Bangalore, India is one of the busiest and most bustling cities in the country. It is worth coming here to buy high-quality Indian clothes, walk along the bustling tourist streets and feel the atmosphere of India.
General information
Bangalore is an Indian city with a population of 10 million people in the southern part of the country. It covers an area of 741 square kilometers. The official language is Kannada, but Tamil, Telugu and Urdu are also used. Most of the population professes Hinduism, but there are also Muslims and Christians.
Bangalore is the center of electronics and mechanical engineering in India, and because of its large number of IT companies, it is often referred to as the Asian “silicon valley”. Another pride of the local authorities is 39 universities (more – only in Chennai), which train future doctors, teachers, engineers and lawyers. The most prestigious is Bangalore University.
It is the third most populous city in India and the 18th most populous in the world. Bangalore is also called the fastest growing settlement in the country (after New Delhi), because over the past 5 years the population has increased by 2 million people. However, by Indian standards, the city of Bangalore can not be called poor and backward. So, only 10% of the population lives in slums (in Mumbai-50 %).
The city received its modern name at a time when it was a colony of the British Empire. Previously, the area was referred to as Bengaluru. According to legend, one of the rulers of Hoysala got lost in the local forests, and when he found a small house standing on the outskirts, the hostess treated him to beans and water. The village was popularly known as the” bean and water village”, which means BendhaKaaLu in Kannada.
Attractions and entertainment
Wonderla Amusement Park
Wonderla Amusement Park is the largest amusement park in India. Both children and adults will find a huge number of attractions, themed areas and souvenir shops. You can spend the whole day here.
Pay attention to the following attractions:
- Recoil – a furious steam locomotive that rushes at a speed of 80 km/h.
- Korneto is a long water slide that you will descend at a crazy speed.
- Insanity – a huge carousel, the booths of which rotate in different directions.
- Maverick is the only attraction in the park that can be ridden by 21 people at the same time.
- Y-scream – a ferris wheel that spins at breakneck speed.
- Boomerang is a vertiginous descent from a water mountain on an inflatable mattress.
Some attractions only allow children over the age of 12 and adults. It is also very important that you have good health and normal blood pressure before the trip.
Many tourists note that Wonderla Amusement Park loses out to most European amusement parks, but by Indian standards it is a very cool institution. Other disadvantages of this place include long queues. The advantages include the fact that the park has a single ticket, which means that there is no need to pay for each attraction separately.
- Location: 28th km Mysore Road, Bangalore 562109, India.
- Opening hours: 11.00-18.00.
- Cost: Rs 750.
Art of Living International Center
The Art of Living International Center is one of the main architectural landmarks of Bangalore in India. The building is famous for its conical roof and the fact that it regularly hosts courses for those who want to meditate.
It consists of two rooms:
- Vishalakshi Mantap is a meditation hall that is often referred to as the Lotus Hall.
- An Ayurvedic hospital is a place where both traditional methods of treatment and special spiritual practices are used.
Ordinary tourists will only need to see the facade of the attraction and the surrounding area, but those who are interested in spiritual practices can buy a ticket to the courses. For foreigners, this pleasure will cost $ 180. You will spend several days meditating, dancing, and practicing yoga.
- Location: 21st Km Kanakapura Road / Udayapura, Bangalore 560082, India.
- Opening hours: 9.00-20.00.
Kubbon Park
Kubbon Park is one of the greenest places in Bangalore. It is especially good to relax here in the heat – thanks to the trees it is not so stuffy and you can easily hide in the shade.
This is one of the largest parks in the city, which consists of the following zones::
- bamboo thickets;
- green zone;
- stone alley;
- gardens;
- children’s railway;
- dance floor.
Artists regularly perform in the park, competitions and performances are held. It is better to come here in the evening, when the intense heat subsides.
Location: MG Road, Bangalore, India.
Government Building (Vidhana Soudha and Attara Kacheri)
The Indian Government building was built in the mid-20th century, during the reign of Jawaharlal Nehru. Now the regional government meets in it. You can’t enter the territory, and even more so, inside the building.
Tourists note that this is one of the most noble and refined buildings in the city, which stands out strongly against the background of modest buildings. You should definitely see this landmark.
Location: Cubbon Park, Bangalore, India.
ISKCON Temple Bangalore
ISKCON Temple Bangalore is one of the largest Hare Krishna temples in India, built in 1997. The attraction looks very unusual – the traditional stucco on the facade goes well with the glass walls. Inside the temple there are 6 altars, each of which is dedicated to a specific deity.
Reviews of tourists are contradictory. Many people say that this is really an unusual structure, but this temple does not have the appropriate atmosphere due to the large number of souvenir shops and noisy vendors.
Some nuances:
- Shoes must be removed before entering the attraction.
