Some Insights and Info on Varanasi Trip

kjluke

For a 3 day trip, I took the train from Lucknow to Varanasi on a Wednesday night (10/4/08) not knowing if I would like the city or not; largely based on posts here, other reading and talks with others. I thoroughly enjoyed it and the negatives (smells, touts, scams, cleaniness, etc. ) some allude to seem exaggerated and clearly outweighed by the intense experience of the river and the ghats. I think 3 days was plenty, as I covered all that I was interested in.

I stayed in Assi Ghat at Hotel Ganges View--well furnished, clean, safe, mid to high end hotel. I posted (I think) a hotel review w/ pics for those interested. I arrived at 5:30 and the train station was crazy, but I found my way through the onslaught of drivers and guides who wanted to "help" a westerner and got to the prepaid taxi stand. Polite and persistent and No or Nahee worked fine.(r160 to Assi ghat).

The hotel arranged for an immediate boatride and by 6am I was on the water. BTW, I also strongly recommend both an early ride and evening ride, amazing and intense. I think I paid 200/hr and it took about 2 hrs. That night I took a boat one-way and got dropped off at the old city, Dasaswamedh ghat during the ceremony and wandered around for a few hours.

The next day I hired a bike rickshaw to see the university (museum, new vishwanath temple, etc), the other temples (monkey, durga, tulsi,etc.) all near by (east/south of assi ghat). the university museuem is interesting and worth it if you have an art angle. for about 3-4 hours, I think i paid R50-70. My new travel agent friend (see below) recommended bike as a better way to take it all in and he was absolutely right. The Harmony book store in Assi ghat has a some of every topic has a/c and the employees/owner? were quite friendly and helpful.

The food at Open Hand Shop is very good (breakfast 2 days), a little pricey relative but they had free wireless internet. Haifa restaurant had good middle eastern and indian food with a large selection (no a/c). I also ate at the Palace on the Ganges (next door to Hotel Ganges View), where the food was good but not great. Fairly priced for the standard of service and atmosphere, but I got a private (I was the only one eating) performance of 3 person classical music group as part of the meal..--Strongly recommended.

The travel agent Praveen at Tiwari travel, also next door in Assi Ghat, is very nice man, who i befriended, gave me very good advice and helped me with my return train ticket. he told about "silk paradise" 50m away which he recommended. I wasnt in the mood for much bargaining or searching and this place was fair w/ v. good quality. I didnt bother looking in old city so I cant compare prices. It was quick and painless for the 2 silk scarves I purchased.

Praveen, also charged me 450 for an 3 hr. a/c car to Sarnath vs. the 600 my hotel was going to charge me for a car w/o a/c. I spent several hours in Sarnath and the young driver of Tiwari travel then took me to the mall and train station-smooth, no problems, awesome....

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Khak

nice report........... please post some pictures also

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~Khak~

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover

Davehelen

Sounds fab, we'll definatley take the boat trip now !!!

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ananda2193

A boat ride on the Ganges in Varanasi is a must!