Agra Tourist Traps

Watch out for tours that go to local custom shops. Informative travels sent me to a local marble, jeweller and rug shop. Polite but very pushy in sales and they can cost alot. They must get commissions because they seem to be looked after while you are being given a tour.

Unique Suggestions: If you dont want to go, just be insistent

There are many hawkers standing outside Taj Mahal. They make a sport of fooling tourists, and they brag about it to eachother afterwards. I got this tip from my guide. But at the end I was tempted. Right before I left the place a boy came to me with Taj Mahal T-shirts. The price was 500 rupies for one T-shirt, and of the best quality, I thought. I started to bargain and the price stopped at 100 rupies. Sold! There I went away in the taxi with the T-shirt. But the 100% cotton XL label was just a fake label pasted over the real one Basic quality S (small). And the T-shirt smelled so bad that I have to throw it away. I was fooled, too. (Stupid tourist).

Unique Suggestions: Don't buy anything of hawkers outside Taj Mahal. Never!

Fun Alternatives: Buy your T-shirt or souvenir at a stall in the city. They don't fool you because they know you can come back for a complaint.

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Only drinking water is allowed to bring inside Taj Mahal because of possible garbage. They are also afraid of corrosion on the marble from the softdrinks, etc. The guards check each one by one before you enter the place.

Unique Suggestions: Don't buy any softdrinks or food on your way to Taj Mahal if you don't consume it before you enter the place.

Fun Alternatives: It is very hot at the Taj Mahal, so you need to bring water to deaden your thirst.

The queues to get into the Taj Mahal complex can be long and because each person has to go through security and have bags checked etc... the queue does not necessarily move at a speed that suits most people standing in it but, as I say, it is for security and with the Taj being a wonder of the world... it is worthy of stric security!
There are lots of men and a handful of children who, for a fee "can get you into the Taj immediately". There are two supposéd methods. The first is to simply queue jump which may not win you many friends. The second way is to take you to "slip you in through a different gateway". I saw people being led away from the main entrance towards the shops - whether they got in this way... who can say. Thing is, queueing is a bore but paying to get in via another method is forming bad habbits.

DO NOT make eye contact- that may help. These fellows, and there seemed to be at least 3 for every tourist at the Taj Mahal, catch the visitor at the entrance gates. The gates are about a 5 minute walk from the actual entrance to the Taj. There are cycle-rickshaws available, but we decided to walk. Bad choice. Not only were they offering services as "guides"-they were selling postcards, the usual touristy rubbish (like snow-domes of the Taj Mahal) and Agra Tourist Booklets. This happens throughout India- but these guys DO NOT GIVE UP!!
In the end- all that worked was a good few words that I cannot mention here.
Take ANY means of transport- avoid that walk. We took the Cycle Rickshaw on exit.

Unique Suggestions: Avoid eye contact. Don't smile at them. Be rude if you really HAVE to- they are persistant beyond belief. OR JUST RUN.

Fun Alternatives: Take the cycle-rickshaw.

When you walk up to the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort you will be bombarded by children and men and women trying to sell you nick nacs of all kids as you go into the site. If you pick up or take anyhing from these people you have to buy it.

Unique Suggestions: You have to go through the swarms of sellers to get to the site, so just say no. Do not pick up anything, to not take anything from anyone! Otherwise you will end up having to buy it. If you get into that situation and he says this price is it. Tell go 75% lower than there price and stick to it. If they say no they will take there goods back and try to sell them to you again. DONT PICK IT BACK UP! Just go. Tell them you are sorry that is your price and go. If they meet your price well you have to buy it. So DONT PICK IT UP!

Fun Alternatives: DONT PICK IT UP!

Yes -- unfortunately we hadn't read up on VT before our trip, and we got suckered into this tourist trap. My wife saw the monkey and took a picture, not realizing that the monkey wasn't a pet, it was a business partner. Suddenly, our car was surrounded by other peddlers trying to push all sorts of random crap.

Unfortunately, it was really the monkey who did all the tricks, but I don't think he got much of a cut.

If you drive around Delhi enough or walk through the parks in Agra, there are plenty of wild monkeys to take pictures of as well, but they may try to steal your lunch.

You can't escape the tourist traps here, I guess all tour in Agra will include visiting one of the marble emporiums. First you ge a friendly demonstration of how the marble is used to create whatever. But then comes to obvious, they would like you to buy the stuff. And actually, some things, like the marble tables, for ridiculous prices. I wonder that some people actually bought a table for 300 Euros. Anyways, it is a free world :) When you are not interested in buying the big things, they take you to a smaller room and there you can buy smaller things (suddenly the main guy is a lot less interested in you). They are really nice. We bought a candle holder for 5 Euros (bargain!). It looks nice, though we tried it at home and it gets so hot, it is not safe to have it on the table.

This same procedure happens in tapestry shops, etc. It is not that annoying and in a way interesting and you don't need to buy anything. It is just that if you only have a limited time, you don't want to spend 2 hours in the shops when you are in Agra. Make it very clear to your guide (if that helps)