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Voykit pocket guide · India

Bengaluru

ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು

Use Bengaluru as a gateway to the south with one or two nights, come for parks, cafes and craft-beer food scenes rather than monuments, and budget extra time for traffic to any sight outside the centre.

Bengaluru is the capital of Karnataka and India's main technology hub. It stands on a plateau and has a milder climate than most Indian cities. Traffic is heavy, and it is a starting point for Mysuru and Hampi.

MumbaiJaipurAgraVaranasiKolkataBengaluru500 kmdots: other places in this guide
Sketch, not to navigate by: shapes follow this guide’s areas and places, not official boundaries. North is up.
Country
India
Local name
ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು
Best months
Oct–Feb (mild and dry)
Avoid
Jun–Sep can be rainy; Mar–May is noticeably warmer
Stay
1–2 nights

Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.

Essentials

Currency
INR
Money
Indian rupees (INR, ₹) in small notes for autos, street food, tips and entry tickets.
SIM and data
Jio, Airtel and Vi sell tourist SIMs at airport counters and their shops; passport, visa and a photo needed; activation can take a few hours.
Emergency
Emergency (all services) 112 · Police 100 (now routed to 112) · Ambulance 108 (most states) or 102 · Fire 101 · Women's helpline 181 / 1091
Plugs
Types C, D, M · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin C plugs fit most sockets; D (three round pins) is the common wall socket; hotels often have universal sockets. UK and US plugs need an adapter.
Tipping
Street food and dhabas: Nothing.; Restaurant: 5–10% if no service charge is on the bill.; Car and driver: ₹300–500 a day at the end of the trip.; Guide: ₹300–500 for a half day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₹50–100.; Auto or Uber: Round up.
Water
Not drinkable from the tap. Buy sealed bottles (check the cap), or use RO-filtered refill stations in hotels and cafés; avoid ice from street stalls.
Toilets
Western toilets in hotels, malls and airports; squat toilets with a water jug or hose in stations and villages. Carry tissue and sanitiser; paid public toilets (Sulabh) cost ₹5–10.

Get in

By air

BLR · Kempegowda International
About 35 km north of the centre; allow 60–90 min by taxi in traffic

Get around

The Namma Metro helps along its lines, but coverage is still expanding; app cabs and auto-rickshaws cover the rest. Traffic is the main constraint, so cluster sights by area and allow extra time for tech-corridor destinations.

See and do

Known for

  • Lalbagh Botanical Garden
  • Cubbon Park
  • Cafe and craft-beer scene
  • Bangalore Palace
  • Vidhana Soudha legislative building
  • Commercial Street and MG Road shopping

Sleep

MG Road and Indiranagar
Central, restaurants and metro access.
Church Street area
Walkable, close to shops and cafes.
Koramangala
Young-professional district with breweries and cafes; a longer ride to the airport.

Language

Hindi is spoken or understood across the north and centre, English is the language of business, signs and educated conversation everywhere, and each state has its own language and script. In the south, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Telugu replace Hindi — English is the better bridge there.

  • Head wobble: a side-to-side tilt can mean yes, OK, or I heard you — check with words.
  • WhatsApp is how hotels, drivers and guides communicate.

Etiquette, safety and scams

Etiquette

  • Greeting: Namaste (palms together) or a handshake between men; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging or kissing strangers
  • Hands and feet: Give and eat with the right hand; apologise if your foot touches someone; avoid: Pointing feet at people or shrines; touching books or food with your feet
  • Temples: Shoes off, walk clockwise around shrines, accept prasad (blessed food) with the right hand; avoid: Leather in Jain temples; entering sanctums that say Hindus only
  • Home visit: Bring sweets or fruit; accept tea at least once; avoid: Refusing all food; wearing shoes inside
  • Questions: Expect personal questions (married? job? salary?) as friendliness; avoid: Taking offence; answer vaguely if you prefer
  • Saying no: A firm, polite 'nahi, dhanyavaad' (no, thank you) and keep walking; avoid: Long explanations to touts
  • Dress: Loose clothes covering shoulders and knees; kurta tops are cheap and cool; avoid: Swimwear or shorts away from Goa beaches

Scams and watch-outs

  • Traffic can make short trips slow, especially at rush hour.
  • Check the operator for day-trip transport to Mysuru or Hampi.
  • Namma Metro does not yet reach all tech parks and outer suburbs; factor in taxi time.

One and two days

No timed day plan for Bengaluru yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.

  • Lalbagh Botanical Garden
  • Cubbon Park
  • Cafe and craft-beer scene
  • Bangalore Palace
  • Vidhana Soudha legislative building
  • Commercial Street and MG Road shopping

Sources

Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.

Pocket card

Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.

Bengaluruಬೆಂಗಳೂರು

My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)

Voykit · checked 2026-09

Printed from Voykit (/bengaluru). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.