10 Year Tourist Visa to India

[Mahseer]

Not sure there is anywhere that ticks all your boxes but nearest I can get is Gokarna which in Karnataka state and Varkala in Kerala. Haven't been to Goa for 35 years so can't comment there.

 

You don't say when you are heading out but its monsoon season until August/September so both of these places will be quite but that appeals to some.

[ThaiBunny]

India now has a postal OR in-office application process for a multiple-entry one-year tourist visa. No evidence of funds, health insurance etc. It can all be done by post. Another country whose processes Thailand should be following for METV rather than the nonsense they're currently introducing

[Mahseer]

17 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

India now has a postal OR in-office application process for a multiple-entry one-year tourist visa. No evidence of funds, health insurance etc. It can all be done by post. 

E visas are now one year/multi entry and processed swiftly.

[Banana7]

22 hours ago, Mahseer said:

Not sure there is anywhere that ticks all your boxes but nearest I can get is Gokarna which in Karnataka state and Varkala in Kerala. Haven't been to Goa for 35 years so can't comment there.

 

You don't say when you are heading out but its monsoon season until August/September so both of these places will be quite but that appeals to some.

I was planning to go late Nov. 2019, early Dec. 2019 for about 2 weeks (destination to be determined), then again in about March 2020 and participating in Holi, festival of colours. 2 or 3 trips per year of varying duration. Perhaps spending up to 6 months a year in India, mostly in the period Oct. to April, if I find what I stated in the initial post.

 

A little research reveals an oil slick is at Om beach Gokarna. Gokarna is a religious place with very little accommodation.

 

Varkala sounds and looks nice.

 

 

Edited June 22, 2019 by Banana7

[taxout]

India is as much a state of mind as a place. It's a good fit for some while others want to flee after a few days. All up to you, really.

 

For settling down for the winter, Kerala is indeed a good choice. The weather is pleasant, they're used to foreign visitors, and the grinding poverty of North India seems far distant amongst all the palm trees.

 

Varkala is a particularly nice place. Overall, arguably the best beach place in India these days. Parts of Goa, by contrast, can be unpleasant, so commercial and crowded the place has become. But Varkala is quite small, and depending on what you're looking for, you could easily go stir-crazy after a few weeks. So you might want to look into alternatives like Cochin, which is attached to a large city.

 

Remember that nowhere in India really works well for year-round living because the climate rules out five months of the year.

 

Finally, if you do head to India, at some point you will naturally find yourself feeling a bit down over the decision. But that's easy to solve: just head to a good restaurant for a meal of fine Indian food and your spirits will perk up. Dinner at Claufouti in Varkala gazing out over the Indian Ocean will always do the trick.

 

 

[Mahseer]

7 hours ago, Banana7 said:

A little research reveals an oil slick is at Om beach Gokarna. Gokarna is a religious place with very little accommodation.

 

Varkala sounds and looks nice.

India like Thailand has a temple at every turn so don't let that put you off.

 

Research Kudle beach and see if its for you. You can get long stay accommodation there for less than 10,000baht and there's plenty of 2-3 star hotels also. Makemytrip.com is an Indian web site (Cleartrip.com is another) and both decent for booking rooms and flights and will show far more hotels than the likes of Agoda and Booking.com.

 

Varkala caters more to foreigners, plenty of pseudo hippy types about but that shouldn't bother you, so may be a better starting off point but hope your knees are in good nick as the main beach area is down a load of steps but there is easier access to beaches north and south. There's heaps of accommodation here so if you visit consider booking somewhere for a couple of days then have a look around for something better.

 

Nov/Dec is excellent for beach time.

 

Good luck

[rahulbiz]

Visiting India, means dream come true. There are many place in India which haven't explored yet. Places like New Delhi, Agra, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh is the best one from my point of view. Every country have some cons and pons, It's does not mean that one should scold India. 

 

I also operate a website, which is regarding Civil Services Examination. 

 

Sorry to say but you are wrong (UnkleMoooose) in your statement "India is a dump". Can you please let me know have you ever visited India?

[JimmyTheMook]

3 minutes ago, rahulbiz said:

Visiting India, means dream come true. There are many place in India which haven't explored yet. Places like New Delhi, Agra, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh is the best one from my point of view. Every country have some cons and pons, It's does not mean that one should scold India. 

 

I also operate a website, which is regarding Civil Services Examination. 

 

Sorry to say but you are wrong (UnkleMoooose) in your statement "India is a dump". Can you please let me know have you ever visited India?

