5 guides, each rated 1 to 5 with the reason — and two lists per place, where you are comfortable and where to pay attention. Nowhere is called dangerous; the specific thing is what helps.
Generally relaxed and safe, with two genuine risks. Scooter accidents are the leading cause of tourist injury, and the coast road is worse after dark. The sea has strong undertows and drownings happen every season — swim where the lifeguards are and respect red flags. Drugs are common in the north and the penalties are severe.
Comfortable: Palolem · Assagao · Panjim · Anjuna
Scooter accidents, by a wide margin the main risk here
Rip currents — a number of drownings every season, and many beaches have no lifeguard
One of the safest and most literate states in India, and comfortable for solo travellers by Indian standards. The practical issues are on the water: houseboat quality varies enormously and the cheapest have no life jackets, the canals are still and mosquito-heavy after dusk, and the water is not for swimming. Kerala is malarial only in patches but dengue is present statewide.
Comfortable: Alleppey town · Kumarakom · Fort Kochi · the canal villages
the water after dark — mosquito-heavy, and not for swimming
the cheapest houseboats — several carry no life jackets — ask before booking, not after
Violent crime against visitors is rare, but Agra has a persistent and practised scam industry: unofficial guides, gem shops, and drivers who take you somewhere you did not ask for. Book guides through the ticket office. Women travelling alone should expect staring and unwanted attention and are usually better off with a pre-booked driver. The Taj closes on Fridays.
Comfortable: Taj Ganj · Agra Fort · Fatehabad Road
Guides and "government emporium" touts outside the East and West gates
Rickshaw drivers who take you to a shop instead
Agra Cantt railway station — on arrival, for the taxi and hotel touts
The city is not dangerous but it is intense, and first-time visitors are frequently overwhelmed. Persistent touts and unlicensed guides work the ghats; agree everything in advance and expect to say no often. Photographing the burning ghats is forbidden and people asking for a "donation" there are running a scam. The river water is heavily polluted and not for swimming. Women travelling alone report more hassle here than in most of India.
Comfortable: the cantonment · Assi ghat · Dashashwamedh by day · Sarnath
the lanes after dark — a maze, unlit in places, and easy to lose your bearings in
the ghats around the cremation grounds — where unlicensed guides ask for 'donations' that are not donations
the river itself — heavily polluted, and not for swimming whatever you see others do
Generally safe, and the persistent problem is commercial rather than criminal: gem scams, "the fort is closed today", commission-driven shopping stops, and rickshaw drivers who take you elsewhere. Book tickets and drivers through the hotel. Women travelling alone report more harassment here than in the south; the usual precautions apply and are worth taking.
Comfortable: C-Scheme, Jaipur · Civil Lines, Jaipur · Amber Fort · Jaipur Pink City
Gem scams and "the fort is closed today", which end at a shop paying commission
Rickshaw drivers who take you somewhere other than where you asked — use Uber or Ola
Jaipur Junction — the railway station on arrival, for hotel and taxi touts
Women travelling alone report more harassment here than in southern India; the usual precautions apply and are worth taking
The ratings are this site's own, from the guides' authors and the corrections readers send in; they are not an index. Read the general advice in travel safety tips.
