First time in India: Delhi and Taj Mahal travel tips (Part 1)
Delhi, Agra - a culture shock and a few unexpected adventures in my the first 48 hours!
India is not for beginner travellers. At least, that's how I felt after spending 9 days exploring northern India! Back in February 2026, we travelled through Delhi, Agra and Jaipur - also known as the Golden Triangle, with one very special occasion along the way: attending an India friend's wedding.
And what a trip it was!
From being stranded on a highway on our first day to discovering familiar little corners of Delhi that reminded me of Vietnam, India surprised us in many ways. It was chaotic, colourful, overwhelming at times and absolutely fascinating.
Here are some of the moments that made our first days in India unforgettable and some travel tips for those who plan to be in India for very first time.
An Indian wedding invitation we couldn't say no to!
Friends of us were getting married in India! When receiving the invitation, we were both thinking: when would we ever get a better opportunity to visit this country and experience a traditional Indian wedding?
We'd heard about the famous big, fat Indian weddings and we were so curious to experience one ourselves! Without much hesititance but full of excitement, we booked the ticket with Air India for 9 days travelling in Dehli - Agra - Jaipur.
Good preparation is much needed
We packed our backpacks with some light modest clothes suitable for the summer weather and for visiting religious sites, plenty of hand sanitiser and basic medicines in case our stomachs weren't ready for all the unfamiliar Indian spices!
Travelling with backpacks turned out to be a great decision, especially with trains and tuk-tuks on our itinerary. The downsides? Not enough room for souvenirs and for a small girl like me, I almost tipped over every time I tried to put mine on! 😂
Our friend also gave us some useful advice: arrange our visas through the official e-Visa portal, always use Uber for transport, get a local SIM card and be prepared for plenty of curious stares on the streets.
Armed with all this preparation, we were ready for the adventure!
Arriving in Delhi: What a welcome!
We arrived in Delhi safe and sound, only to spend the first hour at the airport trying to activate two SIM cards. While waiting impatiently at the kiosk, something caught my attention.
Where are all the women in this country?
Almost everyone I noticed working here was a man. It was a striking first impression. Growing up in Vietnam and later living in the Netherlands, I am used to seeing women working, contributing to society, advancing in their careers and taking care of their families at the same time. I'd always understood the importance of women's rights and celebrating women's achievements, but I'd never felt a strong personal connection to the cause.
Seeing something so different made me reflect on how easily we can take things for granted. For the first time, I began to understand why the fight for equal opportunities can feel much more urgent in some parts of the world than others.
Our first Uber ride...was it a scam?
After simcard wait, we went on to book an Uber to get to our accomdation in New Dehli. Halfway through our Uber ride from Delhi airport, the driver suddenly announced that his car had broken down and we had to get out. On the highway!
Our immediate thought: Is this a scam?!
There was no smoke, no obvious engine trouble and the driver barely spoke English. We tried Google Translate, even offered him more money to finish the journey. But nothing worked! Eventually, we called our Indian friend for a help, and there we were, waiting beside a highway for another Uber.
To this day, we still don't know whether his car genuinely broke down or not.
Lesson learned: We switched to a slightly more expensive Uber option afterwards (so not the economic option on Uber app). Much smoother experience for a little extra money!
Delhi: A little piece of Vietnam with extra chaos and contrast
Okay enough about the drama!
Some parts reminded me of Vietnam!
Behind the busy main roads were quieter residential neighbourhoods, with lots of greenery, small food vendors and people going about their daily routines. The streets, the views, the honking... something felt strangely familiar.
After years of living in the Netherlands where everything is more organised and quiet, I suddenly felt a little bit at home.
What an unexpected feeling after such a chaotic arrival.
Clothes shopping for weddings and some experimental street food
After a little rest, we headed out to buy traditional Indian outfits for the wedding.
We were asked to follow the dress codes (green yellow and something festive). We took a little walk to immerse ourselves into the local life. We found a lovely shop selling beautiful cotton clothes recommended by our host.
Afterwards, we made our way to another area dedicated to wedding clothing stores and decided to reward ourselves with some street food at a nearby market! We were getting hangry after all.
We stepped into a small local restaurant bustling with people and thought, well, if the locals eat here, it must be a good place for our first Indian food adventure! My boyfriend wasn't entirely convinced, haha! We ordered the panipuri that we saw online before but had no clue how to eat them. After watching us struggle, the waiter eventually put on his gloves and came to our rescue!
One bite and crunch! The crispy shell burst in our mouths, releasing a rush of watery, spicy sauce. I think there was coriander and pepper involved, but honestly, I still have no idea what it was exactly! Was it delicious? Hmm... let's just say it was an interesting experience! 😂We were so hungry that we forgot to take a nice photo :(
And when we thought we'd figured things out, at the end of the meal came a little bowl of mouth freshener (the right image). Another mystery! We exchanged confused looks, then discreetly watched the people at the next table to see what they did with it.
When in doubt, follow the locals!
Later that evening, we visited Hauz Khas SOCIAL in Hauz Khas neighborhood, recommended by our Airbnb host. What a contrast! Trendy restaurants, music, young people enjoying drinks and conversations with friends. A completely different side of Delhi from what we'd experienced earlier that day.
After just 14 hours, I already felt like we'd seen several different versions of the same city.
Exhausted, we melted into bed.
Tomorrow, Agra!
Agra: Visiting Taj Mahal!
The next morning started with a delicious homemade Indian breakfast - dosa - a thin savory pancake, prepared by our host. Over breakfast, we met another Dutch traveller who was also in India for a friend's wedding. What a coincidence!
With full stomachs, we set off on a four-hour drive to Agra, watching the scenery change from busy cities to quiet villages and little towns along the way.
We finally arrived at the hotel where the wedding would take place, checked in and rushed off to see the Taj Mahal. Yes, we were running late again! I was starting to think travelling in India required an extra one or two hours of buffer time for everything. Quite an adjustment from the Netherlands!
Our friend had recommended a local guide, who shared fascinating stories and knew all the best photo spots.
And then, as we walked through the grand entrance gate and there it was. The Taj Mahal!
The magnificent white marble, perfect symmetry and delicate floral details were breathtaking. Built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, it's quite the declaration of love. And perhaps a little bit of showing off!
Every angle was photogenic. Our guide even pointed out a clever optical illusion: the calligraphy looks uniform from below, but the letters higher up are actually larger. Imagine the precision!
We were lucky with clear blue skies, beautiful sunset light and fewer visitors towards the end of the day. If only we'd had more time!
Of course, we couldn't leave without some classic tourist photos! Our photographer enthusiastically guided us through grandma-style poses, complete with generous skin-whitening effects in the printed photobook😂
Overpriced? Probably. But how often do you visit the Taj Mahal? We embraced the full tourist experience!
My tip: I'd recommend a guide if you want to learn more about the history, architecture and perhaps skipping the lines. Ours made the visit much more interesting.
After a wonderful afternoon, we headed back to the hotel for some rest and dinner, where we also got to meet the couple's families before the wedding tomorrow.
An unexpected encounter
The next morning, before the wedding, we took a walk around the neighbourhood in Agra. It wasn't the most comfortable stroll, with people begging on the streets and lots of curious stares. But tucked behind a residential complex, we came across a small Hindu temple.
We watched a ritual involving the washing of an elephant and the application of red and yellow markings on the forehead. We also received a bead necklace, which we understood to symbolise the protection against negative energy.
Despite the language barrier, we felt welcomed and honoured to take part in this small moment of local life.
It was completely unplanned, and perhaps that's what made the trip more special.
And now, time for the Indian wedding!
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