Have you been to Bangalore?
Jul 9, 2010, 8:08 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: Star Alliance Gold/UA Mileage Plus Premier 1K
Posts: 257
Have you been to Bangalore?
Considering a 2011 trip to Bangalore. Would greatly appreciate any thoughts, insights, reactions from anyone who's been. Thank you!!
Jul 9, 2010, 8:35 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Programs: DL GM, AA Gold, Hilton Diamond, Bonvoy Plat
Posts: 12,171
Was there for work in 2008. City was a mess as they were building a brand new elevated highway. The airport is pretty much brand new, very, very nice, but a nightmare to get there from town. I stayed in the Taj West End which is basically in city center. Fabulous hotel. Lots of great food all over the city.
The city itself isn't all that spectacular. Like Hyderabad, it boasts lots and lots of office buildings for the booming IT/call center industries. The Bangalore Palace is a must see. Lots of parks and gardens too.
Not that there is anything wrong with Bangalore, but if this is your first time to India, I'd try Delhi/Agra, Kolkata, Mumbai, or Goa first.
The city itself isn't all that spectacular. Like Hyderabad, it boasts lots and lots of office buildings for the booming IT/call center industries. The Bangalore Palace is a must see. Lots of parks and gardens too.
Not that there is anything wrong with Bangalore, but if this is your first time to India, I'd try Delhi/Agra, Kolkata, Mumbai, or Goa first.
Jul 9, 2010, 9:03 am
#5
Senior Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: UA Plat/2MM [23-yr. 1K, now emeritus] clawing way back to WN-A List; MR LT Titanium; HY Whateverist.
Posts: 12,397
Please follow the discussion as this moves to our Travel->India forum. Thanks, Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.
Jul 9, 2010, 9:56 am
#6
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA LT Gold; BA Silver; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,081
I agree that it's not a touristy city and I LOVE the Taj West End, which is where I stay on business. There's a wild game park near Mysore and both the game park and Mysore are considered good day trips from Bangalore, but I haven't tried either. When left to my own devices on a weekend I usually read, get work done and hang out by the TWE's pool. My last trip, I was hanging out there on a Sunday with a German co-worker and her 3-year old son and she was reading us a rhyming children's fairy tale called "Hansel im Blaubeerenwald". Good times, but I wouldn't choose Bangalore as a tourist destination.
Jul 10, 2010, 5:38 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,725
are you open to going to other cities besides bangalore????
how many days would your trip consist of????
if we have answers to all these question then we may be able to help you better....
Jul 10, 2010, 9:09 pm
#8
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: MAA
Programs: BA bronze, Marriott silver
Posts: 2,804
Remember that anywhere in india is a 2 hour flight from anywhere else. The "usual" tourist destinations like Goa and the Cochin backwaters are kinda off season right now because of the monsoon rains .. but north india should be a decent option, rather cooler now.
Jul 11, 2010, 5:07 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,725
still pretty hot in north india at the moment....i have been to the backwaters during the monsoon season & i though it was quite nice....the rain adds a diferent sort of charm to the whole area....
Jul 24, 2010, 8:03 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: LAX
Posts: 10,919
and then there is that BLR-MLE hop...
Mysore is a nice side trip but it is 3+ hrs each way so I would stay somewhere in that area overnight. I remember there was a nice looking hotel with a park and gardens not far from Mysore close to a large dam - not sure what the place was called though.
Mysore is a nice side trip but it is 3+ hrs each way so I would stay somewhere in that area overnight. I remember there was a nice looking hotel with a park and gardens not far from Mysore close to a large dam - not sure what the place was called though.
Jul 25, 2010, 11:16 am
#11
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: CO
Posts: 48
I'm also thinking of visiting Bangalore -- & Kolkata and Goa
I find this thread very interesting and useful.
I also am planning to visit Bengalore when I go to India in Jan 2011. It will be my 3rd tourist visit to India and thus I've already seen, twice, Delhi, Mumbai, Veranasi, Agra, Udaipur and Jaipur. I found them all fascinating (which is why I went back a second time).
This visit, which will be a 13 days, I want to explore other, 2nd tier, cities -- in terms of tourist interests. Thus I'm thinking of visiting Kolkata, Goa and Bangalore. Kolkata because of its huge role in Indian and Raj history and because it's a huge, important metropolis; Bangalore because it's a symbol of modern India; Goa because of its reputation as a resort area.
Will visits to these cities be a waste time?
Thanks for your help.
