India Travel Tips
Travel tips are quite important for the tourists, before landing at a new country one must have some idea how to adjust with any situation, food habits, dress habits, tipping, language, just to name a few. We want to give a hassle free travel to our guests. So, here we prepare some important travel tips for India travel.
Beggars
In any Indian town or city, you will see the beggars. They harass the foreign nationals more. We Indians generally give 1 to 10 rupees to a beggar mostly to the old people. Beware of the young women who trade with child. You can pay beggar 2 to 5 rupees, not more than that, if you pay more the beggars will follow you. The hermaphrodite may harass you. Pay just 10 rupees. Otherwise they vow curse on you.
Books
You can buy the book Lonely Planet Guide or the India Handbook Guide of any good publishing house. In any book store of city you will get this book. The Lonely Planet Book is the storehouse of India travel guide. You can also buy Lonely Planet Map of India. Roger Housden’s Travel through Sacred India is also a good book.
Money Exchange Centre
All the major towns and cities of India have money exchange centers. Always go to the bank or authorized money exchange centre to exchange your currency. Avoid any third party.
Books
You can buy the book Lonely Planet Guide or the India Handbook Guide of any good publishing house. In any book store of city you will get this book. The Lonely Planet Book is the storehouse of India travel guide. You can also buy Lonely Planet Map of India. Roger Housden’s Travel through Sacred India is also a good book.
Clothing
Indians are a little bit conservative, you can wear modern dress in any city, but while going to the villages and suburban areas dress in a decent way. Even if you dress in a decent way in the cities also you can ward off the evil eye.
Health Issues
Be careful about health. Take some vaccinations before India visit (we discuss it in a separate article). Carry the first aid and medicines that you take regularly. In a rural area or suburban area you might not get pharmacy or medical store. Indian foods are spicy, you might have experience a stomach problem! Always wash hands with dettol after using the doors and taps of the washroom. Eat at the restaurants where you see other people. Avoid non veg at the outside restaurants. Eat healthy. You can eat at the fast food joints in the major cities.
Avoid Street Food
In India you will see heaps of foods at the streets. Avoid it, you may fall sick.
Allergy
The cities are polluted, if you have dust allergy or sinus problem carry your medicine. You can also bring a mosquito repellant.
Water
Always drink water of the major brands of water like Bisleri, Bailey’s and Yes. These water bottles have plastic seal. The hotel may give you unsealed water, check it and ask them to give sealed bottle.
SODA
India soda seems have more sweet. If you aren’t used to it, you can avoid it.
Guides
Always take government approved guide, ask for them about their identity card. Some guides are very cunning, maintain a distance from them. Just behave professionally when you go for trip and when you explore something.
Hotels
You should book the hotel in advance as the hotels of the major tourist destinations are always in chaos. Every hotel doesn’t accept credit card. To save your pocket use the telephone booths for long distance call.
Inter-City Travel
While traveling in a state from one destination to another you can travel by train and then hire cab or taxi. If possible avoid the busses.
Language
In the major cities you can interact in English in any place, but in the villages you might face problem. So The Lonely Planet Hindi/Urdu Phrasebook helps you for sure.
Money/Travelers Checks
In major cities and towns you will get ATMS for visa cash advances. Don’t use black market for money changing. You can carry travelers check. Copy down the addresses/phone of the offices in Indian cities.
Encasement Certificates
You can change money at the airport when you leave. Save your encasement certificates to change money at the airport.
Tipping
We don’t suggest for tipping. You decide it yourself.
Dos in India
- Do not try to explore Indian roads by your own. Mazy streets are often very puzzling. Indian hotels and tour agents have excellent arrangement of cars or you can easily book a private car or hire a taxi, which are available.
- Do take care of your documentation. Take a note of all the important phone numbers of places you might plan to visit. Important phone numbers like ambulance, local police station, embassy's number etc should always be with you.
