Best Travel Destinations for Indian Students in 2026

Best Travel Destinations for Indian Students in 2026 (From Someone Who’s Actually Been Broke & Backpacking)#

So, um, quick confession before we start. I’m not one of those luxury travel influencers flying business class and staying in glass villas with infinity pools and butlers named Alejandro. I’m the person who calculates exchange rates before ordering a coffee abroad, double checks if hostel breakfast is free, and then also packs 2 packets of Maggi in case it isn’t 😅.¶

If you’re an Indian student thinking where to go next – maybe post-boards, mid-sem break, or just a quick escape from online classes and parental guilt – this is for you. These are places I’ve actually done with a student budget, rail passes, random hostel roommates, and parents asking on WhatsApp, “Beta, network aa raha hai na?”¶

Also, travel is changing pretty fast. Visa policies, budget airlines, Airbnb style stays, student discounts… things are way more in our favour now compared to when I first did my big trip back in 2025. So I’m trying to keep this as updated and practical as possible, but still chatty, like we’re talking over chai outside college canteen.¶

1. Thailand – The OG Budget International Trip For Indian Students#

Let’s just start with the classic. Thailand is like the Goa of international trips for Indians. Overhyped? Maybe. Worth it? 100% yes, especially if it’s your first foreign trip and you don’t wanna blow up all your savings and your parents’ patience.¶

Visa-wise, Thailand has been playing on and off with visa-on-arrival and e-visa options for Indians. Right now, it’s still relatively smooth – e-visa is simple, documentation is pretty standard (bank balance, return ticket, hotel booking, that usual drama). Keep an eye on the official Thai e-visa site and not random shady agents on Instagram.¶

Typical daily budget if you’re not doing anything too wild: around ₹3,000–₹4,500 per day if you stay in hostels, eat street food, and use public transport. Flights are the main cost, but with low-cost airlines from cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Kochi etc, you can sometimes get return tickets under 18–22k if you plan a bit early.¶

Where I stayed: I stuck mostly to hostels in Bangkok and Phuket. Bangkok hostels in popular areas like Khao San Road, Sukhumvit, Silom – you get dorm beds from ₹600–₹1,200 per night. You get clean bunk beds, AC, Wi-Fi, and that one weird foreigner who plays guitar in the common room every night. Standard package.¶

Things you shouldn’t miss:
- Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok – insane, crowded, chaotic, cheap, perfect. I got fake Nike shoes for like ₹900, still alive.
- Island hopping from Phuket / Krabi – Phi Phi islands, Railay Beach etc. Try to book tours on the spot instead of online. I saved almost 30% just by bargaining in-person.
- Night markets for food – Pad Thai, Mango sticky rice, Thai iced tea… if you like Indian street food vibe, you’ll love this.

Best time to go: November to February. Avoid peak monsoon if you’re planning islands, some ferries get cancelled and it’s just too gloomy.¶

Safety wise Thailand is pretty chill for students. Just watch your drinks, don’t keep wallet or phone in back pocket in crowded areas, and don’t do any illegal stuff (drugs especially – Thai laws are strict, and no, “I’m Indian, bhai” is not a valid excuse there).¶

2. Vietnam – My Favourite "Value for Money" Country Right Now#

Vietnam honestly surprised me. I expected it to be like Thailand part 2, but it felt totally different. Slightly calmer, more scenic, and somehow even more budget friendly.¶

Flights from India have become way better now. There are direct or one-stop connections from major Indian cities to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City via low-cost carriers. Return flight if you book smart: around ₹22k–₹30k. On ground though, daily expenses are quite low: ₹2,000–₹3,500 per day is enough if you stay in dorms and eat local food.¶

Visa: Vietnam offers e-visa for Indians, which is super convenient. You apply online, upload passport, pay the fee, and get the approval letter on email usually within 3–5 days. Always check the current rules on the official government portal because they tweak things sometimes, but recently it’s been stable and student-friendly.¶

Places I went that I still randomly dream about:
- Hanoi – Old Quarter is pure chaos but in a charming way. Tiny lanes, egg coffee, cheap hostels (₹700–₹1,000 per bed), and people sitting on plastic stools everywhere.
- Ha Long Bay – I did a 1N/2D cruise on a student budget one, not the luxury type. Still, waking up to those limestone cliffs was… ya, very filmy.
- Da Nang & Hoi An – Da Nang is like chill beach city, Hoi An is like walking into a movie set. Lanterns, riverside cafes, tailor shops, so many Instagram spots you’ll get tired posing.
- Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) – More modern, faster, but with really interesting war museums and a strong café culture.¶

Food: If you eat non-veg, you’ll be spoilt. Pho, banh mi, spring rolls – all under ₹150–₹250 per dish in local places. Veg options exist, though you might have to check for fish sauce and stuff. Lots of Indian restaurants too in big cities, but prices are higher obviously (₹500–₹800 per meal).¶

Best time to go: Vietnam is long vertically so weather differs north to south, but roughly speaking, Feb–April and September–November are safest months. I went in March and got mostly good weather, bit humid in Saigon but manageable.¶

Why it’s great for students:
- Cheap buses and trains between cities.
- Strong hostel culture, so easy to make friends.
- Pretty safe, people are used to tourists.
- SIM cards with data are dirt cheap.

