This is my second post in my Travel series, In this post I am going to share my best 15 tips that I recommend when travelling in India.
The best time to travel to India is between October-
March, this is when the weather is at its best. India is a very large country
and there is so much to see and do that you really need to plan your itinerary
to cover small sections of the country. This year we planned our trip to see
Rajasthan. India is very diverse, there is a huge difference in the lifestyle
and mentality of people. Large cities in India are very cosmopolitan and modern
and are in par with western countries but in the rural towns and villages
people still have orthodox beliefs and follow traditional lifestyle and
customs.
My 15 top travel tips for India:
1. If you are staying in a hotel that has a safety deposit box, store your passports and extra money in there and only carry what you need for daily use on person. If there is no safe then invest in a bum bag or body belt to keep your pass ports and extra cash safe on person.
2. Be careful and discreet when taking money in and out of your purse. Have two purses one with a small amount of cash to spend in the day and a second purse securely placed at the bottom of your rucksack / shoulder bag with the remaining spare cash.( Tip pin your purse to the lining of your bag with a nappy pin, this way no pickpocket will be able to take easily it even if they tried.)
3. Do not wear skimpy cloths, not all places in India are
modern, avoid shorts, miniskirts and vest tops. Be warned people will stare,
they find foreigners intriguing, my advice is to fit in and not draw attention
to yourself. In India you can get really nice cotton trousers and cotton kurta
tops for a few pounds. Purchase a few and wear them, they are comfortable and
keep you cool too.
4. Wear comfortable shoes, roads and pavements are uneven and lots of tourist places have dirt tracks and are in remote places.
5. Carry a thin shawl / scarf with you, many religious places will expect you to cover your head as a mark of respect. Be respectful in religious places.
6. Carry a couple of pairs of cheap cotton socks, you are not allowed to wear shoes in temples and mosques, you will need to take them off. It’s much nicer to walk with socks than bare feet and you can discard the socks if they get dirty, keeping your feet clean.
7. A lot of tourist spots charge for using cameras, the charge is a couple of pounds at the most. Some temples / forts do not allow photography or filming be respectful and don't abuse the system.
8. When taking pictures of locals, do ask permission, a lot of them will happily let you take a photo although don't be surprised if they ask you for payment. Generally a ten rupee note will keep them happy that is about 15 pence!!!
9. Carry a bottle of water with you at all times as it can get rather hot and you should keep hydrated.
10. Toilet facilities in India are not the best so be prepared and carry a toilet roll, antibacterial wipes and hand sanitiser in your bag.
11. In India unless you are in government run shops or large department stores where prices are fixed, it’s normal to haggle. The rule of thumb is to offer half of the asking price and haggle from there.
12. Take care when you get approached by beggars, if you give to one, in less than a blink you will be surrounded with more than you can manage. Do not encourage it although seeing small children begging is heart breaking.
13. In most tourist spots you will be harassed with tour guides, only use government approved ones that carry an official Id.
14. Travelling in rickshaws is dirt cheap but hold onto for your life, there are no seat belts or doors and always hold tight your belonging do not leave them unattended.
15. Last but not the least, be careful with food. Although street food looks tempting it can give you a bad tummy, there are no food safety standards in India, and you never know how long the food has been sweltering in the heat. Also do not add ice to your drinks and make sure if you enjoy a glass of sugarcane juice on the streets its not diluted with tap water.
Above all go with the flow, in India nothing happens in a hurry, be patient, traffic stops to let animals pass, people skim in and out of traffic and there are no highway code rules. People in India are happy, they are really friendly and welcome tourists, so respect their country and people and you will have the most amazing experience of your life.
To follow my India travel series do check out my previous post:
Rishikesh
I really want to go to India, this was a great help
ReplyDeleteThe tips will surely come handy when the next time I go for a trip!
ReplyDeleteI really want to go to India so this was great
ReplyDeleteI'd love to go to India, thanks for sharing your tips x
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking of visiting India after watching the celebs thinking of retiring there on the Marigold Hotel programme. These are some great tips. It's a place that would make me feel out of my comfort zone so any info on how to enjoy a trip is great by me.
