Over 20 years ago, I was looking for a holiday destination to spend the last fortnight of December. Money was tight and I was considering only domestic destinations, under the impression(that later turned out to be false) that foreign holidays would always cost more.
A week in Thailand was cheaper than a week in Goa
I narrowed the list to one of most popular destinations in India, Goa, and made a preliminary budget. Around the same time, I came across an advertisement by Cox and Kings, a tour operator, that suggested a holiday in Thailand for 7 days would cost just about the same. A quick visit to their office confirmed it was actually true.
So instead of Goa, I and my wife spent a delightful two weeks in Thailand, Singapore and on a cruise between Singapore and Malaysia. I ended up spending much more than my initial budget because I extended the holiday to Singapore and the cruise. But it was worth it for the sheer variety.
Nearby foreign destinations are often cheaper on a per day basis
Today, there are plenty of resources available online to make a quick comparison. Usually, in India, wherever there are restrictions, whether in terms of number of flights or there is demand-supply imbalance in availability of quality accommodation, or during high season, the costs are invariably high. This is what makes travel to Leh or Agatti by air relatively expensive, especially during the peak season.
With low cost airlines connecting India to several destinations outside India, and with airfares often cheaper than taking connecting flights within India, limited budget should no longer hold back anyone from exploring trips outside India.
Apart from the cost angle, the sheer experience and the superior infrastructure adds to the enjoyment of foreign holidays.
Airfare is normally the single biggest cost item if travelling by full service airlines
Typically, airfare is the single biggest item of expenditure on a short holiday, whenever I fly by full service airlines. It follows that higher the airfare, greater should be the number of days of holiday in order to lower the average cost per day. For example, if the return airfare is INR 50k per person and the average cost per day(including hotel, food, sightseeing etc) is INR 10k per day, a 5 nights holiday will cost an average of INR 20k per day while a 10 day holiday will cost an average of INR 15k per day.
For this reason, holidays in Europe, North or South America or Australia or New Zealand should invariably be planned for about two weeks or more.
But if return air fares are lower at say INR15k, I would happily consider an extended weekend trip also.
My top picks for first time international travellers
If you are neophyte looking for the first foreign holiday, how do you choose the destination? While a lot depends on individual circumstances and interest, some of the key factors would be:
- overall reasonable cost considering 3-4 star hotel accommodation,
- visa on arrival or very easy visa process,
- availability of direct flights from few Indian cities beyond Delhi and Mumbai with return fares in the range of INR25k or so per person(mainly by low cost airlines) and flight duration of up to 7 hours or so,
- destinations suitable for all categories of travellers such as couples(whatever the age!), families with children, friends, elders and even solo travellers.
Here are my top 5 picks.
Thailand
In my view, Thailand is the best holiday destination for first time travellers and it is not without reason that it is hugely popular with Indians. Spectacular beaches, beautiful islands, variety of water sports, magnificent temples, martial arts, food – Thailand has it all. Sure, there is also the sleaze angle to it. Key destinations in Thailand for a tourist are as follows:
- Bangkok
- Pattaya,
- Phuket,
- Koh Samui and
- Krabi.
Then there is the hilly town of Chiang Mai.
Golden Buddhas at Wat Pho, Bangkok, Thailand Floating Market, near Bangkok, Thailand Phuket, Thailand
So what works for Thailand?
- Direct connectivity to Bangkok and Phuket from few Indian cities, with a choice of both full service and low cost airlines.
- Easy availability of vegetarian food, including Indian food. But the strong smell of street food always puts me off.
- Reasonable cost, with options from budget to luxury.
- Visa on arrival.
- Extremely friendly people who warmly welcome tourists.
- Great for budget shopping but be aware of fake branded stuff.
At the minimum, spend 3-4 days in Bangkok and then head to a beach town for another 3-4 days. November to March is the best time with December being the peak tourist month.