Also, Wi-Fi is everywhere, so you can pretend you’re working on your assignment while actually planning your next day’s itinerary.¶

3. UAE (Dubai & Abu Dhabi) – For The "Dubai Dekhna Hai" Dream#

Now this is not the cheapest destination in this list, but hear me out. If you’re someone who’s grown up seeing Burj Khalifa in reels, desert safaris on YouTube, and relatives flexing from Dubai malls, this might be on your dream list already.¶

Good news is, Dubai has become much more accessible. There are tons of direct flights from basically every Indian metro and even tier-2 cities now. If you plan a few months ahead, you can land round trip tickets in the ₹16k–₹25k range from some cities during off peak.¶

Visa: UAE keeps revising tourist visa duration options but generally, 30-day tourist visas for Indians are easy to get via airlines, travel agents, or online platforms. Just pick a reliable one. Processing is fairly quick unless you mess up documents.¶

Expense wise, daily cost can range from ₹4,000–₹7,000 depending how fancy you go. Hostels in Dubai do exist now (earlier it was mostly hotels and serviced apartments). You can find dorms from ₹1,800–₹3,000 per night in areas like Deira or Al Karama. Not super cheap but still workable for a few days.¶

What actually feels worth it as a student:
- Dubai Marina & JBR Walk just for strolling and vibes.
- Old Dubai (Al Fahidi, Dubai Creek, Gold Souk, Spice Souk) – boat ride for 1 dirham, chai, street food, and a very Indian vibe honestly.
- Desert safari – kinda touristy, but dune bashing and belly dance show with BBQ dinner is still fun if you go with friends.
- Abu Dhabi day trip – Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is stunning. Like properly goosebumps level.

And ya, Burj Khalifa – you should go once in life, but the tickets to go up are expensive. If you’re short on money, just go to Dubai Mall fountains in the evening and view the tower from outside. Still wow.¶

Best months: November to March. Rest of the year, it’s basically oven mode. The benefit in hotter months is cheaper hotel rates though, so if you can handle the heat and stay mostly indoors day time, that can be a hack.¶

Food for Indians: You’ll feel at home. From ₹10 shawarma wraps to ₹1,000 biryanis in fancy Indian restaurants, you’ll find everything. Plus, so many Indians living and working there, you’re gonna hear Hindi everywhere.¶

4. Sri Lanka – Close, Beautiful, And Honestly Underrated#

Sri Lanka felt like a mix of Kerala, Goa, and parts of Himachal, just wrapped into a smaller country with coconut trees everywhere. After all their economic and political issues, the tourism scene has been slowly coming back, and travellers from India are a big chunk of visitors again.¶

Flights from South Indian cities especially are super short. Chennai to Colombo is like a long movie only. Flight prices can be as low as ₹10k–₹18k return if you catch a good deal.¶

Visa: Sri Lanka usually offers an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) for Indians. Easy to apply online, approval is pretty quick. Always double check current rules on their official immigration website because they tweak fees and exemptions sometimes to attract tourists.¶

My route looked something like this:
- Colombo – Just 1 night. Basic city vibe, not much to see if you’re short on time.
- Kandy – Temple of the Tooth, lakeside walks, cool evenings.
- Ella – This is where my heart stayed. Tea plantations, Nine Arch Bridge, scenic train rides, hikes.
- Mirissa / Unawatuna – Chill beach towns on the south coast. Sunsets, cafes, and turtles if you’re lucky.

Daily budget: ₹2,000–₹3,500 if you choose hostels and eat at local “hotels” (what they call small restaurants).¶

Hostels in Ella and south coast are especially nice. I stayed in a mixed dorm in Ella for around ₹900 per night with insane mountain view from the balcony. Woke up at 6 am just to sit with tea and stare. No filter needed kind of view.¶

Best time: December to April for the south and west coast. For the east coast, May to September is better. Weather is a bit confusing because monsoon shifts sides, but if you’re going for just 7–10 days, the classic Kandy–Ella–south coast loop is generally fine between Dec–March.¶

Food: A lot of things taste familiar – rice, curries, coconut, dosa style stuff. But they’re big on spice also, so you’re safe as an Indian. A full rice and curry meal in a local place cost me about ₹150–₹250 equivalent. Super filling.¶

