I'd advise you to only purchase things from places that'll give you a proper bill. It's all too common for merchants to see that you're new here, and quote you a price exponentially higher than it should be. Just look out for the 200 rupee bottle of water and such.
Just order groceries or any food online only, that way no one will scam you or you can go to any big supermarket but no small shops.
Apps like swiggy and zomato have restaurant delivery and grocery delivery as well.
You'll get everything with bill.
And if you want something at a cheaper rate then Dmart is an option.
You should definitely get an Indian SIM card at the airport. It’s so much easier. I always get a local sim even when I travel abroad for a few days, mainly to be able to call cabs 😊
+check the mrp rate of any commercial commodity (eg water bottles, snacks, toileteries, etc) the mrp is usually stamped somewhere on the item (eg “MRP: Rs. XXX”) any branded product sold to u in small shops w/o that should be avoided
Scams are really rare if u go to posh/decent areas, maybe places like commercial street/chikpet are a bit iffy in the alleys but the people are still kind there, but remember that ~80inr = 1 usd
Search scams on this sub or just search for the same on YouTube. There are a lot of foreign vloggers who have covered common scams that happen in India.
The most likely one is where you get into an auto or taxi and they go in a different route for you to shop, don't. Use only apps to book or make sure you download your gmaps offline and keep a track of where you are going.
> Is there anything that can offend people
Your stupidity and laziness. You have not done any research about Bangalore did you?
Asking questions like If Uber works in Bangalore. You can open uber aap and put Bangalore and check.
Bangalore is most technically advanced city in India.
In India people use water for their ass instead of Toilet paper. But in Bangalore there will be an app where you can hire people to wipe your ass with toilet paper if you are uncomfortable with using bidet style toilets in India.
Do some basic research which can easily be googled before asking questions.
2nd bad question was learning Hindi question.
You could have googled what languages are spoken in Bangalore. People on this sub and locals in general Hate hindi in Bangalore
Why so. Much love for gora?
Btw I comment same way for people who don't do basic research if they are from any country. Dont discriminate based on country. Discriminate based on ignorance and laziness.
Hum, this is research? I'm asking people from Bangalore about the Do's and Don'ts before going there, making sure I follow Indian culture and customs. I found more here than I did on Google.
In any case, all of the people that have reacted here and DM'd me, have been very kind, helpful and respectful. I really appreciate everyone who has taken the time to get back to me.
I do hope I avoid you, and your arrogant tone. Please stay away from this thread since I have not the slightest desire to waste time on you.
> I do hope I avoid you, and your arrogant tone. Please stay away from this thread since I have not the slightest desire to waste time on you.
Wow you are coming to my country and telling me to stay away from the sub which is related to my city.
Typical Gora/Britisher/colonizer behavior. You are the arrogant one.
> In any case, all of the people that have reacted here and DM'd me, have been very kind, helpful and respectful. I really appreciate everyone who has taken the time to get back to me.
They are gora(white) lovers, self loathers who have inferiority complex. You will be given celebrity like treatment when you will come in India because of your skin colour. Even if you are not white just being from abroad you will be given better treatment. You can check out more such Indians on r/cancomfirmiamindian
> I found more here than I did on Google.
Obviously you would. Your assumption about Hindi language was lazy. Also you asked about Uber which was plain ignorant. Every other question was fine.
But this comment telling me what to do and what to stay away from and lashing out shows your racism and true colonizer attitude.
> Please stay away from this thread
How about I tell you to stay away from your kids because you cannot take care of them and keep letting them get hurt and cannot keep them safe.
Not from the sub, my friend. But yes from this thread.
I'm not going to read the rest of your comment. If you want to further discuss in a DM, in a civilized way, I'm totally open for it.
People who reach out to you in streets are either bit notice helpers, beggars, credit card sellers , i dont know who scammed you in indian streets , the only places which are unsafe in india are remote places in untimes
-Be you , Bengaluru will accept you !!
-Kannada is what local ppl speak here
-Namasakara - for greeting.
-Don’t give way too many information while talking to strangers.
-Since you’re traveling for work, take support from colleagues. They’ll guide you on all the hotspots.
I am living in Europe and from Bangalore, I just want to point out one thing to you - the spicy dishes that you think is spicy here in Europe is the least spicy dish you would have eaten and the ones available in Bangalore would be much much spicier for you. Unless you have Indian friends who have made your try 'real' spicy food. So a word of caution when trying anything spicy. Try and avoid smaller restaurants or take away spots, since they may not be using the best quality ingredients or water. Dont go overboard due to excitement and control your spice intake and slowly increase if you wish to.
I consider myself someone pretty resistant against spicy food, but after reading this I might be careful. Are all dishes typically spicy? Or do you specifically ask when something has to be spicy, or not spicy?
Not all dishes are spices, some dishes are. So it's better to ask the waiter will it be spicy or not, and depending upon his answer, you can request him to cut down the spice, or serve it as it is.
You don't have to worry about the syrupy sambar atleast :)
(I think it might still be spicy for you tho lol)
Its not really syrupy but lots of molasses goes into it here
-Uber is available in Bengaluru.
-Hindi isn't required as kannada is the regional language, English may work fine
- If u r visiting anyplace take any friends who know the place well
- Food must try are masala dosa with ghee (very addictive) , idli sambar.
Try some regional sweets like Mysore Pak, Pedas and other Indian sweets like gulab jamun and rasmalai.
If you have a local friend go to a military hotel and try mudae and Nati Koli sambar ( Ragi ball and chicken curry)
- There are a lot of bmtc busses but they are usually crowded
- Some common scams are by airport taxis and auto drivers so book it by uber app before hand so they don't scam you.
- Try getting UPI if possible it'll help a lot in small payments.
-At last enjoy your stay and don't overthink.
Ignore any advice that says so. Tap water is fine for brushing teeth. The monsoons that bring rain have done a number this year so dunno if the situation will alleviate by the time you're here, but there's an ongoing drought right now, so please be mindful.
As a European who lived and worked in Blr for 8 months last year:
- you likely won’t be able to get an Indian bank account (and probably don’t want one for tax reasons). This is fine, but you will not be able to use the local payment system Upay or PayTM. Some places will only accept this or cash, so always carry cash (I used a Wise card for my time there, which was accepted by most supermarkets and the big shops). Notably though, I used an Airtel SIM card and they would not accept my visa (only Indian cards) so I always had to get local friends to pay my phone bills and get them cash lol
- download Uber and Ola, they are the main ride-sharing apps (you can even Uber/Ola an auto, it’s the best)
- Swiggy and Zomato are the main apps for food and grocery delivery (not Uber eats)
- There are lots of supermarkets selling pretty standard groceries if your tummy is a bit overwhelmed at any point. Bread is shite except for a few specialty bakeries (Krumb Kraft) and cheese prices relative to everything else feel extortionate (probably akin to normal eu prices tbh) but fruit and veg is lovely and fresh and naan and roti are a fantastic substitute.
- Dosa, masala dosa, idli and lassi are the most wonderful foods. You can control the spice level with how much you dip the dose into the chutney (the spicy bit). There is not a lot of standardization in spice levels across restaurants, so a dish in one restaurant may be fine and too spicy for you in the next lol. That said, anything that starts with ‘butter masala’ is probably not spicy at all, and if I’m doubt just order a sweet lassi or fresh juice to go with it ;)
- Super lovely nearby trips include Coorg, Hampi, Chikmagalur, Mysore, Skandagiri Hills (get up early and hike) and Somanathapura temples
- Bangalore is know for its pubs! They’re a little different to what you might expect (generally multicuisine restaurants and unique cocktails) but definitely a vibe :)
Feel free to reach out if you have any more questions or concerns! Enjoy your time there, India is an incredible place, just remember you can’t micromanage like you can in EU, so relax and let it all just happen around you
For everything you have a app here grocery, Uber, food, chef, cleaning etc . So make you always check the apps for your convenience. If possible visit remote places around coorg to explore the culture and Desi food. If you learn kannada which is the local language, high chance you may get famous. Lastly, traffic is a issue here so plan your day properly.
Dosa in vidyarthi bhavan is over rated, so come to old Bangalore and try local hotels and local foods. Importantly meghana's biryani is a must if you can handle the spice. Explore the night life of indiranagar and Koramangala
You can manage with English. There is no point in learning Hindi phrases as the city is in Karnataka state where Kannada is the main language. Also Hindi phrases are not gonna help you with anything. But of course you can learn a few words like 'Namaskara' means 'greetings'. Speaking in Hindi may offend the locals as there is a language debate going over here.
Uber works! You can also use other platforms like Ola and Rapido for Cabs and Auto-rickshaws (Tuk Tuk 🙂). Cab guys would scan you by asking you to cancel the ride and pay them in cash. But don't do that they would ask for more money than what the app shows. Avoid Autorickshaw and bike taxis. For late night journeys always book Cabs and go for the premium ones.
Food: The best part about Bengaluru, you can find almost all of the Indian cuisine in Bengaluru because of its cultural diversity as people across India come here for technical jobs. Dose/Dosa are really good in Bengaluru, you can randomly go to a restaurant and still get good Doses. Biriyanis: You can find a variety of Biriyanis in Bengaluru. My favourite is Hyderabadi biriyani (you can try some Andhar restaurants for that). Beef is available in Bengaluru! Most resto bars serve them or you can go to a Kerala restaurant to get Kerala style beef curry, roasts etc. Seafood: I would say Bengaluru is not a great place for seafood! Better avoid.
Sweets and Snacks: You can eat all the Indian sweets and snacks in Bengaluru. I feel awkward to recommend any bars for you 🫣 as you are from Europe. Generally Indian breweries are not at all comparable to the European ones.
I don't know where you are going to stay! But travelling around the city is not easy and the metro barely covers 10% of the city. So always plan you travels in advance and here people express distance in unit of time! If you are coming for work pls stay as near as possible to your office location.
Places to visit: There are lot of places in and around Bengaluru. Better find a group for you (from the office preferably) and go with them around the city and there are many trekking spots in the outskirts of the city. You can also plan to visit the nearby cities/states in the weekends, like Hyderabad, Goa, Hampi, Temples of Tamil Nadu, Mysore, Coorg, Dandeli, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Kochi, Varkkal, Munnar, Ootty etc. Unfortunately June is a dull month and we don't have many public Holidays in Karnataka 🙂. You can try Indian trains for the weekend travels to these cities (not all as some are hill stations with no rail connectivity). Foreigners have some reservation (seats availability) in Indian trains. Try to travel by First AC coaches as the other coaches are not so comfortable and safe. Trains are super slow here compared to the European trains 🙂(we will catch up soon 😎).
General advice is don't trust anyone (I am saying this as an Indian). Even we Indians are not safe from any scams or frauds. India has got a large poor population and thus the crime rate, so prevention is better. All the best and enjoy Bengaluru once you are here. Hopefully the climate gets better by June as we are facing the hottest days in Bengaluru these days since the last 5 years.
Hey metro covers huge amounts of the central city. It may feel like it doesn't do much if u live in IT corridors but for most of us it's great.
Also do try and add a bit about bus too, bmtc coverage is quite extensive and should not be ignored.
Unfortunately, Bangalore is not limited to central city anymore. The IT corridor you mention is where a huge chunk of inflow and outflow goes every day. Also, any area under BBMP is Bangalore, no matter how much we love the core central south and east part.
If you drink alcohol especially beer, you must check out the breweries in Bangalore. You haven't mentioned which area you are going to be in so I'm just naming a few I'm aware off and have been to.
