Singapore
A clean, easy first international trip for Indian travellers — English-speaking, ultra-safe, cashless, and packed with world-class food; visa-free short entry for Indian passport holders in 2026.
What to eat
Head to Little India (Serangoon Road area, near Little India MRT) — it is the go-to neighbourhood for Indian and pure-vegetarian food, from South Indian thalis and dosas to North Indian and Jain options. The Tekka Centre hawker complex there has many affordable Indian stalls. You will also find plenty of vegetarian-friendly and halal options across most hawker centres citywide.
Stay connected
eSIM / SIM: Easiest option is an Airalo eSIM (buy and activate online before you fly; Singapore data plans from roughly USD 4-20). For a physical/local SIM with better value including calls and SMS, use a tourist prepaid SIM from Singtel (hi! Tourist), StarHub, or M1 — buy in the city (7-Eleven, telco shops) rather than at the airport, where prices run higher. Coverage from all three is excellent islandwide.
Getting around
The MRT metro is fast, clean, air-conditioned and covers the whole island — just tap any Visa/Mastercard or phone (SimplyGo) at the gates, no separate travel card needed; use Grab for door-to-door rides.
Thailand
A visa-friendly, budget-easy favourite for Indian travellers — beaches, street food, temples and buzzing nightlife, all a short flight away.
What to eat
Indian and vegetarian food is easy to find in Bangkok — head to the Phahurat area (often called "Little India"), next to Chinatown, for North Indian, Gujarati and Jain-friendly meals. Sukhumvit (around Soi 11/Nana) also has many Indian restaurants. In Phuket, Patong and Karon beaches have several Indian eateries. Look for "jay" (เจ) signage, which marks strict vegan/vegetarian food, and note most Thai dishes can be made without meat on request.
Stay connected
eSIM / SIM: Buy a travel eSIM before you fly for instant data on arrival — Airalo is the most popular global option (runs on AIS + True networks in Thailand). For a local SIM/eSIM with a Thai number, the main telcos are AIS (largest coverage, best for islands/rural), TrueMove H, and dtac — all sell prepaid tourist plans at Suvarnabhumi/Don Mueang airport arrival halls. AIS is generally the safest bet beyond Bangkok.
Getting around
Get around with the Grab app (SE Asia's super-app for cabs/bikes), the BTS Skytrain and MRT metro in Bangkok, tuk-tuks and songthaews for short hops, and cheap domestic flights or trains between cities.
Dubai
Ultra-modern, safe and very Indian-friendly — English is spoken everywhere, INR converts to a strong-value AED trip, and Dubai is just a 3-4 hour flight from most Indian metros.
What to eat
Indian and pure-vegetarian food is everywhere in Dubai. Head to Bur Dubai (especially the Meena Bazaar area) and Al Karama — these old-Dubai neighbourhoods have dense clusters of South Indian, Gujarati thali, chaat and Jain/vegetarian spots at Indian-style prices. Deira and Al Rigga are also reliable. Most malls and hotel food courts have Indian counters, and Jain/no-onion-garlic requests are widely understood.
Stay connected
eSIM / SIM: Buy a travel eSIM BEFORE you fly — UAE rules make it hard to buy foreign data plans after arrival. Airalo (uses Etisalat/e& network) is the popular, cheapest tourist option, from about $4; Nomad, Holafly and Saily are good alternatives. Airport/local telco eSIMs from Etisalat (e&) and du work too but cost far more. Note: WhatsApp/FaceTime calling is blocked on local UAE SIMs, but roaming travel eSIMs usually bypass this.
Getting around
The Dubai Metro is cheap, clean and tourist-friendly (buy a nol card); use Careem or Uber for door-to-door rides and official cream RTA taxis anywhere.
Bali
Temple-dotted beaches, rice terraces and easy-visa island vibes just a short flight from India — welcoming, affordable and endlessly Instagrammable.
What to eat
Head to the tourist hubs of Seminyak, Kuta and Legian, plus Ubud — these areas have several Indian and vegetarian/vegan restaurants and cafes. Many Balinese eateries (warungs) also serve veg-friendly nasi/mie goreng and gado-gado; say "sayur saja" (vegetables only) and "tanpa daging" (no meat). Jimbaran and Canggu have vegan spots too, but the widest Indian food choice is around Seminyak/Kuta.
Stay connected
eSIM / SIM: eSIM: Airalo has affordable Indonesia plans (runs on Indosat Ooredoo/Three networks) — buy and activate before you fly. For the strongest coverage across Bali and the Gili/Nusa islands, a Telkomsel Tourist Prepaid Card is the local favourite; buy it on arrival at Ngurah Rai (DPS) airport counters or a GraPARI outlet (bring passport; phone must be unlocked and eSIM/dual-SIM capable).
Getting around
Bali has no metro or trains — get around by scooter, private driver, or ride-hailing apps; hail cars/bikes via Gojek or Grab for fair metered fares.
Vietnam
A visa-friendly, budget-stretching favourite for Indians — street food, beaches, limestone bays and buzzing cities, all easy to navigate with a single ride app.
What to eat
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is the most Indian-friendly city, with a cluster of Indian and pure-veg restaurants around District 1 near the Pham Ngu Lao / Bui Vien backpacker area and the Ben Thanh Market district. Hanoi's Old Quarter also has a few Indian eateries. Use the HappyCow app to find verified vegetarian and Jain-friendly spots near you, and always confirm "chay" (vegetarian) when ordering, as fish sauce is common.
