A Varanasi Local's Honest Answers: 12 Things Tourists Need to Know
Priya Tiwari was born in a house overlooking Assi Ghat. She studied literature at Banaras Hindu University, spent three years in Delhi working for a travel company, and moved back because she "couldn't live without the Ganges." She now runs heritage walking tours through the old city lanes. I joined one of her tours and then bought her chai afterward to ask the questions tourists actually want answered.
What's the single most important thing a first-time visitor should know about Varanasi?
Varanasi will overwhelm you. Accept that before you arrive. It's loud, chaotic, intense, and nothing like any other city — even in India. People are bathing, praying, dying, and being cremated on the same stretch of riverbank. That's not a contradiction here. That's the whole point.
My advice: don't try to "figure it out" on day one. Just walk the ghats at sunrise, sit down, and watch. The city will explain itself if you give it time.
What time should people arrive at the Dashashwamedh Ghat Aarti?
The ceremony starts at 6:45PM — 7PM in summer. But here's what nobody tells tourists: if you arrive at 6:45, you'll be standing behind 500 people seeing nothing.
Arrive at 6PM. Minimum. Get a spot on the steps directly across from the performing priests. Or — and this is the real move — hire a boat before the ceremony starts. A rowboat costs 100-200 INR (~$1.20-2.40) and you get a front-row water-level view. The fire reflections on the river at night... I've seen it a thousand times and it still gets me.
What's the biggest mistake tourists make in Varanasi?
Two things. First, they take photos at the cremation ghats. At Manikarnika Ghat, photography is absolutely forbidden. People are saying goodbye to their family members. It's not a spectacle. I've seen tourists try to sneak photos and the workers there will grab your phone. Don't do it.
Second, they fall for the "wood donation" scam. Someone will approach you near Manikarnika and say: "The family cannot afford enough wood for the cremation. Can you donate?" It sounds heartfelt. It's a scam that's been running for decades. The dom caste who manage the cremations charge for the wood — it's their livelihood, not a charity case. Politely decline and walk away.
Is the Ganges really that polluted? Should people get in the water?
I'll be honest: the Ganges is not clean by Western standards. Sewage, industrial waste, and yes, cremation ash all enter the river. The government's Namami Gange project has improved things, but it's a massive river serving millions of people.
Do locals get in? Every single day. For Hindus, the Ganges is sacred — its spiritual purity transcends its physical state. That's a genuine belief, not ignorance.
My advice to tourists: watch the dawn bathing from a boat. If you want to participate, dip your hands in the water at Assi Ghat (the cleanest section) as a symbolic gesture. I wouldn't recommend swimming or submerging yourself if you're not accustomed to it. Some visitors do. Some get sick. Use your judgment.
How much should a boat ride actually cost?
This is where Varanasi scams are at their worst. Boat operators at the ghats will start at 2,000-3,000 INR for a sunrise ride. That's absurd.
A shared boat for the sunrise ride should cost 100-150 INR per person. A private boat for 1-1.5 hours should cost 500-800 INR (~$6-10). Negotiate firmly. Walk away if they won't budge — there are hundreds of boats. The boatman three steps away will give you a better price.
Better yet: ask your hotel to arrange a boat. Hotels have agreements with reliable boatmen and the prices are fair.
What should people eat in Varanasi?
Oh, everything. Varanasi's street food is legendary.
Start your morning at Kachori Gali near Dashashwamedh Ghat. Hot kachoris (fried lentil pastries) with potato sabzi for 20-30 INR. Then walk to Blue Lassi Shop near Manikarnika Ghat for the malai lassi — 60 INR for a clay cup of thick, creamy yogurt drink with fruit. The shop has been there since 1925. The walls are covered in clay cups stacked floor to ceiling. It's tiny, chaotic, and perfect.
Lunch: find any thali restaurant in the lanes. A full Banarasi thali (rice, dal, sabzi, roti, pickle) costs 80-150 INR.
Evening: chaat at Deena Chaat Bhandar (~40 INR). And finish with a Banarasi paan from any of the paan shops near the ghats (20-50 INR). Get the sweet one (meetha paan) unless you want a betel nut buzz.
A full day of street food costs under 500 INR (~$6). I'm not exaggerating.
Tell me about the silk. Is it worth buying?
Banarasi silk sarees are genuine works of art. But — and this is important — the industry is plagued by middlemen.
If a rickshaw driver takes you to a "factory," you're paying a 40-50% commission markup. Instead, ask your hotel to arrange a visit to a genuine handloom workshop in the Muslim quarter near Madanpura. Watch the weavers work — each saree takes 15 days to 6 months depending on the design.
Prices range from 3,000 INR ($36) for a simple silk to 200,000 INR ($2,400) for a wedding-quality masterpiece with real gold zari thread. If someone quotes you a "discounted" price of 500 INR for a "Banarasi silk" saree, it's polyester. Walk away.
Is Varanasi safe for solo travelers?
Generally yes, but with caveats. The ghat area between Assi Ghat and Dashashwamedh Ghat is well-lit and safe until about 10PM. After that, the quieter sections can feel isolated. I'd avoid walking the ghats alone late at night — not because of violent crime (it's rare) but because the steps are uneven, poorly lit, and slippery near the waterline.
Watch for monkeys. They're everywhere and they're bold. Don't carry exposed food. They will snatch it from your hands.
The biggest safety issue is scams, not crime. Self-appointed guides, fake priests demanding donations after performing rituals, overcharging boatmen. Say "no" firmly and keep walking. They'll move on.
What about Sarnath? Is it worth the trip?
Absolutely. Sarnath is where the Buddha gave his first sermon after achieving enlightenment. It's 10 km from Varanasi — a 30-minute auto-rickshaw ride (150-200 INR).
The Dhamek Stupa from the 5th century is massive and serene. The Archaeological Museum (entry: 25 INR) houses the Lion Capital of Ashoka — you know it as the symbol on Indian currency. The contrast between the chaos of Varanasi and the quiet of Sarnath is striking. Allow 2-3 hours including travel.
What's the best time of year to visit?
October to March. Full stop. The weather is cool (10-25°C), the air is clearer, and the ghats are comfortable to walk.
April-June is brutal — 40-42°C with dust storms. The ghats become furnaces. July-September is monsoon — the Ganges floods the lower ghats and the humidity is suffocating.
If you can time it: Dev Deepavali (the festival of lights, usually November) is when they place thousands of oil lamps along every ghat. The entire riverfront glows. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my city, and I've been here my whole life.
How should people get to Varanasi?
Fly into Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport (VNS), 25 km from the city center. Domestic flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bangalore are frequent and affordable. From the airport, use the pre-paid taxi counter (400-600 INR to the ghats) or Ola/Uber (300-400 INR).
For the old city and ghat area, forget cars and rickshaws — the lanes are too narrow. Walk. Wear comfortable shoes. And if you're directionally challenged like me, download offline Google Maps because there's no consistent phone signal in the deep lanes.
What's the one thing you wish every tourist would do differently?
Slow down. Varanasi is not a checklist destination. You don't "do" Varanasi — you absorb it.
Sit at a chai stall for an hour. Watch the river. Talk to the old men playing cards on the ghat steps. Let yourself get lost in the lanes — you'll always find your way back to the river.
This city has been here for 5,000 years. It's not going anywhere. Give it more than two days. For a deeply personal account, read our seven-day Varanasi journal. If you're exploring more of India, Jaipur and Udaipur offer a completely different Rajasthani experience.