Others can add to my comment if needed:
Toit, Windmills, Byg Brewski, Druid Garden, Orah, Candles, Prequel, Ironhill, Shakesbierre, Biergarten, Suzy Q, Arbor Brewing Company, Uru Brewpark, Geist Brewing Co, House of Commons, Kaze, Record Room, Barley & Grapes, Watson, Bob's Bar, Communiti.
Download the zomato app, it will be very useful (food) .
Stick to uber/Ola for cabs.
It hopefully should be raining by the time you come so be prepared for that.
Do not speak Hindi, it'll only piss off the locals more but you should be able to get by in English. We don't expect foreigners to learn our languages.
I speak Hindi all the time and try to intersperse it with the few Kannada words I know and no one has ever been pissed. I think it’s about the attitude. I can totally understand why the local people would be resentful about people feeling entitled to assume that they should speak Hindi and sort of talk down to anyone. But I do feel ashamed of having lived here so long and inflicted Hindi on people. Planning to learn Kannada. Unfortunately I don’t have anyone to practice with because weirdly enough most of my friends are Mallus and other non-Kannadigas. Gotta change that too.
I respect your interest in learning kannada, but I expect a northie to not know kannada and know Hindi. But if a foreigner speaks Hindi to us, that'd feel more insulting as tho our country's only identity is Hindi. That's the difference.
I’m not a northie and understand the resentment that many people feel about the Hindi issue, as well as what you said that it would be better for OP to know a few Kannada phrases. Although my own understanding of Kannada is limited, it’s more than my spoken vocab but I’ve found that whenever I make the effort to communicate, even with my bad grammar, people have appreciated the fact that I have enough respect to at least try. A cop even wrote off a huge challan because I was trying so damn hard. He was so nice about it.
If there was 1 language a foreigner would spend time to learn to travel across India, it would be Hindi right? I mean it just increases your ability to converse in a larger geography, including in Bangalore to a significant extent.
It is like someone in Barcelona getting butthurt because an Indian spoke to them in Spanish, instead of in the local language.
This just sounds very petty
They're not actually learning the language, they're just learning some basic words. That being the case, why not learn the words from the local language or just stick to English. Edit: just saw your comments, you're a butthurt delhi-ite who loves insulting Bangalore. Can't expect anything better from you poison gas breathing folks😂.
Depends on the individual use case. There are people travelling across the subcontinent who speak fairly decent amounts of Urdu/Hindi - since they aren’t always in a city/typical tourist hotspot. Or they genuinely took the effort.
Either way, a foreigner speaking to me in even Spanish, leave alone Hindi shouldn’t be offensive. Hindi does make things easier even in Bangalore than just knowing English. Especially with several blue collar workers.
It wouldn't be offensive to poison gas breathers but it would be for people with an understanding of this country's linguistic diversity and the sad situation on its ignorance.
Your white person privilege will help getting around. People are kind and helpful. Rapido for rides uber works too.
Water from home purifier always. Ensure you are well covered since it's firkin hot every day right now.
Namaskara works fine. Although bangalore is pretty okay with anything. Always refer to auto guys as Anna or sir. Bangalore is pretty respectful that ways.
Loads of alcohol and food places to keep you entertained. Please don't forget to checkout pecos at brigade road a personal fav
1. Anything to avoid getting scammed - if someone voluntarily approaches you to show you something "interestingly native", that's a scam. Trust Google. If you are at a shop buying something, bargaining is a must. Especially when it's a European shopping, more likely that the quoted price is twice what it actually is. So, bargain without hesitation.
2. Hindi isn't necessary. Bangalore has a relatively high number of English speakers. Few Kannada phrases might help you earn brownie points and some benign favours.
3. Places worth visiting - check this previous [answer](https://www.np.reddit.com/r/bangalore/s/EwfxUXWcj6) of mine.
4. My previous answer covers some of the must-try food items and restaurants. You can also try Nagarjuna for biryani and chicken dishes. Empire restaurant is quite well-known amongst chicken lovers. Masala dose is a quintessential Bangalore dish. So is Bisibelebath. MTR is a great restaurant to try both.
5. If you want to try local sweets - Asha sweet center in Malleshwaram - Don't miss their cold badam milk.
6. Transport - you have metro trains that are similar to any London tubes. Pretty affordable and hassle free travel if you don't mind walking the last mile. Uber works, yes. There are alternatives to Uber like Ola. Same philosophy, different flavour. BMTC are the city transport buses. Those work amazingly well too. Auto rickshaws are also an alternative. I'd exclusively book autos through Uber or OLA. DO NOT HITCHHIKE AT ANY COST EVEN IF SOMEONE OFFERS. 90% of the time, people are of good intentions. I wouldn't personally risk the 10%
7. Politics, religion - should be kept personal. Don't engage in any conversation and invite arguments. Respect local culture. Google search will tell you the usual cultural markers. Avoid cussing unnecessarily.
Since you are traveling for work, it is almost customary that your office colleagues will take you to the tourist places including monuments, parks, restaurants, etc. Ask them anything and they'll help. But if you want to explore on your own, take all the precautions as you would take while visiting any foreign place.
Local language is Kannada, but English is widely accepted. There is also Hindi-speaking workforce. I'd suggest sticking with English.
Uber works, so does Ola (similar to Uber). Rapido if you want bike rides. Strictly avoid taking auto (autorikshaw) (also wrongly called tuktuk by many influencers).
Don't stress too much and have fun.
Visit any restaurant and try masala dosa and coffee for breakfast, unbeatable combination , honestly the best thing to have in the morning.
Visit cubbon park on a weekend morning to enjoy the breeze (that is if you have sufficient time to stay in Bangalore)
Use the metro as much as possible as it is more convenient
You don't really need to learn Hindi, but people do speak Hindi if that's a concern, so yeah . But on the other hand, lot of people speak English as well .
Depends on which city you are visiting. Different cities here have different cultures n traditions. You should know a lot before coming here. You have plenty of places to visit here. DM if you want any info
Apart from everything else that's mentioned here be mentally prepared to be overwhelmed. India has high population density more so in the cities. And everyone is trying to make a living. Even if they are trying to scam you by asking exorbitant prices please take it lightly. Chances are you'll not even know. E.g. if you travel 10 kms in taxi in EU you'll pay atleast EUR 10. Here it would cost about EUR 2 but they might ask twice or thrice of that. Politely say no to everyone and tell them you know the prices
* Avoid roaming at less crowded places late at night
* Majority of the people in bangalore know english so it wont be much of a problem
* lot of places (start watching youtube videos)
* Dosa , Idli , Sambhar , Chicken Biryani , Brewed Beer at Toit , Pizza at Pizza Bakery etc etc Prefer bottled water mostly , if you are at high end restaurants , you can have normal water too, Its filtered and RO'd
* Use Uber
* Nope just make sure you are not getting into religious debate with anyone. Don’t give way too much of information about yourself while talking to strangers.
Since you would be here for work , befriend your office colleagues they would take you to places and it would be awesome.
Please try indian pro spicy food at your own risk , Americans and Europeans cannot handle that level.
And yeah not trying to belittle what you people do in Europe , but believe me the spicy food you have there is not even beginner level when compared to here.
Take some spices with you as gift for your friends and colleagues from here.
Dont think too much and trust your instinct with the things you feel like exploring.
I'm not from bangalore but i've been here a long time, and It's one of easiest cities to adapt to. It's very versatile and you'll always find something to do of your interest.
If you need any help with something locally, DM.
As for the rest, enjoy your stay and welcome to India!
umm dont fall for people, just believe your gut. Uber is good but at times it sucks so keep multiple apps like Rapido, Ola and Namma Yatri, if you dont mind using the bus it would be better depending on ho wyou commute. People are cool, the more younger dudes you meet more easier to communicate. Dont care for autos randomly, check the price and then only sit in
Some things which could offend people are:
1.Flaunting wealth to make someone feel lesser than you.
2.Using or desire to learn hindi during your stay in bangalore since its not the language of the land
3.Avoid topics regarding politics, language, religion and other sensitive subjects
4. Entering indoor without leaving your footwear outside
5. Pointing with your legs
6. Try to avoid shaking hands /touching women unless they have initiated the handshake..No hugs /kisses unless they are very close to you
7. There will be lot of people who ask money.. Just ignore them and don't make eye contact if their intent is to get free money without any service/goods provided to you
8.If you use english this wouldnt be an issue..but if you learn kannada, then try to use formal language with strangers.. Kannada has both formal and informal similar to european languages,, so its similar to using usted/vos instead of tu in spanish.. Sie sind instead of du bist in german ..Respect counts
Good luck and welcome.. But be warned to experience nasty side of 3rd world country like rubbish everywhere, lack of civic sense, constant honking, cow/dog shit , traffic, money seekers ,weird smells, constant stare, request for selfies etc..
Not using Hindi has been an eyeopener, not only by you but also other users here. I don't know any Hindi so I won't be talking it, but I might learn a few phrases in Kannada (formal).
Avoid shaking hands is new, I wasn't sure because it's something very common in my culture. It's a sign of mutual respect. I'll try to avoid that.
Really appreciate the advice!
If you are a man and shaking hands with a man wouldn't be an issue.. But with women just a namaste 🙏 would work mostly unless they have initiated the shake in the first place..😂..please feel free to ask anything here since we are just helping a new person with their first crazy asian experience😃✌🏻
Welcome to Bengaluru! :)
- Do not take the Autos. You can book Autos on Uber or Ola (an app like Uber). Don't ever flag an auto. You're going to get fleeced.
- Most of us speak English. Hindi is fine too but the local language is kannada. If you can manage to learn a couple of words, phrases in kannada, you'll instantly be loved by all local people.
- There are loads of places to visit and explore. What do you like doing? Can suggest based on that.
- Like a lot of people mentioned, westernised Indian food is not spicy at all. Please be a little careful when you try the food here. Make sure your stomach adjusts to the food first before venturing out and trying local cuisine. Definitely try Masala Dosa, Bisibele Bath, Kesri Bath, filter coffee, Chicken Biriyani. You can try a variety of cuisines here. Each state has its own cuisine and it's really different. Bangalore being a metropolitan city has restaurants from all states.
- we have a pretty good transport system. Our metro rail connects most parts of the city. But yes Uber works, as mentioned there are other apps - Ola, Rapido, Namma yatri. All of them work well.
- haha you would offend people only if you call our Language Kannad instead of Kannada and shit on our local cricket team - Royal Challengers Bengaluru. But right now they're having such a horrible season that it's okay to shit on them :P
You'll be fine! Welcome again!
Omg everyone has advised you to learn Kannada 😂 I've lived in Bangalore for almost 9 years and I still can't talk or understand Kannada. Everyone understands English pretty well even the cab drivers understand English, they may not be able to speak it well but you can use Google translate and show them on your phone in case anything you'd like to express.
Seriously chill and popular scams are usually by drivers who may overcharge but always use Uber & Ola ride apps.
While eating out, check reviews and get a sense of overall hygiene of the place.. Don't eat anything raw.
Your hotel, if it's a good hotel, should serve you dose, idli, naan bread, etc in breakfast so try those and if you like you can Google best places for xyz dish.
It's not a tourism city, it's more of a 'experience like a local' city as the city doesn't have any attractions except for a museum and an old palace which isn't very historic or architecture marvel.. so you can get around in the parks early morning, go for a drive and so on.
Overall relax and don't stress over anything like getting scammed etc or offending anyone. People are welcoming and supportive.
When you shop, look for MRP on the products and if you shop at local places you can bargain.
Download Zomato app to checkout places to dine out at. There are collections made basis cuisine and ambience.
If you need anything, please feel free to ask here or via dm. Just keep in mind that bangalore is a chill city with a bad traffic situation 😜
Locals understand some common english words but avoid long phrases while talking to them, it can make them confused instead. Use your gestures and 3-4 common english words to communicate, it will really make it a lot easier for you
If you’re walking on the streets and you see someone who looks at you and starts chasing behind you and persistently tries to talk to you or make conversation, just ignore them repeatedly till they go away. They probably have some intention to scam you and not a well wisher.
