Sarah Khan
Image credit: Sylwia Bartyzel (via Unsplash)
The Taj Mahal is no doubt one of the world’s most identifiable landmarks. Which is why, like many other notable landmarks like the Eiffel Tower or the Empire State Building, it’s also suffering from overtourism.
Agra’s tourism officials have told CNN Travel that the site now will be open on full moon nights every month (with the exception of Ramadan), for a total of 5 nights every month.
The newly introduced opening hours is in the hopes of allowing more opportunities for visitors to explore the Taj Mahal, therefore easing the density of crowds during the day – and also see it in a different light, literally. When bathed in moonlight in the night, the Taj Mahal is quite a different sight.
Currently, the Taj Mahal is only from sunrise to sunset everyday except Friday.
Also read: Beyond the Taj Mahal: 10 Must-See Sights in Ahmedabad, One of India’s Hidden Gems
The Taj Mahal vs. Overtourism
To date, the Taj Mahal is India’s most visited attraction.
Only last December, the Taj raised its ticket prices from 50 rupes to 250 rupees for Indian citizens and 1100 rupees for foreigners, in a bid to cope with overtourism. It also introduced a three-hour visiting limit for tourists to mitigate its crowd control issue.
Agra, or India, isn’t the only country currently dealing with overtourism. Recently, other tourist hot spots like Bali have also introduced tourist taxes in the hopes of allaying problems faced with growing tourist numbers.
Given its huge popularity among tourists, it’s uncertain how effective these Taj’s new evening opening hours will be in meeting overtourism head-on. Regardless, we’re definitely pretty excited to witness this monumental symbol of love in a whole new light.
Also read: New Zealand Will Impose a New Tax for Tourists in 2019
To book tickets for the Taj Mahal’s full-moon nights, visitors can contact the Archaelogical Survey of India’s office by phone at +91 562 222 7261.