 

India is a 3rd world shthole my good Wallah where women are openly raped on public buses and people defecate in the streets.

 

I've been all over the world and never saw such a filthy godforsaken place you call home.

 

 

[rahulbiz]

I agreed on your point (JimmyTheMook), but this is not a case, that pointing to one thing you describe "India" as dump. There are many positive factors which indicate India is a Great country. 

[ThomasThBKK]

On 6/23/2019 at 3:39 PM, rahulbiz said:

I agreed on your point (JimmyTheMook), but this is not a case, that pointing to one thing you describe "India" as dump. There are many positive factors which indicate India is a Great country. 

 

https://thinkprogress.org/indias-213-foot-trash-pile-will-be-taller-than-the-taj-mahal-in-2020-b4d6826eef10/

https://theplanetd.com/india-is-filthy/

 

 

https://www.firstpost.com/india/nyt-writer-absolutely-right-delhi-literally-shithole-india-2272904.html

Quote

According to WHO, India accounts for 90 percent of open defecation in South Asia and 59 percent of the practice in the world. It also accounts for more than twice the number of open defecations of the 18 countries that come after it in the WHO list.

 

That's why.

[Mahseer]

I agree India is a tad rough at the edges.

[snowballthecat]

On 6/20/2019 at 4:27 PM, Divya114 said:

There are lots of places to visit, and easier to skip the tourist traps that people have been talking about. A big warning: if you’re looking for friendly women India is the wrong place to go. Goa: Beaches, Partying, Seafood and Cheap Liquour. Avoid the monsoons and prime season. Try anytime between Aug-Sep

Kerala: not so cheap destination, with a lot of premium properties. Beaches, Backwaters, Good Food, mountains as well. Places to go: Kovala, Varkala, Kochi, Alleppey, Kumarakom, Wayanad and Munnar. 

Rajasthan: If you’re game for deserts and palaces. Udaipur & Jaipur 

Uttaranchal & Himachal: if you’re looking for hills and yoga retreats. 

If you try to live dirt cheap you’d definitely get places to eat with rats around your legs, but if you’re willing to spend a little more than what someone who earns the lowest income in India spends you’ll get neat and clean food. Avoid Mumbai unless you’ve work there

Agreed with Kerala. I have spent such a fantastic time. 

India is what you make out of it.....Many of my friends have travelled for different reasons, always something interesting happens.....never boring, we may agree.

 

I can recommend Varkala (Jicky homestay), Claufoulli restaurant, yoga workshops and Wayanad home stay by the waterfalls.

 

In kalpetta area, we met a wonderful driver, Rajan. He loves Kerala. Knows the history, geography, the customs. He took us to nice restaurants in villages, to the Safari parks (don't miss this one, after the tigers....), finally he recommended a homestay in the Wayanad area of tea plantations, coffee  plantations. It was like sitting in paradise, in lush vegetation, with homemade food included!

 

There is a 4* hotel nearby, forget the name. Went one night for dinner, unimpressed by the food. 

 

Eventually we toured around with his daughtes and went to his home couple of times.....all very nice. 

 

Reasonable price and all very clear upfront. Rajan is also into herbal medicines, that was a Godsend itself, to be able to find some herbs like Karingalli/Dahasamani that now are part of my daily routine, wherever I am.

 

Rajan number is +91 (0)94472 04845

 

Flight from Hong Kong into Trivandrum airport, a white car from the fifties was awaiting us, kindly sent by the hotel in Varkala....My fascination when I saw the "airport" was endless: men walking in white  short skirts, in all 4 directions, goats roaming around free, only couple of small whitish buildings....any my husband asking , worry, "where is the ATM?"

 

Went into the car, absolute pitch dark after sunset, the road up north was bendy and so many interesting stuff happened, rickshaws, all sort of animals, parade of multicolour elephants, even the biggest cobra I ever saw cut in front of us.....Stop in the middle of suburban area for withdrawing money. You need local knowledge all the time, your driver, tour guides, hotel owners will save you. Things don't turn the way you expect. Even if you "book" with Booking.com, then the owner may change the fees anytime....There is 'tourist police' around,  in the biggest centers in Kerala. Certainly in Kochi. 

 

Netherless to say, please travel light and don't expect anything, things will happen.... anyway. End of preconceptions. 

will repeat 1000 times, though . 

Gokarna very recommended as well. 

 

 

[snowballthecat]

 

I stayed in this one, 2013, have a look:

3900 rupees

 

https://www.trivago.in/wayanad-101523/hotel/valley-view-avenue-5093146