Pro Travel Tips for Travel in India for a Stress-Free Trip

2.2K

The South Asian country of India is massive at 3.287 million km² and has an ever-growing population of 1.366 billion. If you’ve never visited India before and are planning an upcoming trip, you probably feel both excited and overwhelmed. I know because that’s how we felt! We’ve created this list of India travel tips to ease your hesitations and stresses when travelling to India, hopefully. 

India is a great country and should go on everybody’s travel bucket list. With sites such as the Taj Mahal, Amber Fort, Agra Fort, India Gate, and the Ganges River, you can’t miss it! However, India is not an easy city to travel to for many travellers. It can be daunting with cultural differences, spicy, aromatic spices, unfamiliar foods, and its sprawling size.

We’ve travelled to India twice and hope to travel there again to explore this wonderful country further. We’ve visited the cities in the south of India, like Mumbai, Kochin, Kerala, Goa, and northern India’s golden triangle of Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur, along with side trips to Varanasi and Khajuraho. Throughout, we’ve gained some experience and helpful knowledge. 

So, we have put together this list of tips to travel stress-free to India!

Learn Some Hindi or Punjabi

Most people in the tourist industry you’ll encounter throughout India will speak English. Still, a few words in the local language, such as numbers, ‘how are you,’ and ‘very good, thank you,’ will go far in being friendly. 

Respect

India is a country with many religions. Here you’ll find Hindu, Islam, Christianity, Sikh, Buddhism, Jainism, and others. Be respectful of any unfamiliar religious practices; try not to offend or vocalize your personal views. When travelling to any new place, it’s best to travel as an observer, to learn, and not to judge.

Carry Personal Sanitization

• Hand sanitizer is a must! Use before meals and after the toilet because it is rare to see soap in public restrooms.
  • The same is true for toilet tissue because locals typically wash with water via a water spray attachment or a small mug of water, so always carry your toilet tissue if that is your preference.

• Bleach wipes are also helpful. We use these on airplanes and in hotels worldwide to sanitize things we will touch throughout our stay. Better safe than sorry, right?
• In general, sanitize anything you may touch while on the plane or in a hotel room, including light switches, the TV remote control, drawer handles, etc.

Bonus Pro Travel Tip: Get ready to be a celebrity, especially if you have blonde hair! Don’t be surprised if you get asked by locals to take selfies with you. We found this strange initially, but we quickly got used to the attention and were happy to oblige.

Hotel Heating and Air Conditioning

Ensure that your hotel has heat or provides portable heaters if travelling in the winter season. Alternatively, ensure the hotel has air conditioning or ceiling fans during the summer; it’s always best to double-check. Don’t assume anything. 

Use the Water Kettle

We noticed that although some hotels provided complimentary bottled water, every hotel we stayed in offered a water kettle in the room. 

• The kettle is perfect for boiling water if you want a cup of tea at night. Teabags are only sometimes offered, so make sure to bring teabags from home in a ziplock bag. 
• It’s also great to make some oatmeal in the morning for comfort food and fibre. We’ve also travelled with packs of a cup of soup or even packaged ramen noodles should we need a quick meal.
• You can also use the kettle and hot water to sanitize your toothbrush or for purified drinking water. We found it easiest to boil the water at night before going to bed and allow it to cool overnight in the kettle. It’s cool enough in the morning to pour into a refillable water bottle.

Need Something? Ask!

Ask the front desk when you find something lacking or missing at a hotel. I discovered that amenities (such as a hairdryer or in-room heat) typically found in North American hotels were only sometimes available. However, once we asked the front desk staff, the item was happily brought up for our use. I suspect this was due to theft since they always checked our room before we checked out.

The same is true at breakfast time. One day we asked if they had eggs at the buffet since there weren’t any on the table, and the next thing you know, we were offered our choice of fried eggs, scrambled cheese omelette, and pancakes. Again, all items were included but should have been listed on the menu or offered initially.