- You will not be allowed to enter the temple in shorts, short skirts, bare shoulders and bare head.
- At the entrance, you will be offered to pay 300 rupees, but this is a voluntary fee, and it is not necessary to pay.
- The camera can be left at home immediately, since it will not be allowed to enter the temple with it.
- Worshippers can order a prayer (puja).
Practical information:
- Location: Chord Road / Hare Krishna Hill, Bangalore 560010, India.
- Opening hours: 4:15 — 5:00, 7:15 — 20:30.
Lalbagh Botanical Garden
Lalbagh Botanical Garden – one of the largest in India, covers an area of 97 hectares. It is home to one of the world’s largest collections of tropical plants.
In order to visit all the sights, it will take several days, so many tourists come here several times.
Be sure to visit the following places:
- Bamboo forest. This is one of the most cozy corners of the Japanese Park, where, in addition to bamboo, you can see a small pond with water lilies, miniature Chinese gazebos and bridges over the river.
- The Glass House is the main pavilion of the Botanical Garden, where the most rare plant species grow and flower exhibitions are regularly held.
- Kempe Gowda Tower, built by the founder of Bangalore.
- A huge oak tree planted by Gorbachev.
- The main alley, where hundreds of different types of flowers grow.
The Bangalore Botanic Garden is almost the only place in the city where you can relax from a large number of people. Due to the fact that the entrance here is paid, it is always quiet and private.
- Location: Lalbagh, Bangalore 560004, India.
- Opening hours: 6.00-19.00.
- Cost: Rs 10.
- Official website: http://www.horticulture.kar.nic.in
Bannerghatta National Park
Bannerhatta is the largest national park in the state of Karanataka, located 22 km from Bangalore. It consists of the following parts::
- The zoo is the most visited part of the national park. Both foreign tourists and local residents come here.
- Butterfly Park is one of the most unusual areas of the reserve. On the territory of 4 acres, 35 species of butterflies live (the collection is constantly updated), for a comfortable existence of which all conditions are created. A butterfly museum is located nearby.
- Safari. This is the most popular part of the program, which is loved by all tourists. Cars of the Forest Department of India will take you to the most interesting places, show you how to live wild animals.
- The Tiger Reserve is the most protected part of the national park, which, however, is visited by many tourists.
- The Elephant Biocoridor is an amazing natural attraction created to preserve Indian elephants. This is a fenced area where no one can get in.
Practical information:
- Location: Bannerghatta Road / Bannerghatta, Bangalore, India.
- Opening hours: 9.00-17.00.
- Cost: Rs 100.
Visvesvaraya Museum of Industry and Technology
Visveswaraya Museum of Industry and Technology is one of the main attractions in Bangalore for children. Even if you are not interested in technology and don’t know much about history, come anyway. In the museum you will see:
- wright brothers airplane model;
- aircraft models;
- steam locomotives of the 19th and 20th centuries;
- factory layouts;
- various machine tools.
In addition to specific objects, you can see how sound and optical illusions “work” in the museum, get acquainted with biotechnologies and learn a lot about dinosaurs.
- Location: 5216 Kasthurba Road / Cubbon Park, Gandhi Nagar, Bangalore 560001, India.
- Opening hours: 9.30-18.00.
- Price: 40 rupees for adults, children-free of charge.
Commercial Street
Commercial Street is one of the main tourist streets of Bangalore in India, where you can find everything that tourists need:
- hundreds of shops and stalls;
- exchange offices;
- bars, cafes and restaurants;
- hotels and hostels.
There are incredibly many people here, so you can’t take a quiet walk. But you can buy everything you need at reasonable prices. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to bargain.
Location: Commercial Street | Tasker Town, Bangalore 560001, India.
Bull Temple
The Bull Temple is located in the central part of Bangalore. It is the largest temple in the world dedicated to the demigod Nandi. The building itself is not very remarkable, and its main feature is the statue of a bull located at the entrance to the temple.
Interestingly, the statue used to be bronze, but due to the fact that it is regularly smeared with oil and coal, it became black.
Not far from the attraction is a good souvenir shop, where you can buy cheap magnets, silk clothes, Indian postcards with photos of Bangalore and other interesting things.
Location: Bugle Hill, Bull Temple Rd, Basavangudi, Bangalore 560004, India.
Accommodation
As Bangalore is the third largest city in India, there are more than 1,200 accommodation options available here. The most popular among tourists are 3* hotels and small guesthouses.
A night in a 3* hotel for two people in high season on average costs 30-50 dollars, however, if you book accommodation in advance, you can find cheaper rooms, prices for which start from 20 dollars. As a rule, the price includes excellent service, delicious breakfast, transfer from the airport, access to the fitness center at the hotel and all necessary household appliances in the rooms.
