3 WKS DEC/JAN NORTHEAST- thanks in advance!

cadencej

hi there!
my husband and i will be traveling from brooklyn to the northeast of india for 2 1/2- 3 weeks this dec/jan (dates flexible though we need to book very soon).

the places we're looking at are bodhgaya (this one is definite), rishikesh, sunderbans, west bengal hills and orissa. obviously we have to fly in and out of either delhi or kolkata (though i'm also researching whether it's possible to get a NY-kolkata flight via delhi and then use only the delhi-NY leg on the return)--though we'd like to spend as little time as possible in cities.

we are budget to midrange and are looking to make our trip as RELAXED and CLOSE TO A VACATION as possible without sacrificing the experience of india (ie we like adventure and are not interested in westernised anything-no hyatt, no westernized restaurants, no tourist traps, etc). obviously we know one does not go to india to be relaxed, and we expect the trip to be intense, but we're trying to make it as chill and renewing and non-exhausting as possible.

we are interested in nature (especially of the lush variety) and small cities/towns/rural areas and all things hippie-ish. we would like to get to the ganges and a major nature preserve and bodhgaya. we are not interested in touristy sightseeing.

i have the feeling that it is not possible to visit all the places we're interested in within 3 weeks and still have a relaxed trip, because of the geographic distances involved. assuming we preserve bodhgaya no matter what, which and how many of those other places do you think would be good to put on the itinerary (taking into account factors like how easy it is to travel between them via train, including a nature preserve in the itinerary, which places are most relaxing and simultaneously amazing and non-westernized, etc)?

additionally if anyone has any general tips for making india travel easier and more relaxed (i just learned about prearranged airport pickup, for example) they would be much appreciated.

thanks so much in advance for your thoughts and advice! xo

cadencej

as a totally different option, i'm also open to thinking about kerala. given the info about us in the post above, if anyone with experience traveling there thinks kerala might be a better fit, would love to hear your opinions on that too! jessica

atala

Generally it is possible to fly into one city and return from another one. Whether that is possible with Kolkata with international flights is a different story. You mention you don't like cities. But going thru Kolkata and not actually see and experience it, you would miss too much. Kolkata is a beautiful colourful town, inspite of the bad image Mother Theresa gave it. Kolkata has an efficient subway, so you can get around easily and emerge into daylight to take a bath in the crowds and see some beautiful scenes with extremely friendly people. Stay in the Sudder Street and New market area which is where all the Hippies and travellers stay, and make your way from there. The subway is just a block away from there, near the famous Indian museum. (I suggest you stay at the Capital Hotel, which you will probably find in some guidebook. 400-600 Rupees a night, decent rooms, and quiet). Take a taxi and go down to the Ganga (a side arm of the spreading river), and see the Howrah bridge. You can cross the Ganga by boat if you have time. Howrah is the city on the other side, where Kolkata's main railway station is situated. Do not spend more than two days in Kolkata.

You will need to board a train at Howrah to go to Gaya, from where you take a taxi to Bodhgaya. Be sure not to arrive at night in Gaya. there is a train that leaves around 8 am and arrives at Gaya around 3 pm. You still need a reservation for the day trip though. You can get it done after your arrival in K, or any other place in India, at Fairly Place where the railway reservation office of K is located. Look for foreigners ticket reservation office, bring your passport and proof of change of money, or dollars. Ask for Tourist quota, and if all is booked, ask for Emergency quota. There is always some quota (of seats) available, but it may need different authorization.

In Bodhgaya the Bhutan vihara (monastery) is a decent and very nice place to stay. About 250 Rupees per room. Oh, I've just checked your traveling dates again. That is the busy time in Bodhgaya, it's filled with Westerners at that time. But you'll find a place. If you could book one well ahead it would be better though, obviously.

Kerala is entirely different from all of this. why don't you fly into Cochin, spend a few days there at a beach or back water resort and then go to Kolkata. You can take a flight, they are often cheap in the high season, if it does not happen exactly around Xmas and New Year. There are a number of low cost carriers in India.

so far for now.

wonderwomanusa

It's tempting to do too much, but ya know, India will be there for another visit.

I think doing the East Coast of India for a first visit, is great -- Kolkata to Bodhgaya, then back to Kolkata to visit the Sunderbans, Shantiniketan, and then a week or 10 days in Orissa (beach at Puri, temples at Konark, Bhubaneshwar, a side trip to Chilika Lake) and back to Kolkata to fly home.

Save Rishikesh for another visit, when you do Agra, Delhi, Rajasthan, etc.

atala

do you find Shantiniketan worth a visit, really? It is just a bunch of old buildings inefficiently managed...

You know, they want countryside experience, and real village India. there is a famous festival around January 15 at Joydeb, a small village where religious and folk musicians meet and have their performances. Joydeb is named after the famous Jayadeva, the author of the erotic Gita-Govinda, who lived and wrote there many centuries ago. Joydeb is not far from Shantiniketan. But it is hard to find a room there at that time (locally called Makara Sankranti). Hmmm, instead of Shantiniketan I would suggest Ambika Kalna or Nabadwip Dham, where you can see the serene Ganga, Bengali village life and experience some Mother worship at the many temples of Kali and Durga (if that is what you'd like).

cadencej

thank you all for all your advice!
after posting here and on the thorntree boards and hunting down some friends of friends who have spent time in india, i think we are now looking at going to the south this time and doing the north/east in our second trip, in summer, when we have more time. so we are now looking at kerala, mostly, and if we have time some of tamil nadu. i am working on an itinerary now but won't post it here (since the thread is about northeast)--
thank you for taking the time to reply! xo