India Travel Tips For First-Time Visitors

India Travel Tips for First-Time Visitors

A single female traveler in India poses with a local man
Posted : 14.11.22 | November 14, 2022

I have never been to India. I say. Crazy, right? Not that I didn't want to go, but life always got in our way. However, India is a place that many people visit, and since I can't write about it, I want to invite someone who can. To my friend Marilyn Ward. He is a travel writer visiting India since 2005 and runs the website Breathedreamgo. We know each other since 2010. Today he will share some tips on how to visit India for new visitors.

I will never forget my first visit to India. My first trip to Delhi was a traffic jam. Cars, trucks of all sizes, heavy bikes, motorcycles, and sometimes a bull cart seemed to approach me from all sides. No one paid any attention to the traffic lanes and the rules. The cars were going in the wrong direction. I couldn't understand what was happening.

I've heard of "sensory overload" experienced by travelers to India, and now I'm experiencing it myself. It was exciting and nerve-wracking. And just taste the things to come.

On my first trip in 2005, I spent six months traveling across the Indian subcontinent and was often overwhelmed by huge crowds, foreign traditions, bewildering bureaucracy, bewildering complexity, and bewildering culture shock.

The combination of these elements makes India a complex but very interesting and rewarding country.

However, if you read and follow these tips for the first time, they can help smooth out some of the more confusing bumps.

1. slow down

Sailing in India successfully takes time and some knowledge. This is not a place to travel fast. Don't try to see as much as possible; This is not the correct approach. Traveling to India is stressful and the goal should be to experience it, not cross it off the list.

As a rule, one region is chosen every two weeks of stay in India. For a month long trip, just select two areas, for example two weeks in Rajasthan and two weeks in Kerala. You can even sit in one place and not miss a thing. Either way, when you are in India, you will experience India.

2. Change your position

A lone female traveler stands by a historic wall overlooking a city in India.
Allow yourself to fully experience India. A quote from the movie Marigold's Best Exotic Hotel sums it up. “India hits you like a wave. If you resist, they will defeat you. But if you go deeper into it, you will be fine.”

Just accept the fact that things are not going as planned. Develop a philosophy that things happen as they should, not as planned. This situation can lead to the most wonderful adventures.

3. Be careful who you trust

However, it is good to remain open-minded, but having a good level of skepticism is also very beneficial in India. There are a lot of scammers, especially in the travel and hospitality industry. They have a sixth sense for new visitors and will try to take advantage of it.

So research prices by asking locals and other travelers before negotiating with rickshaw drivers and market vendors. Don't believe the conductors or random people you meet at airports, train stations, and tourist spots who tell you that your hotel has burned down or your train has been cancelled.

Often times, the opportunity to make money will encourage creative tactics, and some of these scammers can easily take you away. One day I was looking for a new iPhone case and a salesperson showed me and said it was from Apple. But closer examination revealed four misspellings in a short sentence engraved inside the case.

4. Travel safely

A lone traveler explores an ancient historical building in India.
India has a reputation as a shocking tourist destination, especially for women. However, I spent many years in India as a solo traveler and although I was uncomfortable, I never felt unsafe or unsafe. Reported crimes against tourists are relatively rare, but harassment, stalking, pickpocketing, and fraud are common.

There were also sporadic reports of sexual violence against women, particularly in crowded and crowded places. Follow basic precautions, safe travel strategies and use common sense in India.

Here are some tips for a safe trip (see my top tips for ladies traveling to India for more details):

  • Buy a local SIM to make local calls and stay in touch.
  • Look carefully for where you want to go, and make sure that it is an area frequented by other travelers, with good infrastructure and good hotels.
  • Plan your trip so you don't arrive late at night; Travel only during daylight hours.
  • Be careful not to reveal your current location when posting on social media.
  • Pay attention to your surroundings and keep a close eye on your wallet and luggage.
  • Keep the Travel Hotline number handy and call 1-800-111363 if you need help.

5. Try a small group tour

If this is your first time in India, try going in a small group or solo tour to get your feet wet a bit. My company India for Beginners was founded to help women travel safely and healthily in India. We offer many small group tours, but we specialize in creating customized tours and offering a high level of personalized service, such as meeting travelers at the airport and hiring a tour manager 24 hours a day. /24 and 7/7. We hold your hand in India.

6. Get on the train

Traveling by train in India is a wonderful experience not to be missed. However, you do need some basic knowledge about the seasons and trains. You may not want to jump straight into a sleeper class or general class; I recommend 2AC (class two with alternating current) or CC (car seat). Or even 1AC (Class A AC) or EC (Executive Chair Car).

The Shatabdi and Rajdani trains are among the best in India so try to book them. Night trains can be a problem as they don't flush toilets at night, so keep that in mind when booking.

7. Eat

India is one of the best culinary destinations in the world and first time visitors should not hesitate to try all the delicacies on offer, even street food. Some of the famous Indian foods that you should not miss are Maasai tea, sweet lassi, biryani, pakouri, dosa and desserts like Gulab Jamun and Khair.