Electrical plugs

We found the European two-prong plugs most widely used in the various hotels we stayed in during our trip. However, be warned that you may see different prong types – often within the same room.

In India – Be Food Smart

We travelled throughout India and didn’t suffer from “Delhi Belly” once. We attributed this to only eating hot foods and avoiding street food and meat. In addition, we only drank hot liquids or bottled beverages. 

So why did we avoid these certain foods? Fresh vegetables, salads, and cut fruit should be avoided as they may have been washed in contaminated tap water vs purified water. Avoid meat because you can get sick if it’s spoiled or not cooked well. When we were in the small city of Khajuraho, the power would go out every day; one day, the electricity was out for over 12 hours. Therefore, it’s good to be cautious of any food that may not have been thoroughly cooked or refrigerated due to power outages. Also, be careful of deep-fried foods unless you know that the oil is very fresh.

Other tips to stay food smart include: 

• Use caution for any water, or bottled water, marked “RO,” meaning reverse osmosis water. RO water is not 100% purified water since it does require routine maintenance of the filtering equipment. However, it is usually safe to drink at a restaurant.
• Only eat fruit that you peel yourself. You cannot guarantee the fruit has been washed in purified water before slicing and serving.

• Have western food once in a while to give your stomach a break from Indian food. There is no harm in ordering a plain egg omelette and toast if you feel the urge. Also, try India’s versions of KFC, Subway, McDonald’s, Burger King, and Domino’s for some unique menu twists such as a Maharaja mutton burger.
• If you get Delhi belly, plan for it and pack some supplies in your carry-on. These can include: electrolyte powder to replenish your body fluids, crackers to combat nausea, and typical nausea/diarrhea meds. Eating a BRAT diet of bananas, rice, apples, and toast may be helpful.

These Indian cuisine articles may be helpful:

• A First-Time Travel Guide to the Most Popular Indian Food in the World
• 11 Dishes to Eat in Kerala India

Hotel Pickup in India

Many hotels offer complimentary pickup at the airport, so confirm your arrival time and flight details with the hotel. I also encourage you to verify that pickup is complimentary, except for a gratuity to the driver, and confirm how to identify your driver to avoid impostors. The hotel will typically provide you with the car’s license plate, and the driver will be waiting at the airport for you with your name on a sign.

Book a Tour in India

As seasoned travellers, we more often than not travel independently wherever we go. Even still, we know our limits and play within them (wink). Booking a private tour in India was the smartest thing that we ever did with Tour Radar. Not only were we driven throughout the Golden Triangle in our own private car, but all our accommodations and local guides were prearranged for us. It really helped ease our minds for a stress-free trip through India.

Read the article: Stunning Places to Visit and Photograph in Kodaikanal, India

Bonus Pro Travel Tip: Be aware that there may be some overpriced “recommended” shopping stops along the way. If you don’t wish to shop simply tell them no.

SIM Card and Data when Travelling in India

Buy a local SIM card upon arrival. We bought an Airtel SIM card at the airport, which gave us 1.5 gigabytes per day for 30 days for approximately ₹600. Free Wi-Fi is readily available but not always secure. At least you know it will be safe if you pay for data.

Gratuities and Tip Money

Everyone wants a tip; the bag handler, servers, toilet staff, etc. Therefore, make sure to carry lots of ₹10 and ₹20 bills for this. 

(₹20 = approximately 25 cents US)

Rule of thumb

• ₹10 to ₹20 minimum
• ₹100 for cab drivers
• 10% of your bill for servers
• ₹500 for private driver guides per day.

Be Change Conscious

• It is sad to write this, but don’t be too trusting. Always count your change no matter where you spend your money, even if the place seems legitimate. The man at the Airtel counter at the airport tried to shortchange us not once but twice.
• Don’t expect change back when making purchases or paying your bill at a restaurant. It is best to always pay with exact currency when paying for anything, so keep lots of small bills on hand.

