en pleine préparation de notre itinéraire de tour du monde, nous réfléchissons sérieusement à passer par les Maldives. En effet, nous allons passer un mois et demi à faire des projets humanitaires au Sri Lanka et nous nous disons qu'une petite semaine de repos sur de si belles îles sera sans doute bienvenue pour souffler un peu avant d'attaquer les projets dans le pays suivants (et puis, avouons-le, cette destination nous fait rêver)...
Mais nous nous posons deux questions:
- nous serions aux Maldives à la mi-septembre. J'ai cru comprendre que c'est loin d'être la saison idéale point de vue climatique. Qu'en pensez-vous?
- N'y a-t-il que des îles-hôtel ou certaines sont-elles encore habitées? Y a-t-il par exemple des chambres d'hôtes ou d'autres moyens de se loger que dans des hôtel all-in? car si nous avons la possibilité de découvrir ce pays d'un autre point de vue que celui hôtelier, nous n'hésiterons pas une minute!
Bonjour!
tout dépend de ce que vous cherchez tout les deux! et du budget (souvent la question qui fâche... spécialement aux Maldives!)
Même si les guesthouses ou petits hotels sur les îles locales sont souvent bien moins chers que les resorts (îles-hotel), les Maldives, ça reste un budget. Pour se rendre sur une île, il faut un transfer de Male' (la capitale, là où vous allez atterrir... et encore c'est pas tout à fait exact puisque l'île où se situe l'aéroport se situe juste en face de Male', à 10 minutes de bateau.)
Transfer qui se fait:
- soit par dhoni (bateau traditonnel, utilisé pour des courtes distances, pas cher)
- soit par speed boat (distances un peu plus longues et beaucoup plus cher, l'essence n'est pas peu chère aux Maldives)
- soit par hydravion (hors de prix en général, distances couvertes plus longues, les prix et les horaires ne dépendent absolument pas de l'hôtel)
- soit par avion domestique pour les îles les plus éloignées de Male' (cher aussi, vont là où les hydravion ne peuvent pas aller car les hydravions doivent avoir assez d'essence disponible dans leur réservoir pour pouvoir retourner à leur point de départ sans amerrir en cas de problème.)
Le plus proche de Male' je pense sera l'île de Maafushi (plein de guesthouses sur cette île.)
Sinon l'atoll d'Ari (Sud et Nord) que tu trouveras aussi sous les nom d'Alifu alifu atoll et d'Alifu Dhaalu atoll, est un des plus développé en terme de tourisme (avec Male' atoll) et donc un des plus facile d'accès. Plein d'îles-hotel et de guesthouses. (google "guest house Maldives", tu auras l'embarras du choix!) J'ai entendu parler de Casa-Mia dans l'atoll d'Ari Nord (je pense un peu plus cher qu'une guesthouse classique cependant.)
Ou vous pouvez choisir de descendre tout au sud, Addu atoll avec l'Equator Village par exemple (je n'y ai jamais mis les pieds, mais j'ai entendu de bons commentaires sur l'endroit.)
Determinez ce que vous voulez faire.
=> De la détente, sur une plage de sable blanc, un cocktail ou une bière en main? n'oubliez pas que sur une île locale (à la différence des îles-hôtel) l'alcool est interdit, ainsi que les bikinis sur les plages publiques (il faut donc se renseigner auprès des hôtels/guesthouses pour savoir s'ils possèdent une plage privée, si la question du bikini est un problème pour vous; je ne juge pas, chacun envisage ses vacances comme il le veut, seulement, il faut se préparer correctement :-) )
=> De la plongée? du snorkeling? ou des activités? il vous faut donc savoir si l'hôtel/guesthouse que vous choisirez à un centre de plongée et/ou de watersports, ou s'il y en a un sur l'île avec lequel l'hôtel collabore. Lorsque la question ne se pose pas pour les îles-hôtel, il vaut mieux poser la question pour les îles locales. (se renseigner sur les prix et la structures! on peut avoir des surprises...)