It's hard not to get sick in India because you never know when something contaminated on your plate will end up. It could be a street shop or a five star restaurant. However, you can reduce your risk of getting sick by following these basic rules:

  • Drink only filtered or bottled water.
  • Watch out for non-distilled water in ice or sauces.
  • Avoid salads and other raw foods if you can't peel them (such as oranges or bananas).
  • Eat fresh food only.
  • Look for stalls and crowded restaurants that are very crowded.

8. Get a local SIM

In India, everything works on WhatsApp, One Time Password (OTP) verification and text messaging. That's why you need a local number. To do this, get a local SIM card upon arrival at the airport. However, you may find it difficult to pay for online purchases with a foreign credit card because OTP verification is required in India and it is almost impossible to register with Indian Railways to buy train tickets online.

9. Remember where you are

A single woman stands next to two painted elephants in India.
India is changing fast but it remains a traditional society. It is better to familiarize yourself with its culture and etiquette and to play it safe.

For example, unless you are on the beach in Goa, it is wise to dress modestly in India. Dressing for climate and culture requires long, loose, and flowing clothing.

It's also good to be very respectful, especially with many religions. And remember that gender relations vary in India, and a lot of friendliness can be misinterpreted. Be polite, but with strangers, especially those in the hospitality business, it's usually best to be careful about being overly friendly.

10. Follow the seasons

Weather and season are important in India. May and June are incredibly hot just about everywhere, the monsoon season runs from July to August, and northern India is surprisingly cold in winters from December to February. Do some research and find the best places to visit in India as per the season.

So when it's cold in northern India, head to tropical Kerala or Goa and hit the beach. In the height of summer, discover Ladakh, a high desert plateau that sometimes feels out of another world. Note: Autumn is festival season so you can visit Durga Puja in Kolkata, Diwali in Jaipur or Camel Fair in Pushkar.

11. Go sightseeing in the morning

A lone female traveler wearing a bright sari stands in front of the Taj Mahal in India.
In general, tourist destinations in India are not crowded in the morning. Indians don't usually start early, so if you want to go somewhere touristy or crowded, go early (it's also the hottest time of the day). For example, if you plan to see the Taj Mahal, spend the night in Agra and set off at dawn; When the doors open, there will often be foreigners in line. Hordes of Indian tourists will arrive in a few hours.

(However, this rule does not apply to shopping, shops and even restaurants usually don't open until 10 or even 11 am. City dwellers tend to do things late. Breakfast and lunch are late, and dinner can be really late. :)

12. Go to the village

In India, a single woman stands in a green field surrounded by grass and trees.
Most travelers to India usually build their itineraries around the cities. They landed in Delhi or Mumbai and traveled to places like Jaipur, Udaipur, Rishikesh and Cochin. Make an effort to see the wilderness - jungles, deserts, mountains. India has more than 50 tiger reserves, many biodiversity hotspots (such as the Western Ghats and Sundarbans), the 20th largest desert in the world (Thar Desert) and the highest mountain range in the world (the Himalayas).

Hike in the mountains, go on a tiger safari, visit one of the many national parks, spend the night on the sand dunes of Rajasthan, or take a boat trip on the Brahmaputra River.

And don't forget the countryside. Most of the Indians still live in villages. You should definitely stroll through the picturesque villages of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh or Uttarakhand.

***

India is not the easiest place to travel. This is not a quiet vacation spot. However, it is often a life-changing experience. Start researching, read books about India, watch films about the country, explore cultures and destinations, and prepare for a transformative journey.

Like many before, from the Beatles to Steve Jobs to Elizabeth Gilbert, you might fall in love with this place. As author Rumer Gooden wrote, "Once you smell Indian powder, you'll never get rid of it."

Marilyn Ward fell in love with India and travel and travel blogging on her first trip in 2005. He has spent more than seven of the last 18 years in India and is currently residing there. Marilyn was born in Canada and considers India "the culture of her soul". Through her travel blog, Breathedreamgo, she strives to inspire and help other women achieve their dreams. Their travel agency, India for Beginners, is designed to help women travel safely and healthily in India.

Book your flight. Logistics tips and tricks

Book your flight
Find cheap flights with Skyscanner. This is my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines all over the world, so you always know it won't leave anything unchanged.

Book your stay
You can book a hotel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they always offer the lowest rates for bed and breakfast and hotels.

Don't forget travel insurance
Travel insurance will protect you from illness, injury, theft and cancellation. This is complete protection in case something goes wrong. I've never gone on a trip without it as I've had to use it many times before. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

  • Security Suite (best of all)
  • My Trip Insurance (for people over 70 years old)
  • Dwarf (for extra evasion damage)

Ready to book your flight?
Visit my Resources page to see which companies are best to use when traveling. I list everything I use when I travel. They are the best in their class and you can't go wrong with using them on your trip.

Post India travel advice for new visitors appeared first on travel site Nomadic Matt.

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