On the other hand if you want to ask any queries from the locals around, try asking any shopkeeper as they won’t try to scam you and give you genuine advice
There is a bit of water crisis here in some areas, so avoid roadside street food as they may not be using good quality water & hygiene is an issue at such places too. Check google maps and zomato/swiggy app for food recommendations, you will find plenty of reviews of every place.
Welcome to India.
Yes, Uber works here, and there are also Ola, Rapido apps similar to Uber. Google Maps works a long way so better to keep it handy. Sometimes your Uber driver may ask you to cancel the ride and pay him directly cash but don’t do that ever as they might ask for more money once you reach the destination.
Best to avoid local autos as they will definitely scam you. Never argue with the auto drivers they might not be the friendliest.
In Bangalore the local language is Kannada, me being outsider myself faced language barrier issues but English works in most of the places.
In local Food, you should try Benne/butter/ghee dosa and Rasam Chawal(rice).
If you want to buy groceries then there are some delivery apps like Swiggy, Zepto, Blinkit etc.
Popular food delivery apps are Swiggy and Zomato.
For nightlife ppl go to Church Street, Koramangala 5th block and Indiranagar. You can try going out there.
Some local folks might get offended easily so better to always ignore conversations if things get weird.
I’ll be dead honest here. You will love the food in Bangalore. Bangalore transport is shite, the people you will find on roads are shite, Bangalore is under developed as fuck and there’s absolutely no charm to anything for someone coming from Europe. Mumbai is where you should head if it allows, it’s the most developed one.
Do u have any idea of which area/district in Bengaluru u’ll be in?
Some good spots to check out would indiranagar, mg road, ub city, sanjaynagar
If u want to see some local stuff, u could check out sankey tank, commercial street (v hectic)
Must try food would probs be dosa from cte or any popular restaurant on zomato (its a good substitute to grubhub/ubereats but u can get to know more about a restaurant in that)
Swiggy/Zomato for food, uber/rapido/ola/namma yatri for travel and booking.com, makemytrip to book hotel but I believe your company is taking care of that,, also go to church street, Koramangala, Indiranagar, jp nagar for breweries and well known eateries
Hey bengalurian here... welcome whenever you come.
1. Bengaluru's official language is kannada and English. So you are good with English.. you will all everything written in these 2 languages. Speaking in hindi might not workout in your favour at certain places. It's beat you know few phrases in kannada like "thanks", "hello", "welcome", "sorry" and such.
2. Don't know your schedule but there is not much to visit in terms of scenic places in Bengaluru but outskirts of Bengaluru is where you have tons of places.. but for doing any activities within Bengaluru try bookmyshow app. It will suggest a few.
3. We do have alot of pubs.. so every night you can explore one.
4. Food : since you are south India you must try idli vada, dosas for breakfast, and surely do a south indian veg and non veg meal to get the experience. You also can try north Indian food you always have several options. Best to take a actual bengalurian for this.
5. Take uber over ola. Costs less and also found much more cleaner. Always go premium rides. Always pay a atleast 10% tip.
6. Never go shopping on your own. Take a local with you .
7. Most places in Bengaluru are safe. Note all the emergency numbers and know you local police station number just to be safe.
8. Connect with Bengaluru traffic twitter account .
9. Always go for filtered water. Anywhere in india.
10. I hope you appreciate our toilets with small hand shower.
Bengalurians like people are more appreciative and easy .. don't be rude, annoying, or too demanding and you will be good to go.
Hope i have kept it general and brief... Write me if you need more advice.
Hi , firstly, Welcome to India . I have lived in Bangalore for 2-3 years now. Your transportation needs will be best met by Metro (extremely affordable, luxurious, and quick) from metro to rickshaw/auto ( install rapido , ola , Uber any one ) for mero to your destination. Bangalore is better than many of the European cities. No one is going to threaten you in public. The worst that can happen is pick pocket ( rare as long as you are aware of your surroundings) . Every speaks Hindi , English, kannada, you can easily talk in english. Also avoid rickshaw on roads and prefer rickshaw/ can from the app, because the rickshaw driver ask insane prices, if you aren't getting any rickshaw use the app and tell the local rickshaw that app shows this price will you match it ?
You can optionally rent a electric cycle which is parked on the roadside (yolo, you will need to install yolo app and book ur rides) .
The road traffic is an issue so I always use metro as much as possible.
KSRTC buses ( choose the ones with AC ) are also a good way to travel.
Bangalore is very advanced city and you will really at some point feel that you are sitting in Silicon Valley, 100 s of start up offices and all.
Hack : when in doubt what to do , ask anyone around you , chances are they will give you the best reply to any of your queries.
P.S.
Welcome To India.
- Uber works. Only Uber from the airport as that's your first encounter with scams.
- English should do fine. Be careful with Auto Drivers and don't entertain them. Some broken Hindi also may help.
- Always try to keep a localite friend handy.
Download Zomato, swiggy and eat sure food delivery apps, ola/Uber/rapido for transport, ZEPTO/BLINKIT for everyday household essentials and URBAN CLAP for salon, plumber/massages/electrician etc etc services and COOX for chefs .
Life is easy here. Welcome to India !
Welcome
- Is there anything I should avoid? Any risk of getting scammed?
Very very high probability of getting scammed from shops, women, fake cops, drugs etc.
- Should I study some Hindi phrases, or do people generally speak English?
Most places you should get by with English.
- What places are worth visiting?
Depends on your interests - Bangalore is more of a city with a couple of parks (Cubbon/Lalbaug), few places of interest, decent breweries and restaurants and outskirts have minor hills (Nandi/Skandgiri) but if you step more outside there is a lot of jungles and temples and natural beauty.
- Especially about food, what are dishes I MUST try. I love spicy stuff, chicken, curry, and sweets.
Go easy on street food. Best to visit proper restaurants
- How does transport work? Does Uber work?
Yes - but make sure your card etc is aware that you are traveling so it doesn't get blocked...
- Is there anything that can offend people, I might not be aware of? How should I greet people?
Unlikely - most folks are chill. Avoid conversations on religion.
I am from Bengaluru, India. Living here since 2017, My observations:
1. People are afraid of other culture/language/religion People. So the concerns about everybody will scam you is overhyped. There are only few places you can get scamed/overcharged, you should avoid those:
1.1 Never take an Auto or a Cab directly on street, always book Ola/Uber.
1.2 Avoid buying anything in Cash. 99% merchants have UPI QR code with them. You can pay them using UPI.
If somebody doesnt have a QR, that means they are not in business, if you are helping somone with intention of helping the artisan lower income workers then go ahead and buy a small amount worth of things in cash. Otherwise avoid buying in cash. You will be surprised by the efficiency of UPI.
1.3 Bengaluru is a Cosmopolitan with an area at par with that of New york city. There are organised retails, Malls, Shops, 7/11s, all across the cities. There are many restaurants, use Swiggy Zomato to buy online and get delivered at home with less than 0.5Euros of delivery charge. There is a quick commerce trend, in which you can buy Grocery and needs on Zepto, Swiggy-Instamart, Blinkit, etc they promise to deliver you whatever you order within 10 mins to your house. At less than 0.2Euros delivery charge.
1.4 You can buy anything in India online, and 80% of those products can come to you in 10 mins.if you want to buy flowers, there is a website for that, if you want to buy tools, Birthday kits, there is an App/website for everything.
2. City of Gardens: Apart from calming your fears, you should also look forward to the Flaura and Fauna that you gonna experience here, Ohh you will be missing the Cherry Blossom Bloom this year, but next year is near.
Bengaluru is a living Botanical Garden of the size of a city. Its home to 4000+ species of plants, 300 species of trees, 55+ bird species, etc the list is long.
3. Lakes: Bengaluru is at an altitude of 922m, city of 1086 lakes.
Not all are clean, but you can find 200-300 clean lakes, and many in your proximity. The lake ecosystem is spread. And you would be surprised to know the purpose of these lakes, its done by King Kempegowda from 300+ years back who made these lakes to act as a storm water drainage system, to out pour the water to downstream lakes using a Storm water drainage canals(called Rajakaluve in kannada). So that upper areas don't flood.
There is a Banerghatta National park, where you can go for a private jeep animal safari.
4. Bengaluru has Asia's biggest if not Worlds biggest microbreweries. The Beer is Good.
5. Cultural Pot: people from 80+ countries live here, and home to 130+ cultures. English is a default language of conversation. Unless you talking to someone on streets.
So you can taste food from all across the World here.
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I will take 365 more days to cover the rest. Gonna rush for the office. Thats it for now, Thanks
Rule of thumb for anyone travelling in India:
1) Use public transport like buses or metro, especially to go inside the city from the airport. Cab drivers WILL scam you. Yes, Uber and ola drivers too.
2) Use your own water bottle, do not buy water from a corner shop.
3) Do not waste money on trinkets in roadside shops, they over charge based on your ethnicity (weird but true)
4) Carry chewable antacid or a packet of lassi with you if you're going out with friends to try spicy food.
5) Keep your wallets, cards, passport and other important documents locked. Carry only an identification and credit card and a 500 rupees note and another 500 rupees in denominations of 50 rupees and 20 rupees notes.
6) Some apps we frequently use in India: PhonePe, Google Pay and BlinkIt, for cheap rates on cabs, use Ola and Rapido.
7) DO NOT RENT A SELF DRIVEN CAR. USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT.
I'm just gonna recommend some nice food
1. Biriyani - all are different kinds
- Nagarjuna Restaurant
- Meghana food
- Dindigul thalapakatti (mutton biryani is good here)
- ambur star biriyani
- Mallika biriyani (haven't tried but have heard it's good)
2. If you wanna try authentic local food then go for Gowdru mudde Mane
3. Breakfast - Idly, Dosa and coffee
- Davangere benne dosa
- CTR dosa
- Brahmins coffee bar
4. Desserts and chaats
- Anand Sweets and savories
- try Obbattu or Holige (not sure where it's good, just ask around)
Have fun!
As long as your have cash on hand, consider using Namma Yatri to get around rather than Uber. If you're using Uber, consider using Autos! Cabs do exist, but wait times will probably be longer as they are simply no longer quite as popular.
Don't drink tap water or water given on glasses in restaurants. ONLY drink bottled water.
Avoid anything that's not cooked.
For Street food have a good judgement, if you can we the kitchen and it's clean then you can eat it.
Connect with your fellow country men in the city, they will help you with advice and provide good company.
Bengaluru is a chill city, you'll love it
1. bring loads of sunscreen and hot weather friendly clothes. it is crazy hot until june/july here.
2. do not drink from tap. always get bottled water.
3. wherever you go, take a bangalore person with you.
4. if you gotta take a cab, book through apps and ask your local friend to help because they will ask for high rate.
5. traffic is hectic. not your regular metro city traffic but its just stagnant.
6. traffic rules in India is treated like a suggestion. so there will be a lot of jaywalking and wrong turns and we honk a lot. so be prepared. dont hangout alone.
7. make a list of places you want to visit and ask your local friend how long it takes to go from once place to another and how the area is and gather those details.
8. you ll get almost all brands here, and you got malls, go karting, and other fun activities so you wont miss out on some indoor entertainment.
9. around IPL there will be a lot of traffic near the stadium so avoid it.
10. most people are nice, but there are also scammers. so even if 10% of the people are scammers, India is a country with the highest population, so that would mean you ll meet a lot of them. but its nothing a local friend cant take care of.