- India is a conservative country especially in the countryside. Do dress modestly if you are female. Indian dresses are colorful and cover the whole body but very awkward for the first timer. So stick to western clothing but avoid skimpy dresses.
- Do study up on the places you wish to visit – it will not only bring knowledge but also an appetizer for future travel.
- To know the intricate details of the place, do talk to strangers in airport, hotels, stations, and streets. Unlike normal notion Indians are less threatening.
- Do prepare yourself at the earliest. Indian traffic and roads are hapless.
- If you desire to make any changes in your itinerary or to domestic tickets in India, do consult your travel agent for the best advice.
- Do greet people with big smile. Handshake with ladies especially in rural areas should be avoided.
- If possible do cover yourself with travel insurance and medi - claim.
- While traveling in the train, do take care of your luggage even at the first class compartment.
- Street smartness is indispensable on Indian streets. Crook can easily pick the scapegoat. So do not act puzzled and terrified.
- Money exchange should always be done from trusted financial institutions like Banks of India or exchange your money via your travel partner or hotel.
- Do immunize yourself against various diseases like typhoid, malaria, hepatitis and tetanus that are prevalent in India.
- If you are on medication, please do remember to have adequate supply of both prescriptions and medicines. Carry a doctor's certificate to avoid possible problems with customs procedures and also with local doctors.
- Accumulate of locale information on India and destinations that you are scheduling to visit are a perfect idea. It will help you to learn the code and customs of that place.
- Staying in India is not a big problem. There are a number of 4-star and 5-star hotels in India, measuring up to the international standards. They will provide you the comfort and luxury comparable to any other in the world.
- Foreigners are required to pay all their dues regarding the hotel bills in foreign currency only, in the form of cash, traveler's checks or credit cards. Even concessional tickets like Youth fares, Discover India Fares and Air Fares are to be paid for in foreign exchange only.
- In case of taxis and auto-rickshaws, try to hire them from the pre-paid booths, if possible. Otherwise, insist on going by the meter and check the readings regularly to ensure that the fare is correct. In case there are no meters or the meters are dysfunctional, set a fare in advance to avoid being fleeced later on.
- Make travel arrangements well in advance, especially if you are traveling in the peak season (between Octobers to March).
- English is spoken at almost tourist destination in India these days. However, if you want, you may hire Government-trained and approved guides who also speak German, French, Spanish, Japanese, Italian or Russian.
- It is advisable for you to carry your own medicines. Almost all medicines in India are locally manufactured and you may not find the same brand names. However, you may easily set substitute products here. But take the advice of reputed druggists or doctors for the purpose.
- The electric current in India is 220/ 250 volts and 50 cycles. It is AC practically everywhere. Carry converters if you have some electric equipment with you.
Don'ts in India
- Don’t display overt affection in public places with the member of opposite sexes.
- Do not carry much cash with you. In every nook of a town you’ll find ATMs.
- Street smartness is indispensable on Indian streets. Crook can easily pick the scapegoat. So do not act puzzled and terrified.
- Never ever purchase air/ rail/ bus tickets through strangers or unauthorized travel agents/ tour operators, also known as touts. They are not at all reliable. Buy tickets from the authorized centers only.
- It is advisable not to hire any type of transportation from unlicensed operators.
- Indian people are quite hospitable and friendly. Do not feel offended if they stare at you. It is just curiosity on their part. Most of the people will also go out of the way to help tourists and properly guide them.
- Make sure to remove your footwear when visiting a place of worship or mausoleum. Some temples in India will not even allow you to carry leather articles inside. You can deposit them in the temple cloakroom and collect it on your way out.
- It is not entirely unsafe to travel in India. You just have to take some precautions like avoiding isolated places, not going out after it’s too late, etc.
- Don't feel offended if Indians ask you some personal questions like how much do you earn, are you married, do you have kids, etc. They are just a little curious and mean no offence. It is just their way of getting friendly.
