South Asia (Indian subcontinent)

Hi everyone,

I’m planning a Kerala/Tamil Nadu trip and can’t decide between these two spots. We’ll be coming from Madurai by taxi. Munnar seemed perfect for some hiking and great views. But I’ve heard about Idukki, which is less touristy...

So I’d love to hear your experiences to help me choose.

Thanks!

Hey everyone, Just a quick note to clear up a few things you see all over the web about SIM cards when you arrive in Bhutan. Between outdated info and people just making stuff up, it gets confusing fast. Basically, once you’ve picked up your luggage at Paro Airport, TashiCell and Bhutan Telecom have their counters side by side. Prices are the same, but watch out for the detail that trips everyone up:

If you want an eSIM, the airport only sells it with unlimited plans (the pricier ones, around $13–20).

If you want a smaller classic plan with 3 or 5 GB, at the airport it’ll only be a physical SIM.

No need to splurge on international eSIMs before takeoff—the local SIM takes 2 minutes to buy on the spot with your passport. If you want to check the real rates and see photos of the signs at the counter to plan ahead, I found this super clear recap: https://sogdiaroam.com/fr/blog/carte-sim-esim-touriste-bhoutan-aeroport-paro-2026 Just pick the shortest line between the two operators—no need to compare.

Hello,

Can anyone tell me what the current road conditions are like around Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Australian Camp? Thanks! Guylaine

Hi everyone, The "Rometorio" app is super handy—you just enter a departure city and a destination, and it suggests train, bus, and flight routes. For trains, you get the name and number of each one along with the schedules. Plus, it gives you an idea of how long bus and train trips take. Happy travels to all!

Hi everyone, I’d like to visit Mahe with the goal of seeing the 5 former French trading posts. Is it worth it? I get the feeling that northern Kerala is overlooked by tourists—am I wrong? And why? If you’ve got any great tips for guesthouses or hotels in Mahe, I’m all ears. Thanks in advance for your feedback!

Hello! We're a family of 4—3 adults and a 14-year-old. We're seasoned travelers with a passion for science, culture, and history. In short, we love discovering and learning. We'll be in India for 3 weeks, from December 11, 2026 (in Goa) to January 3, 2027 (in Thiruvananthapuram). We're looking for one or more drivers to handle the journey and guides who speak clear, fluent English, French, or Spanish. We'd love guides who are knowledgeable, passionate about their region, and able to answer our countless questions while giving us in-depth insights into the places, rituals, culture, and more. Do you know of such guides or drivers, or have any tips on how to find people who can help us create unforgettable memories? Thank you so much in advance! Cat

Hello, Planning a cruise on the Brahmaputra in January—should we worry about being bothered by those little critters? One of us has allergies. Thanks for your replies

Has anyone been to Kumana Park? Bundala Park? Kalametiya Bird Sanctuary? I'm looking for firsthand experiences—thanks in advance!

Hi there, we're planning to go to Haridwar and Rishikesh in February, either from Delhi or from Amritsar where we'll be beforehand. What's the best way to get there? Driver, private car, train? Your tips would be much appreciated... thanks

Hi there, Our trip to India, starting at the end of October, is taking shape. I’d like to book a hotel in Delhi for our first three nights and another in Amritsar, where we’ll be staying during Diwali. I’ve realized it’s really hard to trust the reviews on Booking. Have any of you stayed at and can recommend mid-range hotels in these two cities? Your feedback could help us decide! Thanks in advance.

Hi, I'm thinking of attending the Nagaur Fair in Rajasthan, which takes place from February 12 to 15, 2027. Has anyone been to this fair? Is it just a livestock market or a real festival with music and dancing? Since it’s quite a detour for me, I wanted to know if it’s worth it. Thanks!

I'm also considering a trip to Sri Lanka. I'm surprised to find so few references to Jaffna in the comments. Does that mean this destination isn't worth it? Thanks for your thoughts!

Hi, Does anyone know if the Banbasa border crossing is open on weekends? Thanks

Yeah, VF, which used to be so responsive, still doesn’t even have a thread about this devastating mudslide that’s ravaged a region of Nepal where hundreds have died and hundreds more are missing (provisional toll). But from the images, we know the number of victims is going to be terrifying. Thoughts to everyone affected, including, according to early reports, many travelers..

Hello,

I’m interested in the 10-day/8-night "Discover Nepal" tour offered by Capitales Tours, among others. For Day 4, it lists Kathmandu-Mugling-Pokhara as 200 km and 8/9 hours of travel. Is this duration due to the road conditions? I assume the stop in Mugling for lunch is included in the travel time.

For Pokhara-Chitwan, only the distance is mentioned: 160 km. Should I expect a long bus ride there as well?

The proposed flights would be with AIR-INDIA via DELHI. We had issues with AIR-INDIA before—they denied us boarding for Paris even though we arrived at the airport more than 3 hours early. There was no specific counter for PARIS; the counters were for all destinations, and we waited in line for over 2.5 hours only to be told "too late"... Thanks for your advice: Mum49 Is it still like this?