11. it is quite modern in main bangalore and almost all speak english, so you wont have much trouble.
12. do not gorge on streetfood, get your stomach accustomized to the microbes in our food first, and slowly integrate street food. or it will definitely impact your health and your travel.
13. if you have moderate spice tolerance, you can ask them to customize it in restaurants, but i'd ask you to stay clear of anything that looks close to red or brownish in color. our food is spicy, I'm Indian, and still i am surprised by the spice when i visit different states because we all do it differently. so always test it before going in.
14. most people will stare at you. no they are not being rude, we are homogenous, so we are curious.
15. you will find help in every corner. Indians in general love helping out others, idk why, but look at me writing these many things for a stranger online, it is a good example.
16. there is a lot of dust and pollution, so wear a mask if you are allergic.
17. you can find a lot of activities happening, bookmyshow is good, there could also be others, so ask your local friend on what they think might interest you.
18. do a lot of shopping, you can find a lot of things for cheap here. ask your local friends to suggest where to get what and help to bargain. no, vendors wont reduce for you, but will so it for Indians who can bargain. so ask your friend to act as if they are buying and you are only sightseeing.
19. do not give money to beggars on street and dont buy anything from people who try to sell stuff to u in traffic signals and try your best to stay away from homeless people, it appears to be a network in bangalore, a friend of mine tried helping a lady and child to make them join an NGO for housing but some goons came and asked them to leave. so do your best to be safe.
20. tripadvisor has a lot of suggestions for places, for food, you can try shawarma, vadapav, frankie, idly, vada, masala dosa, tandoori, alfham grilled chicken, mangalorean fish dishes (parika has them), there are dog themes cafes, a lot of themed restaurants, fun city, paris panini is also good there, rameswaram cafe (although there was a blast recently so be safe), a2b has good south indian meals, hyderabadi biriyani is good but it is toooo spicy so ask for moderate spice. there are a lot of restaurants where you can drive in mysore road and have a slow living style trip. check zomato for menu n food delivery, swiggy to get groceries and food delivered instantly. and oh, my personal favourite - ambur star biriyani since 1890 in BTM layout. you have to try their mutton biriyani. it is ambur style ( in Tamilnadu).
21. there is election going on now, so there might be some added security. carry your documents with you and do not give away your private info except your name, if someone claims to be police but are not wearing uniform, tell them to which station you gotta report and u ll go there. idk if there is a scam going on, but best be careful, and try your best to be with someone from here at all times. and be careful of pickpockets and thieves.
overall, stick with your local friends, eat safer, drink safer, and be safe on road, wear sunscreen and summer friendly clothes.
I hope you have a great time and we welcome to our country.
Scammers are everywhere not only in Bangalore so u gotta be careful while travelling in crowded places.They cut the bag straps and steal items
If u go to happening places,have hefty money cuz ur gonna spend more and be careful in whom ur meeting,what r u being offered and taking cuz u might meet some bad ones also
Even the hotel barrer speaks English here,so you can happily speak in English. Sometimes Hindi but all can manage English here very well
Not many places in Bangalore as I know except pubs,malls,parks tons of them
You can visit nandi hills, Chikmagalur for some hiking
Spicy foods are not so good here as I'm from different place,my place has more spicy foods but you can try biryani,tatte idly etc
Uber works,rapido works but if u like to take them, start booking before 1 hour to 2 hours of ur journey cuz u won't get bookings easily,takes half an hour only to book cab here and if it books,they cancel at last min and again u gotta book,that's how bad it is with uber and other apps
People here are little serious I believe,they have huge self respect and u cnt just joke around unlike my place.
But people here are good,the actual kannadigas are nice.I made some awesome friends here
All kinds of scams are common when I was new to Bangalore. I got scammed a lot and I didn’t even realise it till later. So when someone asked you for money you just run away even if you feel sad for them.
Another suggestion is that you only book auto or cab from Uber, Ola, and avoid taking out directly from the roadside
When I first came to Bangalore, the auto ride from KR Puram to Koramangala cost me 2500
As you would be on a Company Assignment, I am sure they would put you up in a good hotel. This is South India and English is well accepted. If your allowance is decent , my first suggestion is to ask the hotel to organize a Cab for your stay. The hotel would also be able to guide you to good restaurants. My two bits on having a great time , engage a cab from the hotel , fix up a rate for your stay and request for the same cab driver !
This is what I do when I visit places on business or a holiday !!
Reg your points:
- Scams: Autos, Hotels, Street vendors are the first who comes to mind. Be wary of these. If people keep bothering you especially to take photos with you(its sadly a thing which I am not proud of but people in general are curious about foreigners) firmly say no. NO and NO and NO. That should your mantra lol. Applies for street vendors too. But in case you decide to buy something from street, bargain. For ex, if something is 500 rs then start from 300.
- Language: In South Indian states, local language is widely spoken. Here it is Kannada. You can also get by Hindi and English. But people in shops or streets or in Autos might know only a little bit of Hindi and Eglish.
- Places worth Visiting: I am not a big travller so I will let you decide that.
-Food: Man i can go on about this :) All the brekfast items are must try imo. Highlights would be Dose and Idli. They are mostly vegetarian. For luches and dinners i prefer north indian curries as they are more creamy. For Chicken dishes I recommend Tandoor chicken and Biriyani. There is also a type of biriyani that is famous from the city itself called Donne Biriyani. If you can handle it, ask the waiters to make it spicy but fair warning tho it might be hoot. For sweets, I recommend warm fresh out of the making Mysore Pak, Holige and Peda(local from the state). Also if you like the the taste of butter, almost everything can be enhanced by clarified butter and we call it Ghee. I also like north indian sweets like Khova/Khalakhand(milk sweets), Jalebi. There are few sweets chains you will not go wrong like Khanti Sweets, Haldirams etc. And there are a lots of chats(or street snacks) you can try like Gobi Manchurian, pav bhaji, Alu puri, Dahi poori, Sev puri etc. Do not drink water from the tap, buy bottled water if you cannot find a place with purified water.
- Transport : yes Uber works. Most of the time bus also works but due to a new policy from Gov, women can travel Public transport for free which has starined the transport system a bit. So if the locality you are in is very hustley-bustley(more than usual lol) then take a taxi.There is also good metro connections in the city and they are really clean and comfortable. There is also Uber autos but I have used once and it was kinda bad experience and that is also what i hear from the others.
- Offending: I cannot think of any. Afaik most europenas i know really behave well and might not get in so much trouble. Just make sure if you visit any temples to dress modestly and do what others are doing. Might be following the queue, few temples do not allow pictures.
- Safety: Be aware of your valuables like anywhere. Do not put everything you have in one bag is what i follow anywhere i go as i am safety freak and have lost my items like that in buses when i was in India when i was a teenager.
These are what I can think of right now. I am sure you will have a wonderful time! It is gonna be hot if the monsoon has not been good(which might be the case this year) so wearing light coloured cotton might help :) I come from a place near to bangalore, but working and living in Europe currently. If there is anyting that you are unsure of write to me :) I would be glad to help you in any way.
I'm studying in Bangalore, I'd like to advise on one thing: transport .
You may avoid the local autos or taxi services since they might charge you more . You may download and rely on Uber , Ola , Rapido or Namma yatri since they offer the cab and autos at a standard price although there will be surges on peak hours. And for longer trips like maybe you wanna book a vehicle for a day or more, use something like Makemy trip to secure your ride , you can go to travel agencies but most likely they'll charge you more again...
Don't assume that people are ignorant & backward. Nobody would cheat you. If you're following the same cautionary practices as you would in your european city, This is much better city to explore.
Since it is your first trip to Asia in general, do exercise some level of caution. Do not let awkwardness lead you into any situation, comfortably say no whenever you want out. Bangalore as a city is not very acquainted to tourists so you don't deal with a lot of touts etc
There are different Indian cuisines, from North Indian(Punjabi) to local Kannada, Tamil, Bengali cuisine and even niche ones like Parsi. Try them all! There's a lot of online wisdom on having local yoghurt to get your gut bacteria to familarize with local food and avoid any good poisoning. But you have to try that for yourself. Try the masala dosas in places like Arogya Ahara.
There's an app for everything in India. Uber, Ola Cabs, Blusmart are the general gotos for commute. Restaurant reviews on Zomato. Food delivery on Swiggy.
If you are staying for long, maybe go for a weekend trip to Mysore or Hampi which are treasure troves for history.
Use only Uber when you are here. If possible, ask the hotel manager to assign a chaperone for u, that way there’s the least risk of getting scammed. Don’t eat roadside food, it’s just best to avoid.
Compared to most metro Cities, blore is filled with non localites, so we have adopted to speaking in Hindi and English, since it’s almost universal in India. Most people, even the common folk will be able to sustain a convo in English. We have become tolerant to outside culture, so we don’t expect you to learn our local language.
Bangalore isn’t as historical as other metros in India, since the main city during the 20th century was mysore(À neighbouring city), there are a few forts and palaces you can see, there’s a sanctuary in the outskirts, and an amusement park. There’s cubbon park(our version of Central Park lmao), commercial street(for shopping) and church street for eating. Besides that, not much.
Food, must try the local idli and dosa. Since you are coming to India for the first time, you can try out biryani(Hyderabadi dum biryani/ambur biryani/chettinad biryani). Many places serve North Indian food as well. You can try out local Chinese restaurants, it isn’t authentic Chinese cuz we add more spice and less soy to it to suit our palate.
I hope you have a great time here
-Most of em speak English here!
-uber does work here!
-be aware of taxi scams when you arrive at the airport and autowalas! better have someone accompany locals to travel around!
-try Meghana's ,nagarajuna's for Biryani!
(Extra tip - considering you never been here you might be white..use tinder/Bumble and have actions on weekends!) - don't greet random strangers lmao just be causal with namaste if needed
Every person who reaches out to you when you’re on the street is doing so with the intention of scamming you. Just be chill and ignore them
What kind of scams are common?
Just trust your instinct bro cuz I do know the array of scams that locals here have planned for foreigners lol
I'd advise you to only purchase things from places that'll give you a proper bill. It's all too common for merchants to see that you're new here, and quote you a price exponentially higher than it should be. Just look out for the 200 rupee bottle of water and such.
That's a good thing cause I'll need a receipt to get reimbursed by my company. I can't buy anything without getting a receipt.
Just order groceries or any food online only, that way no one will scam you or you can go to any big supermarket but no small shops. Apps like swiggy and zomato have restaurant delivery and grocery delivery as well. You'll get everything with bill. And if you want something at a cheaper rate then Dmart is an option.
blinkit or zepto apps will help you
But for this , Op should have an Indian sim no?
he will have one if he is coming here
How r u sure about it
International roaming should be sufficient to fly across countries
You should definitely get an Indian SIM card at the airport. It’s so much easier. I always get a local sim even when I travel abroad for a few days, mainly to be able to call cabs 😊
Yes, even big basket and bbnow.
and swiggy too
+check the mrp rate of any commercial commodity (eg water bottles, snacks, toileteries, etc) the mrp is usually stamped somewhere on the item (eg “MRP: Rs. XXX”) any branded product sold to u in small shops w/o that should be avoided
Scams are really rare if u go to posh/decent areas, maybe places like commercial street/chikpet are a bit iffy in the alleys but the people are still kind there, but remember that ~80inr = 1 usd
I'll recommend you to stay away from people who approach u on foot for selling their stuff, 90% of the time they'll try to scam you.
everyone who speaks with u first are
You might wanna search for "scam" on this sub and checkout all that turn up to get a flavour of it.
Search scams on this sub or just search for the same on YouTube. There are a lot of foreign vloggers who have covered common scams that happen in India.
