Foreign lady visiting India - concerns about safety and security

Hi lovely ILites!

I will be visiting India in January to meet up with my fiance. The original plan was to meet in Bangalore since he will also be attending a scientific conference there, but a friend told us that "there isn't much to see in Bangalore" (peace ladies! this is just what we heard from a friend). Hence, suggestions such as touring Pondicherry or Kerala or Hyderabad using Bangalore as a jump-off point were floated about , rather than treating Bangalore as the main destination and spending several days there.

Which of these three places (Pondicherry/Kerala/Hyderabad) would you recommend, bearing in mind that I am a foreigner and a female at that? I have heard of this problem of "eve-teasing" and I just want to make sure that I go to a place where I can move about freely and without fear of guys "accidentally" bumping into me. Also, which of the three places mentioned above are the "most liberal/cosmopolitan" so to speak? And can I wear Western clothes (jeans/ loose shirts; nothing skimpy or lewd of course) in any of the three places referred to without giving the wrong impression? Should I wear a fake wedding ring (I read this in one of the travel forums on the Internet) as a safety measure?

Your input is most welcome. You can also suggest other places for us to visit if you so desire. We are also open to going north (Delhi, Jaipur, etc) but fear that it might be more expensive (is it really?)

Thank you so much for taking the time to read. I look forward to your replies.

Hi Janice,

It is a misinformation that you dont have much to see in Bangalore. There is so much to see.

Please visit the below sites and you can decide what you would like to see.

Bangalore | Bengaluru | Garden City | Bangalore Tourism | Silicon Valley Of India - Karnataka.com

V I R T U A L B A N G A L O R E . C O M - Bangalore: Tourism

--:: Karnataka Tourism :: -

Bangalore / Pondicherry / Hyderabad / Kerala in this order are liberal. You can certainly wear jeans / loose shirts in india on the whole.

Hi Malathy,

Thanks very much! I will check out the links you provided. Are you from Bangalore, by any chance ? :)

Hi Janice,

No dear, am from Chennai based in Dubai.

Janice137

I would say Pondicherry would be a good choice for a first visit for foreigners. I have never been there myself, but from all I've heard and read, I would recommend it to anyone. You can find more information here at the Pondicherry Tourism website.

There's also lots of things to see in and around Bangalore and Hyderabad, and of course, Kerala. However, I suggest Pondicherry, or Puducherry as it's now called, because it already has a good foreigner presence, owing to it's connection with the French. So you would feel comfortable wearing your regular clothes without being gawked at. Of course, if you have more time, you could always see both Bangalore and Pondicherry.

I would not advice you to travel or go siteseeing alone, especially if this is your first trip to India. A fake wedding ring will not help you. Happy touring!

Hi,

I would recommend Kerala. You can spend a few days at a resort - it will be a nice experience. The north (Agra / Rajasthan / Delhi) is good too. If you are travelling alone, the south is a better option. There is much to see and do in India. Overall it should be safe, but do avoid going out alone in the late evenings or to restaurants etc where you may attract unwarranted attention. Jeans, trousers, long skirts etc are perfectly acceptable - a lot of Indian women wear these. Have a good trip!

Hi Janice,

If you are going to be touring with your fiance, you can go to any of the places. On the other hand if you want to visit places on your own, you might want to check for tourist agencies. You will be in a group and can enjoy the sites safely.

Originally Posted by Jyothisri

Pondicherry...good choice for a first visit for foreigners...good foreigner presence, owing to it's connection with the French.

A colleague once told me Puduchery is clean and decent. Isn't there like a "separate" beach for "foreigners"? (so, are expats foreigners? it'd be fun to imagine a cabana at the entrance to a beach where they check your passport/nationality! lol). But if that's true, should one be concerned? I mean, is it under supervision to prevent visitors from getting mugged (from ambitious local vendors or unruly youth/mobs/drunks etc.,)? Or maybe it's probably just a piece of exclusive beachfront owned by some five-* property..?
Can't comment on the quality and status of the beaches there, but if you are a beach and sand and sun and watersports kind of person, Goa awaits - and it's cheap when you are paying in SIN$s (but you are with your fiance ofcourse, so it's his rightful duty ;))! I think it gets only slightly colder in Goa compared to the south
---------

Originally Posted by Mythraeyi

Kerala. The north (Agra / Rajasthan / Delhi) is good too. Jeans, trousers, long skirts etc are perfectly acceptable - a lot of Indian women wear these. Have a good trip!

+1 to everything you mentioned! Can't agree more - Kerala has a good mix of everything, and it won't be as expensive as a trip to the North. And everyone is 'literate' there :). Jan could be a busy season there though, I'm guessing.

I was typing a lot more when my browser decided to restart, bah! I'll just try to list out points wise:
--

My personal inputs:

Hyd: umm what's there, fake pearls? Nizams and their museums, and not much else on par with int'l standards. Esp the people :).

Bangalore: well it's a city so there's not too many uniquely 'incredible-y india'-nly indian things to do there unless you leave the city. There's Munnar (tea plantations)/mangalore, Hampi/the Jog falls (kind of a long trip out of your way just for those...:) ), Mysore (the palace and the garden by the river!), and there's a forest a couple hours from the city - could be romantic (for cheap too, log cabins and all ;)!).

Within the city: 'foreigner-friendly' Malls lol (good time to unwind there), as well as exploring the area aruond MG/Brigade Road/Church St. 23rd(?) floor of the Public Utility bldg (i think?) on M.G Road offers nice pano views (free!).
Cuisine is good - tons of restaurants of all kinds. Only a handful of decent international ones (for eg, the Japanese one off of Brigade Rd - really expensive but it's SO worth it!)
The new Express ('volvo') buses are fast, safe, convenient, no crowds.

Dress: If you are dressed for the occasion, you should be fine and won't attract much -ve attention. Januaries in B'lore are supposedly cold-ish (coming from Singapore, which is tropical, you might find it cold...or is S'pore cold because of the cold fronts coming in from the ocean?), so dress comfy, wear a jacket or a windcheater over it. Although showers (if any) last barely 3-5 mins, umbrellas are lifesavers!

I have to add that Bangaloreans are the least-inconveniencing bunch in the South - less staring, gossiping (is that the word?) at a minimum, only non-serious minor interaction, friendly!

eve teasing: Eh? Stare back at him and he'd crawl into his shell or step back, even if there are 10 of them and only one of you :). Seriously, the local women are tougher; You are a woman, right? They check you and your jewelry out longer and usually have a ready comment or two about your hair-do, looks, or choice of clothes, albeit friendly or neutral.

My Verdict: If money if no object, nothing beats a trip to Rajasthan! You can top it off with a trip to Shimla but maybe you'd be biting off a bit too much with that. It just is a rich, complete experience in itself! Kerala comes a close 2nd and is cheap and scored well overall, esp around January as mentioned earlier (might get cold in the deserts).

North to me sounds rigid and inaccessible. I feel that the South can be explored at your own pace, be it Pondicherry, Kerala or around Bangalore. More customizable trip options are available or you can just plan something on the fly, limit it to what you want (since you can pick what you want, do a little each day for the # of days you have), rent a car and travel independently without much hassle.

Or, you can go to/include a trip to Goa, and since there's not much to plan or travel around there, you can just relax and catch up. If you do, let me know, I might know some people :)!

Hope this clears some confusion.
-----
ps: Is your fiance Indian/well versed with the practices there? If so, you are in good hands and nothing to worry. How old are you both (if you are too young, don't travel too much - carry pre-ordered/packaged food on train journeys and don't socialize too much, don't share too much info (or stare!) - be 'unseen'!). How long is your trip for?