Stay connected
eSIM / SIM: Buy an Airalo Vietnam eSIM before you fly (runs on the Viettel/Mobifone networks, activate on arrival) — quick and cashless. For a local number and cheapest data, grab a physical tourist SIM from Viettel (best nationwide coverage), Vinaphone or Mobifone at the counters right inside Hanoi (Noi Bai) or Ho Chi Minh (Tan Son Nhat) airports; carry your passport.
Getting around
There is no Uber or Ola — Grab is the tourist default for cars and bikes; use metered Xanh SM or Be to compare prices, and Hanoi and HCMC now have modern metro lines. Keep cash handy as local apps favour it.
Malaysia
A visa-friendly, English-speaking Southeast Asian favourite where halal and vegetarian food is everywhere and Indian culture runs deep.
What to eat
Indian and vegetarian food is easy to find across Malaysia thanks to a large Tamil community. Head to Brickfields (Little India) in Kuala Lumpur, or Little India in George Town, Penang, for South Indian thalis, banana-leaf meals, dosa, and pure-veg spots. Many mamak (Indian-Muslim) eateries nationwide serve roti, thosai, and vegetarian curries cheaply, and most malls have Indian or veg options.
Stay connected
eSIM / SIM: Buy a travel eSIM before you fly (no passport registration needed): Airalo has data-only Malaysia plans running on the Maxis network. For a local physical SIM/eSIM, the main telcos are CelcomDigi (best nationwide coverage), Maxis/Hotlink (strong speeds, good regional roaming), U Mobile, and Yes; tourist data SIMs are cheap (roughly RM30-40 for 30-100GB). Note: since 2026, physical SIMs require passport registration, while eSIMs skip that.
Getting around
Grab is the go-to for rides everywhere; Kuala Lumpur also has a clean, cheap LRT/MRT/monorail network you tap through with Touch 'n Go.
Sri Lanka
A short, easy hop from India — spicy island food, scenic train rides and beaches, and everything runs on the PickMe app.
What to eat
Head to the Wellawatte and Bambalapitiya stretch along Galle Road in Colombo — this is the city's Tamil/South-Indian heartland, packed with pure-vegetarian South Indian cafes serving dosa, idli, thali and sambar. Most towns also have Muslim "hotels" doing rice-and-curry, and vegetarian ("shudh") kadai boards are easy to spot. Sri Lankan food itself is very coconut-and-rice based, so pure-veg travellers eat comfortably almost anywhere.
Stay connected
eSIM / SIM: Best value is Airalo (its 'Ella' Sri Lanka eSIM runs on local networks Dialog/Mobitel, from about $4.50 for 1GB) — buy and activate before you fly. For a physical SIM, grab a Dialog or Mobitel tourist SIM at the Bandaranaike (Colombo) airport arrivals counter with your passport; Dialog tourist packs start around LKR 1,399 for ~20GB valid 30 days.
Maldives
A short-haul island paradise for Indian travellers - direct flights from major metros, e-visa on arrival, and English widely spoken.
What to eat
Indian and vegetarian food is easy to find in the capital region - head to Male city and neighbouring Hulhumale, where many cafes and eateries serve North Indian curries, roti, biryani and South Indian tiffin. Most resorts also run an Indian menu or dedicated Indian restaurant, and pure-veg / Jain requests are commonly accommodated if flagged in advance. Being a Muslim country, food is halal and pork/alcohol are restricted to resort islands.
Stay connected
eSIM / SIM: Two local telcos cover the islands: Dhiraagu and Ooredoo Maldives - both sell tourist prepaid SIMs (roughly 20-30GB, 30-day validity) at Velana International Airport kiosks; carry your passport for registration. Both also offer their own eSIMs. For a plug-and-play option, Airalo and Saily eSIMs both run on the Ooredoo network and can be activated before you land. Ooredoo is generally fastest around Male and resorts; Dhiraagu has the widest reach on remote southern atolls.
Getting around
Getting around means water: speedboats and public ferries between islands, seaplanes to far resorts, and taxis or ride apps only within Male-Hulhumale (linked by the Sinamale bridge).
India
Your own backyard is a continent of cuisines and cultures — from Himalayan valleys to backwaters, every state feels like a new country.
What to eat
You're in India, so Indian and vegetarian food is everywhere and clearly marked (look for the green-dot veg symbol). Every city has a busy main bazaar or old-town food street — like Chandni Chowk in Delhi, VV Puram Food Street in Bengaluru, or Manek Chowk in Ahmedabad — packed with vegetarian thali joints, chaat carts and South Indian tiffin houses. Pure-veg restaurants and Jain-food options are common; just ask for "veg only" or check the menu's green markings.
Stay connected
eSIM / SIM: As a domestic traveller you can just recharge your existing Jio, Airtel or Vi number nationwide (Airtel ~Rs 349 or Jio ~Rs 299 gives ~1.5GB/day with unlimited 5G for 28 days). If you want a fresh travel line or an eSIM, Airtel and Jio both offer instant eSIMs via their apps; for cross-border trips Airalo eSIM (runs on Airtel/Vi/BSNL) is a popular data-only option.
Getting around
Metros run in most big cities; for last-mile use app-based cabs, autos and bike-taxis, or the humble auto-rickshaw (agree fare or insist on the meter).
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