Bangalore, India is one of the busiest and noisiest cities in the country. It is worth coming here in order to buy quality Indian clothing, take a walk along the bustling tourist streets and feel the atmosphere of India.
General information
Bangalore is an Indian city with a population of 10 million people in the southern part of the country. It covers an area of 741 square meters. km Kannada is the official language, but Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu are also used. Most of the population professes Hinduism, but there are Muslims and Christians.
Bangalore is the center of electronics and engineering in India, and because of the large number of IT companies, it is often called the Asian “Silicon Valley”. Another pride of the local authorities is 39 universities (more only in Chennai), which train future doctors, teachers, engineers and lawyers. The most prestigious is Bangalore University.
It is the third largest city in India and 18 in the world. Bangalore is also called the fastest growing settlement in the country (after New Delhi), because over the past 5 years the population has increased by 2 million people. However, by Indian standards, the city of Bangalore cannot be called poor and backward. So, only 10% of the population lives in slums (in Mumbai – 50%).
The city got its modern name at the time when it was a colony of the British Empire. Previously, the area was referred to as Bengaluru. According to legend, one of the rulers of Hoysal got lost in the local forests, and when he found a small house, standing on the outskirts, the mistress treated him with beans and water. The people began to call this settlement “the village of beans and water”, which in the Kannada language sounds like BendhaKaaLu.
Attractions and entertainment
Wonderla Amusement Park is the largest amusement park in India. Both children and adults expect a huge number of attractions, theme areas and souvenir shops. You can spend here all day.
Pay attention to the following attractions:
- Recoil is a frantic steam engine that rushes at a speed of 80 km / h.
- Korneto is a long waterslide with which you will descend at crazy speed.
- Insanity is a huge merry-go-round whose cabs rotate in different directions.
- Maverick is the only attraction in the park that 21 people can ride at a time.
- Y-scream – a ferris wheel that spins at a frantic speed.
- Boomerang is a dizzying descent from a mountain of water on an air mattress.
On some attractions only children over 12 years old and adults are allowed. It is also very important that you have good health and normal pressure before the trip.
Many tourists say that Wonderla Amusement Park loses to most European amusement parks, but by Indian standards this is a very cool place. Another disadvantage of this place is long lines. The pluses include the fact that the park has a single ticket, which means that there is no need to pay for each attraction separately.
- Location: 28th km Mysore Road, Bangalore 562109, India.
- Opening hours: 11.00 – 18.00.
- Cost: 750 rupees.
The Art of Living International Center is one of the main architectural attractions of Bangalore in India. The building is famous for its conical roof and the fact that courses are regularly held here for those wishing to meditate.
Consists of two rooms:
- Vishalakshi Mantap is a meditation hall, often called the Lotus Hall.
- Ayurvedic hospital is a place where both traditional methods of treatment and special spiritual practices are used.
For ordinary tourists it will be enough to see the facade of the attraction and the territory adjacent to it, but for those who are fond of spiritual practices, you can buy a ticket for the courses. For foreigners, this pleasure will cost $ 180. For several days, you will meditate, dance and do yoga.
- Location: 21st Km Kanakapura Road | Udayapura, Bangalore 560082, India.
- Opening hours: 9.00 – 20.00.
Kubbon Park is one of the greenest places in Bangalore. It is especially good to relax here in the heat – thanks to the trees it is not so stuffy and you can easily hide in the shade.
This is one of the largest parks in the city, which consists of the following areas:
- thicket of bamboo;
- green Zone;
- stone alley;
- gardens;
- toy railway;
- dance floor.
Artists regularly perform in the park, competitions and performances are held. It is better to come here in the evening when the intense heat subsides.
Location: MG Road, Bangalore, India.
The government building of India was built in the middle of the 20th century, during the reign of Jawaharlal Nehru. Now it has a regional government. You cannot enter the territory, and even more so inside the building.
Tourists note that this is one of the most noble and elegant buildings in the city, which stands out from the modest buildings. To see this attraction is a must.
Location: Cubbon Park, Bangalore, India.
ISKCON Temple Bangalore is one of the largest Hare Krishna temples in India, built in 1997. The attraction looks very unusual – the traditional stucco molding on the facade goes well with glass walls. Inside the temple there are 6 altars, each of which is dedicated to a particular deity.
Reviews of tourists are contradictory. Many say that this is really an unusual building, but there is no appropriate atmosphere in this temple due to the large number of souvenir shops and noisy sellers.
Some nuances:
- Shoes must be removed before entering the attraction.
- You will not be allowed into the temple in shorts, short skirts, bare shoulders and a bare head.
- At the entrance you will be offered to pay 300 rupees, but this is a voluntary contribution, and it is not necessary to pay.