=> Découverte de la culture? il vous faut donc sélectionner un endroit ou l'artisanat est encore fort; dans certains endroits, malheureusement ça se perd complètement. L'île de Thulhaadhoo dans l'atoll de Baa aparemment conserverait encore une tradition assez forte d'artisanat local.
Certains atolls comme Laamu atoll (aussi sous le non d'Haddhunmathi atoll) peuvent-être intéressants pour les ruines bouddhistes; ne vous attendez pas à des ruines extraordinaires cependant! beaucoup ont été détruites ou complètement enfouies et mis à part si vous êtes des fanas d'archéologie, ça peut être assez décevant.
Beaucoup de "peut-être" et "d'éventuellement"... malgré le fait que j'ai vécu 3 ans dans ce beau pays, je ne connais pas toutes les îles ni tous les atolls... c'est un sacré budget que de vouloir tous les visiter, même si j'aurais aimé!
Préparez vous à manger épicé sur une île locale ^_^ le piment maldivien est très fort. Il faut aller dans un petit café local, et manger les petits en-cas (bon si vous n'aimez pas épicé, le poisson et la noix de coco, ça va compliquer les choses ^_^ ) après le Sri-Lanka et autres pays du même genre, votre estomac devrait s'être habitué :-)
Epaules couvertes pour les filles et bas pas trop courts, pas de torse nu pour les homme. Des tongs ou sandales (ça paraît étrange à dire, mais j'ai eu des touristes débarquant sans chaussures d'été, pensant qu'ils pourrait marcher pieds nus partout... ce qui n'est pas le cas sur les îles locales.)
Les maldiviens peuvent paraître timides et/ou fiers... ce qui est vrai. Ils viendront rarement les premiers à vous. Mais après un sourire et un "hello" ils deviennent beaucoup plus chaleureux (ou "as salam alaikum", il n'y a pas de mot en Dhivehi -langage des Maldives- pour bonjour... comme pour au revoir d'ailleurs ^_^ le plus souvent c'est "Ok, dani" en gros "bon j'y vais" suivi du départ quasi immédiat de la personne, ça surprend les premières fois!)
Pour finir, car je pourrais en mettre encore des tartines, il y a en gros 18% de taxes aux Maldives en général; si ça n'a pas augmenté, 8% de GST (équivalent de la TVA en gros) et 10% de "Service Charge" (qu'on peut qualifier de pourboire obligatoire) lui aussi taxé à 8% de GST. Ah oui, et aussi US$8.00 de "bed tax" par nuit et par personne (souvent déjà inclus dans le prix de la chambre.)
Exemples:
Une nuit à US$100 (bed tax incluse) pour 2
+ 10% (US$10.00)
= US$110
+8% (US$8.80)
=US$118.80
Une sortie snorkeling à US$30
+10%
= US$33.00
+8%
=US$35.64
Mais, une bouteille d'eau achetée à la superette du coin n'aura pas de service charge (mais toujours la GST), alors qu'une boisson achetée dans l'hôtel/guesthouse/resort aura le service charge ajouté.
Donc, il faut lire les petites lignes, ce qui est inclus dans le prix et ce qui ne l'est pas concernant ces différentes taxes. Certains hôtels n'ont pas de service charge, certains sont à 5%, la plupart à 10%.
Lorsque je comprends que le "pourboire obligatoire" peut agacer, il faut dire aussi que les européens ne sont pas célèbres pour leurs pourboires (c'est vrai que ça n'est pas vraiment dans notre culture de laisser plus que le change) et que lorsqu'on travaille dans l'industrie du service, les pourboires ça arrondi bien les fins de mois!
un énorme merci pour cette réponse très détaillée! j'ai pris beaucoup de plaisir à lire ton "roman" et je trouve ce que tu as écrit très intéressant. Cela nous guidera bien dans le choix de notre parcours!!
Tu m'as bien fait rire avec l'histoire des tongs que les touristes oublient!!
pas de problème pour les épaules couvertes, pas de bikinis... si on va à la rencontre des locaux, ce n'est pas pour les choquer ou ne pas respecter leur façon de vivre! il y a bien suffisamment d'autres endroits où l'on peut sortir le bikini!!
