After a lot of requests, we thought we’d write some basic travel advice for someone going to India for the first time. Certainly, travelling in India can be challenging, but with a little simple preparation and the right guidance it can also be an incredibly easy experience. Here’s a list of some tips for all you first-timers. And remember, India has the second largest population of English speakers in the world after USA, so if there’s something you don’t know, it won’t be hard to find out. Do let us know your own Indian travel advice if you think there’s something we’ve forgotten.
BEFORE YOU GET ON THE PLANE
(1) Insurance: Regardless of your level of health, decent travel insurance is an absolute must. Note down the emergency number of your insurance operator and put in your wallet or a safe place. Make sure you’re covered for any adventure sports you may be planning on doing.
(2) Vaccinations - The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends these vaccinations for travellers to India (as well as being up to date for your measles, mumps and rubella)
- Diphtheria and Tetanus single booster recommended if none in the previous 10 years.
- Hepatitis A Provides almost 100% protection for up to a year; a booster after 12 months provides at least another 20 years’ protection.
- Hepatitis B Now considered routine for most travellers.
- Polio In 2007 polio was still present in India. Only one booster is required as an adult for lifetime protection.
- Typhoid Recommended for all travellers to India, even if you only visit urban areas. The vaccine offers around 70% protection, lasts for two to three years and comes as a single shot.
- Varicella If you haven’t had chickenpox discuss this vaccination with your doctor.
- The following immunisations are recommended for long-term travellers (more than one month) or those at special risk:
- Japanese B Encephalitis Three injections in all. Booster recommended after two years.
- Meningitis Single injection. There are two types of vaccination: the quadravalent vaccine gives two to three years’ protection; meningitis group C vaccine gives around 10 years’ protection. Recommended for long-term backpackers aged under 25.
- Rabies Three injections in all. A booster after one year will then provide 10 years’ protection.
- Tuberculosis (TB) A complex issue. Adult long-term travellers are usually recommended to have a TB skin test before and after travel, rather than vaccination. Only one vaccine given in a lifetime.
- The only vaccine required by international regulations is yellow fever, and then only if you have visited a country in the yellow fever zone within the six days prior to entering India. If you are travelling to India from Africa or South America, you should check to see if you require proof of vaccination.
(3) VISAS
Foreign Nationals are required to possess a valid passport of their country and a valid Indian Visa. There is no provision of ‘Visa on Arrival’ in India and no fee is charged for immigration facilities at the airports. Foreign passengers should ensure that they are in possession of valid Visa before they start their Indian journey. Tourist visa: £30 (multiple-entry; up to six months); £50 (multiple-entry; up to one year). You can arrange this through the Indian Visa service UK, or here in the USA. Personally we’ve found the simplest and easiest way is to use the excellent Trailfinders Visa and Passport Service. Buying paying slightly extra, Trailfinders do all the hard work for you.
(4) MEDICAL CHECKLIST -If you want our advice, you don’t need to take a vast medical kit with you, since India has an enormous number of fairly well equipped pharmacies. If using local pharmacies make sure you check the expiry dates on the medicines but otherwise you should be absolutely fine. If, however, there are particular medications that you require regularly, it’s certainly advisable to obtain a supply before you go from your doctor. In addition here are a few things we like to add:
- Contraception is a useful thing to take if you use it
- Peptobismol or other products for acid stomach and minor stomach upsets.
- Lifesystems Chlorine Tablets – Water Treatment (72)
(unless you are pregnant or have a thyroid problem) to purify water
- Deodorant
- Pseudoephedrine(decongestant)
- Mosquito Repellent
- Malaria Tablets- take advice from your doctor or travellers health clinic as to whether you will need these. The Travel Doctor has a good page on this here. The Centres for Diseases and Prevention (CPC) has an India specific page here.
(5) USEFUL THINGS TO PACK
(Obviously tailor these depending on whether you’re staying in 5 star hotels or roughing it in backpacker lodges. Again, in our opinion, most people take far too much! Travel light, buy what you need when you need it!) However, for the Indian backpacker especially the following may come in handy…
- Sink and Bath plug – Something you’ll very rarely see in India, so choose a useful travel ‘one size fits all’ variety like the Universal Sink Plug
- Travel Towel - Handy for the beach and quick drying. Choose something like: Lifeventure Soft-Fibre Advance Trek Towel Large
- Headlamp – useful for those nightime visits to the loo when trekking! We use a Petzl Tikka Plus Headtorch
A Few Clothes Pegs or Bulldog Clips – useful for holding a shower curtain/train curtain/biscuit packet closed.
earplugs – never know when you might need these… (Earfit Foam Ear Plugs 2 Pairs
- Laptop – Wifi is massively on the rise in India and they’re also great for watching movies. Use a Belkin Universal Laptop Travel Surge, With C6 Style Connector, 2m Cable
(6) MONEY There are ATM’s everywhere. Don’t worry about travellers cheques. Tip: Take a bit of emergency cash, a credit card and your ATM card. Also, don’t forget to inform you bank before you go: there’s nothing more annoying than finding you card’s been blocked for ‘out of the ordinary use.’
(7) LANGUAGE - Learn a few phrases of Hindi if only out of courtesy to your host country. You’ll be amazed how useful even the odd word or two can be. We like The Rough Guide Phrasebook Hindi & Urdu (Rough Guide Phrasebooks)
(8) BARGAINING – India is a bargaining culture, so be prepared for a lot of it. But be respectful. Bargaining is all about buying an item you want at a price you’re prepared to pay. If you pay slightly more than a local, who cares? You still got what you wanted. Our advice is to decide the maximum amount you’ll pay for something before you mention any rupees, or even express much interest in a product. Then pick an amount below that and work your way up! Mainly, enjoy the interaction and don’t get stressed or rude if it doesn’t work out!
(9) AVOID SCAMS – Many parts of the world has this problem, but unfortunately it’s also there in India. There are a number of very ingenious scams out there to deceive the unwary traveller, so exercise caution. For example, never ever buy air/ rail/ bus tickets through strangers or unauthorized travel agents/ tour operators, also known as touts. They are not at all reliable. Buy tickets from the authorized centers only. Check out the forums on India Mike here if you want to read some excellent indian travel advice.
(10) BEGGING – India’s rapid economic growth has left a trail of beggars in its wake. Supporting them is always helpful but we recommend you do so when you are leaving a place, as you get in the car, rather than on arrival. Otherwise, you will be mobbed. Even better is to offer them some food or a meal, avoiding the exchange of money entirely.
(11) DELHI BELLY – Hand Sanitizer is a very useful method of not getting sick. Use some of this before eating and after using the bathroom and you’ll have reduced your chances of stomach trouble by 90%. We would also recommend a heat resistant acidophilus supplement (like Solgar Advanced Acidophilus Plus (Non-Dairy) Vegetable Capsules – 60 caps
(12) FEMALE TRAVELLERS – There are many more men than women in India, many of whom are quite inexperienced with the opposite sex. Dressing conservatively and unrevealingly is a good idea, especially in rural places. Eve-teasing, as the sexual harassment of women in India is known, is occasionally a problem for the lone female traveller. If being stared at, it is best just to ignore the starer. If being followed, seek help from passers-by or the police if there is one around. If you’re afraid of staying in hotels on your own, bring along a Door Stop Wedge Alarm Home Office Security
to wedge under the door in case the lock is unreliable.
(13) Check THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH INDIA TRAVEL ADVICE PAGE here if you’re going to be travelling to any potentially unsafe areas.
(14) Enjoy the greatest country in the world and let us know how it goes at: info@theindiaphile.com
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