Accommodation in a 4* hotel will be much more expensive – prices for most rooms start at $ 70. However, if you think about booking a home in advance, you can find better options. The price usually includes a shuttle service, Wi-Fi, a delicious breakfast and a spacious room.
If 3* and 4* hotels are not the most suitable option, you should pay attention to guest houses. A room for two will cost 15-25 dollars. Of course, the room itself will be smaller than in the hotel, and the service will probably not be as good, but free Wi-Fi, parking and an airport shuttle will be available.
Districts
And now the most important thing is how to choose the area in which to live. There are few options, because Bangalore is divided into 4 parts:
- Basavanagudi
This is the smallest and quietest area of Bangalore, where you can feel the atmosphere of India. There are a lot of markets, souvenir shops, restaurants and cafes with Indian cuisine, shops. Prices in the establishments are not high, so this area is very popular with tourists. The only drawback is the constant noise, which does not stop even at night.
- Malleswaram
Malleswaram is the oldest district of the city, located in the central part of Bangalore. Tourists love this place because there is a huge number of shops where you can buy both Indian and European clothes. Malleswaram bazaar is very popular.
This area is perfect for long evening walks and sightseeing, but if you do not like crowded streets and constant noise, you should find another place.
- Commercial Street
Commercial Street is another bustling Bangalore shopping destination. It differs from the previous districts by a complete lack of attractions and the lowest prices for clothing, shoes and household goods. Not many people like to stay in this area – it’s too noisy and dirty.
- Chickpet
Chikpet is another vibrant area close to Bangalore city center. Here you will find several markets and can see the Market Square – one of the symbols of the city.
Food
In Bangalore, as in other cities of India, you can find a huge number of cafes, restaurants, as well as street shops with fast food.
Restaurants
Bangalore has more than 1,000 restaurants serving local, Italian, Chinese and Japanese cuisine. There are several separate restaurants for vegetarians. The most popular ones are Time Traveller, Karavalli and Dakshin.
| Dish / Drink | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Palak Paneer | 3.5 |
| Navratan feed | 3 |
| Wright’s | 2.5 |
| Thali | 4 |
| Faluda | 3.5 |
| Cappuccino | 1.70 |
Lunch for two in a restaurant will cost $ 12-15.
Cafe
In Bangalore, there are a huge number of small family cafes that are ready to please tourists with local or European cuisine. Most popular places: Nearby points of interest include The Pizza Bakery, Tiamo and WBG — Whitefield Bar and Grill.
| Dish / Drink | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Italian pizza | 3 |
| Hamburger | 1.5 |
| Thali | 2.5 |
| Palak Paneer | 2 |
| Navratan feed | 2.5 |
| Glass of beer (0.5) | 2.10 |
Dinner for two in a cafe will cost 8-10 dollars.
Fast food stores
If you want to try real Indian cuisine, go outside. There you will find a huge number of stalls and trailers selling traditional Indian dishes. The most popular places in this price range are Shri Sagar (C. T. R), Veena Store and Vidyarthi Bhavan.
| Dish / Drink | Price (USD) |
|---|---|
| Masala Dosa | 0.8 |
| Mangalore Badji | 1 |
| Wada Sambar | 0.9 |
| Idli | 1 |
| Kesari Baat | 2.5 |
| Каара Баат | 2 |
You can have a full lunch in the shop for 3-5 dollars.
How to get around the city
Since Bangalore is a big city, it is most convenient to travel long distances by buses that run regularly. Many of them are even air-conditioned, so the trip can be comfortable. The approximate cost is from 50 to 250 rupees, depending on the route.
If you need to cover a short distance, pay attention to auto rickshaws – the city is full of them.
Don’t forget about a taxi-it’s the most expensive, but the most convenient and fastest way to get to your destination. The main thing is to make an agreement with the taxi driver about the final price before starting your trip.
Useful tips
- Bangalore is quite a quiet city, but tourists are not recommended to visit sleeping areas at night. Also, be careful in transport-pickpockets are full.
- Be respectful of the traditions and customs of local residents, and do not go out for a walk in too open clothes, do not drink alcoholic beverages on the streets of the city.
- Do not drink tap water.
- Sightseeing is best done in the early morning or at sunset – this is the time of day when the city is most beautiful.
- It is not customary to tip in India, but it will always be a pleasant compliment for the staff.
- There are many tattoo parlors in Bangalore where tourists like to get memorable tattoos and piercings. Before the procedure, be sure to ask the wizard about the license.
- If you plan to travel around the country a lot, be sure to get vaccinated against malaria.
- It is best to exchange dollars for rupees in specialized exchange offices. However, pay attention not only to the exchange rate – always look at the commission as well.
Bangalore, India – a city for those who love shopping, sightseeing and want to get acquainted with the most developed center of the Republic.