Bonjour
Nous avons fait cet été 2 iles habitées en famille et je garde un super souvenir du Kuri inn à Omadhoo. Elle est accessible en ferry (peu couteux mais long) ou en speed boat (trés puissant) pour 15 euros tête (ce que nous avons fait et que nous refairions). Le personnel du kuri inn est vraiment super, la cuisine trés bonne et copieuse, tout est trés propre et on s'y sent bien : 180 euros la pension complète + 1 activité par jour (pour 2 personnes) snorkelling sympa à partir de la plage . Nous avons adoré nos 5 nuits passées là bas et sômmes partis le coeur lourd, on yserait bien resté un peu plus. Avis plus mitigé sur notre 2éme ile Diffushi où nous avons logé au happy life. La plage est certes trés belle mais pas de snorkelling proche, ce qui est dommage.
je viens de regarder un peu plus en détails et ça m'a l'air très intéressant, vraiment un grand merci pour tuyau! dans notre budget et pas trop loin de Malé et des sites de plongée, parfait! on retient l'idée!
Si vous allez au Kuri inn et que vous vous entendez bien avec les autres pensionnaires n'hésitez pas à faire des propositions de sorties à Ismael, il s'adapte. personnellement nous y avons rencontré des espagnols trés sympas. on a commencé par demander à ne faire qu'une seule grande table pour les repas (ce qui était plus convivial) et on a pas du tout respecté le planning des activités réalisé par la Guest house. Chaque soir on se concertait et en fonction du temps (ou de la migration des mantas ou du requins baleine, car parfois ils ne sont pas loin d'omadhoo) on proposait ce que nous aimerions faire et Ismael se débrouillait pour le réaliser même s'il n'était pas vraiment habitué à ça il était enchanté de l'ambiance du groupe et à notre départ il était trés ému. Adnan qui est le responsable des sortie est un gars super et trés pro. Nous avons fait une sortie requins, 1 sortie mantas oû nous ne les avons pas vues mais en revanche on a vu les dauphins ce jour là, une sortie plongée, 1 sortie snorkelling où nous avons vu une tortue et on a voulu pour le dernier jour réessayer les mantas car Adnan nous a dit qu'on les lui avait signalées mais beaucoup plus loin, il fallait privatiser un speed boat. Nous étions 9 donc ok pour le prix car on a juste rajouté un supplément par rapport au forfait activité du Kuri inn. Et là... nager avec les Mantas était magique. Il y a aussi des sorties pêche, île déserte, île resort si vous préférez mais nous on était venu pour l'océan et ses trésors. La plage est à moins de 5 min et vous pouvez vous baigner en bikini (prévoir toutefois de vous couvrir avec un paréo pour traverser le village). Les habitants sont plutôt timides (car encore peu habitués aux touristes) et répondent plus facilement à un "esalam alekoum" qu'à un " Hello". Je ne connait pas quelle est la météo car vous y allait. Pour nous en août c'était parfait. N'oubliez pas une bonne créme solaire.
Tenez nous au courant si vous allez au Kuri inn et passez le bonjour a Ismael et Adnan de la part de la famille de français (Alain et Corinne Diez avec leur 2 grandes filles. car on est une famille de grands) qui étaient là en même temps que des espagnols au mois d'août. Je suis sûr qu'ils se souviendront.
Nous ne manquerons pas de passer votre bonjour si nous nous rendons jusque là! Vos excursions ont l'air d'avoir été supers et cela donne quelques idées! Les hôtes ont l'air d'être vraiment très agréables 🙂 je pense que si nous poussons le voyage jusqu'aux Maldives, nous nous arrêterons clairement au Kuri Inn, il répond à tout ce que nous cherchons!
Hi, I d like to stay on several islands in the Maldives solo with a budget of under 120 for 2 people per day for accommodation and food. I m not including…
Hi there, we re heading to Sri Lanka for two weeks next February and plan to stop over in the Maldives for about 4 days. Which islands/accommodations can you…
Hi there, I have my flight to Malé from February 3rd to 15th. I want to visit Malé first, then head to 2 or 3 nearby islands. I d like to take the ferry to…
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 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, 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!
