Top 10 Main India Travel Guide and Tips for First-Time Traveler
This travel tips from theplanetd.com about Top 10 Main India Travel Guide and Tips for First-Time Traveler.
India
is an exotic destination! It is far beyond historical monuments,
beaches and other tourist spots you are going to find out from a tour
company or Tripadvisor. This country is a great teacher if you learn to
accept and listen to its lessons. While staying in India, I met many
travellers there and learned many key India travel tips to help new
visitors to the country.
India Travel Tips for Foreigners
India Travel Tips
Some travellers came for couple of weeks while others stayed for a
few years and they were still not sure how long they are going to be
there. You hit the right note with India and start enjoying the country
once you know important basics and your expectations are set correctly.
Whether you travel to India for a short or long period of time, I put up
a list of 10 things that I would share with anyone who asks me about
India.
For more India travel tips check out Solo Travel to India by a local female
Don’t let the media feed your fear
In a digital era, it’s very hard to
filter information. Media publishes content that provokes interest and
some emotional reaction. The negative or controversial reaction makes
content even more popular and discussed. This fact has made India famous
for poverty, poor attitude towards women and rape cases. Though it’s
important to be informed, be realistic and critical about the
information you are reading. The published news often skip the brighter
side of India about technological progress, improved women safety, big
market opportunities to name a few. Most of the services you might
require in India are now in the phone – either in apps or online. You
just think of an issue and google will give exciting options of Indian
startups ready to solve it.
Don't travel to India without your Lonely Planet India Guide
Be flexible about plans and expectations
Each cancellation opens a new destination or experience. Lucknow, East UP
Try to accept the cultural specifics in India without comparing with
the reality or background you come from. There will be certain things
that will happen and certain things that will not. You will discover
that “Yes” doesn’t always mean Yes, and you will rarely hear a “No” from
an Indian. To save you from frustrations about delays, cancellations
and other random situations that will pop up, always try to have a “plan
B”. Whatever changes will happen in your initial plan, they will build a
new experience, which will open a different part of India for you.
Plan in advance
If you are not coming with a tour company with a predefined plan, try
to make most of arrangements for your trip at least 3 weeks before
arrival. In India, intercity transport tickets disappear faster than
falling stars. It’s a different system compared to European countries
where you can buy a ticket and hop on the train the same day. In India,
it’s advisable to book tickets at least 2 weeks in advance on regular
days, and 1 month in advance during big holidays like Holi and Diwali.
This rule also works for budget stay offers. Remember – several million
people are looking for the same thing simultaneously with you, so try to
be fast in booking great deals.
Read more India Travel Tips: Tips for Traveling by Train in India
Learn bargaining
Everyone does it and you should not be an exception. Pricing is
generally higher for foreigners since there is a misconception among
sellers in India that tourists are rich. I would advise asking an
opinion from local people how much something should cost. If you are in
the local markets evaluate the look of the seller. Don't bargain with
artists or farmers. They already earn money hard way and they are very
humble. Merchants with chick phones in their hands are the right target
to master negotiation skills. You can use saved money from a purchase
either for another Indian experience or for buying food for the poor.
There are many people living on the streets in India. You might save
minimum 4 dollars from one purchase, but this is enough to buy lunch for
3-4 homeless people in the city. In addition to the social cause, you
will also improve your negotiating skills. India is a great teacher in
this!
Need bargaining tips? Read – 10 Proven Travel Tips on How to Bargain Like a Pro
Get ready for lots of staring and questions
Be open to making friends
Many Indians give special attention to
the foreigners. You might spot many of them looking at you steadily and
some will even ask to take pictures with you. They don’t have an idea
their behavior makes you feel uncomfortable.
Often, if you strike a conversation with
some local people, they might ask many personal questions about you,
that you may not feel comfortable sharing right away, e.g. social
status, surname, relationships, faith, family and so on. They don’t mean
to offend you, they are just interested to know you better.
I suppose this behaviour is closely
connected to the personal space concept. In the west, people maintain
large personal space around themselves to keep strangers at a distance.
In India, all space standards collapse once you experience a queue or
use public transport. Most Indians are used to share everything and
adjust since childhood, especially those born and raised in joint
families. Keep this in mind and be ready to expand a bit your privacy
borders.
Go local
Celebrating Dandiya Festival
Try to build your journey around the
festivals to get a better understanding of Indian culture. Visit Diwali –
a festival of lights in autumn, Holi – a festival of colors in spring,
Lohri – winter festival in Punjab, attend traditional wedding and other
functions of your preference. Try to make Indian friends during your
visit to understand the essence of different festivals. There will be
many people around who will be happy to give you an “intro course” about
the meaning of the festival in Indian culture.
