It could be overwhelmed by huge crowds, foreign traditions, confusing bureaucracy, overwhelming complexity and overwhelming culture shock.
These things combine to make India a challenging – yet very exciting and rewarding – destination.
Nevertheless, by reading and according to these Travel Tips designed for individuals visiting for the first time, they may assist in alleviating some of the perplexing obstacles.
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Slow down
Navigating India successfully takes time and some know-how. This is not a place to travel in a hurry. Don’t try to see as much as possible; this is not the right approach. Travelling around India is tiring, and the goal should be to experience it, not tick things off the list.
As a general rule, choose one region for every two weeks you are in India. For a month-long trip, choose two regions – say, two weeks in Rajasthan and two weeks in Kerala. It is possible to remain stationary and still not miss any events or occurrences. Regardless, if you are in India, you will experience India.
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Adjust your attitude
Experience India to the fullest. There is a quote from the movie The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel that sums it up: “India hits you like a wave. If you choose to oppose, you will be forcefully subdued. But if you dive into it, you’ll be fine.”
Likewise, accept that things won’t go according to plan. Cultivate the philosophy that things happen as they are meant to be, not as planned. This attitude can lead to the most amazing adventures.
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Be careful who you trust.
Having said that it’s a good idea to keep an open mind, a healthy dose of skepticism also really comes in handy in India. There are many scammers out there, especially in the travel and hospitality industry. For first-time visitors, they have a sixth sense and will try to take advantage of it. it is very important Travel Tips.
Find out prices by asking locals and other travellers before negotiating with autorickshaw drivers and market vendors. Don’t trust drivers – or random people you meet at airports, train stations and tourist attractions – who tell you things like your hotel has burned down or the train you want has been cancelled.
The opportunity to make money often prompts creative tactics, and some of these scams can easily catch you by surprise. I was once looking for a new iPhone case, and the salesman showed me one and told me Apple made it. But a closer look revealed four misspellings in one short sentence engraved inside the case.
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Practice safe travel
India is often known as a challenging travel destination, particularly for women. However, I have spent many years in India as a solo traveller, and although I have felt uncomfortable, I have never felt truly unsafe or threatened. Reported crimes against tourists are relatively rare, but harassment, staring, pickpocketing, and robbery are common.
There are also anecdotal reports of women being harassed, especially in busy and crowded places. Follow basic precautions and strategies for safe travel and use common sense in India.
Here are some Travel Tips for safe travel (read my top tips for women travelling in India for more details):
- Buy a local SIM card to make local calls and stay in touch.
- Thoroughly investigate your desired destination, ensuring that it is a popular place among other tourists with well-developed infrastructure and accommodations.
- Plan your journey so that you don’t arrive late at night; travel only in daylight.
- Be careful not to reveal your current location when posting on social media.
- Be aware of your surroundings and keep a close eye on your purse and luggage.
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Try a small group tour.
For your first time in India, try a small group or self-guided tour to help you get your feet wet. My company, India for Beginners, was founded to help women travel safely and well in India. We offer some small group tours, but we specialize in creating custom tours and providing a high level of personal service, such as meeting passengers at the airport and assigning a tour manager who is available 24/7. We hold your hand in India!
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Take the train
Travelling by train in India is a great experience that you should not miss. However, you need some basic knowledge about classes and trains. You may not want to dive right into Sleeper Class or General Class; I would recommend 2AC (second class with air conditioning) or CC (seater car). Or even 1AC (first class with air conditioning) or EC (executive chair car).
Shatabdi and Rajdhani trains are among the best in India, so try and book one of them. Night trains can be a problem as they don’t clean the toilets at night so keep that in mind when booking.
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Eat food
India is one of the world’s top culinary destinations, and first-time visitors shouldn’t be shy about trying all the delicious cuisine on offer, even the street food. Some of the famous Indian items that you should not miss are masala chai, sweet lassi, biryani, pakoras, dosas and sweets like gulab jamun and kheer.
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Get a local SIM card.
Everything in India runs on WhatsApp, One Time Password (OTP) and text messaging. For this reason, you need a local number. To do this, get a local SIM card at the airport upon arrival. Still, you may find it difficult to pay for things online using a foreign credit card because India requires OTP verification and registering with Indian Railways to buy train tickets online is almost impossible.
