Southern India

[Jonny kernow]

*I will be cycle touring in January/ February next year in southern India and was wondering if anyone had any experience hanging out there? I am a seasoned tourer, but It will be my first trip to India, I *will mainly be staying in guest houses, but i would like to hang, when and wherever the chance arises. *Any do's don'ts or advice would be much appreciated*
*

[Womble]

I have been to India & Sri Lanka a number of times. Technically you can stealth camp there as well as anywhere else. It might be a bit more difficult to find an appropriate spot, because most spaces you can reach by bicycle may be occupied by locals -it's either jungle or occupied. Locals will probably discourage you for security reasons - mainly wildlife like elephants. Curious monkeys may also give you a hard time. Its risky to hang on Coconut trees.

[Jonny kernow]

Thanks womble great advice,
I was a bit worried about the wildlife, especially them snakes. *I forgot about the coconuts, lethal to cyclists in high winds.*
I will be cycling the back roads to some out of the way places and was hoping to use it If there's no accommodation,*rent a couple of trees off a farmer perhaps? I shall just have to play it by ear, it's all part of the adventure, I never quite know where I'll end up*

[Womble]

If you plan to ask farmers, they will probably invite you to sleep inside - you will get food and drinks and if your stomach can stand it, it's a great experience. They won't understand the 'fun' to sleep outside and take unnecessary risks and they will even be offended if you refuse their shelter.

If you want to camp peacefully, stay away from people. You can find appropriate places like this one (just look around the cycle). This is near the deepest city center of New Delhi - not a quiet place but definitively a spot you could stay overnight.

[Jonny kernow]

As a cycle tourer I get it all the time,
Locals don't understand that yes I DO want to cycle my heavy bicycle up this steep mountain pass in the midday sun.*it's what I do for fun and yes, yes I probably am an idiot, thank you *
Great bike by the way, perhaps I should hire one of these instead?*

[Womble]

After the recent attack on Swiss tourists, who were cycling / camping in the north of India, I revise my judgement about the risk of wild camping in India.

Tourists are always a curiosity, cycle-tourists even more and therefore do not pass unnoticed. It can attract sympathy and helpfulness, but obviously it can also attract malicious characters, expecting to get away with aggressive behavior, unharmed by the law & police.

For this reason I would not advise to camp outside secure facilities in India.