Ollie
I also am planning to visit Bengalore when I go to India in Jan 2011. It will be my 3rd tourist visit to India and thus I've already seen, twice, Delhi, Mumbai, Veranasi, Agra, Udaipur and Jaipur. I found them all fascinating (which is why I went back a second time).
This visit, which will be a 13 days, I want to explore other, 2nd tier, cities -- in terms of tourist interests. Thus I'm thinking of visiting Kolkata, Goa and Bangalore. Kolkata because of its huge role in Indian and Raj history and because it's a huge, important metropolis; Bangalore because it's a symbol of modern India; Goa because of its reputation as a resort area.
Will visits to these cities be a waste time?
Thanks for your help.
Ollie
Jul 25, 2010, 11:52 am
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,725
I find this thread very interesting and useful.
I also am planning to visit Bengalore when I go to India in Jan 2011. It will be my 3rd tourist visit to India and thus I've already seen, twice, Delhi, Mumbai, Veranasi, Agra, Udaipur and Jaipur. I found them all fascinating (which is why I went back a second time).
This visit, which will be a 13 days, I want to explore other, 2nd tier, cities -- in terms of tourist interests. Thus I'm thinking of visiting Kolkata, Goa and Bangalore. Kolkata because of its huge role in Indian and Raj history and because it's a huge, important metropolis; Bangalore because it's a symbol of modern India; Goa because of its reputation as a resort area.
Will visits to these cities be a waste time?
Thanks for your help.
Ollie
I also am planning to visit Bengalore when I go to India in Jan 2011. It will be my 3rd tourist visit to India and thus I've already seen, twice, Delhi, Mumbai, Veranasi, Agra, Udaipur and Jaipur. I found them all fascinating (which is why I went back a second time).
This visit, which will be a 13 days, I want to explore other, 2nd tier, cities -- in terms of tourist interests. Thus I'm thinking of visiting Kolkata, Goa and Bangalore. Kolkata because of its huge role in Indian and Raj history and because it's a huge, important metropolis; Bangalore because it's a symbol of modern India; Goa because of its reputation as a resort area.
Will visits to these cities be a waste time?
Thanks for your help.
Ollie
kolkata is definitely worth one visit....
i never found anything touristy in bangalore....
Jul 28, 2010, 1:36 am
#13
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 22,778
I find this thread very interesting and useful.
I also am planning to visit Bengalore when I go to India in Jan 2011. It will be my 3rd tourist visit to India and thus I've already seen, twice, Delhi, Mumbai, Veranasi, Agra, Udaipur and Jaipur. I found them all fascinating (which is why I went back a second time).
This visit, which will be a 13 days, I want to explore other, 2nd tier, cities -- in terms of tourist interests. Thus I'm thinking of visiting Kolkata, Goa and Bangalore. Kolkata because of its huge role in Indian and Raj history and because it's a huge, important metropolis; Bangalore because it's a symbol of modern India; Goa because of its reputation as a resort area.
Will visits to these cities be a waste time?
Thanks for your help.
Ollie
I also am planning to visit Bengalore when I go to India in Jan 2011. It will be my 3rd tourist visit to India and thus I've already seen, twice, Delhi, Mumbai, Veranasi, Agra, Udaipur and Jaipur. I found them all fascinating (which is why I went back a second time).
This visit, which will be a 13 days, I want to explore other, 2nd tier, cities -- in terms of tourist interests. Thus I'm thinking of visiting Kolkata, Goa and Bangalore. Kolkata because of its huge role in Indian and Raj history and because it's a huge, important metropolis; Bangalore because it's a symbol of modern India; Goa because of its reputation as a resort area.
Will visits to these cities be a waste time?
Thanks for your help.
Ollie
- Ajanta, Ellora and Dualatabad fort. CAn be done at hurried pace in a day, or nicely in two days, not including travel.
- Bikaner, Ajmer and Jaisalmer
- Madurai
- Hyderabad
- Hampi
- Puri
- Gwalior, Rewa.
Jul 28, 2010, 5:13 pm
#15
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 5
An add on thought..
OMG This is crowded/dirty/huge class difference!
Travel takes FOREVER - it took nearly 2 hours to go about 10 miles across the city in rush hour
Do not think about driving, hire one or find alternative transportation
As a non-local, they will try to raise prices, so prepare to barter
These all apply pretty much anywhere ;-) I agree with the others though that this city isn't the most "tourist friendly" - go to the coast or to other places if you have the option but if you are traveling for business, its still a great experience.