It is a great idea! Hyderabad is a culture-rich place and a long history, you will enjoy going around in Hyderabad and nearby places. If you have a few days at your disposal, you can also consider visiting a few other cities.
A few places that are must-see are the following, you can book a cab (your hotel will help you get them booked) for full day and they will take you around, most places will also have a guide, or you can take a guide with you:
- Charminar – extremely crowded since it is very popular and in the heart of the city. Must-visit if you want to see city culture up close and buy some local stuff, like bangles, pearls, dresses, etc. Plan for 3-4 hours at the minimum.
- Golconda fort – A fort with a rich history. Light and sound show in the evening is great to watch to know about the history. Plan for evening visit for 2-3 hours and be ready for a short hike
- Chowmahalla Palace – A palace to behold!
- Salar Jung Museum – One of the largest museums of the world.
- Statue of equality – A new addition to Hyderabad, worth visiting if you are interested in religious aspects of Indian culture.
We will post some details about how and where to get guides and tour operators in a few days. In the meantime, if you have specific questions around this, please send a mail to help@comped.acm.org.
We welcome you to try the food that our students and faculty enjoy every day! However, it is a good idea to go with a local person so that they can guide you about the spiciness or taste so that you can enjoy better. Also, these places will not take card, so either you should carry cash, or rely on your local host to pay using cash or UPI (only the most common and ubiquitous payment mode in India).
Yes, mosquitos can be a problem when you are outdoors, esp. evenings. If you are not used to tropical weather, you may do well to take a few precautions:
- Avoid staying outdoors after dark
- Carry mosquito repellants with you. If you haven’t used them before, do procure them a few days early and try them on your skin to ensure you are not allergic or anything. You can also buy them here if needed.
- Keep your body covered – long-sleeved dresses, trousers, socks and shoes, etc. will help.
If this is your first time in India, you may be surprised by the number of stray dogs around you! They are harmless in most cases. You will find many of them in the IIITH campus as well.
It is a good idea to take some precautions:
- Avoid walking alone in the dark on streets that may have stray dogs.
- Do not feed them or pet them unless you are will someone who is familiar with them