Asia - Indian Subcontinent

Welcome to the Indian Subcontinent branch!

Welcome to the Thorn Tree's branch for the Indian Subcontinent.

This branch covers: India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh and Bhutan.

We hope you find plenty of useful information here. It is highly recommended that new users check out the Indian Subcontinent FAQ thread before posting a new thread as you may find many of the answers you seek there. It also contains helpful information about how to search the forum, advice for how to post your questions, and obsolete information was deleted as recently as July 2008! If you are a returning user or a subcontinent guru, please help us keep the FAQ thread up-to-date by adding important information which is absent, or pointing out information which is no longer being represented accurately.

Choosing a country to post to:

When you make a po... more »

MISSING AUBREY SACCO

AUBREY SACCO, age 23, is MISSING in NEPAL. She took a bus from Kathmandu to SYABRUBESI on April 19, and began the 7-8 day LANGTANG trek in the Himalayas on April 20. She planned to follow the Lonely Planet guide. She should have returned to Kathmandu between April 30-May 1. We have not heard from her since she began the trek. She is trekking ALONE. Nepali agencies are working on this, including the US Embassy.

If you have ANY CONTACTS or INFORMATION to help with our search please e-mail csacco2700@gmail.com or jmorgansacco@gmail.com.Please repost this on twitter or any other forms of communication you have access to. THANK YOU!

Eid in Bangladesh !

I want to be the first to wish my fellow travellers and Bangladeshi posters and readers a Happy Eid !

Eid Mubarak then !
LR

Tips from my trip in India

I spent three weeks in India earlier this year and I can't wait to go back. I did the "golden triangle" for two weeks and spent one week in Goa. I would definitely recommend that three week itinerary to any first timers like myself. Next time I look forward to visiting the mountainous North.

The best part of my trip was my incredible luck finding a friendly, protective driver when I arrived. He just started his own company and was a joy to travel with. By having a driver instead of relying solely on trains (when we did want to take trains he helped us navigate the system too) we were able to see more of the country side and tailor the trip to our interests. For example after he took us to a touristy restaurant we were able to explain to him what we did and didn't like about the place. Next thing we knew he took us to a fantastic stand alongside the side of the highway, so cheap an... more »

Accomodation - Freak St, Kathmandu

I'm going to be in Kathmandu from 19th Oct for 3 nights before trekking to Jiri & EBC & wanted to stay in Freak St instead of Thamel. Could anyone tell me whether I need to arrange accomodation in advance (I've tried Annapurna Lodge & Monumental Paradise by phone/email but no luck) or could I sort it on arrival from the airport?

Cheers

Sri Lanka New Years Eve 2010

Me and a friend of mine is going to Sri Lanka for three weeks from the 27th of December 2010 and untill the 14th of January 2011. We are thinking of spending New Year at the beach of Unawatuna, as we have heard its a good spot for backpackers to meet, hang out and have a little party?

Still, we are not sure how to plan the rute. We arrive early in the morning the 27th. and have been talking about going to Sigirya and that area first and then afterwards travel down to the south for New Year. Then go back to the hills to see Kandy, Adams Peak, Ella ect. before we again end down south somewhere around the 8th of January for a week of beach holiday before returning back to cold Europe.

Can anyone recomend this, or maybe suggest another rute or a place to celebrate New Year in the hills?

I know there is a lot of travel time in the hills, and therefore im not sure if this traveli... more »

bike trip around Bangladesh

Me and friend are doing a bike trip around asia and whould like do trip around Bangladesh.

we are starting in Tajikistan 21sep, doing the Pamir to Kyrgyzstan then into China, follow the silk road down to Xian then take the train to Lhasa(dont have time to bike there, short visa) and do the friendship highway down to Kathmandu and down to Kolkata, and fly to Port Blair and do a break in havelock for a few weeks, dive and relax.( I have traveld 5 and half month around in India before so bike India is not a option now)

Then fly back to Kolkata, from there we want to bike Bangladesh, if it is reasonable and safe.

we plan to get the visa in kolkata, take the buss to the border. and then start the bike trip around bangladesh for around 3weeks? and fly out from Dhaka with AirAsia.

we cant find any info about people thats been doing it before (nothing on crazyguyonabike.com)

s... more »

best towns in northern india

Hello all,
Just wanted to get some opinions on where to go in northern India. My husband and I will have 10 or 11 days after Delhi/Agra before we have to catch a flight back home from Delhi. Some of the places we were considering are: McLeod Ganj, Shimla, Haridwar, Rishikesh and the Corbett Tiger Reserve. What would be the best 2 or 3 to visit in everyone's opinion? We would be interested in some short hikes, yoga and just relaxing....maybe staying at an ashram for a few days?
Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!

Cheap accomodation in Delhi during Commonwealth Games

Planning a trip to Delhi during Commonwealth Games?

If you are looking for a clean, hygienic and cheap accommodation with meals then contact me at mail.prateek.agarwal@gmail.com

The location is Express way, Noida, just 5 minutes walk from the Cycling event venue. Nearest metro station is just 15 minutes away, so you can save yourself a lot of traffic and traveling.

• Prateek