Hi everyone,

I’ll be landing in Srinagar on October 23rd. I’ve decided to visit this region of India that I haven’t explored yet to discover new landscapes and, especially, their crafts. I don’t have anything planned so far. I’ll be staying for about two weeks before heading back to Pushkar. I’d love any tips you can share—small towns or villages to visit, ideas for affordable and authentic accommodations, workshops to check out, and so on. I’m open to all your suggestions! I might head toward Jammu, where a host has offered to put me up for a few days. Thanks in advance, and take care!

Hello, We are two couples of friends aged between 65 and 70. Do you have a local agency or a local French-speaking driver-guide to recommend for a trip around Sri Lanka between February 14 and March 14, 2027? We’re open to any tips for our trip. The reviews and advice for agencies found on the forum are several years old. Thanks for your help.

Hello, We’ve already traveled to India twice before, but only for two-week stretches (2013, a loop from Mumbai including Hampi, and in 2019, Tamil Nadu). This time, we’re leaving at the end of October for nearly three months of travel—something completely new for us! We’ll arrive in Delhi and depart from Bangalore. Our goal is to explore Northern India and then head down to Kerala, taking a maximum of one flight and prioritizing trains.

Traveling for this long should let us plan longer stops to slow down the pace and fully enjoy our trip...

What are the places you’ve loved with this in mind? I’ve already thought of Gokarna... Do you have any other suggestions, especially in Northern India? Thanks in advance for your tips!

Hi, I’m looking for an organized tour in Northern India that goes through Agra (of course!) over about twenty days, prioritizing 2-day stops given the long distances or flights. So far, my search has led me to these tours: Intimate Rajasthan + Ganges Valley Intimate Rajasthan and Goa Confidential Rajasthan + Goa circuit The number of kilometers is still pretty overwhelming and a bit scary. Thanks for your feedback! bcricri14

Hi there! 🙂

We’re heading to Sri Lanka for 23 days in January 2027—there are four of us—and we’ll wrap up the trip with 5 days in Mumbai. Our itinerary is coming together, but what do you think? (We can’t change the dates since our flights are already booked.)

We still have one night to slot in, and I’ve tentatively planned it in Tangalle, though it was a bit random. Would it make more sense to place it at a different stop? Or is there an intermediate stop I might be missing?

I’ve got accommodations sorted everywhere except Mumbai—it’s a nightmare (either way too expensive or really dodgy). By default, we’ve spotted the Residency Hotel Fort, but 70 € a night (with a discount) for a hotel that doesn’t offer anything special in India?!

Thanks so much for your help!

Hello everyone, we got back from our trip to Kashmir and Ladakh three weeks ago. We spent 4 weeks there, including one in Kashmir. We’re really happy with our stay in Srinagar and Sonamarg. The Kashmiris gave us a very warm welcome and seemed pleased to see tourists who weren’t Indian. In fact, over the 4 days we spent in Srinagar, we only saw 4 people who looked European... Srinagar is stunning with its lakes and the lively Mughal gardens. No trouble getting around, whether by shikara, rickshaw, taxi, or on foot. The houseboats are gorgeous, unfortunately controlled by consortiums. We took a taxi to Sonamarg (20 €).

Sonamarg (two nights) and its glacier are easy to explore, either on horseback or on foot, but it’s becoming a leisure spot for Indians. To get to Ladakh afterward, we opted for a private taxi (quite expensive at 100 €, but the road is long). Since we’re a couple, it allowed us to stop whenever we wanted... and the route is beautiful all the way to Lamayuru, with our first snow-covered pass under snow when we crossed around May 21st. Then we stopped in Mulbek and Kargil before arriving in Lamayuru (three nights). We took another taxi to Alchi (26 €), spent one night there, and took the local bus at around 8 AM to Leh (3 €, a comfortable one-hour ride). We arrived in Leh around 9:30 AM, and Gyatsel from Tsarap Guesthouse came to pick us up with our backpacks. His guesthouse is located 500 meters from the market square in Leh, in a quiet little alley with no traffic. We highly recommend it because Gyatsel is invaluable for arranging taxis and organizing off-agency circuits...

His accommodation is super comfortable, and he cooks with vegetables from his garden. His wife also helps out... It’s Gyatsel’s mother who tends the garden. Through him, we arranged permits for the Nubra Valley up to Turtuk, then the Pangong and Tso Moriri lakes (we didn’t do the latter due to snow overnight!). We also crossed the Changtang (magnificent) to reach Thiksey, Stakna, Hemis, and returned to Leh. Six days in a private taxi (400 €). Since the roads were clear, we headed to Zanskar for 5 days in a shared taxi (28 € round trip for both of us). The route from Leh to Zangla follows the Zanskar gorges (impressive!).

We discovered Padum, Pibiting, Karsha, and Puktal, which you can reach via a small 7 km road and a 45-minute walk to finish, plus the sacred summit on the way to Manali.

Back in Leh, we extended our permit to visit the Aryan Valley by taxi (round trip, two days, 90 €). We spent our last two days resting in Leh—the altitude is really tiring...

I’m sharing these taxi prices as a guide for a couple. Accommodation ranged from 12 € in Leh to 30 € at Pangong Lake (the most expensive), but averaged around 15-17 € per night.

