landed at Terminal 1 of Dubai International airport. This terminal is used for all international airlines (except Emirates). It is huge and exploring it is a must-do activity. It is one of the busiest airports in the world but has only 2 active runways. So watching flights of all kinds landing and taking off every now and then is fun. It offers all possible luxury facilities to the passengers. So you can either shop at the duty-free shops or use free wifi for unlimited time. Or just roam around and explore the airport like I did.
My next flight was from Terminal-2. Dubai International airport provides free transfers between terminals. I used the free bus facility. The bus driver played some new Hindi tracks when he came to know that I am an Indian. I was impressed by his gesture. While getting down from the bus I went to thank him. He spoke in fluent Hindi and introduced himself as a Pakistani from Balochistan. We exchanged smiles and said Khuda hafiz to each other.
Travel tips for Dubai airport
Dubai Airport Terminal 1
For the passengers searching a place to take a nap at the terminal-2, there are few recliners on the extreme left side (facing the runway) of the waiting lounge. I slept there for 4 hours. (But I also met a passenger who missed his flight while he was sleeping on one of these seats, so pay attentions to the announcements. Yes even while sleeping ;) )
- Spend as much time as possible at Terminal-1, If you get a chance to go there. Enjoy unlimited free wifi, comfortable couches, ample of powerpoints to charge electronic devices and the variety of duty-free shops.
- Do check the official website of the airport for occasional discounts and schemes – www.dubaiairports.ae
I did a backpacking trip to Bangladesh in early 2015. Just like India, Bangladesh is also a budget-friendly country for travellers. Transportation is fairly cheap, though public transport is not very comfortable. Besides trains and buses, steamers (called ‘Launch’ in Bangladesh) are also a popular means of transportation as they are comparatively cheaper. Stay and the food is also generally not expensive. You can stay in a budget hotel or a lodge to save money or splurge in a star hotel in popular places like Dhaka, Chittagong, and Cox’s bazar. Street food is popular like in India, though not hygienic always. You have to depend on the sealed water bottles for drinking water
How did I travel in Bangladesh
My backpacking trip to Bangladesh started from Akhaura border, situated on the South-east of Bangladesh. I got the visa for free from the Bangladeshi visa office in Agartala (India). During this trip, I travelled in local buses, cycle rickshaws, motorcycle taxis, steamers and even trucks and rickshaw carts. I got to stay in a Gurudwara, a small hostel room in the Dhaka University and also stayed in an unelectrified village in the countryside of Bangladesh.
People in Bangladesh
Before this trip, I had come across only the negative information about Bangladesh. Media reports informed about the religious fundamentalism, bloggers being killed, temples being vandalised, bomb blasts in busy commercial centers, etc.. But the trip changed this perception forever. I met the some of the most friendliest people in this country. Being an Indian I got a special attention from each and everyone I met there. Right from the first Bangladeshi family whom I met at Akhaura border (near Agartala, India) to Mr. Alauddin and his friends at Benapole border (near Kolkata, India) whoever came to know that I am an Indian, they showered their generosity and best hospitality.
Read : My backpacking trip to Europe (16 days in just 10,000 Rupees)
Some of my wonderful experiences
I met this wonderful family at Akhaura border check post. We were together at the immigration counter. After completing all the formalities, we spoke to each other and became friends. We had to go to the same place to catch our next buses. They offered me a lift in the auto-rickshaw which they reserved for themselves. The auto-rickshaw driver spoke with me in Hindi. We had discussions on a various topic during the one hour ride.
The young official at Grameenphone (mobile sim) office at Motijheel, Dhaka came forward to help me out of the way when he came to know that I am an Indian. As a friendly gesture, he gave me a special wristband. Incidentally, next day was my birthday. I was overwhelmed to see his birthday wishes which he sent through SMS. A student of Dhaka University offered me to stay in his hostel room. He went with me to show the university campus and the places worth visiting in Dhaka. Mehmood, another young fellow whom I met while going to Chandpur from Dhaka helped me to get another local boat to cross the mighty Padma River.
He came as the real rescuer
On an evening, Mr. Harlal took me to his home when I got stranded on the road because the last bus to the nearest city had left already. It was a small village and I was not able to converse with the villagers. I tried my best to ask them about the alternate ways to reach the nearest city. With each passing minute, I was getting hopeless as it was getting dark and all my efforts to speak with them were going in vain. Then came Mr. Harlal, who not only sheltered me at his home for that night but also made only vegetarian food for me despite he was a non-vegetarian. He had a very small house. To accommodate me there, he sent his family members to neighbor’s house but offered me the best possible hospitality with the limited resources.
Next day a truck driver helped me to reach the nearest city. In another example, a young lady helped me to get the quickest mode of transport to reach Jessore from a small place called Kalna ghat because I was getting late to reach the Benapole border in time. But despite all the efforts, unfortunately, I could not reach at the border check post in time. Then came Alauddin and his friends to my rescue. They helped me in finding a place to stay. Got some vegetarian stuff to eat from nearby shops. Next morning they came very early to see me off at the border post.
Read : How to stay for free while travelling in India
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You can click here to subscribe the channel. The language of the videos is English.
For people knowing Hindi, Subscribe to the channel here, where you’ll get most of the travel related information in Hindi.