India Tourist Trap Tips by MichaelFalk1969 Top 5 Page for this destination

autoriksha drivers

To be honest, riksha drivers were not the big problem I expected them to be in South India. The best way to avoid being ripped off by them is asking your hosts beforehand what a realistic price for an inner-city-ride would be, so you get a feel for the price level. You should then either insist on using the meter or - if the riksha doesn`t have one - agree on a fixed price beforehand. Mostly you can`t go wrong if you deduct 10 Rs. from the sum he initially charges (15 rs. being the basic fee for any inner-city travel). The only place where riksha drivers were a serious problem was in Bangalore, where no driver was willing to use a meter and every driver tried to lure you in some shop instead of just taking you from A to B. If a driver offered you a sensible rate there, you could be sure that at some point he would pull out a business card and insist that he take you to his favourite shop ("just looking"). Most would also claim that they only can offer the good rate because it is a "company car" and belongs to the store owner - nonsense. Insist on being taken directly to your destination and reject every attempt to take you to some store. There were other places were the drivers were perfectly honest, especially in Kerala, Mysore, Pondicherry, Thanjavur, I had no problems with them at all.

"fake guides"

Some guides are excellent, and when you have the possibility to hire one (a justified rate would be between 150 and 200 rupies for 1 hour, maybe plus 50 rupies tip if he`s good), take one. The official guides (they usually show some sort of legitimation) are usually good if not very good and speak decent English. I have made good experiences in the Synagogue in Cochi, the Mysore Palace and at the Somnathpur, Chidambaram and Thanjavur temples. Fake guides though can be a nuisance. They have no qualification, speak barely intelligible English and demand outrageous sums for their "services". Always try to talk a little with the guide to get an impression of his qualification and knowledge of English, and agree on a fixed price beforehand.

The worst place considering fake guides is Kanchipuram - I did not meet one legitimate guide, and the ones that offered their services had no clue and mostly demanded "10 Dollars" for a start. In Kanchipuram, reject their services right away, it is not worth it.

popular scams, part one

At MG road in Bangalore, lots of people try to make use of the gullibility of western tourists. One example: An old guy falls into step with me, asks where I come from, where I`m goint to etc. In all other places in South India this can be a genuine friendly approach, but in Bangalore this is probably something that ends with some business proposal. He also mentions that the runs a n orphanage (alarm bells ringing!!!). The old guy asks where I`m going, I say "Cubbon Park". He says he knows a shortcut, and accidentaly his shop is just around the corner ("just looking"). Of course, the way he pointed out was in the wrong direction (I can read a map), and I declined and told him to get lost. Just ignore anyone that tries to approach you on MG road in Bangalore, they will take a no for a no if you`re answer is not too friendly.

popular scams, part two

In Madurai, I was on my way to the Sri Menakshi temple. A guy falls into step with me ("welcome to Madurai"), talks to me and as I reveal my nationality, claims that his father once worked as a tailor in Germany (showing me the business card of some obscure German company). He never ever mentions business or shopping, but shortly before the temple he informs me that the temple is open all day, but the museum will close in 15 minutes, so I should have a look. I follow him reluctantly, knowing what will come next. The so-called "museum" is the "Museum Shop Company", just another local crafts-shop around the temple. I decline to visit and return to the temple.

Mahabalipuram Beach - u/c

Mahabalipuram has some real cultural treasures, but don`t come here fore the beach. There is not one square inch of clean beach, people litter where they stand, and you share the beach with cows and crows that are attracted by the garbage. Not really a place to unwind and relax.

Unique Suggestions: At the souvenir stands on the way to the beach, you get some really nice artwork at the best prices (much cheaper than in the town shops of the tourist center). The initial prices the shopowners demanded here were sometimes so ridiculously low that I didn`t even bother to haggle.

Indian non-sights

India is an incredible country for sightseeing, but some destinations marketed as "sights" are not really that exciting. I´ve made my personal top ten - ranking of Indian non-sights, but this is only my subjective opinion:

1. Mahaballipuram Beach
No square inch of the beach is clean, and swimming is not allowed. What is the point in having a beach then ?
2. Kurisumula Cow Farm
The Indians are obsessed with sucessful cow breeding projects, it seems, but we have cows in Europe, too (maybe not on the roads), so it is not that spectacular.
3. Indo Swiss Cow Project (Munnar area)
see tip 2!
4. Tata Tea Museum Munnar
The guide spoke barely intelligible English and the only thing I understood was that you have to boil tea leaves before drinking - that was not new to me. One of the smallest museums I have ever been to.
5. Matupetty Lake (Munnar area)
A stopover on the way from Munnar to Top Station, crowded with souvenir stands and not really a quiet romantic spot.
6. Echo Point (Munnar area)
Another stopover on the way to Top Station, plenty of tour groups shouting and trying to produce an echo. Quite a dirty spot, much littering and rubbish.
7. Pondicherry Museum
BORING ! BORING ! BORING ! But you can see the bed in which Gouverneur Dupleix once slept. Very exciting.
8. Pondicherry Botanical Garden
Damaged by a cyclone and neglected by its workers who went on strike for some months, this is not the green oasis marketed by the guide books, but rather the opposite.
9. Bangalore Palace
A rip-off at the price, and not many interesting rooms, a kitschy art gallery, but the exterior is worth a photo.
10. Ventakappa Art Gallery Bangalore
For the most part, boring, with some interesting, surreal paintings thrown in. Maybe an option to escape the heat if you have nothing else to do in Bangalore.

renovation of Sri Menakshi Temple Madurai

At the moment (2/09) the Sri Menakshi temple is still in renovation, the temple gate towers (gopurams) are still covered with banana leaves and their colourful decorations cannot be seen. Also, inside the temple some renovation work is still going on. The temple and the activities that can be seen there are still interesting, but if you want to see it in its full glory, you should postpone your visit to a later date and check the status of the renovation on the internet.

Boat Ride - Periyar Lake - u/c

The most popular way to experience Periyar National Park is to do a ride with the tourist boats that cruise for ca. one hour around the lake at different times of the day. Whenever a boat ride starts, the tour boats are rushed by passengers like the last remaining life-boat on the sinking Titanic, as there is free seating. The returning boats are so full that they remind me of the crowded Albanian refugee ships that used to cross the Adriatic to Italy in the 90`s. If you are lucky, you might see some wildlife on the shore, but only in the distance. You need binoculars or a very good camera.

Unique Suggestions: Book a seat on the upper level of the boat. Take a tour in the early morning or late afternoon. Don`t go on weekends.

Bangalore Palace - u/c

The Bangalore Palace - a residence of the Wodeyar Maharajas - looks interesting from the outside, as it is built in an architectural style that reminds of medieval Windsor Castle in England. The interior has some pretty staircases, rooms and courtyards, but also plenty of rooms that are completely rundown and in dire need of renovation. Also, the raja seems to have a very bad taste which shows in the paintings of his art collection. The reason I consider it a tourist trap is that the entry fee is reasonable (200 Rs.), but the photo permit is a rip-off (500 Rs.!). If you want to take photos, this is possibly the most expensive location in South India. For these reasons, my advice would be to skip the place altogether.

Unique Suggestions: Take a photograph of the exterior.

popular scams, part three

Sometimes, riksha drivers will claim that a certain attraction is not open yet and suggest to visit a shop instead to pass the time ("just looking"). In 99% of all cases, this is a lie. Decline and insist that you want to be taken to your destination directly. They will take a no for a no.