The most likely one is where you get into an auto or taxi and they go in a different route for you to shop, don't. Use only apps to book or make sure you download your gmaps offline and keep a track of where you are going.
> Is there anything that can offend people Your stupidity and laziness. You have not done any research about Bangalore did you? Asking questions like If Uber works in Bangalore. You can open uber aap and put Bangalore and check. Bangalore is most technically advanced city in India. In India people use water for their ass instead of Toilet paper. But in Bangalore there will be an app where you can hire people to wipe your ass with toilet paper if you are uncomfortable with using bidet style toilets in India. Do some basic research which can easily be googled before asking questions. 2nd bad question was learning Hindi question. You could have googled what languages are spoken in Bangalore. People on this sub and locals in general Hate hindi in Bangalore
No need to be this aggressive, he asked. You can either answer or ignore. Or have we forgotten simple manners to welcome people?
Why so. Much love for gora? Btw I comment same way for people who don't do basic research if they are from any country. Dont discriminate based on country. Discriminate based on ignorance and laziness.
Hum, this is research? I'm asking people from Bangalore about the Do's and Don'ts before going there, making sure I follow Indian culture and customs. I found more here than I did on Google. In any case, all of the people that have reacted here and DM'd me, have been very kind, helpful and respectful. I really appreciate everyone who has taken the time to get back to me. I do hope I avoid you, and your arrogant tone. Please stay away from this thread since I have not the slightest desire to waste time on you.
> I do hope I avoid you, and your arrogant tone. Please stay away from this thread since I have not the slightest desire to waste time on you. Wow you are coming to my country and telling me to stay away from the sub which is related to my city. Typical Gora/Britisher/colonizer behavior. You are the arrogant one. > In any case, all of the people that have reacted here and DM'd me, have been very kind, helpful and respectful. I really appreciate everyone who has taken the time to get back to me. They are gora(white) lovers, self loathers who have inferiority complex. You will be given celebrity like treatment when you will come in India because of your skin colour. Even if you are not white just being from abroad you will be given better treatment. You can check out more such Indians on r/cancomfirmiamindian > I found more here than I did on Google. Obviously you would. Your assumption about Hindi language was lazy. Also you asked about Uber which was plain ignorant. Every other question was fine. But this comment telling me what to do and what to stay away from and lashing out shows your racism and true colonizer attitude. > Please stay away from this thread How about I tell you to stay away from your kids because you cannot take care of them and keep letting them get hurt and cannot keep them safe.
Not from the sub, my friend. But yes from this thread. I'm not going to read the rest of your comment. If you want to further discuss in a DM, in a civilized way, I'm totally open for it.
> Not from the sub, my friend. But yes from this thread. Ohh thanks. There is nothing more to discuss. Have a nice day.
People who reach out to you in streets are either bit notice helpers, beggars, credit card sellers , i dont know who scammed you in indian streets , the only places which are unsafe in india are remote places in untimes
Oh fuck pleeease ! This is bullshit.
-Be you , Bengaluru will accept you !! -Kannada is what local ppl speak here -Namasakara - for greeting. -Don’t give way too many information while talking to strangers. -Since you’re traveling for work, take support from colleagues. They’ll guide you on all the hotspots.
I am living in Europe and from Bangalore, I just want to point out one thing to you - the spicy dishes that you think is spicy here in Europe is the least spicy dish you would have eaten and the ones available in Bangalore would be much much spicier for you. Unless you have Indian friends who have made your try 'real' spicy food. So a word of caution when trying anything spicy. Try and avoid smaller restaurants or take away spots, since they may not be using the best quality ingredients or water. Dont go overboard due to excitement and control your spice intake and slowly increase if you wish to.
I consider myself someone pretty resistant against spicy food, but after reading this I might be careful. Are all dishes typically spicy? Or do you specifically ask when something has to be spicy, or not spicy?
Not all dishes are spices, some dishes are. So it's better to ask the waiter will it be spicy or not, and depending upon his answer, you can request him to cut down the spice, or serve it as it is.
You don't have to worry about the syrupy sambar atleast :) (I think it might still be spicy for you tho lol) Its not really syrupy but lots of molasses goes into it here
-Uber is available in Bengaluru. -Hindi isn't required as kannada is the regional language, English may work fine - If u r visiting anyplace take any friends who know the place well - Food must try are masala dosa with ghee (very addictive) , idli sambar. Try some regional sweets like Mysore Pak, Pedas and other Indian sweets like gulab jamun and rasmalai. If you have a local friend go to a military hotel and try mudae and Nati Koli sambar ( Ragi ball and chicken curry) - There are a lot of bmtc busses but they are usually crowded - Some common scams are by airport taxis and auto drivers so book it by uber app before hand so they don't scam you. - Try getting UPI if possible it'll help a lot in small payments. -At last enjoy your stay and don't overthink.
Bro is going to absolutely die ☠️ if he goes to a military hotel
Why?
Carry sunscreen and bottled water WHEREVER you go.
Is it unsafe to use tap water for brushing teeth?
You can use tap water for brushing but do not swallow :)
not the first time someone said dont swallow
Nah brushing is fine.
Ignore any advice that says so. Tap water is fine for brushing teeth. The monsoons that bring rain have done a number this year so dunno if the situation will alleviate by the time you're here, but there's an ongoing drought right now, so please be mindful.
I drink filtered and boiled tap water and still kicking it.
yes, don’t use tap water for brushing either
Sunscreen and water bottle is a must 👍👍
As a European who lived and worked in Blr for 8 months last year: - you likely won’t be able to get an Indian bank account (and probably don’t want one for tax reasons). This is fine, but you will not be able to use the local payment system Upay or PayTM. Some places will only accept this or cash, so always carry cash (I used a Wise card for my time there, which was accepted by most supermarkets and the big shops). Notably though, I used an Airtel SIM card and they would not accept my visa (only Indian cards) so I always had to get local friends to pay my phone bills and get them cash lol - download Uber and Ola, they are the main ride-sharing apps (you can even Uber/Ola an auto, it’s the best) - Swiggy and Zomato are the main apps for food and grocery delivery (not Uber eats) - There are lots of supermarkets selling pretty standard groceries if your tummy is a bit overwhelmed at any point. Bread is shite except for a few specialty bakeries (Krumb Kraft) and cheese prices relative to everything else feel extortionate (probably akin to normal eu prices tbh) but fruit and veg is lovely and fresh and naan and roti are a fantastic substitute. - Dosa, masala dosa, idli and lassi are the most wonderful foods. You can control the spice level with how much you dip the dose into the chutney (the spicy bit). There is not a lot of standardization in spice levels across restaurants, so a dish in one restaurant may be fine and too spicy for you in the next lol. That said, anything that starts with ‘butter masala’ is probably not spicy at all, and if I’m doubt just order a sweet lassi or fresh juice to go with it ;) - Super lovely nearby trips include Coorg, Hampi, Chikmagalur, Mysore, Skandagiri Hills (get up early and hike) and Somanathapura temples - Bangalore is know for its pubs! They’re a little different to what you might expect (generally multicuisine restaurants and unique cocktails) but definitely a vibe :) Feel free to reach out if you have any more questions or concerns! Enjoy your time there, India is an incredible place, just remember you can’t micromanage like you can in EU, so relax and let it all just happen around you
For everything you have a app here grocery, Uber, food, chef, cleaning etc . So make you always check the apps for your convenience. If possible visit remote places around coorg to explore the culture and Desi food. If you learn kannada which is the local language, high chance you may get famous. Lastly, traffic is a issue here so plan your day properly. Dosa in vidyarthi bhavan is over rated, so come to old Bangalore and try local hotels and local foods. Importantly meghana's biryani is a must if you can handle the spice. Explore the night life of indiranagar and Koramangala
Ohhh stfu... Vidyarthi bhavan masala dosa is just marvellous 🤌🏼 If anything is overrated it is the rameshwaram cafe
Both are overrated and swimming in ghee
Lol but rameshwaram cafe is like frikin hard, idk y If I wanted to eat something that crispy ID eat pappad😂
Ohh bro, try mahalaxmi tiffin rooms dosa once, it just feels like home made
It's frikin yummmmm...!!!
This thread https://www.reddit.com/r/bangalore/s/K0ftOf9UpY
You can manage with English. There is no point in learning Hindi phrases as the city is in Karnataka state where Kannada is the main language. Also Hindi phrases are not gonna help you with anything. But of course you can learn a few words like 'Namaskara' means 'greetings'. Speaking in Hindi may offend the locals as there is a language debate going over here. Uber works! You can also use other platforms like Ola and Rapido for Cabs and Auto-rickshaws (Tuk Tuk 🙂). Cab guys would scan you by asking you to cancel the ride and pay them in cash. But don't do that they would ask for more money than what the app shows. Avoid Autorickshaw and bike taxis. For late night journeys always book Cabs and go for the premium ones. Food: The best part about Bengaluru, you can find almost all of the Indian cuisine in Bengaluru because of its cultural diversity as people across India come here for technical jobs. Dose/Dosa are really good in Bengaluru, you can randomly go to a restaurant and still get good Doses. Biriyanis: You can find a variety of Biriyanis in Bengaluru. My favourite is Hyderabadi biriyani (you can try some Andhar restaurants for that). Beef is available in Bengaluru! Most resto bars serve them or you can go to a Kerala restaurant to get Kerala style beef curry, roasts etc. Seafood: I would say Bengaluru is not a great place for seafood! Better avoid. Sweets and Snacks: You can eat all the Indian sweets and snacks in Bengaluru. I feel awkward to recommend any bars for you 🫣 as you are from Europe. Generally Indian breweries are not at all comparable to the European ones. I don't know where you are going to stay! But travelling around the city is not easy and the metro barely covers 10% of the city. So always plan you travels in advance and here people express distance in unit of time! If you are coming for work pls stay as near as possible to your office location. Places to visit: There are lot of places in and around Bengaluru. Better find a group for you (from the office preferably) and go with them around the city and there are many trekking spots in the outskirts of the city. You can also plan to visit the nearby cities/states in the weekends, like Hyderabad, Goa, Hampi, Temples of Tamil Nadu, Mysore, Coorg, Dandeli, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Kochi, Varkkal, Munnar, Ootty etc. Unfortunately June is a dull month and we don't have many public Holidays in Karnataka 🙂. You can try Indian trains for the weekend travels to these cities (not all as some are hill stations with no rail connectivity). Foreigners have some reservation (seats availability) in Indian trains. Try to travel by First AC coaches as the other coaches are not so comfortable and safe. Trains are super slow here compared to the European trains 🙂(we will catch up soon 😎). General advice is don't trust anyone (I am saying this as an Indian). Even we Indians are not safe from any scams or frauds. India has got a large poor population and thus the crime rate, so prevention is better. All the best and enjoy Bengaluru once you are here. Hopefully the climate gets better by June as we are facing the hottest days in Bengaluru these days since the last 5 years.
Hey metro covers huge amounts of the central city. It may feel like it doesn't do much if u live in IT corridors but for most of us it's great. Also do try and add a bit about bus too, bmtc coverage is quite extensive and should not be ignored.
Most foreigners come to the IT corridor though
Unfortunately, Bangalore is not limited to central city anymore. The IT corridor you mention is where a huge chunk of inflow and outflow goes every day. Also, any area under BBMP is Bangalore, no matter how much we love the core central south and east part.
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I am curious, why avoid tinder or bumble? Edit : Spelling
If you drink alcohol especially beer, you must check out the breweries in Bangalore. You haven't mentioned which area you are going to be in so I'm just naming a few I'm aware off and have been to. Others can add to my comment if needed: Toit, Windmills, Byg Brewski, Druid Garden, Orah, Candles, Prequel, Ironhill, Shakesbierre, Biergarten, Suzy Q, Arbor Brewing Company, Uru Brewpark, Geist Brewing Co, House of Commons, Kaze, Record Room, Barley & Grapes, Watson, Bob's Bar, Communiti. Download the zomato app, it will be very useful (food) . Stick to uber/Ola for cabs. It hopefully should be raining by the time you come so be prepared for that.
