Book cheap flights to Kolkata

Like most of India, Kolkata boasts warm, humid temperatures, and is annually visited by the nation’s famous monsoon season. As a result, the winter months of October to March, boasts the lowest rainfall and the most reasoned temperatures (generally ranging from the teens to the upper 20s), are generally the most popular with visitors. They’re the best time to come if you’re looking to spend some time outdoors, but be prepared to deal with heavy crowds and higher hotel rates. By contrast, the months of June to September are marked by the famed monsoon season, and are often deluged with rain; as a result, they generally see the lowest influx of visitors. They’re the best months to come by to avoid the hubbub and get some cheaper accommodation deals; but you’d better not forget that raincoat.

India is one of two countries for which South Africans may obtain a visa via Electronic Travel Authority. Those wishing to visit the country as a tourist may visit the official VFS Global website, where they may inform themselves about what is needed for a visa application to India, and download an application form that they may fill in at their leisure.

From there, applicants may bring all the necessary documents to one of the application centres in Johannesburg, Cape Town or Durban, from which they may subsequently collect all of their documents once the application has been processed.

The South African High Commission in India is located at the following address:

B18 Vasant Marg

Vasant Vihar

New Delhi

110 057

Tel: 91 11 2 614 9411

As with most locations, the Centres for Disease Control recommends that travellers to India ensure that they are up to date with all of their routine vaccinations, and that, in addition, they receive immunisations against Hepatitis A and typhoid, both of which have a chance of being spread through contaiminated food and water. In addition, mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria and zika are known to exist in India; and while Kolkata, thankfully, is located in a low-risk area, visitors are nonetheless advised to ensure that they take steps against mosquito bites.

While Kolkata is generally considered one of India’s safer cities, petty crime is, as anywhere, an inescapable issue, and visitors should practice common safety precautions, ensuring that they keep their valuables with them at all times and do not wander the streets too late at night.

Being such a vast and internationally visited city, Kolkata naturally boasts a wide selection of hotels of varying levels of affordability and luxury. Prices range everywhere from under ₹700 to over ₹9500, with The Oberoi, Taj Bengal and Swissotel being among the city’s most well-regarded establishments.

Kolkata is a vast city; and thus, naturally, boasts a broad variety of transport options – many of which tie into the city’s fascinating history. Most notably, the city boasts both the first metro railway and the only tram system in India; the former is often hailed as the most efficient form of transport in the city, while the latter, though slower, is praised as affordable, comfortable, and environmentally friendly.

Taxis, too, are ubiquitous in the city, and can be hailed from almost any street corner at any time of day – and, thankfully, most are known to adhere to their metres. And, of course, it wouldn’t be India without the rickshaws, both varieties of which – motorised and human-drawn – can be located all over the city, particularly in the market regions.