It’s summer in Jaipur and that means temperatures in excess of 40 degrees, that means it’s super hot, especially for a Brit like me! Whilst some may feel summer is not the best time to travel to India, we say all weather is good, as long as you are prepared for it! To help you beat the heat we have come up with some ideas for you.
India is known for delicious drinks and many are designed to keep you cool as India tends to be hot most of the year. Plenty of the cafes here serve milkshakes or fruit shakes, I had a refreshing kiwi ice tea at On The House, a popular local eatery in C scheme. Popular juice bars in Jaipur are Frooce – The Juice bar or The Juice Shop, ideal places for a cooling juice before you continue your sightseeing. If you’re not too hygiene conscious you can try any of the juice trolleys dotted or being pulled around and perhaps even the sweet sugar cane juice too. Not forgetting of course Lassi Wala for a lassi. Lassie is ideal in the summer heat and cools you down internally as well as looking after the stomach. The question is, sweet or salty lassi?! Don’t worry if your not near to lassi Wala but still fancy Lassi or chaas, you can go to any of the Saras kiosks, better known to us as blue dairy boxes that you see dotted around everywhere. They serve pouches of lassie and chaas which are hygienic and tasty.
Other refreshing drinks worth a try are Nimbu pani or soda, alternatively known as Indian lemonade which definitely hits the spot. If you’re in need of the caffeine hit there are plenty of cafes and kiosks including several around Central Park where you can try cold coffee, a mixture of ice cream and coffee. A great combination when you need a pick me up. What better way to keep cool then ice cream! Ice cream parlours have popped up all over Jaipur but firm favourites are Naturals which is in C Scheme and Jal Mahal on M.I road. Their especially busy in the evenings but the ice creams are worth the wait. Lovely flavours such as seetaphal “Custard Apple”, anjeer and mango ice cream made from natural ingredients and super tasty!
For something to snack on whilst exploring the old city you can stop by Laxmi Misthan Bhandar, where you can try not only Indian sweets but the delicious and refreshing Dahi Vada. It’s a combination of fried flour balls in lovely thick dahi yoghurt, even the thought of it makes my mouth water! Whilst in the old city you can shop for pretty yet cooler cotton Kurtis and loose trousers which are ideal for the summer heat, in one of the many Bazaars around there. (Wait for our shopping guide coming soon where we will tell you the best places to shop and haggling tips too!)
As well as food and drink to help beat the heat, consider staying indoors during the hottest part of the day between 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm. Always carry a water bottle to stay hydrated in this dry desert like heat. Try to take Uber’s and Auto’s rather than walking too much as the heat can be draining and exhausting. You can also head to Narain Niwas where for 300 rupees you can use their swimming pool for two hours. A chance to get some exercise in and definitely cool down with a refreshing dip. You can try Bar Palladio afterwards, a high end place to treat yourself to a cocktail and hang with new friends and escape the summer heat.
© Copyright Blue Beds. Designed by Sankesh