Visiting India? Make a Beeline for Jaipur, The Pink City

Jaipur in India, otherwise known as the Pink City, is large. However, the part of the city that is pink is on the small side. 

Jaipur is loaded with things to see but it may be difficult to see it all. Things are pretty spread out so unless you plan to be in Jaipur for quite a long stretch you won’t get to everything.

It has three Forts and a Palace. There are Temples in the center of the city and some further out. You’ll find a lake, gardens, a cinema and there are few markets to visit.  You should plan to visit the renowned Hawa Mahal building and the Albert Hall Museum but they are not located near each other so you will need time to do this.

To really see Jaipur, you will need to make an itinerary which involves sectioning off the city by the number of days you will be there. For instance, if you plan to be there for 3 days you could do the following:

Three- day visit

• Plan to visit all the Forts, Amber, Jaigarh and Nahargarh. They are all quite impressive.  You could also include the Jal Mahal, the Water Palace.
• Go to the Pink City and see the Palace, the Jantar Mantar which is an astrological observatory, the Hawa Mahal and the Bazaars.  Not far from the Pink City is also the Galta Ji, Monkey Temple.
• Venture outside of the center of Jaipur and you can visit the Panna Meena Ka Kund Steps, the Birla Mandir Temple and the Jawahar Circle Garden.

Unfortunately, many of these tourist spots have entrance fees and although not expensive, if you are travelling on a tight budget, you will not be able to see them all.

You will need transport to get around and the traffic in Jaipur is quite hectic. Rather than finding and negotiating a price with a rickshaw driver each time you need one, hire one for the day, set a price and avoid the hassle.  

But keep in mind that you will not be able to see everything in Jaipur and everything that you do get to see will be like cashing in on an Everygame casino welcome bonus – and just as fun!

The Hawa Mahal

This Palace, also known as Palace of the Winds is definitely one of the places to visit in Jaipur. The Palace signifies the crown of Lord Krishna, the Hindu God. This beautiful pink Palace has 953 windows and is a feast for the eyes.

City tour of Jaipur

You can get to see a lot if you go on a City Tour and you don’t have to organize the transport. There are also bike tours available; a little more energy needed for this and it can get quite hot but you get to see a lot of the city.

Many travelers stay in the Moustache Hostel and there you will find many tours listed and offered by Nomadic Tours around Jaipur, including a Pink City Walking Tour and even a Street Food Tour. Many of the tours begin from the Hostel but even if you are not staying there, you can still join the tour from somewhere else in the city.

Street Food Tour

Definitely try to go on a Street Food Tour. Here you will get to try different foods from a whole range of stalls over a few hours. It’s a great way of learning about the different foods on offer and you will be able to find your favorite street food during the time you are there.

Visit the cinema

A visit to the Rajmadir Cinema is a real treat and shouldn’t be missed. It’s a fun and cheap activity. The inside of the Rajmandir Cinema is really beautiful and the outside has an art deco appearance. The film is likely to be in Hindi but perhaps there will be some English.

Places to stay in Jaipur

The Moustache Hostel is a great budget place to stay but it, like much of the accommodation available, is not in the center. If you want a more luxurious hotel then the Shapura House is a good bet. You will likely need a rickshaw to take you to the tourist spots wherever your hotel or hostel is located.

Indian Coffee House

For those who love coffee, the Indian Coffee House is a must. The Indian Coffee House is a well-known and loved chain with 400 restaurants, two of them in Jaipur. You can get really good coffee and very inexpensive but good food.   

The waiters are all dressed in white coats, a nod perhaps to the British having been in India. The coffee house has become very popular. But during the time of British rule, native Indians were not allowed to go into these coffee houses as they were basically for the Europeans living in India.

Local Indian Food

Very close to the Moustache Hostel is Tiwari Bhojnalaya. Here you can find good local food.  It is tasty, authentic and cheap. But there are a multitude of excellent cheap places to eat good authentic Indian food.

Uber

Jaipur is like all other cities, including Mumbai and Delhi and has Uber. In Jaipur, you can order your rickshaw or motorbike using Uber. It is also possible to order cars.    

Using Uber will make hiring your rickshaw much cheaper than if you try to find one and negotiate the fare on the street. You could find out the price on Uber and then with that in mind, go to the street to negotiate the price. This will give you the confidence to negotiate a cheaper price.

Jaipur is truly a magical place to visit. Put it on your bucket list now if you’re planning on traveling India.