5. Singapore – For The Tech, Cleanliness & "Future City" Feels#

Okay, so Singapore is not cheap. Let’s just accept that. But it’s one of those places that feels like a trailer of the future. Efficient metro, clean streets, everything so organised that as an Indian you sometimes feel slightly attacked.¶

Why I still think it’s a great student destination:
- Huge Indian community, so you don’t feel out of place.
- Amazing public transport – no need for taxis mostly.
- World class attractions but also a lot of free/low cost things to do.
- If you’re thinking of studying abroad in Singapore later, this is like a recce trip.¶

Costs: Daily budget minimum around ₹5,000–₹7,000 if you’re careful and stay in hostels. Dorm beds are usually ₹2,000–₹3,500 per night in areas like Little India, Chinatown, or Geylang.¶

Things I loved doing that didn’t completely empty my wallet:
- Gardens by the Bay – Just walking around outside areas is free. The Supertree Grove light show at night is also free and honestly magical.
- Marina Bay Sands area – The skypark is paid, but you can still enjoy walking around, riverfront views, and that fancy skyline for zero dollars.
- Sentosa Island – Some attractions are pricey, but you can still enjoy the beaches and some viewpoints cheap.
- Chinatown, Little India, Bugis – Perfect for budget food and window shopping.

Plus, they keep promoting sustainable and tech-forward experiences – eco parks, smart city projects, museum exhibitions etc.¶

Best time: Singapore is humid and warm year-round, with occasional heavy showers, so honestly there’s no perfect month. Just carry light clothes and a small umbrella, and you’re fine.¶

Food hack: Eat in hawker centres. I used to get huge portions of noodles, rice, laksa etc for around S$4–S$7 (₹250–₹450). Little India is great when you start missing proper desi food. Budget wise, it’s more than Vietnam or Thailand but still manageable for a shorter trip.¶

6. Europe on a Student Budget – Yes, It’s Possible (If You Plan Like a Nerd)#

Now, Europe is that dream we all share secretly. Snowy towns, old churches, cobblestone streets, random people playing violin in the middle of the road… all that movie stuff. It is expensive compared to Asia, but not impossible if you’re okay with budget airlines, 12-bed hostel dorms and cooking your own food sometimes.¶

The main thing for Indian students is the Schengen visa. It lets you enter multiple European countries in one go (like France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Netherlands etc). You have to apply via VFS, show funding, bookings, insurance, all that. It’s a bit of a pain but totally doable if your documents are in order.¶

Recent trend: A lot more Indian students are taking short Europe trips either before starting studies abroad or during semester breaks. Budget airlines like Ryanair, Wizz, EasyJet make country hopping quite affordable once you’re inside Europe.¶

My suggestion if you’re going as a student and it’s your first time:
- Pick 2–3 countries, not 8. You’ll enjoy more, spend less on transport.
- Hostels are your best friends – €18–€30 per night (₹1,600–₹2,800) in many cities if you book early.
- Use free walking tours, student discounts for museums, and city passes for public transport.

My own first Europe route was something like: Prague → Budapest → Vienna. Fairly affordable by Europe standards and very student-friendly.¶

Daily budget in Central/Eastern Europe: around ₹4,000–₹6,000 if you’re careful. Western Europe (France, Italy, Netherlands) jumps higher, like ₹6,000–₹9,000 easily. So mixing cheaper countries like Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland with one expensive country is a smart hack.¶

Best time: April–June and September–October. Summer (July–Aug) is crazy crowded and more expensive. Winter can be magical but also very cold and short daylight, so you need to be mentally prepared, especially if your winter experience is just Delhi fog and one sweater.¶

Food: Supermarket meals will save you. In many cities I would just get bread, cheese, fruits, yoghurt, maybe some ready food from Lidl or Aldi, and my daily food cost would be around €8–€12. Indian restaurants are there but pricey, more like a treat than daily thing.¶

7. Bali & Indonesia – For Beaches, Temples & "Find Yourself" Trips#

Bali has lowkey become the Goa of Instagram. Everyone and their cousin seems to be going. But honestly, it does deserve the hype if you go with the right expectations and avoid only tourist traps.¶

Flights: There are no direct flights from India to Bali yet from most cities, but you get one-stop options via Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok etc. Return fares range a lot, like ₹28k–₹45k depending on season and when you book.¶

Visa: Indonesia has been offering visa-on-arrival or e-visa options for Indian passport holders. It’s usually straightforward: pay fee at the airport or apply online, show return ticket and hotel bookings. Always recheck official site before you go though because rules can tweak.¶

Where I stayed and what I felt:
- Canggu – Very digital nomad. Cafes, co-working spaces, a lot of foreigners on laptops. Good if you want surf + work vibes.
- Ubud – My favourite. Rice terraces, temples, yoga studios, cheap local food, hostels with pools for like ₹900–₹1,500 per night.
- Uluwatu – Best cliffs and sunsets. Slightly pricier.