ReplyDeleteThese are great tips. I would love to go to India, but not sure if I will ever make it. It wasn't even on my radar until my Dad went last year, his photos just blew my mind! I know he and his girlfriend are planning to go again so I'll pass on your post!
ReplyDeleteThese are amazing and practical pieces of advice! Thank you! Not a lot of bloggers would be that open and honest about the bad things and what you have to watch out for when travelling.
ReplyDeleteSome useful tips here. I'm fascinated by India. It's such a beautiful and diverse country and I'd love to visit there some day. I think it's just a dream for at least the next ten years though
ReplyDeleteI have never been to India before but I will take your tips into consideration, especially as you say it is best to travel during October period x
ReplyDeleteSome great tips, I'm off to Indian later this year so glad I came across your post x
ReplyDeleteThese are such good tips. I love that you have warned people of exactly what to look out for and how to avoid it.
ReplyDeleteGreat tip especially about the clothing, it's so important to respect the culture when you go abroad x
ReplyDeleteWoah!!! Really some great tips...
ReplyDeleteI have been to India 3 times now and I got sick twice, without touching street food. I think that a good advice would be to make sure you eat very mild foods for the first two weeks, as that's how long it takes your stomach to get used to the spices.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant tips I have never been to India but this advice is so good. I would love to travel more thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteIndia is on my list of places to go! These are some great tips!
ReplyDeleteSome great tips. I always wanted to visit India. xx
ReplyDeleteAlways wanted to go India and this post is the perfect place to start...some great tips here :) x
ReplyDeleteSo many great tips! I especially like one about water as it is a must in such a hot climate.
ReplyDeleteOne of my top tips would be: Be prepared to be paparazzi-ed. When I went to India last year with my grandma, as a young(ish) white female with blonde hair, I got a lot of attention from locals in the villages who had never seen people with those features. I was constantly asked for "one selfie", "one snapchat" and "photo with my wife". It can be funny at first, but it soon gets tiresome and I wanted to be left in peace to enjoy my trip... Try to be patient and enjoy your trip - don't let it get you down! x
ReplyDeleteThis is a very useful and honest post about India, particularly the issues with beggars and pickpockets.
ReplyDeleteIndia is such a colourful and lively city! Definitely an experience
ReplyDeleteI have wanted to visit India for the longest time. I think this December is the time that we'll do it. Thank you for your travel tips- thats a great idea to pin your purse to the bottom of your bag with a nappy pin, I'll be checking that one out! xxx
ReplyDeleteIndia is on my bucked list! The colors that fill the cities are so beautiful to me!
ReplyDeleteHaha..The only thing i asked my colleague when i was in Belfast and he had a trip to India was to avoid taking an auto or getting into an argument with the 3 wheeler drivers!..Rest go with the flow as you mentioned..:)
ReplyDeleteAwesome content! Really helpful for foreigners who are willing to visit our country.. Keep itr coming
ReplyDeleteVery helpful tips..I read that it's definitely a fun and colourful place to visit with lots of interesting culture
ReplyDeleteGreat tips about this beautiful country....thanks for sharing; I'm sure you had a nice time there. Now, you want me moving to India ;)
ReplyDeleteI want to go SO much Nayna - what a place to experience!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely useful tips and loved the natural clicks.
ReplyDeleteLovely and useful post.. You have taken care of each and every aspect one should keep in mind while travelling to these places. Loved all the clicks too.
ReplyDeleteFabulous post! Really useful, practical tips for the discerning traveller. Great photos too:)
ReplyDeleteI'm going to make sure my son reads this. He's off to India to visit relatives early next year, and although he's visited India several times, this will be the first time he is going on his own. Although I will try to advise him, I'm sure he'll take more notice if he reads advice from an Indian blogger!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this, India is on my list to travel to, so this is so handy to read.
ReplyDeleteTis on my WISH LIST one day to travel here - a beautiful country filled with so much
ReplyDelete