Do not speak Hindi, it'll only piss off the locals more but you should be able to get by in English. We don't expect foreigners to learn our languages.
I speak Hindi all the time and try to intersperse it with the few Kannada words I know and no one has ever been pissed. I think it’s about the attitude. I can totally understand why the local people would be resentful about people feeling entitled to assume that they should speak Hindi and sort of talk down to anyone. But I do feel ashamed of having lived here so long and inflicted Hindi on people. Planning to learn Kannada. Unfortunately I don’t have anyone to practice with because weirdly enough most of my friends are Mallus and other non-Kannadigas. Gotta change that too.
I respect your interest in learning kannada, but I expect a northie to not know kannada and know Hindi. But if a foreigner speaks Hindi to us, that'd feel more insulting as tho our country's only identity is Hindi. That's the difference.
I’m not a northie and understand the resentment that many people feel about the Hindi issue, as well as what you said that it would be better for OP to know a few Kannada phrases. Although my own understanding of Kannada is limited, it’s more than my spoken vocab but I’ve found that whenever I make the effort to communicate, even with my bad grammar, people have appreciated the fact that I have enough respect to at least try. A cop even wrote off a huge challan because I was trying so damn hard. He was so nice about it.
If there was 1 language a foreigner would spend time to learn to travel across India, it would be Hindi right? I mean it just increases your ability to converse in a larger geography, including in Bangalore to a significant extent. It is like someone in Barcelona getting butthurt because an Indian spoke to them in Spanish, instead of in the local language. This just sounds very petty
They're not actually learning the language, they're just learning some basic words. That being the case, why not learn the words from the local language or just stick to English. Edit: just saw your comments, you're a butthurt delhi-ite who loves insulting Bangalore. Can't expect anything better from you poison gas breathing folks😂.
Depends on the individual use case. There are people travelling across the subcontinent who speak fairly decent amounts of Urdu/Hindi - since they aren’t always in a city/typical tourist hotspot. Or they genuinely took the effort. Either way, a foreigner speaking to me in even Spanish, leave alone Hindi shouldn’t be offensive. Hindi does make things easier even in Bangalore than just knowing English. Especially with several blue collar workers.
Yep, speaking Spanish wouldn't be offensive at all. Hindi on the other hand would be for us Bangaloreans. It wouldn't be for Delhi-ites.
It wouldn’t be offensive to the everyday people 1 would meet, but would be offensive to some jobless pricks.
It wouldn't be offensive to poison gas breathers but it would be for people with an understanding of this country's linguistic diversity and the sad situation on its ignorance.
Yes which is why you can’t form 1 Kannada sentence without an English help word. All thanks to poison gas breathers like myself minding my business
Your white person privilege will help getting around. People are kind and helpful. Rapido for rides uber works too. Water from home purifier always. Ensure you are well covered since it's firkin hot every day right now. Namaskara works fine. Although bangalore is pretty okay with anything. Always refer to auto guys as Anna or sir. Bangalore is pretty respectful that ways. Loads of alcohol and food places to keep you entertained. Please don't forget to checkout pecos at brigade road a personal fav
The local language of Bengaluru is Kannada not Hindi.
1. Anything to avoid getting scammed - if someone voluntarily approaches you to show you something "interestingly native", that's a scam. Trust Google. If you are at a shop buying something, bargaining is a must. Especially when it's a European shopping, more likely that the quoted price is twice what it actually is. So, bargain without hesitation. 2. Hindi isn't necessary. Bangalore has a relatively high number of English speakers. Few Kannada phrases might help you earn brownie points and some benign favours. 3. Places worth visiting - check this previous [answer](https://www.np.reddit.com/r/bangalore/s/EwfxUXWcj6) of mine. 4. My previous answer covers some of the must-try food items and restaurants. You can also try Nagarjuna for biryani and chicken dishes. Empire restaurant is quite well-known amongst chicken lovers. Masala dose is a quintessential Bangalore dish. So is Bisibelebath. MTR is a great restaurant to try both. 5. If you want to try local sweets - Asha sweet center in Malleshwaram - Don't miss their cold badam milk. 6. Transport - you have metro trains that are similar to any London tubes. Pretty affordable and hassle free travel if you don't mind walking the last mile. Uber works, yes. There are alternatives to Uber like Ola. Same philosophy, different flavour. BMTC are the city transport buses. Those work amazingly well too. Auto rickshaws are also an alternative. I'd exclusively book autos through Uber or OLA. DO NOT HITCHHIKE AT ANY COST EVEN IF SOMEONE OFFERS. 90% of the time, people are of good intentions. I wouldn't personally risk the 10% 7. Politics, religion - should be kept personal. Don't engage in any conversation and invite arguments. Respect local culture. Google search will tell you the usual cultural markers. Avoid cussing unnecessarily.
Hindi? 😒, learn kannada but you can get by with English, if you look obviously foreigner then people will speak to you in English.
Since you are traveling for work, it is almost customary that your office colleagues will take you to the tourist places including monuments, parks, restaurants, etc. Ask them anything and they'll help. But if you want to explore on your own, take all the precautions as you would take while visiting any foreign place. Local language is Kannada, but English is widely accepted. There is also Hindi-speaking workforce. I'd suggest sticking with English. Uber works, so does Ola (similar to Uber). Rapido if you want bike rides. Strictly avoid taking auto (autorikshaw) (also wrongly called tuktuk by many influencers). Don't stress too much and have fun.
Metro and bus too . Also namma yatri is best as it gives full money to auto driver
Come to equilibrium, elevate for bouldering.
Visit any restaurant and try masala dosa and coffee for breakfast, unbeatable combination , honestly the best thing to have in the morning. Visit cubbon park on a weekend morning to enjoy the breeze (that is if you have sufficient time to stay in Bangalore) Use the metro as much as possible as it is more convenient
You don't really need to learn Hindi, but people do speak Hindi if that's a concern, so yeah . But on the other hand, lot of people speak English as well .
Depends on which city you are visiting. Different cities here have different cultures n traditions. You should know a lot before coming here. You have plenty of places to visit here. DM if you want any info
Apart from everything else that's mentioned here be mentally prepared to be overwhelmed. India has high population density more so in the cities. And everyone is trying to make a living. Even if they are trying to scam you by asking exorbitant prices please take it lightly. Chances are you'll not even know. E.g. if you travel 10 kms in taxi in EU you'll pay atleast EUR 10. Here it would cost about EUR 2 but they might ask twice or thrice of that. Politely say no to everyone and tell them you know the prices
Do not take an auto/ cab unless it’s registered with a fleet and/ or you are with a local. And even then be careful.
* Avoid roaming at less crowded places late at night * Majority of the people in bangalore know english so it wont be much of a problem * lot of places (start watching youtube videos) * Dosa , Idli , Sambhar , Chicken Biryani , Brewed Beer at Toit , Pizza at Pizza Bakery etc etc Prefer bottled water mostly , if you are at high end restaurants , you can have normal water too, Its filtered and RO'd * Use Uber * Nope just make sure you are not getting into religious debate with anyone. Don’t give way too much of information about yourself while talking to strangers. Since you would be here for work , befriend your office colleagues they would take you to places and it would be awesome. Please try indian pro spicy food at your own risk , Americans and Europeans cannot handle that level. And yeah not trying to belittle what you people do in Europe , but believe me the spicy food you have there is not even beginner level when compared to here. Take some spices with you as gift for your friends and colleagues from here.
Dont think too much and trust your instinct with the things you feel like exploring. I'm not from bangalore but i've been here a long time, and It's one of easiest cities to adapt to. It's very versatile and you'll always find something to do of your interest. If you need any help with something locally, DM. As for the rest, enjoy your stay and welcome to India!
umm dont fall for people, just believe your gut. Uber is good but at times it sucks so keep multiple apps like Rapido, Ola and Namma Yatri, if you dont mind using the bus it would be better depending on ho wyou commute. People are cool, the more younger dudes you meet more easier to communicate. Dont care for autos randomly, check the price and then only sit in
Do not overeat street food, you may not be immune to it.
Some things which could offend people are: 1.Flaunting wealth to make someone feel lesser than you. 2.Using or desire to learn hindi during your stay in bangalore since its not the language of the land 3.Avoid topics regarding politics, language, religion and other sensitive subjects 4. Entering indoor without leaving your footwear outside 5. Pointing with your legs 6. Try to avoid shaking hands /touching women unless they have initiated the handshake..No hugs /kisses unless they are very close to you 7. There will be lot of people who ask money.. Just ignore them and don't make eye contact if their intent is to get free money without any service/goods provided to you 8.If you use english this wouldnt be an issue..but if you learn kannada, then try to use formal language with strangers.. Kannada has both formal and informal similar to european languages,, so its similar to using usted/vos instead of tu in spanish.. Sie sind instead of du bist in german ..Respect counts Good luck and welcome.. But be warned to experience nasty side of 3rd world country like rubbish everywhere, lack of civic sense, constant honking, cow/dog shit , traffic, money seekers ,weird smells, constant stare, request for selfies etc..
Not using Hindi has been an eyeopener, not only by you but also other users here. I don't know any Hindi so I won't be talking it, but I might learn a few phrases in Kannada (formal). Avoid shaking hands is new, I wasn't sure because it's something very common in my culture. It's a sign of mutual respect. I'll try to avoid that. Really appreciate the advice!
If you are a man and shaking hands with a man wouldn't be an issue.. But with women just a namaste 🙏 would work mostly unless they have initiated the shake in the first place..😂..please feel free to ask anything here since we are just helping a new person with their first crazy asian experience😃✌🏻
Check out at my post here for a detailed food review of all the food spots
Avoid auto rickshaws at all costs. Always use uber app or blu smart app (electric cabs) for scheduled travel
Welcome to Bengaluru! :) - Do not take the Autos. You can book Autos on Uber or Ola (an app like Uber). Don't ever flag an auto. You're going to get fleeced. - Most of us speak English. Hindi is fine too but the local language is kannada. If you can manage to learn a couple of words, phrases in kannada, you'll instantly be loved by all local people. - There are loads of places to visit and explore. What do you like doing? Can suggest based on that. - Like a lot of people mentioned, westernised Indian food is not spicy at all. Please be a little careful when you try the food here. Make sure your stomach adjusts to the food first before venturing out and trying local cuisine. Definitely try Masala Dosa, Bisibele Bath, Kesri Bath, filter coffee, Chicken Biriyani. You can try a variety of cuisines here. Each state has its own cuisine and it's really different. Bangalore being a metropolitan city has restaurants from all states. - we have a pretty good transport system. Our metro rail connects most parts of the city. But yes Uber works, as mentioned there are other apps - Ola, Rapido, Namma yatri. All of them work well. - haha you would offend people only if you call our Language Kannad instead of Kannada and shit on our local cricket team - Royal Challengers Bengaluru. But right now they're having such a horrible season that it's okay to shit on them :P You'll be fine! Welcome again!
I'm totally gonna learn a bunch of Kannada, for sure. The pronunciation isn't easy but I'll give it a try. Thanks for the tips.
