Bodhgaya?

hi,
just wondering about travelling up the east coast across to Bodhgaya and onto Varanassi.

heard it can get pretty scary.

single, white female.

dont want to spoil trip, have been travelling for two months in india, keen, but cautious.

heidi-australia

Hmm... I don't know. ( ) I hear Andhra Pradesh is nice and off the track but no idea about safety. Should be OK presumably, that is it's not renowned for its banditry or anyhting as far as I know.

Years ago two female friends of mine traveled around Orissa together and had a great time, bicycling the countryside for a few days and so. Try to pick up a copy of Norman Lewis's A Goddess in the Stones somewhere if you go there and if it's still in print, it describes the tribals there and so on, they used it sort of as their guidebook I think. The description at Amazon.com seems to suggest it covers Bihar as well.

There are plenty warnings surrounding Bodhgaya but I think if you just see to it that you have a decent connection in and out of there you should be OK. Don't go wandering around the countryside or get involved in a dodgy nightly rickshaw ride to get there on your own.

Varanasi shouldn't be a problem. There are yearly reports of disappearances so exercise some common sense and don't get involved with dodgy business. Other than that I had a great time there and I hear few people who don't.

Apart from Varanasi this is all from hearsay so... Hopefully others will step in with advice.

Hi,
Welcome to Indiamike.
As Machadinha said there are lots of warning regarding Bodhgaya (Bihar in general), you’ll be able to decide from some old posts like:

1. Travel in Bihar

2. http://www.indiamike.com/india/other-areas-f42/

- Somnath

Bodhgaya in general is a very peacefull place , you should visit it , even at night i haven`t seen anything suspicious although myself as a male traveller try to be carefull. Do the trip but just be carefull at night

I stopped in Bodh Gaya coming from Kolkatta, not sure what way the trains are now but the train we got was at night and we got in early in the morning so was still dark out. We got outside the station and seemed to get a fair bit of hassle, actually felt a bit on edge even though I was with my husband. Got a lift with some Swiss people who worked in a charity there and it was fine. Bodh Gaya itself is very nice and obviously the temple is amazing, we walked all around the area and were fine just that initial experience at the station. It would be great if you had another person with you but to be honest you should be alright on your own, you could always wait inside the station in the ladies waiting area till it got bright if you were worried about getting a rickshaw at night ?

I spent three weeks in Bodh Gaya Jan & Feb of this year. State of Bihar has been effected by political corruption for years. It might be the poorest state in India. Bodh Gaya is safe. Even at night I felt safe walking back & forth from Bodhi Tree. The beggars are very persistent. It is not recommened to travel outside of Bodh Gaya. There are many stories of people being robbed who travel into the country side. There are warnings not to travel at night from the train station. During Jan & Feb. the streets of Bodh Gaya are filled with monks (especially Tibetan monks & nuns from all over the world). Mahabodhi Temple (Bodhi Tree) is a special place not to be missed.