14 Touristy Places to see in Delhi

Say you are going to Delhi, to do the tourist-y things. Where do you begin? As someone who is natively from Delhi, that is a very tough question. Whenever I’m visiting Delhi there are a few places that I have to go to (mostly to hog, but still):
1. Chandni Chowk to eat Bedmi Aloo
2. Khan Market to eat at Big Chill Cafe
3. Connaught Place to shop at Janpath and eat at Nirula’s and Wengers
4. Nani’s house in old Delhi and to eat bedmi aloo.
5. Taiji’s house to eat whatever is the latest street food fad.

You get my gist, right? It’s mostly about food when I’m in Delhi. But, I decided the next time I go, I’m going to do some touristy things, and visit some actual tourist spots that I only went when I was some 9-10 years old on a school trip, back when I was still living in Delhi.

So, here’s a few places that you must visit on your first trip to Delhi:

1. Red Fort
   This is the beginning one for Delhi right? And luckily, it’s situated like right next to Chandni Chowk.
   Little about the place:
   It was the main residence for the Mughal Emperors for about 200 years, after it was constructed by the emperor Shah Jahan. But, since then it’s been through a lot: Invaders and  Britishers (or, you know the same thing!). Nowadays, it’s used as the location for Republic and Independence day in Delhi. It’s an iconic spot where the Indian flag flies high.
2. Lotus Temple
   
   Delhi’s architectural marvel, the Lotus temple is a beauty. The temple is open to all religions but needs you to be very, very quiet inside.
3. Humayun’s Tomb
   
   Inspired by Persian designs, it was a tomb to the Mughal emperor, Humayun.
4. Akshardham Mandir
   
   One of the most popular tourist spots in Delhi, the Akshardham Mandir is the main attraction of the Akshardham Complex. The beautiful temple is one of the most peaceful places to visit in Delhi. Keep in mind that you can’t really carry any cameras or mobile phones inside- so either leave them back in the hotel or in the car. Because the queue to storage is VERY long. There are photographers inside who will take picture inside for a reasonable fee.
5. Tomb of Safdarjung
   
   Because of the Mughal emperors, a lot of Delhi’s old architecture reflects Persian roots. This was built for Mughal Statesmen Safdarjung.
6. Agrasen ki Baoli and Jantar Mantar
   
   These are both really close to Connaught Place- and can be included when you’re in and around the area. Agrasen ki Baoli is said to be super old- older than the 14th century (when it was re-built!) and is a step well.
   Jantar Mantar is a giant sundial, built in the 18th century.
7. Hauz Khas Fort
   
   If you’re in Delhi, you will end up in Hauz Khas Village- you know for a few bites and drinks. The whole place is built near the Hauz Khas Fort- that traces itself back to the 13th century. If you read about it carefully, it is essentially a giant water tank from the century.
8. Lodhi Gardens
   
   It’s a local hotspot for early morning walkers. There are three historical buildings that you should visit- including the Tomb of Sikander Lodi, the second of the very short-lived Lodi Dynasty.
9. India Habitat Centre
   
   Soak in Delhi’s culture. There’s an amazing American Diner while you’re there- and with several art galleries, and lush gardens- it’s a must visit.
10. Dilli Haat
    
    This one’s a tourist’s dream. Colourful little stores everywhere, with everything “desi” you’d want to buy. I took my friend, Lucy there, and both of us went completely mental and ended up having a very relaxing time there.
11. Qutub Minar
    
    

    This 5 floored piece of architecture is on several itineraries. But, because it’s in the south of Delhi, it’s sometimes bumped off last minute. I visited there so many times a kid from school.

12. India Gate
    
    This is a proud war memorial near Rajpath. It was a memorial for the Indian soldiers who died in France during the First World War. Underneath burns the Amar Jawan Jyoti, the eternal fire as a sign of respect to the immortal soldiers.
13. Bangla Sahib Gurudwara
    
    A Sikh Gurudwara, it’s also near Connaught Place. On the grounds is the Gurudwara, holy pond, a school and an art gallery.
14. Jama Masjid
    
    One of the largest mosques in India, it was built by Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan.

9 Things to Know Before Traveling to Delhi

As someone who is from Delhi, but doesn’t live in India anymore I often get people asking me what they should know before jetting off to India, especially Delhi. There are a bunch of things that come to mind. I thought this would make the perfect post to write about.