- The camera can immediately be left at home, because they will not let it into the temple with it.
- Believers can order prayer (puja).
Practical information:
- Location: Chord Road | Hare Krishna Hill, Bangalore 560010, India.
- Opening hours: 4:15 – 5:00, 7:15 – 20:30.
Lalbagh Botanical Garden – one of the largest in India, covers an area of 97 hectares. Here is one of the world’s largest collections of tropical plants.
In order to visit all the attractions, it will take several days, so many tourists come here several times.
Be sure to visit the following places:
- Bamboo forest. This is one of the most cozy corners of the Japanese park, in which, in addition to bamboo, you can see a small pond with water lilies, miniature Chinese arbors and bridges across the river.
- The glass house is the main pavilion of the botanical garden, in which the rarest species of plants grow and flower exhibitions are regularly held.
- Kempe Gouda Tower, built by the founder of Bangalore.
- A huge oak planted by Gorbachev.
- The main avenue where hundreds of species of flowers grow.
The Botanical Garden in Bangalore is almost the only place in the city where you can relax from a large number of people. Due to the fact that the entrance here is paid, it is always quiet and you can retire.
- Location: Lalbagh, Bangalore 560004, India.
- Opening hours: 6.00 – 19.00.
- Cost: 10 rupees.
- Official website: https://www.horticulture.kar.nic.in
Bannerhatta is the largest national park in the state of Karanataka, located 22 km from the city of Bangalore. Consists of the following parts:
- The zoo is the most visited part of the national park. Both foreign tourists and local residents come here.
- Butterfly Park is one of the most unusual areas of the reserve. On the territory of 4 acres, 35 species of butterflies live (the collection is constantly updated), for the comfortable existence of which all conditions are created. A butterfly museum is located nearby.
- Safari. This is the most popular part of the program that all tourists love. By cars of the Indian Forest Department, you will be taken to the most interesting places and shown how wild animals live.
- The Tiger Reserve is the most protected part of the national park, which, however, is visited by many tourists.
- The Elephant Biocorridor is an amazing natural landmark created to preserve Indian elephants. This is a fenced area where people can not get.
Practical information:
- Location: Bannerghatta Road | Bannerghatta, Bangalore, India.
- Opening hours: 9.00 – 17.00.
- Cost: 100 rupees.
Visveswaraya Museum of Industry and Technology is one of Bangalore’s top attractions for children. Even if you are not interested in technology and have a poor knowledge of history, come anyway. In the museum you will see:
- Wright Brothers airplane model;
- aircraft models;
- steam locomotives of the 19th and 20th centuries;
- mock-ups of plants;
- various machine tools.
In addition to specific objects, in the museum you can see how sound and optical illusions “work”, get acquainted with biotechnologies and learn a lot of interesting things about dinosaurs.
- Location: 5216 Kasthurba Road | Cubbon Park, Gandhi Nagar, Bangalore 560001, India.
- Opening hours: 9.30 – 18.00.
- Cost: 40 rupees for adults, children – free.
Commercial Street is one of the main tourist streets of the city of Bangalore in India, where you can find everything that tourists need:
- hundreds of shops and stores;
- exchange points;
- bars, cafes and restaurants;
- Hotels and hostels.
There are an incredible amount of people here, so it’s impossible to take a walk calmly. But you can buy everything you need at nice prices. Importantly, do not be afraid to bargain.
Location: Commercial Street | Tasker Town, Bangalore 560001, India.
The Bull Temple is located in central Bangalore. This is the largest temple in the world dedicated to the demigod Nandi. The building itself is not very noticeable, and its main feature is a statue of a bull, located at the entrance to the temple.
It is interesting that before the statue was bronze, but due to the fact that it is regularly lubricated with oil and coal, it turned black.
Not far from the attraction is a good souvenir shop where you can buy inexpensive magnets, silk clothes, Indian postcards with photos of Bangalore and other interesting gizmos.
Location: Bugle Hill, Bull Temple Rd, Basavangudi, Bangalore 560004, India.
Housing
Since Bangalore is the third largest city in India, more than 1,200 accommodation options are presented here. The most popular among tourists are 3 * hotels and small guesthouses.
A night in a 3 * hotel for two in high season costs $ 30-50 on average, however, if you book a house in advance, you can also find cheaper rooms, prices for which start at $ 20. As a rule, the price includes excellent service, a delicious breakfast, transfer from the airport, the ability to visit the fitness center at the hotel and all the necessary household appliances in the rooms.
Staying at a 4 * hotel will be much more expensive – prices for most rooms start at $ 70. Nevertheless, if you think about reserving your accommodation in advance, you can find more profitable options. Typically, the price includes transfer, Wi-Fi, a delicious breakfast and a spacious room.
