Travelling as a Couple to India

Travelling as a couple to India? From urban to rural, India’s attitude toward romance differs wildly. Unmarried couples may be forced into separate rooms or given tips on where to catch a quick moment together. Be aware you may be vulnerable to stigma. Whereas the country, which ties love up into a neat little box, will heartily embrace married couples. But there are also many beautiful sights for you to plan a romantic getaway to India.

It’s very complex and the general rule, especially when it comes to PDA, is to be sensitive to the atmosphere around you. It’s a country with endless opportunities to showcase your love and discover each other, as long as you do your research right. When you’re out, watch how other people, and other couples in particular, are behaving and simply follow suit. You may even learn a thing or two on clandestine loving from our attention-weary youth!

The ultimate romantic getaway to India includes a trip to the Taj Mahal (Photo credits to: Matt Thompson, Flickr)

Booking your rooms

While some of the smaller hotels may refuse to admit unmarried couples of Indian origin, they usually make an exception for foreigners. The days of being questioned about differing last names are in the past, particularly in the metropolises, but there’s a stigma attached to booking a room for a couple of hours in the afternoon. If you’re travelling as a couple to India you might want to play it safe by slipping on a ring. Explain the unshared last name on your passports as a cultural difference or bureaucratic delay; you might feel a little more comfortable. Married couples, feel free to flaunt your wedding rings.

The attitude of homestays is usually far more accepting. They are used to a certain kind of traveller that breaks the rules and travels young, or ones who may or may not believe in the institution of marriage at all. Rest assured that if you’re doing your bookings through us, you won’t have to lie.

We can ensure that you get the perfect romantic getaway to India. Read more into our pick of the most romantic hotels in India.

Hampi: another destination for your romantic getaway to India (Photo credits to: D-CLICKS, Flickr)

Being yourselves

When travelling as a couple to India, please accept that there are different customs to abide by. There’s no shame in holding hands or taking a brief nap on your partner’s shoulder. Anything beyond that may make those around you uncomfortable. Please try not to think of it as people judging you and forcing their rules down your throat. Yes, it would be lovely to have the freedom to express your love openly. But the current cultural reality is that it’s considered as discomforting as flashing. So hold the passion in check until you’re behind closed doors or learn from the couples canoodling on street corners and grab a little peck when no one’s watching.

A romantic getaway to India in Mumbai (Photo credits to: Macieij Dakowicz, Flickr)

Using public transport

Be more careful about your intimacy, especially on overnight journeys. While it may cause a little heart ache to skip the goodnight kiss, remember that as a space without any police patrols or specific rules, you’re more likely to attract unwanted attention. Stick to your berths and follow the age old Indian tradition of ‘behaving decently‘. You don’t have to completely ignore one another, hugs and hand-holding will turn no heads. Mostly foreigners travelling as a couple to India are given the benefit of the doubt in these circumstances. It’s not your fault, they probably say to themselves, that you were raised in a soulless hedonistic culture. More fun for you!

Be modest and respectful on public transport

Safety

Because you are travelling as a couple to India you have each other for safety. But we recommend that you cover your basics. Be aware of your surroundings and carry pepper spray, have your embassy on speed dial and do your research. With all your homework in place, you can push all the nagging worries to the back of your head and throw yourself headfirst into this splendid country you take your romantic getaway to India with the one you love.

If you’d like to travel with just each other for company, our blogs on solo travelling and solo travelling as a woman can be helpful to you too!

The City Palace in Udaipur is a romantic hotspot to visit for those travelling as a couple to India