Thinking of Traveling Solo? Read: My Trip to Himachal, A safe bet for Solo Female Travellers
Contrasts are everywhere
Contrasts of India
While in India, you will be part of
situations with different elements that you haven’t imagined in the same
context. You might be late because you were stuck on the road blocked
by cows. You may see a posh car waiting on the crossroads along with an
elephant and a bullock cart driven by a barefoot man. You will see
people buying latest fashion clothes from luxury brands and people
sleeping on the streets at a distance of 100 meters from the same
fashion store. Social inequality is overwhelming and emotionally
devastating. This is a part of India that you will come across very
often.
Check out: 5 Things to do in India That We REALLY Liked
Follow your route and interests
Himalaya getaways gain a special beauty and color in monsoons
India is diverse with many experiences in store for the travelers. I
stayed in Delhi for almost 2 years and there are still many things I
have on my list to experience there. I would advise not to follow the
patterns, but choose your experience. India can offer you much more than
Goa and Taj Mahal. No doubts these are amazing destinations, however,
there are also exciting opportunities to visit tea plantations, learn
how to print on clothes from the biggest textile companies, stay in a
desert or join a yoga/meditation program in the mountains. Don’t run a
marathon through all sightseeing points mentioned on the internet.
Choose less – explore more. Feel and enjoy your journey!
Need more travel advice on India? Read the Top 5 Travel Scams of India
Don’t over pack
Keep it Simple
Try to take less clothes, because it’s
almost impossible to skip shopping in India. There will be many things
you would like to buy. Don’t pack all possible medicines unless you are
going to live in a remote village. I would advise taking only those
pills that specifically help you. Absolutely in every city or town you
will find a great diversity of pharmacies: standard, ayurvedic &
homeopathic. In addition to your packing list, the 2 things I would
advise taking: high sun protection solution and charging adapter
converts.
Follow basic etiquette
Simple kurti and leggings – the most comfortable and popular Indian outfit
Dress accordingly – India is quite conservative in dressing,
especially for women. This country is not suitable for open shoulders
or shorts unless you are on a beach or in South Mumbai. Try to wear
clothes at least of knee length and keep your shoulders covered.
Think about vegetarians
– If you are a vegetarian, you are going to love India. They have many
varieties of tasty food options for you and it’s always marked with a
green dot that makes shopping easier. In an opposite case, take into
consideration that some people are not comfortable eating food in the
same room with non-vegetarian products. This is related to stays in some
AirBnb or Guest house type of spaces.
Respect elderly people –
Indian culture teaches respect towards elderly people for their
experience and knowledge. If you are invited to a traditional Indian
function, no one will expect you touching feet to show respect as it’s
accustomed in India. However, ignoring elders even if you are not
acquainted might be perceived as a rude behavior sometimes. A formal
“Namaste” greeting will do in most of the cases.
Pay attention to gender-specific spaces –
In India there are certain places where only women are allowed and vice
versa. It’s applicable for transport, some religious places, some
queues, trial rooms, etc. Pay attention to this, because in some cases
you can be punished: e.g. if you are a man staying in a women train car
in Delhi metro you can be scolded and fined.
No public affection –
India is a conservative country that has some reservations about showing
emotions in public. It’s mostly about couples. Don’t mix it up with
friendship. You will see girls hugging girls while greeting if they are
close friends or guys hugging guys, but girls hugging guys is not
allowed in many places. In some Indian states, you can be fined and even
arrested for showing public affection towards the opposite gender. Try
to keep your emotions with you.
Inform yourself about the temples –
always take off your shoes before you enter any temple and dress
conservatively. There are some temples that don’t allow non-Hindu, some
are only for men, and others have specific rules for visitors. I would
advise researching about a temple you plan to visit if it’s not a known
tourist attraction.
Need more travel etiquette tips? Read: Travel Etiquette in the Middle East
I hope these India travel tips will be handy during your visit!!
What about you: Is India in your
traveling plans? If you have already visited India, what other things
would you advise for India travellers?
Enjoy this videos capturing in my opinion, the style of this video is
authentic and reflects not only touristic part of India, but the
atmosphere there.
Author Bio
Natalia
believes in traveling with a purpose. She has been visiting different
countries via exchange programs, jobs and conferences. The recent
working and staying experience was in India for 2 years. She shares
insider tips about living abroad and traveling comfortably on a budget
to help others build a better experience.
Natalia
believes in traveling with a purpose. She has been visiting different
countries via exchange programs, jobs and conferences. The recent
working and staying experience was in India for 2 years. She shares
insider tips about living abroad and traveling comfortably on a budget
to help others build a better experience.