1. “Delhi Belly” isn’t a myth. Be very mindful of what you eat- especially of street food. Delhi’s the city known for it’s amazing street food and “chaats”. But not all of it will agree with your stomach as it might not be prepared in the most hygienic of ways. As much as you can, drink bottled water and avoid tap water. I’ve never had tap water in India- we have a water purification filter in the apartment in Delhi. One thing people often forget about is ice. Avoid ice in any drinks.
2. Dress modestly. I’m not saying cover up completely- but just make sure the tops aren’t too deep from the front. It’s not just about disrespecting the culture- but since you might be actually going to touristy places- it might attract some unwanted attention.
3. Etiquette in holy places- India, in a larger prospect, is a land of several religions. And a lot of sight seeing in Delhi will have you in temples, gurudwaras, mosques. There are little things that you should know- for example, don’t wear chappals in the temple, cover your head in Gurudwaras and mosques. Be mindful and respect the place’s customs.
4. Bargain your way! Whether it’s taking a rickshaw to a local market or buying those colourful bags at Connaught Place- get ready to bargain! Especially the second they realize you’re a foreigner- their prices will hike. Sometimes you’ve to literally bargain 70% lower of the rate they’re saying and even then you might be over-paying!
5. Carry toilet paper. Most public washrooms will not have toilet paper- they will have a faucet.
6. Avoid public displays of affection. India might have been the country the kama sutra originated from- but it’s certainly not the place that takes PDA very nicely.
7. Especially in Delhi, avoid going to shady areas at night- and if you can avoid it, be in your room latest by 10pm. It’s just about being safe.
8. As much as it hurts to say, there is a lot of poverty in India and so, there are a lot of people begging on the streets in India. And if they see a foreigner, they get more clingy and ask for money. Avoid it- do not give the kids or adults any money. I always carry little sweeties in my bag for this reason in Delhi. Especially, because then at least the kids will directly get something!
9. Don’t be stupid and believe everything about India from the Hollywood movies you saw. Delhi has all the modern facilities available- and you’ll find that a lot of people can speak English- even if broken.

6 Small Getaways if you live in the UAE

It is easier to plan small getaways when a bunch of long weekends are around the corner (read- the whole month of December), but when it’s not December and you don’t have more than a day off you can take- small getaways are the necessity for not hitting your head on the wall.

The 6 best places you can travel to if you live in the UAE and are in dire need of just a weekend and a day’s getaway:

Georgia

In December, on a rather impulsive trip, I ended up in Georgia. It was a four-ish hour flight and is the easiest getaway. I spent a total of three days- which included flying out on Thursday night and landing back on Monday morning. It was cold and snowing and was just what I needed to getaway from Dubai. (I have already written a long itinerary of stuff that I did there- should you need some inspiration! Three days is plenty to see Tbilisi, Gudauri and the old city of Mtskheta.

Maldives

You can actually go to Maldives in 3 days and back. It will fill up your itinerary, but the three days won’t fill up your heart with enough ocean breeze – especially if you are crazy about the water as I am. It’s beautiful, blue and just reminds you how beautiful the ocean and nature is. You can chill and do absolutely nothing – or you can do tonnes of water sports and run around the whole day and dance the night in the little island disco!

Delhi (India)

While 3 days isn’t enough for Delhi, you could try it. But, don’t try to rope in Agra, Jaipur, Amritsar, etc- because that will be extremely tiring and you won’t be able to really see Delhi! I’m actually planning to go with a weekend and a day with a few friends later in March just to eat and shop. Delhi’s the best place to do some amazing bargain shopping and eats lots of delicious street food (and fine dining). I’ll be sharing my “tourist” itinerary for Delhi soon!

Oman

I haven’t been yet- but it’s definitely on my list of places on one of the weekends. It’s only an hour’s flight away and you can even just drive to it. Besides, there’s so much to do. You could be camping, trekking, swimming, chilling on the beach- the options are limitless!

Jordan

I am one for longer breaks – and while I went to Jordan and stayed for a good 6 days, you might want to go and come back in 3! Land in Amman and you could head straight to the Dead Sea and then to visit Petra. A Little tip- if you are there, do visit Bethany. It was where Christ was baptised but the Cathedral is beautiful!

Azerbaijan

In all fairness, there was a sign in Tbilisi that said the road goes to Baku and I was very tempted. But, Azerbaijan isn’t far from Georgia and the UAE. It’s not Europe’s most popular destinations (yet), but its a beautiful country, with lots of admirable architecture and the Caspian sea. It’s on the books for one of the weekends for me.

 

 

What would you recommend for me? 🙂