Before traveling to India, there are certain travel tips that you need to know, so you can have a safe memorable experience. Those tips not only enhance your travel experience, but unsure your safety when going to your destination. Make sure to fellow them before coming to India.
1. Print Your Visa. No, It’s The Other Visa
It’s not difficult to apply for a double-entry tourist visa to India using a website administered by the Indian government, with a four-month timeframe for your initial entrance.
However, there needs to be more clarity about what you must print off and give to the authorities when you receive the confirmation email indicating your visa has been accepted.
The paperwork you must print out to enter the nation and board the flight to India must be emailed to you, as it turns out.
On my trip to New Delhi, at least ten passengers were ushered from the boarding line and hurried to a bit of side office at the airport’s Newark Liberty International to print the Electronic Travel Authorization form required to enter India. They had a printout of the email that had confirmed their visa, but you don’t need that.
I had a printout of the correct paper, but I accidentally discovered it. Return to the visa application website after receiving approval, then choose “visa status.”
Click “print status” at the bottom of the screen after entering your information, and the appropriate form should begin downloading. If it doesn’t include your picture and a bar code, it’s not the relevant document.
2. Your Credit Cards With You:
Generally speaking, you must develop the practice of printing down all itineraries, whether related to travel or lodging. However, remember to bring the credit card you used to make the reservation.
It’s particularly crucial for flights; you’ll see that it’s required in the tiny print of specific carriers. And though my credit card was rarely examined, it was on one occasion. Ensure you have it with you so you don’t find yourself in a sticky situation.
3. Maintain Contact But Don’t Overpay:
Purchase a local SIM card if you want to stay in India for an extended period. One gigabyte of data is included in the $60 flat rate AT&T Passport plan for up to 30 days; three gigabytes are available for $120. And be prepared to pay $50 more for every additional gigabit of data if you go over.
When I landed in India, I went to the Airtel booth and paid 999 rupees (a little over $14) for a local SIM card, taxes included. The 84-day card came with 100 SMS (text messages) per day, unlimited local calls, and 1.4 gigabytes of internet per day. Whatever the length of your stay, it would be wise to take advantage of that fantastic price.
You might choose a more versatile choice if you travel across several nations. When I boarded a trip to Sri Lanka and discovered that my Indian SIM card was no longer functional, a data-only AIS travel SIM card came in useful.
An AIS card purports to function in 18 countries, but I can only speak for Sri Lanka and India. It offers four gigabytes of data over eight consecutive days
4. Keep Moving, But Be Patient:
In India, you’ll learn to know ride-share applications well since they’re practical, affordable, and preferable to haggling with drivers. But be prepared to practice some patience. The two ride-sharing applications I used in India, Ola Cabs and Uber, typically functioned satisfactorily.
However, I discovered that I had to constantly cancel or reorder since drivers frequently didn’t show up or were lost in terrible traffic. It will be simpler to acquire a car if you are on a significant road rather than a little side street.
Additionally, confirm that there are no foreign transaction fees associated with the credit card you’re using to pay for your rides. If your Uber account is linked to a credit card with a foreign transaction fee, you could have to pay more while using Uber abroad. The Citi Premier Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve are two cards that don’t charge international transaction fees.
But sometimes, taking a tuk-tuk or auto rickshaw is more reasonable and practical. In such a case, get ready to haggle. Be aware that tuk-tuks can only take you to some places.
For example, when I requested one to drop me off at the Delhi airport, I was unpleasantly surprised to discover that the driver would not take me directly to the terminal and that I would instead need to take a separate shuttle. The driver explained that tuk-tuks could not drop you off at the airport
5. Be Ready To Make Change:
I discovered that airport exchange rates were reasonable, and one benefit of doing it in person rather than at an ATM is that you may request tiny notes. You want to avoid being seen carrying about a bunch of purple two thousand rupee bills. Change should be effected whenever possible.
Fast food establishments are excellent for this. When purchasing a cup of tea on the street or boarding a tuk-tuk, you’ll need little amounts; do not rely on the driver to be able to provide change.
6. Stay Active:
There are many options to go to films, events, and concerts in India. I quickly scheduled a concert in Mumbai using the popular nationwide website Book My Show, which is quite helpful for this.
When visiting a new city, I booked tours and guides directly with the business wherever feasible. Still, I also utilized more prominent aggregator websites like Viator and Klook for their convenience.
In a new city, there are several options to locate local tour guides. For instance, there are several in Mumbai on the street just outside the Gateway of India. When I was in Kolkata and booked a room through Airbnb, I had great success getting recommendations for activities and places to see from reliable homestays.
7. Let’s Agree To An Agreement:
Haggling is a skill. Even though I don’t particularly enjoy it, some people don’t; it’s worthwhile to attempt to get into the holiday mood, especially if you plan shopping. Decide how much the specific item, such as a blouse or a purse, is worth. Decide in your mind how much you are willing to spend.
If you are foreign, the vendor will likely offer you an extremely high price as their first offer. Bring back half that amount, or perhaps even less, depending on the situation. The merchant will abruptly ignore your response and return with a lower figure.
The next step is just a matter of deciding how badly you desire the thing. If you are trying to buy anything for 500 or 600 rupees, focus on something other than achieving the lowest possible price.
Otherwise, you risk losing the deal by filing a federal lawsuit over the final 100 rupees, or less than $2. Remember that you’re still receiving a fantastic bargain and that the value of the money is greater than yours
8. Should I Eat Or Not?
I am a fervent supporter of street food. I adore the tastes, the setting, and the fact that it is naturally reasonably thrifty. But there are hazards associated with eating street cuisine. I had severe stomach problems after eating street dumplings in China earlier this year.
I had more incredible luck in India, and that’s all it is: luck. You will become ill if you consume enough street food. Just a matter of time. The reward outweighs the danger. And if you do decide to try it, there are precautions you can take to lessen your risk of becoming sick.
First of all, don’t drink tap water and water offered in the street. Although it seems clear, this also applies to other pursuits: Use bottled water if feasible while brushing your teeth with tap water, and avoid opening your mouth when showering.
Additionally, I refrain from purchasing ice-filled beverages from street vendors since, while the fruit juice you buy could be completely healthy, the ice might not be.
Fresh fruit and vegetables are out for me unless they can be peeled. Generally speaking, I seek spicy cuisine and busy street vendors. There is a higher likelihood that the food is fresh if they are serving a lot of it.
Additionally, cooked foods are safer than raw foods, such as the deliciously flavored milky tea kept at a rolling boil at the numerous street-side tea stalls. You should also consider getting a travel insurance in India. We have a guide that cover this area.
Conclusion:
I hope you enjoyed our Indian travel guide and find it helpful about the things you need to know before traveling to India. We do have many blogs that help you venture in this amazing country. Whether you enjoy Indian Temples, appreciate hill stations in India, or enjoy the exotic wild life of India, there is a taste for everyone in this enchanting country.
You might also enjoy reading our guide on the best time to visit Nainital, mysterious places to visit in India, Islands of India and the best holiday in India.
Leave a Reply