Namaste India!
India is a great exotic tourist destination. However, It’s better if you are a bit more experienced with travel and research everything before you make the trip. The reason being is, everything is not easily accessible in some parts of India. Things like internet connection, uber and medical help is not always available. Given all these reasons, many people wonder if its still safe to travel to India. It is! As long as you know where you are going, adhere to the rules and play it on the safe, it is still a great tourist destination! Here are some travel tips and things you might want to look into purchasing before your journey to India!
1. The currency
There has been a change in the currency in India since 2016. They still use rupees, however the 500 and 1000 rupee notes have been withdrawn and are no longer used. There are new 200 and 2000 bills instead. As foreigners, be sure not to get fooled when getting return bills.
*The good news is 1 USD equals about 70 rupees now. Even though the cost of food varies widely depending on restaurant, 70 rupees in India goes a long way!
2. Driving in India
Don’t do it. No matter how well you drive anywhere else in the world, driving in India is difficult. It’s nearly impossible if you aren’t a local. There are a ton of reasons for this, but I’ll go over the main ones. The most important reason is that even the most obvious rules don’t apply in India while on the road. There are no lanes and even if there are, people don’t stay in them. Cars turn right and left from all over the place, even while there is oncoming traffic. They overtake slower cars illegally and don’t value pedestrian safety at all. They also drive on the left side and the driver sits on the right side. This is opposite from the US, making it that much more difficult. Another reason is that the roads are not all paved properly and has lots and lots of potholes in it. During rainy seasons, its filled with water and you’re unable to tell how deep it actually is. If you’re stilled not convinced not to drive in India, listen up. There are hundreds of people walking on the street and riding vehicles. Besides that, there are also cows roaming and people walking their pet elephants in the middle of the road!
3. Transportation
So now you’re probably wondering then how do you get around. If you are going from one state to another one close by, I would suggest taking the train. Although its not the smoothest ride, it’ll get you from one place to another for a decent price. If you are traveling to a further state, flying is a better to save time and hassle
To book a train ride or flight within India, visit The Indian Railway Catering And Tourist Corporation
To travel around within or between towns, there are numerous taxis and autorikshaws. You can find these small 3 wheeled automobiles at every main intersection. If you’re brave, you can also take the public bus, although I don’t recommend it. Double and triple check whether you are taking the correct bus. It’s harder to find your way back after getting lost than to prevent getting lost.
4. Safety
India is not considered very safe for females who are traveling alone. So, if you’re planning a trip alone, make sure you have everything booked prior to going. I also recommend getting a sim card from the airport and putting it into an unlocked phone. This way, you can make outgoing calls during your trip. One thing that I do for all my trips is look up the contact information for the US embassy. I write it down somewhere I can easily access. If you are in any trouble, have lost your passport, or in any danger, you can call the embassy.
Click here for the US embassy contact info.
I also sign up with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) program online, which allows the US embassy to keep track of when you arrive in India (or any other country). It’s a free service online which sends you important information about any safety hazards. It also gives you details of any emergency situations or chaos in the country you are visiting. I use the STEP program during all of my travels now. I feel a little bit more secure knowing that I have that extra eye on me.
5. Portable Charger
One thing you don’t want to happen in India is end up with a dead phone and no way of contacting someone. Charging your phone via a plug is not always ideal. There are frequent current cuts throughout the day depending on where you are in India. You never know when you will be able to charge your electronics next. So it’s important to not rely solely on that and have a portable charger on you. I bought the Anker portable charger years ago and I still use it with no problems. I can charge my almost dead phone at least 2 more times before having to charge my portable again.
6. Sun Block/Mosquito Spray
As I mentioned in my Taj Mahal post, sun block and mosquito are two very important things. You will need these in India, despite of location or season. The two I use are the Kinven Anti Mosquito Repellent Bundle, which comes with a bottle that will last forever. The other ones is the Banana Boat brand, which has 24 one time use packets that are very convenient.
7. Flashlight
As mentioned earlier, there will be current cuts throughout the day, more in smaller towns. Whether you are in your hotel/home during a current cut or outside, you will be affected by it during the later evenings and night time. There is limited light in the streets (for smaller towns mainly) to begin with; so with the current cut, it will be very dark. My husband has this flashlight which we take when we travel, which serves as light in the case we need it and also as a tool to break something in the case of an emergency.
8. Proper Clothing
Although it is very hot in India, clothing that shows too much is frowned upon in India. This varies a little based on if you are in North or South India; North India is a bit more open to the western clothing, where as South Indians cover up even at the beach. Women especially are expected to cover up their shoulders and legs regardless of the heat.
Something I would recommend to have on you at all times, not only in India, but also in other Asian countries is a good scarf! Scarfs come handy as there are many ways to use them, the main one being to cover your shoulders or knees while entering a place of worship or just places that require you to be more conservative. I own a pashmina shawl of a different color and I love it as I can use it in many ways.
9. Umbrella
You will notice that no matter what the season is in India, everyone carries an umbrella, from the youngest member in the family to the eldest. If you think about it, it makes sense. If it’s raining, you’ll need an umbrella to keep you from getting wet. When its sunny, people in India still use an umbrella to protect themselves from the scorching sun and mid-day heat, which is serious. This Repel windproof travel umbrella seems to the winner with its lightweight, compact and automatic open and close button!
I would love to hear which part of India you are traveling to or have traveled to! And if you have any additional tips for traveling to India, post it in the comments below!
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