Each year, millions of people travel to India to see a part of the world that is fascinating and culturally rich. Because it is not your typical beach and palm tree vacation, many people are curious but hesitant to commit to such a trip. The differences in language, food, religion and culture are enough to make anyone apprehensive about the journey, but there are a number of reasons why India just might be the best place you’ve ever traveled to. Here are 4 reasons:
Photo by Andrea Proulx
1. Great Value:
India is relatively inexpensive, which means you can do a ton of different activities and exploring without breaking the bank. In other words, a weekend trip to one of India’s famous beaches in Goa, taking the train to Agra to see the majestic TajMahal, or checking out the city life of New Delhi or Mumbai is completely affordable if you have the time. To put it in perspective, here are some price comparisons for India against the US dollar:
|
Item |
US |
India |
| Bottled Water or Soda |
$2.00 |
$0.33 = (18 Rs) |
| 1 Meal in a Casual Dining Rest. |
$15.00 |
$1.62 = (100 Rs) |
| Movie Ticket |
$12.00 |
$ 3.36 = (200 Rs) |
Source: https://www.numbeo.com
2. Opportunity:
People of all different religious backgrounds, professions, ages and races visit India for all kinds of reasons. It is a popular destination for humanitarian work because it is extremely poverty-stricken and faces many socioeconomic issues. As a result, there are thousands of volunteer organizations and charities in India who help to make the country a better place every day. In fact, a recent study of all international volunteer destinations found that India was the most visited country for charity work in the world. If you were considering doing an international volunteer mission at some point of your life, you may want to look into programs in India.
Another reason people find themselves visiting India relates to it’s rapidly growing economy and business presence. Many universities and international organizations provide opportunities for students, recent graduates and global business enthusiasts to travel to India to learn about their unique business culture. I was lucky enough to go to India with my university’s international business program. We visited several companies and met with business leaders to understand business in India and the similarities/ differences that all had compared to those in the United States. Overall, it was a wonderful opportunity that I highly recommend.
Photo by Andrea Proulx
3. Delicious Food:
Let me start out by saying, Indian food is amazing. The combination of herbs, spices and vegetables in each dish provides a truly unique culinary experience. What’s neat about Indian food is that it varies from region to region based on the area’s resources and influences. For example, Northern India experiences extreme hot and cold weather throughout the year, which is ideal for the harvest of fruits and vegetables. As a result, many of the their regional dishes are vegetarian. Also, the regions abundance of cows contributes to the high dairy content in many dishes. On the flip side, cuisine in southern India, where it is primarily hot and humid, incorporates many different kinds of exotic fruits, vegetables, nuts and spices like coconut and saffron. Natives also prefer their food very spicy!
Also, before you assume all Indian dishes taste like curry powder, hear me out when I say there really is something for everyone here. Coming from someone who had never eaten a bite of Indian food before visiting the country, I ended up ordering take-out Indian food at least once per week after returning home. Now that’s “naan”-sense…get it?
Photo by Andrea Proulx
4. Broaden Your Horizon:
The last and most important reason to visit India is to broaden your horizon and open your eyes to a side of the world that is unimaginable. There’s a big difference between reading about a country with socioeconomic issues and seeing it for yourself. I found that India was the most mentally stimulating place I’ve ever visited because in one look around you see things like poverty, begging and homelessness but in the same eye full, you see the vibrant colors of the women’s saris, beautiful textiles, sweet tropical fruit and exotic spices. It’s incredible.
Take the trip and I guarantee you’ll return home with a fresh perspective, a newfound love for Indian food and a lifetime of memories. Happy travels!
About Andrea Proulx:
Andrea is a social media consultant who studied Marketing and International Business at Suffolk University. She’s traveled internationally to Central America, Europe, Africa and Asia both as a student and as a volunteer. She is passionate about global travel and loves learning from new people and new experiences.
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