British Airways (www.britishairways.com) offers daily flights from Boston via London, continuing for the nine hours to New Delhi. It’s less than a 30-minute flight from there on Air
India or Jet Airways, or take the Amrapali Express train, a three-hour trip.
The most comfortable place to stay is The Taj in Sector 17 (www.tajhotels.com/business/taj chandigarh,chandigarh/default.htm with rates from $90. An alternative more in the mix of the city is The Toy Hotel in Sector 34 (www.thetoyhotel.in/index.php) with rooms starting at $65.
Negotiate a flat rate to have a driver take you around to the different sectors; offer 1,500 rupees (about $25 at current exchange rates). Hardy travelers might consider renting a bicycle, but only January-March, arguably the best time to visit. Otherwise temperatures soar to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
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The usual rules apply for developing countries: bottled water only, favor cooked foods. India is generally safe; one additional allure to Chandigarh is that there is virtually no one relentlessly trying to sell souvenirs. When locals move their heads in a side-to-side, slightly bobbing fashion, they are actually saying a form of “yes.”