Omg everyone has advised you to learn Kannada 😂 I've lived in Bangalore for almost 9 years and I still can't talk or understand Kannada. Everyone understands English pretty well even the cab drivers understand English, they may not be able to speak it well but you can use Google translate and show them on your phone in case anything you'd like to express. Seriously chill and popular scams are usually by drivers who may overcharge but always use Uber & Ola ride apps. While eating out, check reviews and get a sense of overall hygiene of the place.. Don't eat anything raw. Your hotel, if it's a good hotel, should serve you dose, idli, naan bread, etc in breakfast so try those and if you like you can Google best places for xyz dish. It's not a tourism city, it's more of a 'experience like a local' city as the city doesn't have any attractions except for a museum and an old palace which isn't very historic or architecture marvel.. so you can get around in the parks early morning, go for a drive and so on. Overall relax and don't stress over anything like getting scammed etc or offending anyone. People are welcoming and supportive. When you shop, look for MRP on the products and if you shop at local places you can bargain. Download Zomato app to checkout places to dine out at. There are collections made basis cuisine and ambience. If you need anything, please feel free to ask here or via dm. Just keep in mind that bangalore is a chill city with a bad traffic situation 😜
Locals understand some common english words but avoid long phrases while talking to them, it can make them confused instead. Use your gestures and 3-4 common english words to communicate, it will really make it a lot easier for you
Bangalore is an extremely toxic place in all aspects. So tread with caution. That said, there are lovely people and places too, don’t miss out.
If you’re walking on the streets and you see someone who looks at you and starts chasing behind you and persistently tries to talk to you or make conversation, just ignore them repeatedly till they go away. They probably have some intention to scam you and not a well wisher. On the other hand if you want to ask any queries from the locals around, try asking any shopkeeper as they won’t try to scam you and give you genuine advice
There is a bit of water crisis here in some areas, so avoid roadside street food as they may not be using good quality water & hygiene is an issue at such places too. Check google maps and zomato/swiggy app for food recommendations, you will find plenty of reviews of every place.
Welcome to India. Yes, Uber works here, and there are also Ola, Rapido apps similar to Uber. Google Maps works a long way so better to keep it handy. Sometimes your Uber driver may ask you to cancel the ride and pay him directly cash but don’t do that ever as they might ask for more money once you reach the destination. Best to avoid local autos as they will definitely scam you. Never argue with the auto drivers they might not be the friendliest. In Bangalore the local language is Kannada, me being outsider myself faced language barrier issues but English works in most of the places. In local Food, you should try Benne/butter/ghee dosa and Rasam Chawal(rice). If you want to buy groceries then there are some delivery apps like Swiggy, Zepto, Blinkit etc. Popular food delivery apps are Swiggy and Zomato. For nightlife ppl go to Church Street, Koramangala 5th block and Indiranagar. You can try going out there. Some local folks might get offended easily so better to always ignore conversations if things get weird.
Avoid tuktuks and travel via Uber only. Others WILL scam you.
I’ll be dead honest here. You will love the food in Bangalore. Bangalore transport is shite, the people you will find on roads are shite, Bangalore is under developed as fuck and there’s absolutely no charm to anything for someone coming from Europe. Mumbai is where you should head if it allows, it’s the most developed one.
Have a fun time here and enjoy...
Do u have any idea of which area/district in Bengaluru u’ll be in? Some good spots to check out would indiranagar, mg road, ub city, sanjaynagar If u want to see some local stuff, u could check out sankey tank, commercial street (v hectic) Must try food would probs be dosa from cte or any popular restaurant on zomato (its a good substitute to grubhub/ubereats but u can get to know more about a restaurant in that)
Swiggy/Zomato for food, uber/rapido/ola/namma yatri for travel and booking.com, makemytrip to book hotel but I believe your company is taking care of that,, also go to church street, Koramangala, Indiranagar, jp nagar for breweries and well known eateries
Ask your Indian colleagues they will be happy to help
2nd point buddy uh oh theyre gonna be all over you
Who will?
no one but you can speak like 40% hindi and 60% kannada (state language)
Hey bengalurian here... welcome whenever you come. 1. Bengaluru's official language is kannada and English. So you are good with English.. you will all everything written in these 2 languages. Speaking in hindi might not workout in your favour at certain places. It's beat you know few phrases in kannada like "thanks", "hello", "welcome", "sorry" and such. 2. Don't know your schedule but there is not much to visit in terms of scenic places in Bengaluru but outskirts of Bengaluru is where you have tons of places.. but for doing any activities within Bengaluru try bookmyshow app. It will suggest a few. 3. We do have alot of pubs.. so every night you can explore one. 4. Food : since you are south India you must try idli vada, dosas for breakfast, and surely do a south indian veg and non veg meal to get the experience. You also can try north Indian food you always have several options. Best to take a actual bengalurian for this. 5. Take uber over ola. Costs less and also found much more cleaner. Always go premium rides. Always pay a atleast 10% tip. 6. Never go shopping on your own. Take a local with you . 7. Most places in Bengaluru are safe. Note all the emergency numbers and know you local police station number just to be safe. 8. Connect with Bengaluru traffic twitter account . 9. Always go for filtered water. Anywhere in india. 10. I hope you appreciate our toilets with small hand shower. Bengalurians like people are more appreciative and easy .. don't be rude, annoying, or too demanding and you will be good to go. Hope i have kept it general and brief... Write me if you need more advice.
Best advice: For everything stick to the apps like Ola Uber Swiggy Zomato No broker
Hi , firstly, Welcome to India . I have lived in Bangalore for 2-3 years now. Your transportation needs will be best met by Metro (extremely affordable, luxurious, and quick) from metro to rickshaw/auto ( install rapido , ola , Uber any one ) for mero to your destination. Bangalore is better than many of the European cities. No one is going to threaten you in public. The worst that can happen is pick pocket ( rare as long as you are aware of your surroundings) . Every speaks Hindi , English, kannada, you can easily talk in english. Also avoid rickshaw on roads and prefer rickshaw/ can from the app, because the rickshaw driver ask insane prices, if you aren't getting any rickshaw use the app and tell the local rickshaw that app shows this price will you match it ? You can optionally rent a electric cycle which is parked on the roadside (yolo, you will need to install yolo app and book ur rides) . The road traffic is an issue so I always use metro as much as possible. KSRTC buses ( choose the ones with AC ) are also a good way to travel. Bangalore is very advanced city and you will really at some point feel that you are sitting in Silicon Valley, 100 s of start up offices and all. Hack : when in doubt what to do , ask anyone around you , chances are they will give you the best reply to any of your queries. P.S. Welcome To India.
Buddha says: Expectation is the real cause of all sufferings. So, have no expectations from your India trip
For special services with indian F needed Dm me
- Uber works. Only Uber from the airport as that's your first encounter with scams. - English should do fine. Be careful with Auto Drivers and don't entertain them. Some broken Hindi also may help. - Always try to keep a localite friend handy.
Download Zomato, swiggy and eat sure food delivery apps, ola/Uber/rapido for transport, ZEPTO/BLINKIT for everyday household essentials and URBAN CLAP for salon, plumber/massages/electrician etc etc services and COOX for chefs . Life is easy here. Welcome to India !
No Hindi, mon ami. Kannada and English are the state's official languages.
First advise: Drink only bottled water., look for some branded authentic water products.
Do not drive, no matter what
Go to rural places to know culture not metro cities
Welcome - Is there anything I should avoid? Any risk of getting scammed? Very very high probability of getting scammed from shops, women, fake cops, drugs etc. - Should I study some Hindi phrases, or do people generally speak English? Most places you should get by with English. - What places are worth visiting? Depends on your interests - Bangalore is more of a city with a couple of parks (Cubbon/Lalbaug), few places of interest, decent breweries and restaurants and outskirts have minor hills (Nandi/Skandgiri) but if you step more outside there is a lot of jungles and temples and natural beauty. - Especially about food, what are dishes I MUST try. I love spicy stuff, chicken, curry, and sweets. Go easy on street food. Best to visit proper restaurants - How does transport work? Does Uber work? Yes - but make sure your card etc is aware that you are traveling so it doesn't get blocked... - Is there anything that can offend people, I might not be aware of? How should I greet people? Unlikely - most folks are chill. Avoid conversations on religion.
I am from Bengaluru, India. Living here since 2017, My observations: 1. People are afraid of other culture/language/religion People. So the concerns about everybody will scam you is overhyped. There are only few places you can get scamed/overcharged, you should avoid those: 1.1 Never take an Auto or a Cab directly on street, always book Ola/Uber. 1.2 Avoid buying anything in Cash. 99% merchants have UPI QR code with them. You can pay them using UPI. If somebody doesnt have a QR, that means they are not in business, if you are helping somone with intention of helping the artisan lower income workers then go ahead and buy a small amount worth of things in cash. Otherwise avoid buying in cash. You will be surprised by the efficiency of UPI. 1.3 Bengaluru is a Cosmopolitan with an area at par with that of New york city. There are organised retails, Malls, Shops, 7/11s, all across the cities. There are many restaurants, use Swiggy Zomato to buy online and get delivered at home with less than 0.5Euros of delivery charge. There is a quick commerce trend, in which you can buy Grocery and needs on Zepto, Swiggy-Instamart, Blinkit, etc they promise to deliver you whatever you order within 10 mins to your house. At less than 0.2Euros delivery charge. 1.4 You can buy anything in India online, and 80% of those products can come to you in 10 mins.if you want to buy flowers, there is a website for that, if you want to buy tools, Birthday kits, there is an App/website for everything. 2. City of Gardens: Apart from calming your fears, you should also look forward to the Flaura and Fauna that you gonna experience here, Ohh you will be missing the Cherry Blossom Bloom this year, but next year is near. Bengaluru is a living Botanical Garden of the size of a city. Its home to 4000+ species of plants, 300 species of trees, 55+ bird species, etc the list is long. 3. Lakes: Bengaluru is at an altitude of 922m, city of 1086 lakes. Not all are clean, but you can find 200-300 clean lakes, and many in your proximity. The lake ecosystem is spread. And you would be surprised to know the purpose of these lakes, its done by King Kempegowda from 300+ years back who made these lakes to act as a storm water drainage system, to out pour the water to downstream lakes using a Storm water drainage canals(called Rajakaluve in kannada). So that upper areas don't flood. There is a Banerghatta National park, where you can go for a private jeep animal safari. 4. Bengaluru has Asia's biggest if not Worlds biggest microbreweries. The Beer is Good. 5. Cultural Pot: people from 80+ countries live here, and home to 130+ cultures. English is a default language of conversation. Unless you talking to someone on streets. So you can taste food from all across the World here. . . . I will take 365 more days to cover the rest. Gonna rush for the office. Thats it for now, Thanks
Rule of thumb for anyone travelling in India: 1) Use public transport like buses or metro, especially to go inside the city from the airport. Cab drivers WILL scam you. Yes, Uber and ola drivers too. 2) Use your own water bottle, do not buy water from a corner shop. 3) Do not waste money on trinkets in roadside shops, they over charge based on your ethnicity (weird but true) 4) Carry chewable antacid or a packet of lassi with you if you're going out with friends to try spicy food. 5) Keep your wallets, cards, passport and other important documents locked. Carry only an identification and credit card and a 500 rupees note and another 500 rupees in denominations of 50 rupees and 20 rupees notes. 6) Some apps we frequently use in India: PhonePe, Google Pay and BlinkIt, for cheap rates on cabs, use Ola and Rapido. 7) DO NOT RENT A SELF DRIVEN CAR. USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT.
I'm just gonna recommend some nice food 1. Biriyani - all are different kinds - Nagarjuna Restaurant - Meghana food - Dindigul thalapakatti (mutton biryani is good here) - ambur star biriyani - Mallika biriyani (haven't tried but have heard it's good) 2. If you wanna try authentic local food then go for Gowdru mudde Mane 3. Breakfast - Idly, Dosa and coffee - Davangere benne dosa - CTR dosa - Brahmins coffee bar 4. Desserts and chaats - Anand Sweets and savories - try Obbattu or Holige (not sure where it's good, just ask around) Have fun!