Footwear 

Waterproof running or hiking shoes

Let’s face it: the streets are dirty, and the monkeys, cows, goats, chickens, horses, dogs, and cats run free with no one pooping and scooping. 

You may need to rinse off your dirty shoes at your hotel, and you don’t have time to wait for them to dry when you’re on the road and touring. As the name implies, waterproof shoes have a waterproof coating, so the water doesn’t penetrate the fabric, which translates to less time to dry. 

A few favourite manufacturers are Keen and Merrell, which make great supportive walking shoes. For a lighter sneaker-style shoe, I love my Vessi shoes.

PRO TRAVEL TIP: I also recommend you pack an extra pair of shoes to give your arch and feet a break from wearing the same pair continuously for the entire trip.

Lightweight Flip-Flops

We use lightweight flip-flops as slippers in our hotel room, as most floors are ceramic-tiled and are very cold on bare feet. Flip flops are also helpful in the bathroom shower if you are concerned about cleanliness.

My favourite plastic sandal is by Birkenstock since they have the same built-in arch support as their leather and cork sandals.

Socks for Temple Visits

Wear dark socks for temple visits or bring a pair of “no-show” socks to place over your bare feet or other socks and wash them out in the hotel sink each night. You’ll have to remove your shoes at the front gate, including walking outdoors in the courtyard and inside the temple.

Cats roam free everywhere in India, and this includes temples. It’s best not to wear white socks or go barefoot because you can smell the cat urine everywhere.

The Taj Mahal provides shoe covers (like you would get at the hospital).

Vaccination and Medications for Travel in India

• Before leaving your country, visit the travel doctor to ensure you have all the required, up-to-date vaccinations, such as hepatitis, typhoid, malaria, and COVID-19. 
• You may carry antibiotics as well as Gravol, Imodium and anti-inflammatories, just in case.
• Cities can be pretty polluted. Consider bringing extra face masks if you have sensitive lungs and suffer from asthma. Of course, also bring spare inhalers and asthma meds.

• If you are allergic to animals, especially cats, take an allergy pill daily.
• Additionally, since the COVID-19 outbreak, it’s always good to carry a couple of facemasks and sanitizer. 

Be Wary of Animals

Stay clear of the animals everywhere in India. The dogs may look cute, but they are wild and territorial. We witnessed a group of dogs attack and kill a puppy right before our eyes. I was pretty traumatized and cried because we were oohing and ahhing at how cute the puppy was. It seemed that our attention brought the older dogs over. We screamed and chased the group of dogs, but it was too late.

Beggars

Stay clear of beggars and children asking for money. Like other countries, these children are victims of “beggar networks,” where gangs force them. As per our guide, Mr. Singh, we are perpetuating the situation by giving them money and encouraging them to continue begging. 

Check out these two articles:

• https://news.trust.org/item/20210204103539-ju9g4
• https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/visakhapatnam/govt-plans-to-make-ap-beggar-free-state/articleshow/79047646.cms

Tips for Travel in India – How to Dress 

Cities such as Delhi are very modern, but there are still things that people still need to wear. As an international traveller, I always prefer to conform to my environment, not stick out or draw attention to myself. So here are some clothing choices to consider when making your packing list.

• Men: Avoid wearing tank tops, sleeveless tops, shorts, or camouflage patterns.

• Women: Refrain from wearing tank tops, crop tops, low-cut t-shirts, shorts, tight body-conscious clothing, sleeveless tops and camouflage patterns.
• In general, don’t show too much skin.

Most Important Tip for Travel in India – Go With It!

My last tip is to leave our western ideas of what is “normal” at home. In India, sheets and towels may not be pure white, but they are still clean. The towels may not be fluffy, soft, and fragrant because they have been line-dried in the sun. Fabric softeners, scent boosters, automatic washers and dryers are not the norm here. Just go with it, and enjoy your experience! 

We hope these travel tips for India have been helpful as you plan and prepare for a stress-free adventure in the land of spice.