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?!
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?
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?
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,
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 there,
I’m planning a trip to Bangladesh for tourism during All Saints' Day 25. The government website is pretty discouraging! I’d love to hear from people living there or who’ve been recently before I buy my tickets.
How’s the security level and feasibility of a circuit (boat, train, bus around the country)? We’re used to basic conditions :)
Thanks in advance for your tips!
Cécile
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.
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
Practical tips from my 105 days of erratic wandering in India
Day 1 (10/10/2006): arrived in Mumbai around noon. Bus No. 338 5 Rs + 5 Rs (bag) 20' to Andheri station. Train 6 Rs to Dadar. Train 41 Rs to Lonavla 2h30 Hotel Chandralok 500 Rs **
Day 2: bike rental 7 Rs/h (too expensive, normal price 2-3 Rs/h) visit to the caves of Bhaja and Karla.
Day 3: train 28 Rs to Pune 1h20 Hotel National 416 Rs *
Day 4: train 141 Rs (with reservation) to Satara 2h45 Hotel Sagar 364 Rs **
Day 5: bus 110 Rs to Pandharpur 4h Hotel Aishwarya 450 Rs ***
Day 6: bike rental 2 Rs/h
Day 7: bus 125 Rs to Ahmadnagar 4h20 Hotel Parijat 250 Rs *
Day 8: train 151 Rs (!ticket for a mini 600 km trip!) to Jalgaon 5h30 Hotel Plaza 200 Rs **
Day 9: round-trip bus 38 Rs to Ajanta 1h30 + shuttle 6 Rs 5' Site entrance 250 Rs
Day 10: train 47 Rs to Khandwa 3h + bus 40 Rs to Omkareshwar 2h Ganesh G.H. 150 Rs *
Day 11 to 13: Omkareshwar
Day 14: bus 35 Rs to Maheshwar 2h45 Akashdeep Rest House 200 Rs **
Day 15: bus 8 Rs to Dhamnod 20' bus 20 Rs to crossroads 14 km from Mandu 1h40 bus 9 Rs to Mandu 20' Ram Mandir Dharamshala 100 Rs + 5 Rs for hot water *
Day 16: bike rental 3 Rs/h
Day 17: bus 50 Rs to Indore 4h Hotel Neelam 209 Rs
Day 18 to 20: Indore + round-trip bus 30 Rs to Ujjain 1h45
Day 21: train 82 Rs to Bhopal 5h30 Hotel Ranjeet 358 Rs *
Day 22: train 10 Rs to Sanchi 1h20 Jaiswal Lodge 200 Rs + 15 Rs for hot water! *
Day 23 and 24: visit to Sanchi + bike rental to visit the caves of Udayagiri
Day 25: train 69 Rs to Jhansi 5h + tempo 5 Rs to bus station + tempo 10 Rs + 5 Rs (bag) to Orccha 25' Sri Mahant G.H. 200 Rs **
Day 26 and 27: bike rental + train 20 Rs to Datia 30' + bemo 6 Rs to city center. Return bus 15 Rs 1h15
Day 28: bus 100 Rs to Khajuraho 4h Yogi Lodge 150 Rs **
Day 29: bike rental 30 Rs/day to visit the temples
Day 30: bus 70 Rs to Satna 4h + train 56 Rs to Jabalpur 3h Hotel Banjara 350 Rs **
Day 31: bike rental 2 Rs/h and visit to the Marble Rocks (50 km round trip)
