Amritsar – Golden Temple
In Amritsar there are two important places worth visiting. One is Golden Temple and another is Wagha Border.
From railway station, there are frequent yellow colored buses run by Golden Temple trust that will take you to Golden temple free of charge. They drop you just at the office which provides accommodation within the Golden Temple premises. If you want to go by auto rickshaw, it will be Rs 50 ride. Negotiate vigorously as the autos will quote high rates at the station. Charges for staying in Golden temple are Rs 100 for a double bed room with attached toilet. There is also Rs 600 very high quality accommodation at the NRI complex also provided by the Golden Temple office.
Accommodation is very good an plenty in the temple, so you should try there first then try other options. There are hundreds of small cheap hotels around the temple, so you will have no problem if accommodation is denied at the temple. Accommodation at the temple is provided at 12 noon onwards for 24 hrs, and can be extended if required. If you reach before 12 noon, they give you locker and bath facilities to keep your luggage and get ready for the day.
Cheap accommodation is also available at Gujarati Lodge (Rs. 150 common bath, Rs. 200 pvt bath), Sita Niwas (Rs. 200 common and Rs 250 pvt bath). These are near Jaliawala Baug and temple.
It takes about 2 hours to see the temple. Food is free at the langar, which runs 24 hrs within the temple and very near to accommodation. Photography is allowed, no metal detectors or police checking. You feel free and welcomed. Shoes are deposited for free at the entrance. No touts, no begging for money by saints / pandits (like in south temples). No forcing to offer parsad (like in Indian temples). Golden temple gives rather than takes. So, you do not have any bad experience.
There are three good restaurants near the temple at walkable distance. One is Punjabi Rasoi and another is Neelam. If you take Rs 20 cycle rickshaw you can go to Bhrawan Da Dhabba for breakfast and lunch/dinner. Kesar Da Dhabba is also one of the best restaurants, which can be reached by cycle rickshaw for Rs. 20. Generally these have almost identical rates, Rs 110 for Paneer Butter Masala, Plain Roti Rs 5, Butter Roti Rs . 7,
Amritsar is also famous for its imitation jewelry. The market is at walking distance from the temple.
Jaliawalan baug is 5 mins walk from the temple. Make it a point to see the well within the complex where people jumped to save themselves from bullets. There is an exhibition that is worth visiting. No entry fee here.
From Golden Temple there are sharing taxis that take you to Wagha border for Rs 80 per passenger (return fare). Start before 3 pm to reach well in time, as it is 32 Kms away, one hour journey. At Wahga there is no entry fee. If you have connections in BSF, customs or police, you can get a VIP seat and your vehicle will be allowed entry within gates too. The parade is interesting. You can see Pakistanis at the other side of the gate. The parade CDs are available for Rs 50 and Rs 30, so negotiate if the vendors try to quote higher price. After the parade, you return by 8:30 pm.
Second day you can keep for shopping and trying Punjabi food. Thus, two days are good enough for Amritsar.