India Travel – Must Know Tips When Travelling to India

India prevents travellers from all over the globe with an exciting opportunity to leave their mundane daily lifestyles behind and enter a whole new world filled with exotic spices, rich cultural heritage and amazing new insights. Of course, whenever you plan on visiting an entirely new destination, it’s important to do your homework so that you can be sure that you’re prepared for all the happenings yet to come. With that said, here are so of the must know tips when travelling to India- so that you can maximise the most out of your holiday and make it a truly unforgettable one.

1. Keep an Open Mind 

As it is when you’re visiting any new country for the first time, you’re going to be presented with an extensive variety of new smells, sights, tastes, and opportunities in India that you may not have even heard of before. For some travellers, delving into the unknown can seem like a pretty scary decision to make, however you have to remember that you only have a certain amount of time left to experience all this beautiful country has to offer. You’ll never really know if you truly like something until you try it, so the best thing to do when travelling in India is to keep an open mind; try that strange but delicious-looking dish, or say yes to that elephant ride up to the temple! All these amazing discoveries and new experiences are going to be what makes your trip memorable after all. 

2. Respect the Culture 

When visiting any new destination for a holiday, it’s important to remain polite and respectful towards traditional practises and beliefs at all times. This also involves acknowledging certain etiquette, such as removing your footwear before entering a temple, refraining from whistling in public and avoiding pointing at people with your finger, alongside many others. It is always beneficial to do some research on the etiquette of your planned destination before you commence your journey. 

3. Avoid the Tap Water 

If you want to avoid an unfortunate case of Delhi Belly during your trip, take care to remember that tap water is unsuitable for drinking in India- and this includes the ice cubes in your drinks! Most restaurants have treated water available for customers to drink, however it’s always recommended that travellers bring their own bottled water around with them, to be better safe than sorry. Staying hydrated during your holiday is extremely important, especially when you consider India’s hot and dry climate. Just remember to keep this tip in mind when you’re having showers and brushing your teeth as well- avoid swallowing the water when in the shower and use bottled water to wet and wash your toothbrush.

4. Dress Conservatively 

Although you may experience extreme temperatures in India, that does not necessarily mean you’re allowed to venture out in short shorts and a cropped singlet. India is quite a conservative country, and so you should always remember to dress accordingly in respect for the differences in culture. Modest dresses, leggings and pants made of the right material will be highly effective in keeping you cool throughout your time in India. Alternatively, you can choose to wear some of the more traditional choices of attire, such as saris, sherwanis or a dhoti. You may find these choices to be much more comfortable to wear in the hot weather. 

5. Refrain from Public Displays of Affection

 A trip to India, whether it be for your honeymoon or simply a much-needed getaway with your partner, can make for quite a romantic journey. Regardless of this however, public displays of affection are not so well received by the locals. Needless to say, you’d want to make sure that any kissing, hugging or hand holding is kept well out of the eyes of the public. 

6. Beware of Scams 

Scammers in India are going to designate you, a tourist, as an easy target. Henceforth, you’d want to make sure that you’re keeping your eyes peeled for money scams such as people short-changing you, begging scams or religious scams where monks may offer you a blessing then demand for a large sum of money. In circumstances such as these, only donate however much you feel comfortable doing, and don’t feel as if you’re disrespecting the religious culture through failing to deliver on their highly requested amount.

7. Take it Slow 

It’s impossible to discover all the wonderous opportunities India has to offer in a single trip. Rushing around with a jam-packed schedule and trying to see everything and everywhere you can in the little time you have is only going to make for a very tiresome trip, where you simply don’t have enough time to really take in the sights you’re seeing and truly appreciate them. Instead, travellers should work to plan a travel itinerary that gives them the opportunity to see some of their most highly prioritised places of interest, but also allows them time to relax and take in their surroundings at a rate which doesn’t overwhelm them. 

AUTHOR BIO

 Kiesha Reyes is a content writer for Exotic Destinations. She is highly passionate about travelling and hopes to express this interest to aspiring travellers through the content she writes. Keisha is always searching for more knowledge when it comes to learning about some of the most spectacular travel destinations worldwide. She also specialises in providing helpful tips and in-depth information when it comes to luxury tour packages.