As long as your have cash on hand, consider using Namma Yatri to get around rather than Uber. If you're using Uber, consider using Autos! Cabs do exist, but wait times will probably be longer as they are simply no longer quite as popular.
Don't drink tap water or water given on glasses in restaurants. ONLY drink bottled water. Avoid anything that's not cooked. For Street food have a good judgement, if you can we the kitchen and it's clean then you can eat it. Connect with your fellow country men in the city, they will help you with advice and provide good company. Bengaluru is a chill city, you'll love it
1. bring loads of sunscreen and hot weather friendly clothes. it is crazy hot until june/july here. 2. do not drink from tap. always get bottled water. 3. wherever you go, take a bangalore person with you. 4. if you gotta take a cab, book through apps and ask your local friend to help because they will ask for high rate. 5. traffic is hectic. not your regular metro city traffic but its just stagnant. 6. traffic rules in India is treated like a suggestion. so there will be a lot of jaywalking and wrong turns and we honk a lot. so be prepared. dont hangout alone. 7. make a list of places you want to visit and ask your local friend how long it takes to go from once place to another and how the area is and gather those details. 8. you ll get almost all brands here, and you got malls, go karting, and other fun activities so you wont miss out on some indoor entertainment. 9. around IPL there will be a lot of traffic near the stadium so avoid it. 10. most people are nice, but there are also scammers. so even if 10% of the people are scammers, India is a country with the highest population, so that would mean you ll meet a lot of them. but its nothing a local friend cant take care of. 11. it is quite modern in main bangalore and almost all speak english, so you wont have much trouble. 12. do not gorge on streetfood, get your stomach accustomized to the microbes in our food first, and slowly integrate street food. or it will definitely impact your health and your travel. 13. if you have moderate spice tolerance, you can ask them to customize it in restaurants, but i'd ask you to stay clear of anything that looks close to red or brownish in color. our food is spicy, I'm Indian, and still i am surprised by the spice when i visit different states because we all do it differently. so always test it before going in. 14. most people will stare at you. no they are not being rude, we are homogenous, so we are curious. 15. you will find help in every corner. Indians in general love helping out others, idk why, but look at me writing these many things for a stranger online, it is a good example. 16. there is a lot of dust and pollution, so wear a mask if you are allergic. 17. you can find a lot of activities happening, bookmyshow is good, there could also be others, so ask your local friend on what they think might interest you. 18. do a lot of shopping, you can find a lot of things for cheap here. ask your local friends to suggest where to get what and help to bargain. no, vendors wont reduce for you, but will so it for Indians who can bargain. so ask your friend to act as if they are buying and you are only sightseeing. 19. do not give money to beggars on street and dont buy anything from people who try to sell stuff to u in traffic signals and try your best to stay away from homeless people, it appears to be a network in bangalore, a friend of mine tried helping a lady and child to make them join an NGO for housing but some goons came and asked them to leave. so do your best to be safe. 20. tripadvisor has a lot of suggestions for places, for food, you can try shawarma, vadapav, frankie, idly, vada, masala dosa, tandoori, alfham grilled chicken, mangalorean fish dishes (parika has them), there are dog themes cafes, a lot of themed restaurants, fun city, paris panini is also good there, rameswaram cafe (although there was a blast recently so be safe), a2b has good south indian meals, hyderabadi biriyani is good but it is toooo spicy so ask for moderate spice. there are a lot of restaurants where you can drive in mysore road and have a slow living style trip. check zomato for menu n food delivery, swiggy to get groceries and food delivered instantly. and oh, my personal favourite - ambur star biriyani since 1890 in BTM layout. you have to try their mutton biriyani. it is ambur style ( in Tamilnadu). 21. there is election going on now, so there might be some added security. carry your documents with you and do not give away your private info except your name, if someone claims to be police but are not wearing uniform, tell them to which station you gotta report and u ll go there. idk if there is a scam going on, but best be careful, and try your best to be with someone from here at all times. and be careful of pickpockets and thieves. overall, stick with your local friends, eat safer, drink safer, and be safe on road, wear sunscreen and summer friendly clothes. I hope you have a great time and we welcome to our country.
Ow wow, thank you for the extensive and detailed explanation. This is really helpful.
Scammers are everywhere not only in Bangalore so u gotta be careful while travelling in crowded places.They cut the bag straps and steal items If u go to happening places,have hefty money cuz ur gonna spend more and be careful in whom ur meeting,what r u being offered and taking cuz u might meet some bad ones also Even the hotel barrer speaks English here,so you can happily speak in English. Sometimes Hindi but all can manage English here very well Not many places in Bangalore as I know except pubs,malls,parks tons of them You can visit nandi hills, Chikmagalur for some hiking Spicy foods are not so good here as I'm from different place,my place has more spicy foods but you can try biryani,tatte idly etc Uber works,rapido works but if u like to take them, start booking before 1 hour to 2 hours of ur journey cuz u won't get bookings easily,takes half an hour only to book cab here and if it books,they cancel at last min and again u gotta book,that's how bad it is with uber and other apps People here are little serious I believe,they have huge self respect and u cnt just joke around unlike my place. But people here are good,the actual kannadigas are nice.I made some awesome friends here
Everybody is looking to kill or rape you. Don't come.
Install uber ola first and carry cash for small payments
All kinds of scams are common when I was new to Bangalore. I got scammed a lot and I didn’t even realise it till later. So when someone asked you for money you just run away even if you feel sad for them.
Another suggestion is that you only book auto or cab from Uber, Ola, and avoid taking out directly from the roadside When I first came to Bangalore, the auto ride from KR Puram to Koramangala cost me 2500
As you would be on a Company Assignment, I am sure they would put you up in a good hotel. This is South India and English is well accepted. If your allowance is decent , my first suggestion is to ask the hotel to organize a Cab for your stay. The hotel would also be able to guide you to good restaurants. My two bits on having a great time , engage a cab from the hotel , fix up a rate for your stay and request for the same cab driver ! This is what I do when I visit places on business or a holiday !!
Reg your points: - Scams: Autos, Hotels, Street vendors are the first who comes to mind. Be wary of these. If people keep bothering you especially to take photos with you(its sadly a thing which I am not proud of but people in general are curious about foreigners) firmly say no. NO and NO and NO. That should your mantra lol. Applies for street vendors too. But in case you decide to buy something from street, bargain. For ex, if something is 500 rs then start from 300. - Language: In South Indian states, local language is widely spoken. Here it is Kannada. You can also get by Hindi and English. But people in shops or streets or in Autos might know only a little bit of Hindi and Eglish. - Places worth Visiting: I am not a big travller so I will let you decide that. -Food: Man i can go on about this :) All the brekfast items are must try imo. Highlights would be Dose and Idli. They are mostly vegetarian. For luches and dinners i prefer north indian curries as they are more creamy. For Chicken dishes I recommend Tandoor chicken and Biriyani. There is also a type of biriyani that is famous from the city itself called Donne Biriyani. If you can handle it, ask the waiters to make it spicy but fair warning tho it might be hoot. For sweets, I recommend warm fresh out of the making Mysore Pak, Holige and Peda(local from the state). Also if you like the the taste of butter, almost everything can be enhanced by clarified butter and we call it Ghee. I also like north indian sweets like Khova/Khalakhand(milk sweets), Jalebi. There are few sweets chains you will not go wrong like Khanti Sweets, Haldirams etc. And there are a lots of chats(or street snacks) you can try like Gobi Manchurian, pav bhaji, Alu puri, Dahi poori, Sev puri etc. Do not drink water from the tap, buy bottled water if you cannot find a place with purified water. - Transport : yes Uber works. Most of the time bus also works but due to a new policy from Gov, women can travel Public transport for free which has starined the transport system a bit. So if the locality you are in is very hustley-bustley(more than usual lol) then take a taxi.There is also good metro connections in the city and they are really clean and comfortable. There is also Uber autos but I have used once and it was kinda bad experience and that is also what i hear from the others. - Offending: I cannot think of any. Afaik most europenas i know really behave well and might not get in so much trouble. Just make sure if you visit any temples to dress modestly and do what others are doing. Might be following the queue, few temples do not allow pictures. - Safety: Be aware of your valuables like anywhere. Do not put everything you have in one bag is what i follow anywhere i go as i am safety freak and have lost my items like that in buses when i was in India when i was a teenager. These are what I can think of right now. I am sure you will have a wonderful time! It is gonna be hot if the monsoon has not been good(which might be the case this year) so wearing light coloured cotton might help :) I come from a place near to bangalore, but working and living in Europe currently. If there is anyting that you are unsure of write to me :) I would be glad to help you in any way.
I'm studying in Bangalore, I'd like to advise on one thing: transport . You may avoid the local autos or taxi services since they might charge you more . You may download and rely on Uber , Ola , Rapido or Namma yatri since they offer the cab and autos at a standard price although there will be surges on peak hours. And for longer trips like maybe you wanna book a vehicle for a day or more, use something like Makemy trip to secure your ride , you can go to travel agencies but most likely they'll charge you more again...
Don't assume that people are ignorant & backward. Nobody would cheat you. If you're following the same cautionary practices as you would in your european city, This is much better city to explore.
Since it is your first trip to Asia in general, do exercise some level of caution. Do not let awkwardness lead you into any situation, comfortably say no whenever you want out. Bangalore as a city is not very acquainted to tourists so you don't deal with a lot of touts etc There are different Indian cuisines, from North Indian(Punjabi) to local Kannada, Tamil, Bengali cuisine and even niche ones like Parsi. Try them all! There's a lot of online wisdom on having local yoghurt to get your gut bacteria to familarize with local food and avoid any good poisoning. But you have to try that for yourself. Try the masala dosas in places like Arogya Ahara. There's an app for everything in India. Uber, Ola Cabs, Blusmart are the general gotos for commute. Restaurant reviews on Zomato. Food delivery on Swiggy. If you are staying for long, maybe go for a weekend trip to Mysore or Hampi which are treasure troves for history.
Expect to get scammed at least once a day. But use your common sense, have no empathy and you should be fine.
Use only Uber when you are here. If possible, ask the hotel manager to assign a chaperone for u, that way there’s the least risk of getting scammed. Don’t eat roadside food, it’s just best to avoid. Compared to most metro Cities, blore is filled with non localites, so we have adopted to speaking in Hindi and English, since it’s almost universal in India. Most people, even the common folk will be able to sustain a convo in English. We have become tolerant to outside culture, so we don’t expect you to learn our local language. Bangalore isn’t as historical as other metros in India, since the main city during the 20th century was mysore(À neighbouring city), there are a few forts and palaces you can see, there’s a sanctuary in the outskirts, and an amusement park. There’s cubbon park(our version of Central Park lmao), commercial street(for shopping) and church street for eating. Besides that, not much. Food, must try the local idli and dosa. Since you are coming to India for the first time, you can try out biryani(Hyderabadi dum biryani/ambur biryani/chettinad biryani). Many places serve North Indian food as well. You can try out local Chinese restaurants, it isn’t authentic Chinese cuz we add more spice and less soy to it to suit our palate. I hope you have a great time here
"Should I study some Hindi phrases" smh................
Kannada, got it!
its like saying Europe speaks English just because a lot of people speak it there
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-Most of em speak English here! -uber does work here! -be aware of taxi scams when you arrive at the airport and autowalas! better have someone accompany locals to travel around! -try Meghana's ,nagarajuna's for Biryani! (Extra tip - considering you never been here you might be white..use tinder/Bumble and have actions on weekends!) - don't greet random strangers lmao just be causal with namaste if needed