First International Trip from India: Where to Start

A first trip abroad goes best when it removes friction: a simple visa, a short flight, transport you can work out on day one and food that feels half-familiar. This page gathers everything we have written for Indian travellers taking that first trip, and compares the destinations we cover side by side.

Read these first

• Where to go first: how to choose ease before distance, and the shortlist compared honestly.
• Passport, visa and money: the paperwork in the order you need it, from passport validity to telling your bank.
• Thailand without the airport panic: the video companion on arrival day.
• First international trip document checklist: passport, visas, insurance and copies on one page.

The first-trip shortlist, compared

Destination	Entry for Indian citizens	Getting there	Rough cost per person
Nepal	Aadhaar card or voter ID; no passport or visa fee	Direct flights to Kathmandu from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru	₹35,000–60,000 for a week
Sri Lanka	Online ETA	Short direct flights to Colombo, often under 1.5 hours from the south	₹40,000–70,000 for a week
Vietnam	E-visa	One-stop and some direct flights to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City	₹45,000–80,000 for a week
Thailand	Visa on arrival or e-visa	Direct flights to Bangkok and Phuket, often 4–4.5 hours	₹50,000–90,000 for a week
Dubai	Straightforward visa options	Frequent direct flights, around 3–3.5 hours	₹50,000–1,00,000 for 4–5 days
Bali	Visa on arrival	One-stop flights to Denpasar	₹55,000–95,000 for a week
Singapore	Visa arranged in advance	Direct flights to Changi, around 4–5.5 hours	₹70,000–1,20,000 for a week

Costs include flights, stays, food and local transport, and come from our destination pages. Visa rules change without much notice, so confirm the current process for your passport before you book anything.

How to choose

• Least paperwork: Nepal, where Indian citizens do not need a passport.
• Shortest flight: Sri Lanka from southern India, or Dubai from most metros.
• Best value for a full week: Vietnam and Sri Lanka.
• Easiest for nervous first-timers: Singapore and Dubai, which trade spontaneity for polish.
• The classic first flight: Thailand, with frequent direct flights and simple transport in Bangkok.