Day 32: bus 50 Rs to Mandla 3h Hotel Satyam 250 Rs ** Round-trip bus 15 Rs to Ramnagar 1h15
Day 33: bus 60 Rs to Dindori 4h + bus 45 Rs to Amarkantak 3h (hellish road) Sarvodya Lodge 250 Rs °
Day 34: Amarkantak
Day 35: bus 25 Rs to Pendra Road 1h30 + train 120 Rs + 109 Rs (reservation) to Nagpur 8h Hotel Grand 257 Rs **
Day 36 and 37: bike rental + round-trip 25 Rs to Ramtek 1h40
Day 38: train 141 Rs + 125 Rs to Hyderabad 10h Hotel 3 Castles 200 Rs ° + Hotel Suhail 200 Rs °
Day 39 to 41: stay in Hyderabad
Day 42: train 48 Rs to Warangal 3h30 Hotel Surya 410 Rs **
Day 43: 60 Rs to Vijayawada 4h15 Hotel Sindhuri 275 Rs **
Day 44: round-trip bus 21 Rs to Amaravati 2h
Day 45: train 98 Rs to Visakhapatnam 7h30! (normally 6h) Hotel Sri Sampath Residency 250 Rs **
Day 46: train 111 Rs + 95 Rs to Puri 11h30 Travellers Inn 100 Rs ° + Hotel Z 300 Rs ***
Day 47 to 52: Puri + round-trip to Konarak
Day 53: train 38 Rs to Bhubaneshwar 1h15 Hotel Upasana 275 Rs *
Day 54: train 70 Rs to Balasore 4h bus 26 Rs to Baripada 1h40 Hotel Ambika 225 Rs °
Day 55: bus 25 Rs to Balasore 1h40 train 66 Rs + 68 Rs to Calcutta 6h30 Hotel Paragon 270 Rs * Hotel Crystal 350 Rs **
Day 56 to 62: Calcutta
Day 63: 60 Rs to Bishnupur 5h Hotel Monalisa 200 Rs *
Day 64: stay in Bishnupur no bike rental!
Day 65: bus 20 Rs to Bankura 1h30 bus 20 Rs to Durgapur 1h15 bus 28 Rs to Bolpur 2h15 Hotel Nisa 150 Rs *
Day 66 and 67: visit to Bolpur/Shantiniketan. Refused bike rental at ... 100 Rs/day!!! (Communist state of Bengal!!!)
Day 68: bus 20 Rs to Sainthia bus 35 Rs to Baharampur 4h30 bus 7 Rs to Murshidabad 40' Hotel Manjusha 350 Rs **
Day 69: bike lent by the friendly hotel owner and visit to Murshidabad
Day 70: bus 8 Rs to Baharampur 35' bus 60 Rs to Malda 6h (hellish road) Hotel Pratapaditya 231 Rs **
Day 71: train 66 Rs + 70 Rs to New Jalpaiguri 4h Hotel Holydon 250 Rs °
Day 72: train 52 Rs to Darjeeling 9h30! (normally 7h) Hotel Pineridge 500 Rs **
Day 73 to 75: Darjeeling
Day 76: train to New Jalpaiguri 9h30 + overnight train 271 Rs
Day 77: Patna Hotel President 482 Rs **
Day 78: stay in Patna
Day 79: train 18 Rs to Gaya 3h10 tempo 10 Rs to Bodhgaya 30' Deep G.H. 400 Rs!! °°
Day 80: return to Patna
Day 81: round-trip train 36 Rs to Rajgir 4h! (normally 3h)
Day 82: train 75 Rs to Varanasi 5h! (normally 4h) Yogi Lodge 150 Rs *
Day 83 to 87: Varanasi
Day 88: overnight train 310 Rs to Jaipur Evergreen G.H. 250 Rs **
Day 89: bike rental 30 Rs/day round-trip to Amber
Day 90: bus 59 Rs to Sikar 2h30 bus 23 Rs to Fatehpur 1h30 Rajshri Rest House 300 Rs *
Day 91: round-trip bus 12 Rs to Mandawa 30'
Day 92: round-trip bus 17 Rs to Churu 1h30
Day 93: bus 80 Rs to Jaipur 3h30 Evergreen G.H.