I first visited Thailand in the late 1990’s when language to some extent and finding vegetarian food to a smaller extent was a bit of a problem. But no longer so in the 21st century. Tourism is a big industry in Thailand and they have caught up wonderfully well. I have visited Thailand couple of more times thereafter, have always enjoyed it and still looking forward to the next trip. Such is the charm of Thailand!
Malaysia
Malaysia is another country in South East Asia with a well developed tourist infrastructure. From tropical rainforests to historical places to sunny beaches, Malaysia provides enough variety to keep tourists engaged. Some of the places to consider visiting on the mainland or peninsular Malaysia are as follows:
- Kuala Lumpur
- Malacca
- Langkawi Island
- Penang
East Malaysia, comprising the two states Sabah and Sarawak on the Borneo island, is also rated high for its tropical rainforests and for diving. But it over 600kms from peninsular Malaysia and will add to the cost. Consider East Malaysia on your second or subsequent visits.
Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Penang, Malasia The bridge near Langkawi, Malaysia
Malaysia is directly connected by air to several Indian cities.
Malaysian cuisine is famous but largely meat based. Vegetarian food is available and there are few Indian restaurants as well. If you get tired of experimenting with non-Indian cuisine, head to Saravana Bhavan in Kuala Lumpur for some authentic south Indian food. Like in Thailand, the strong smell of street food can easily put off vegetarians.
Malaysia is also a good place for shopping including heavy stuff like furniture.
There is no visa on arrival facility for Indians but eVisas can be obtained prior to departure well within a week.
Malaysia has a tropical climate and the best time to visit Peninsular Malaysia would be November to March/April.
Singapore
The financial hub of Singapore is a very modern, glitzy city and one of the few cities around the world with a neighbourhood called ‘Little India’. It has become a tourist attraction and is one of the very few places abroad where ‘paan’ can be had after a hearty meal. While there is plenty to see and do for tourists over 4-5 days, the key advantage Singapore enjoys is its location. It is the transit point for onward journey to Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand. It is home to a large cruise port and is the start point for several cruises with durations ranging from 3 days to 15 days.
Singapore at dusk Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Singapore Skyline
Singapore is well connected to several Indian cities by both full service and low cost airlines. It is a year long destination as the weather is largely the same through out the year.
Although Singapore does not offer visa on arrival to Indian passport holders, eVisas can be obtained well within a week.
There is only one hitch. Singapore is a trifle expensive if you are looking for a reasonably comfortable trip. And yes, compulsive chewing gum eaters should certainly skip Singapore!
I have visited Singapore more than once and every time, everything has worked with clockwork precision.
Dubai
Dubai is simply an unbelievable city and a prime example of what billions of dollars can create. I first visited Dubai in the year 1995 and there was hardly anything to crow about. But the transformation of the desert city from 1995 to date has been remarkable. Home to the the world’s tallest building-the Burj Khalifa, its skyscrapers rival Manhattan in New York. Its huge malls can take over a day to explore. It has several theme parks. Every building/sky scraper is required by rule to look different, adding to the beauty. Above all, the custom designed artificial islands painstakingly reclaimed from the sea are mind blowing.
There are plenty of activities and sightseeing options to engage tourists over a period of 4-7 days, including a trip to Abu Dhabi.
The Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE Dune bashing in Dubai, UAE Dubai from Burj Khalifa, UAE Dubai Marina, UAE
Among the foreign destinations, Dubai is connected to almost 20 cities in India by both full service and low cost airlines, and may even be ranked number 1 in terms of number of flights.
But I think Dubai has couple of drawbacks.
- With so many people settled from the Indian sub-continent, Dubai does not feel ‘foreign’.
- Dubai feels a bit artificial and impersonal to me. Is it the setting of the desert? I am not sure. The city is very impressive no doubt. But if you have travelled to say New York, Hong Kong, Singapore etc., you will know what I mean.
