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India
There's an expression often said among travelers: There is the world and then there is India. Traveling
around India is different. It's almost mystical. India is big, chaotic, mystic, beautiful, difficult, rich, poor,
developing, developed, and everything in between. From the beaches of Goa to the Taj Mahal, the crowded
streets of Mumbai, and the deserts of Rajasthan, India offers a lot to intrepid travelers. Because of the vast dis-
tances, plethora of sites to visit, and slow travel time around the country, most visitors should spend at least a
month or two here. Or, at the very least, break your trips up into smaller geographic sections. India is not a
place for the rushed.
India has always been an inexpensive place to visit, but a 2014 decline in the Indian rupee has made this
country an even better bargain than it was before. Throw in cheap flight deals (from anywhere), and you have
the recipe for a very affordable destination. You can travel well here for very little money and increasing your
budget just a few dollars can often lead to substantial increases in luxury.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Hostels
European-style hostels (think big dorms, common rooms, kitchens, organized activities) are not popular in
India as small, family-run guesthouses are the preferred accommodation option. Accommodation is already
so cheap, few people desire to stay in dorm rooms. New Delhi, a city with around 22 million people, had
only twenty-three hostels in 2014 according to Hostelworld, and most have only private rooms, which really
makes them hotels, not hostels. Clearly, hostels are not very widespread!
As Derek Baron of Wandering Earl (wanderingearl.com) and a tour guide in India states: “When it comes
to budget accommodation in India, hostels are generally not the option of choice, even for the most budget
conscious traveler. They are harder to find, usually not of good quality and they typically charge only slightly
less than what it costs to have your own private room in a budget hotel. In 2.5 years of traveling around India
on a budget, I stayed in a hostel once.”
And while dorm beds can cost as little as $2 USD per night in very rural destinations, they usually range
from $3 USD to $7 USD per night, making them just as expensive as a simple private room in a budget hotel.
For example, International Youth Hostel Association (yhaindia.org) has beds in non-air-conditioned dorm
rooms ranging between $5 USD and $10 USD per night, which is about the price of a nice budget hotel. Why
share a room when you can get your own room for the same price?
In short, while hostels do exist, they aren't worth staying in, and there are better options you can choose
from that are equally filled with travelers to make friends with.
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