Day 94: bus 105 Rs to Bundi 5h30 Shivam G.H. 200 Rs **
Day 95: bike rental 3 Rs/h
Day 96: auto-rickshaw to station 45 Rs 25' train 44 Rs + 50 Rs to Chittorgarh train 21 Rs to Udaipur (total trip 8h) Badi Haveli 330 Rs **
Day 97 to 99: Udaipur + round-trip bus 45 Rs to Ranakpur 3h30
Day 100: bus 143 Rs to Ahmedabad 5h30 Hotel Manila 300 Rs **
Day 101: Ahmedabad
Day 102: bus 99 Rs to Bhavnagar 4h30 Hotel Vrindavan 200 Rs *
Day 103: round-trip bus 22 Rs to Palitana 1h10
Day 104: bus 85 Rs! to Ahmedabad 5h30 + overnight train ? Rs (feels like the end of the trip!)
Day 105 (January 22, 2007): train 6 Rs from Dadar to Andheri 20' + bus 5 Rs + 5 Rs (bag) to International Airport 20'
More figures
British Airways flight price Brussels-London-Mumbai-London-Brussels 576 €
Exchange rate from 55 Rs to 58.6 Rs per euro
Average room price 272 Rs/night
Daily budget 11 €
Chai from 1 Rs (Calcutta-Bengal) to 6/7 Rs (Rajasthan)
Bottle of water from 6 Rs (Udaipur), 8 Rs (Varanasi) to 12/13 Rs
Internet from 8 Rs (Warangal), 10 Rs (Calcutta, Indore, Hyderabad), 20 Rs (often) to 40/60 Rs!! (Rajasthan)
Beer in a restaurant from 85/100 Rs (often) to 150/165 Rs (Varanasi/Udaipur)
More details on request
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.
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!
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.
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!
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!
Hi there.
We’re spending a month in Sri Lanka in March, and we’ll have one week left after leaving Polonnaruwa.
We’re torn between spending it in the Jaffna region or on the east coast between Batticaloa and Trincomalee.
We’re divers, so the east coast appeals to us for snorkeling, beaches, and lagoons—but it seems like late March might not be the best time for that coast. What do you think?
As for Jaffna, the culture of the region, its more authentic feel since it’s less touristy, and the offshore islands all appeal to us too—but it seems far from the rest of the country and harder to access.
We have to choose because we won’t be able to visit both sides, and I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Thanks, Marie
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/
We’re a group of 5 heading to the Everest Base Camp trek in early April. We won’t have a porter or guide—we’re used to hiking independently and have already done the Langtang trek and the Annapurna Circuit (back in 2003!).
I’d love to know if it’s necessary to book lodges in advance or if we’ll easily find availability during this busy season. Also, will we find lodges all along the route between the main stopover villages, or only in those villages? I remember there were plenty everywhere on the Annapurna Circuit. We want to stay as flexible as possible.
We’re heading to India in March 2026 and had planned to visit the parts of the Meenakshi Temple that are open to non-Hindus. However, the temple is currently undergoing major renovations—with all the towers covered in scaffolding—which might really take away from the experience and our stop in Madurai.
After some frustrating and vague online searches, and before we reshuffle our itinerary, I’d love to know—if possible—the most accurate expected completion date for the renovation work.
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!
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?
Hi,
I’m leaving this Saturday for Northern India from 15/02 to 27/02. I’m planning to visit New Delhi, Agra, Chand Baori, Jaipur, Ranthambore, Bundi, Udaipur, and Jodhpur.
What’s the best way to get around?
I was thinking of doing everything by train.
Maybe taking the bus for some stretches?
As for renting a car with a driver, it seems expensive, so I’ve pretty much ruled that out. Unless someone’s got space for the same dates?
We’re heading out in March for this trek. We’re used to hiking and long-distance treks, but this’ll be our first time in Nepal.
QUESTION: People from Nepal are telling us it’s MANDATORY to have guides! Is this true, or is it just agencies trying to get work for their staff?
The Lonely Planet says: "In April 2023, the government announced that every trekker would need to hire the services of a porter or a licensed guide to obtain the TIMS permit. The law isn’t enforced, and by 2025, there were no longer any obligations for teahouse treks."
What do you think? What’s your experience? Thanks for your feedback.
Hi,
I’d like to arrive in India at New Delhi Airport with some cash. I was wondering if the exchange rates at the airport are any good or if it’s best to avoid them (and exchange in the city instead?).