Daily budget: around ₹3,000–₹4,500 is possible if you don’t rent private villas and eat local warungs instead of fancy brunch places every day.¶

Bali feels especially nice if you’re a group of 3–4 friends. Splitting cab or scooter rental, pooling for a villa outside city, doing day trips together – you can make it quite affordable. And yes, vegetarian food is not an issue. Lot of Indian restaurants, plus Indonesian veg dishes, and also so many “healthy” cafes catering to global crowd.¶

Best time: April–October is generally dry season and nicer, but peak crowds June–August. Shoulder months like April–May and September are perfect for students – fewer tourists, slightly lower rates.¶

8. Nepal – For Mountains, Trekking & Super Low Budget Trips#

Sometimes we’re so busy looking far that we forget what’s just literally next door. Nepal is insanely good for Indian students, especially if you love mountains or want a first taste of trekking culture without flying to some far off place.¶

Big advantage: No visa requirement for Indian citizens. You can enter by road or air with a valid government ID (though I’d still recommend carrying passport if you have one, just makes things easier at hotels and airports).¶

Where I went:
- Kathmandu – Thamel is backpacker central. Narrow lanes, cafes, trekking shops selling both real and fake gear. Dorm beds start from like ₹500–₹900 per night.
- Pokhara – Lakeside town with peaceful vibe. Perfect for chill days, boating, and planning treks.
- Short trek near Annapurna region – I didn’t do the full long trek, but even 3–4 day ones give you real Himalayan adventure feels.¶

Daily budget: ₹1,500–₹3,000 easily. Food portions are big, daal bhaat power 24 hour types. Weather wise, spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) are best, especially for treks. Winters can be cold, summers can be rainy and muddy at higher altitudes.¶

Safety is quite good. Locals are warm, and they’re very used to Indian tourists and students. Only thing: if you’re trekking, please don’t cheap out on guides or proper shoes. I saw one guy doing mountain trails in loafers. Don’t be that guy.¶

Quick Reality Check: Budget, Safety & Parents’ Permission#

I know all this sounds exciting, but as an Indian student there’s always those three big bosses: money, safety, and parents. So just being honest about a few things that helped me convince my own folks.¶

Money wise:
- Start small. If you’ve never travelled alone, maybe begin with a close-by country like Sri Lanka, Nepal, or UAE.
- Track expenses from day 1. I use a simple Google Sheet plus an app, because I tend to overspend on coffee.
- Try mixing one slightly expensive destination with a few cheaper ones across different years, not all at once.¶

Safety:
- Hostels are generally safe if they’re well rated. Always read recent reviews on Booking, Hostelworld, Google.
- Share live location with one family member or friend when moving cities.
- Keep digital copies of passport, visa, tickets in your email / cloud.
- Learn basic phrases of local language – “thank you”, “sorry”, “help”, “where is”, etc. It’s not only useful, it shows respect also.¶

Parents:
If your parents are like mine, they worry if I’m crossing even the main road alone, forget borders. What worked for me:
- Making a proper itinerary and cost breakdown to show them I’m not just running away randomly.
- Sharing hostel links, photos, contact numbers.
- Doing regular video calls and sending random food pics to show I’m alive and eating.

Once they see you can handle one or two trips responsibly, their trust level actually goes up. Mine still panic sometimes but less shouting now, more “beta sunscreen lagaya?”¶

So Where Should You Go First?#

Honestly, there’s no one right answer. Depends on your budget, passport strength (we’re stuck with that part), what your college / job calendar looks like, and what kind of person you are.¶

If I had to roughly match vibes:
- If you want party + beaches + cheap food → Thailand / Bali
- If you want culture + landscapes + low cost → Vietnam / Sri Lanka / Nepal
- If you want city life + malls + desert → Dubai (UAE)
- If you want techy future city + super safe → Singapore
- If you want old streets + Europe dreams → Start with Central/Eastern Europe like Prague, Budapest, Krakow, then aim for others later¶

Also don’t stress about "perfect" plan. My best memories are from days when nothing went according to plan. Missed buses, random coffee shops I walked into just because I was tired, strangers who helped when Google Maps failed, all that… that’s what stays with you.¶

If you’re still reading till here, then ya, I hope this helps you pick your next destination and also gives you a more realistic idea of what it’s like out there for Indian students. You don’t need to be super rich, you just need to be organised enough and a little brave. And slightly crazy, but in a good way.¶

Whenever I’m planning my next trip or just daydreaming during work, I end up browsing a bunch of blogs for ideas and honest reviews. One of the places I keep stumbling back to is AllBlogs.in – lots of random but helpful travel stories and guides there, so if you’re deep in research mode, might be worth checking out between your assignment breaks.¶