If 3 * and 4 * hotels are not the most suitable option, you should pay attention to the guesthouses. Double room will cost $ 15-25. Of course, the room itself will be smaller than in the hotel, and the service is most likely not so good, but free Wi-Fi, parking and an airport shuttle will be available.
And now the most important thing is how to choose the area in which to live. There are few options, because Bangalore is divided into 4 parts:
- Basavanagudi
This is the smallest and quietest area of Bangalore, where you can feel the atmosphere of India. There are a lot of markets, souvenir shops, restaurants and cafes with Indian cuisine, shops. Prices in institutions are not high, so this area is very popular with tourists. The only negative is the constant noise, which does not stop even at night.
- Malleswaram
Malleswaram is the oldest district in the city, located in the central part of Bangalore. Tourists love this place because there are a huge number of shops where you can buy both Indian and European clothes. The Malleswaram Bazaar is very popular.
This area is the best suited for long evening walks and sightseeing, but if you do not like crowded streets and constant noise, you should find another place.
- Commercial street
Commercial Street is another bustling Bangalore place to shop for. It differs from previous areas in the complete absence of attractions and the lowest prices for clothes, shoes and household goods. Not many people like to stay in this area – it is too noisy and dirty.
- Chickpet
Chikpet is another vibrant area near the center of Bangalore. Here you will find several markets and you can see the Market Square – one of the symbols of the city.
Food
In Bangalore, as in other cities in India, you can find a huge number of cafes, restaurants, as well as street shops with fast food.
Bangalore has over 1,000 restaurants serving local, Italian, Chinese and Japanese cuisines. There are several separate restaurants for vegetarians. The most popular are Time Traveler, Karavalli and Dakshin.
| Dish / Drink | Cost (dollars) |
|---|---|
| Palak Panir | 3.5 |
| Navratan poop | 3 |
| Wright | 2.5 |
| Thali | 4 |
| Faluda | 3.5 |
| Cappuccino | 1.70 |
Lunch for two in a restaurant will cost 12-15 dollars.
In Bangalore, there are a huge number of small family cafes that are ready to please tourists with local or European cuisine. The most popular establishments: The Pizza Bakery, Tiamo and WBG – Whitefield Bar and Grill (located near attractions).
| Dish / Drink | Cost (dollars) |
|---|---|
| Italian pizza | 3 |
| Hamburger | 1.5 |
| Thali | 2.5 |
| Palak Panir | 2 |
| Navratan poop | 2.5 |
| Glass of beer (0.5) | 2.10 |
Dinner for two in a cafe will cost $ 8-10.
If you want to try real Indian cuisine, go outside. There you will find a huge number of shops and wagons that sell traditional Indian dishes. The most popular establishments in this price category are Shri Sagar (CTR), Veena Store and Vidyarthi Bhavan.
| Dish / Drink | Price (USD) |
|---|---|
| Masala Dosa | 0.8 |
| Mangalore Badji | one |
| Wada Sambar | 0.9 |
| Go | one |
| Kesari Baat | 2.5 |
| Kaara Baat | 2 |
Dine in the shop for 3-5 dollars.
All prices on the page are for October 2019.
How to get around the city
Since Bangalore is a rather big city, it is most convenient to travel long distances on buses that run regularly. Many of them are even equipped with air conditioning, so the trip can be comfortable. The approximate cost is from 50 to 250 rupees, depending on the route.
If you need to overcome a short distance, pay attention to rickshaws – there are a lot of them in the city.
Do not forget about taxis – this is the most expensive, but the most convenient and fastest way to get to your destination. The main thing is, before starting the trip, arrange with the taxi driver about the final cost.
Useful Tips
- Bangalore is a fairly calm city, but tourists are not recommended to visit the sleeping areas in the dark. Also be careful in transport – there are plenty of pickpockets.
- Respect the traditions and customs of local residents, and do not go for a walk in too open clothes, do not drink alcohol on the streets.
- Do not drink tap water.
- Sightseeing is best in the early morning or at sunset – it is at this time of day that the city is most beautiful.
- Tipping in India is not accepted, however it will always be a pleasant compliment for the staff.
- In Bangalore, many tattoo parlors are open, in which tourists like to make memorable tattoos and piercings. Before the procedure, be sure to ask the master about the license.
- If you plan to travel a lot around the country, be sure to get a malaria vaccine.
- It is best to exchange dollars for rupees at specialized exchange points. However, pay attention not only to the course – always look at the commission.
Bangalore, India – a city for those who love shopping, sightseeing and want to get acquainted with the most developed center of the Republic.
Sightseeing of Bangalore’s main attractions and market visit:
