Varanasi is a city with rich culture and heritage. People from different parts of the world come to witness this amalgamation of religion and history. However, for tourists who have booked a Golden Triangle with Varanasi Tour, there are some scams they can easily be caught in. Not to get fooled here are some tips to escape these cons existing in the lanes of Varanasi.
- The rickshaw wallah- When you reach Varanasi you may be taking a rickshaw to reach your hotel. But surprise as the rickshaw wallah will tell you that the hotel you have booked is closed or has been burned down. He will then suggest another hotel of his contacts and from where he will be getting a big commission cut. Don’t fall into the trap and insist on paying only when he takes to your destination.
- Boatman- Before you board for a ride decide in advance what are the charges and for how long. Often these boat riders take you to the middle of the river and then ask you to pay extra as you had paid only for 30 minutes which is already over. At that point, you do not have any other option but to pay.
- Visiting the cremation Ghats- When you visit the cremation Ghats at Manikarnika you will find people coming up to you asking for alms to create poor people. Note that these are only scammers who are there to dupe tourists like you. Golden triangle tour with Varanasi can be enjoyed completely only if you know how to handle these freaks.
- Touts- You would find many people offering to take you to special shops and help you in completing your purchasing. Do not listen to them and do your bit of research to find which shops offer good quality at reasonable prices. Learn how to politely decline such proposals otherwise, you may end up paying an extra amount of money for the same thing.
- Bhang lassi- Varanasi is also the place where Marijuana is widely exchanged. Even the authorities do not take much interest in handling such drug peddlers. However many guesthouses offer their guests bhang laced Lassi. The drink is highly potent and many of them are robbed of their belongings because of this.
- Annoying people- As and when you roam around the city you will find many people bothering you by offering services like massages, boat rides, and fortune telling. Politely decline them else they would keep bothering you and you may not be able to enjoy your tour. These are just harmless people so a simple no is enough to make them go away.
If you have planned a Golden triangle and Varanasi tour it is advised to be careful of such scams. Do not eat or drink anything offered by someone who you are not acquainted with. Apart from that monkeys also trouble tourists a lot especially if you are carrying food. Have your food at proper hotels and when leaving your room close all the windows to avoid facing this menace.
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