Relatively expensive visa for longer duration
Dubai offers visa on arrival to Indian passport holders only if there is a valid US visa. The cost of visa for stays over 4 days is higher than Thailand or Malaysia or Singapore. But the visa is issued within a week. If you are combining Dubai holiday with another country and do not want to pay extra for multiple entry visa, you can choose to stay overnight in a hotel within the airport premises, located before immigration. This is what I did when I travelled to Jordan.
Avoid visiting Dubai during the peak summer months as it will be very uncomfortable outdoors. October to April is good with December to February being the peak season. I somehow have never had the fascination to visit during the shopping festival. Only once I wanted to stay over for the new year but gave up because of the exorbitant hotel rates.
Male, Maldives
Maldives, according to me, should find a place on everyone’s buckle list. The beauty of the innumerable coral islands that make up Maldives is just out of this world. The best way to experience Maldives would be stay in one of the innumerable resorts on the small islands and fly the sea planes but that would make the trip quite expensive. The decent alternative is to stay at Male and do day trips to nearby islands.
Beach villas in the resort, Maldives Aerial view of the beautiful islands, Maldives Aerial view of Male, Maldives
Male is directly connected to few Indian cities and airfares are very competitive. Indian passport holders are eligible for visa on arrival. Vegetarian food is easily available.
Maldives is a year long destination with temperatures staying in a consistent range but most prefer to travel during the winter.
Read more on holidaying in Maldives.
Here are some of the other destinations to consider.
Bhutan
Bhutan is a beautiful country but in essence, not too different from Sikkim. It has been a popular destination for Indian tourists but with a levy of Sustainable Development Fee of INR 1200 per day per person since mid 2020, it is longer a cheap destination. More importantly, Bhutan perhaps may not sound ‘foreign’ enough!
Indians are issued entry permit on arrival. Most direct flights originate in Kolkata but there are few flights from Delhi and maybe couple of more cities. Travel by road through the border in West Bengal is also a popular option but will take more time.
Read more on holidaying in Bhutan.
Nepal
Another neighbour with breathtaking views of the Himalayas. And like Bhutan, not ‘foreign’ enough. But if you love the beauty of the mountains, and Nepal has some of the highest peaks in the world, Nepal is a must visit destination.
Indians do not require a visa to travel to Nepal.
Sri Lanka
In this southern neighbour, you may feel like you are in Tamil Nadu! But Sri Lanka has lot to offer when it comes to tourists. Indians have to apply for Electronic Travel Authorisation prior to departure that takes less than a week to issue.
Hong Kong
Another fabulous destination like Singapore to spend upto a week though the air fare may often end up above INR 30k per person. Add a cruise if you wish to stay longer. There are direct flights from limited number of Indian cities. Indians don’t require a visa for stays upto 14 days but pre-arrival registration must be done. Indians can also visit Macau, the Las Vegas of Asia, without visa for upto 30 days.
Flight connectivity
Delhi and Mumbai provide the best connectivity with far greater options, given the larger number of foreign and Indian carriers operating out of these two cities. Bengaluru is a distant third. Apart from the above countries, you may often find very tempting offers for several other routes such Delhi-Moscow or Mumbai-Nairobi or Bengaluru-Bali or Mumbai/Delhi-Istanbul return fare in economy for under INR 35k per person. These offers invariably come during non-peak tourist season or require advance purchase but are surely worth a look.
My only wish is that the airlines should provide more options for non ‘red-eye’ flights on shorter journeys!
Other considerations
Making all the travel bookings on your own for the first foreign holiday can be an overwhelming experience. No harm in going through a known online portal or reputed tour operators the first couple of times. That is how I started off.
It is hard to guess how long it will take for international travel to return to normal, once the Covid pandemic subsides. Low cost airlines thrive on volumes to keep airfares low. But if volumes do not pick up or some of the low cost carriers close shop, we will have to get used to the new normal – higher airfares!