Travel tips for India?

Question

Hi all-I am travelling from UK to india next year-can you give me some useful travel/health/eating/cultural/safety trips so I`m well prepared.
Thankyou !

Answer 1

The first person has given you mostly very good advice.
You must take mosquito repellants with you though the Indian Government takes measures to eradicate them.
Drink bottled water only outside and be sure that the cap is sealed. You may drink aerated drinks but do not drink tap water unless you are very sure that it has been boiled and filtered beforehand. You can buy a little alum to stir in the water to purify it if you are out of town. Some words that you might fid useful......kitna (how much) dhur (far) how far ...kitni dhur hai. ..kyun,..why..? merabani thank you or shukria......please
If you can wear the Indian Punjabi dress....the dress with the trousers you will be perfectly ok. Shorts are ok at swimming pools but not on the street. You will be picked up if you wear short skirts and regarded as being loose. You must cover your head if you go into a temple. Jeans are perfectly ok and all the college students wear these and blouses or loose shirts so you can wear these if you do not want to wear the Punjabi clothes.The climate is hot between March to June then the monsoons hit the country and it is vey wet and very humid the heat starts again in October for about six weeks and the temperatures from then till February are nice...like an English summer but in the north can get extremely cold...colder than England!!! Oh air conditioned restaurants charge more than the ones which arent air conditioned even if in the same restaurant (usually two restaurants in one...one air conditioned and the other not....they also have what are called family rooms for people to go into if the restaurant is mainly filled with men. I think I have told you everything .lol
In some places the food is very spicy and as a foreigner you may not be able to digest it easily so buy ISABGOL (flea husk seed...its ok its not fleas lol) if you have diarrohea this or immodium helps cure you immediately. the isabgol ...take a teapsoon of it in a cold drink, yoghurt to help it down because it looks like sawdust . It is what Indians use and believe me it works supberbly.
Indians love foreigners and light skinned and blue eyed people so they will stare at you. Most are completely harmless but be careful of the odd rogue who will flirt with you. The majority have high morals but a lot of the men think Eurpean girls are girls of easy virtue so make it clear straight aay that you will have no nonsense from them. Eve teasing (flirting with women or touching them) is an imprisonable offense in India. There are ladies carriages on the trains so use those and not the mixed carriages. Be careful also of peddlars on trains or outside. The upper classes in Bombay speak fluent English and they do also in other cities. The English in the south is as good if not better than the English spoken in england.
There are markets and you can bargain with them. You can start at a very low price and slowly work up if they dont agree till you get a fair price. The first sale of the day is called a "bovi" and yu can get good bargains because the vendors are superstitious and think if their first sale is made the rest of the day goes well for them.
Eat in good clean restaurants and not outside stalls or you may land up with a nasty tummy bug. It is better if yu dont eat prawns outside because you will certainly have a tummy upset as the black vein is not removed from its back by restaurants etc. that is only done in homes. Madrasi food is extremely hot so if you see Madrasi on the menu avoid it. The safest food is dosa with plain fried potatoe and onion inside . You can open it up and see exactly what is in it and it is not hot but the sambar (the gravy that goes with it can be very hot) / Pecial tea (special tea) is sold at the railways but is not special...it is a thick tea and doesnt really quench your thirst.
f you stay in a hotel lock up all your valuables. Do not leave any jewellry (watches, rings,earrings, mobiles etc ) around even for one minute. Mobile phones are common in India but you have o register them to use them and pay about (cant remember...I think 3,000 rps) this is to keep an eye on terrorists. You cannot bargain in the grocery shops or vegetable markets. You can get English cereals (approx Rs.100 a packet and 80 equals £1) Materials are cheaper than in england and are lovely, especially the silks. Sandals and mogris (the sequined slippers that have been fashionable over here this year are good and cheap) Woodland shoes are good and comfortable. Leatherwear is good and in Bombay there is a place called Dharamvi that has a lot of manufacturers but it is a slum and you must not go there on your own. The big hotels have beautiful things in their shops but are expensive to foreigners and you must bargain with them.
There are air conditioned taxis (blue) which are more expensive that the black and yellow taxies. Rickshaws are the cheapest and have a meter which shows you the fare. Sometimes these meters are not accurate so you can ask the rickshawdriver (and taxi driver for that matter) to see the taxi card to see the fare.You can even get your own card I believe from a railsway station but am not quite sure of this. Cinemas are modern and good but a little expensive.It is not worth going on a bus because they jolt you around badly and usually only the poor use them unless you are in town but be careful of your pockets and purse. NEVER take your eyes off of your luggage or you will definitely lose it.You do not have to pay tips to rickshaw drivers or taxis. You pay a tip at most rstaurants unles it says service included. Wash all fruit before you eat it and also make sure your salads are washed properly. Do not travel in a taxi alone in the dark unlessit is rightin town. Be particularly careful in the suburbs and outskirts of any town. That all said and done sounds frightening but it is not really so once you are used to the place. I think you will enjoy iit. Ity is a place that you either really love or really hate. There are smelly places andnice places. AVOID OUTSIDE TOILETS ESPCIALLY AT TRAIN STATIONS THEY ARE DISGUSTING. You can ask a theatre or a restaurant to use their toilets. Most people will be too willing to help you and will be nice to you but as in all countries there are people who will also try to take you for a ride so just be careful and keep your wits aboutyou and your eyes open.