We’re not trekkers, but we love walks, discovery, and meeting people along the way. It was an amazing trip, and we even discovered a very old monastery a few kilometers before Lamayuru, where a monk took us—timeless...

I’m sharing these details because it’s hard to find precise information about Kashmir.

Hi everyone!

I’m planning a short visit to Pokhara around mid-February 2027 (it’ll be my 4th time in Nepal 😊, over 40 years!). I’d like to book a room in advance rather than looking when I arrive. I’ve checked a bit on Bxxking.com and see lots of options. I’m used to scoping out the surroundings of places listed, just to avoid ending up in areas that are either unappealing or far from everything.

So, I see quite a few offers around the lake (Lakeside?), but every time I check what it looks like, the streets seem really uninviting. It’s kind of like a construction site with buildings everywhere… Nothing like Bhaktapur (for example) or even Thamel, where the streets seem way more pleasant.

Could anyone give me some advice?

Also, I don’t really get the impression that Pokhara is worth a visit of several days. The lake, sure, but once you’ve seen it—what else is there?

Hi everyone, I’m heading to Assam and I’d like to know what type of electrical adapter I need—is it M or D, or both? Thanks

Hi there, I think you're on the right track—you plan the itinerary and book the rooms in advance, and that’s it. Not only do you save time, but you also know where you’ll be staying each night. Choosing well on Booking (or elsewhere) is actually a pleasure! For safaris, given the number of jeeps with drivers available, it’s unlikely you’ll be turned away... the real issue is more about the concentration of jeeps around the animals. I travel like you do—train, bus, tuk-tuk, and sometimes taxi. Ride-hailing apps like PickMe and other VTCs are mostly in big cities. For the mountain train, due to severe flooding, service was interrupted on the line between Kandy and Ella. Check ahead, because reservations for this train are very complicated, if not impossible. For the Colombo/Kandy train, you reserve your seats by buying the ticket before boarding. In the south, no need to book in advance for trains. In Sri Lanka, there’s always a solution for getting around—just ask your hosts. They have trusted contacts at their fingertips. But still, compare prices—😏 smart move! I stick to booking my nights and keep pre-planned activities to a minimum. For reservations you can’t skip, it’s the beach stays you’ll want to secure.

Hello,

I’m heading to Sri Lanka for 3 weeks in July with my two 11-year-old kids, and I’m wondering about how to organize the trip. We’re used to traveling on the go, staying 1 to 2 or 3 nights per place depending on how we feel.

Do you recommend planning the itinerary and booking accommodations in advance to save time once we’re there? Or is it pretty easy to organize everything as we go without any issues?

Same question for activities: Should we book safaris and tours ahead of time, or can we arrange them easily on the spot? Is there a risk of not getting a spot, for example, to visit a park since we’ll be there in July?

We’ll be using local transport (train, VTC via PickMe, tuk-tuk) to get from one place to another.

In short: Are there any must-book things we should reserve now? So far, I only have the flight tickets!

Thanks in advance for your help! 😊

It seems there’s a ferry from Nagapattinam to Jaffna in India. Has anyone here taken this ferry before? My main question is how to get to Nagapattinam—by train, bus? And from which town further south, of course. Thanks, friends!

Gaston

Hi there, We just got back from a 2-week trip to Sri Lanka as a couple, and while planning the trip, we found plenty of info on the itinerary, places to see, and transportation, but much fewer clear reports on the actual budget to expect once there. Yet, that was an important point for us because we like to plan ahead a little before traveling. So, we took the time to break down our complete budget after the trip. In our case, we spent around **930 € per person** for 2 weeks, being careful without depriving ourselves, mixing guesthouses, more comfortable hotels, quite a few activities, and even a private driver for part of the stay. What we found interesting when crunching the numbers is that in Sri Lanka, it’s not necessarily meals or short trips that blow the budget, but rather flights, certain accommodations, cultural activities, and all those little expenses we sometimes forget, like tips. If this can help other travelers get a better idea, we’ve put everything together on our blog with our experience, a detailed breakdown of expenses, and practical info on money while there, withdrawals, and tipping: https://aventures-sans-mesaventure.com/budget-sri-lanka-pour-un-voyage-de-2-semaines/

Happy travels and enjoy your adventure! !

Hi there,

I’m trying to find out if it’s still possible to travel from Mumbai to Goa by ferry or any other sea route. My search results aren’t very clear, and if it *is* possible, I can’t figure out where to book... If anyone has any info, I’d really appreciate it—thanks in advance!

Have a great day,

Virginie

Hi there,

We’re planning a trip to Nepal and would love to do a helicopter tour to Everest with Namche Heli Service. Has anyone here used this agency? I can’t seem to find any reviews online. Thanks in advance!

Kloki

Hey fellow travelers,

I’m spending two weeks studying Hindi in the mornings in Delhi, in the Hauz Khas neighborhood. What spots should I check out in this area? Any cafés to chill at? How do I get to other parts of Delhi? By rickshaw? Is it easy to negotiate the price upfront?

Thanks in advance. 😊 Marlène