Answer 2

First of all make sure you have got your injections. You don't want to end up with Malaria or something while you are travelling. India is a very unique country, in a sense that it is very different when you travel from one area to another. However, here are some general tips that should come in handy:

1. In most cities, it is no issue for a westerner travelling alone. Indian cities are relatively safe, though wandering on your own in dark, in quiet parts would not be the best idea.

2. Dressing in your western clothes in fine, just don't display too much flesh. It is bound to attract attention of men you would rather do without.

3. You will be able to get a variety of food in all major cities, including McDonalds, and Pizza Hut. Just don't ask for beef. Remember cows are sacred in India.

4. DO NOT drink tap water, anywhere. Always buy a bottled water. While it won't kill you, it could make you ill because your immune system would not be used to it.

5. People in India are generally very friendly, and welcoming towards traveller. English is widely spoken in all major cities, so you should not have a problem interacting, though getting used to accents might take a little time.

6. When shopping in local markets or local shops, be prepared to bargain. If you hate to bargain, then you would end up paying ridiculous amount of money. Another option is to stick to high-end city malls, and shops, which have fixed prices.

7. If you are travelling alone, do not accept lifts or anything from strange men. While not everyone is rapist or a fraud, like anywhere else, it is better to be safe than sorry.

8. If you are unfamiliar with the country, then the best way would be to hire an official tour guide. That way you are guaranteed not to miss any must-see places, and would also get a flavour of local culture.

Have a great trip!!

Answer 3

Always remember that you're there to enjoy yourself and not to expect 'world-class' service at all times, which you may be accustomed to elsewhere. India is a country where the 18th century lives side-by-side with the 21st century and you can never be sure which one you're in! It can indeed be very hospitable but, in my experience, can also be challenging. Ask most people and they'll tell you to stay clear of drinking the tap water when you get there. Insist on bottled water at all times and carry some around with you. Make sure you take any necessary medication regularly, Malaria in particular.

You may find prices there cheap, but expect to be ripped off during your stay, especially while travelling by taxi. India will tickle your taste buds whatever taste you have. Depending on where you go, a lot of fast/ street food is available which I have found to be, on the whole, excellent. Restaurants in the big cities are generally good too. I'd stay away from 'greesy spoon' type places no matter how inviting they may smell!

Religion forms a significant part of society in India. As a tourist, it would be advisable to dress and conduct yourself in a dignified manner when-and-about (not like Ibiza or the like!) Places to go...I'd like to visit Goa, Kerala, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkatta, Delhi. My relatives don't live anywhere near these places, so I've missed out each time I go!

Enjoy your trip, have fun and don't forget what I said about the water!!!

Answer 4

1. Dont wear short skirts/ dresses or shorts - jeans or Capris or even long skirts are OK. Don't wear anyting too revealing or something that might invite comments from anti social people.
2. Loose fitting cotton clothes are good for the humid temperature.
3. Never travel alone in the night or in lonely places
4. Dont carry too much cash with you at all times - use your hotel locker or use travellers cheques
5. Beware of pickpockets who might steal your passport or camera
6. Drink bottled water only. Never eat any food that is n ot cooked or hot (temperature wise)
7. talk to your physicians for anti malaria and anti typhoid medicines. Also carry mosquito repellant.

Indians are normally very curious (they don't mean any harm, but the concept of personal space is an alien concept to most!) However they are always willing to help out people - though you might want to watch out for crooks, especially in big ciities.

Food wise you will get a lot of variety - some very spicy other not too much, depending on where you will be going to.

Answer 5

Your GP should be able to give you advice on the shots you require.
Bottled water, but make sure they take the cap off the bottle in front of you. No ice, no salad and no sea food.
When I say bottled water, that goes for cleaning your teeth as well.
It's actually better to eat Indian food, because the spices kill anything nasty which might be lurking. European style food is always dodgy. This goes for the best hotels too.

India is a fantastic and very varied country. Hope you have a great time.

Answer 6

I'm sure you will absolutely adore India. Do try to drink only mineral water and eat at the top restaurants only. Travel is great - just hop onto a rickshaw and very easy to get around town. Internal flights are also very cheap now. Visit the temples - if you like experiencing different cultures, you'll love it.

Answer 7

I can only speak of my experieces of India, which is Goa.The people are lovely, food is superb (and cheap!) scenery can be breathtaking and travelling by car/bus/motorcycle is hair-raising! Goa is a bit 'India for softies' but dont be put off by the hundreds of British Tourists. (I am British!) If you follow all common sense travel advice you will be fine. Go to the North of Goa (Arambol, Mandrem, etc) for a real chillout. Word of warning-Mosquitos can be pesky so use lots of repellent and burn a repellent coil under your tables and beds. Get this anywhere. For your body, local stuff called ODOMOS is v good and available everywhere for about 50p a tube!!!

Answer 8

Forget what you think you know about the world! India is a crazy place.

Remember that you are rich and they are poor.

Don't rely on the guide book too much, there will be an equally good guest house/restaurant/omlette shop down the road that needs your money more than the one in the Lonely Planet.

Try to get off the beaten track, Sikkim is nice, especially in the villages.

Answer 9

Get innoculated against Malaria etc...
Always drink boiled water / bottled water there.
Try and use a mosquito net in the night and when you sleep.
Learn some Hindi before you go, however lots of Indian peolple in the big cities do understand and speak English

Answer 10

Please if you are female don't go alone. I recently have a college that went to India she encountered a whole bunch of grooping by grown men. It is safer to pay for a car and driver then to go anywhere alone. If you can go with a male companion than do so.