India is a wonderful destination that travelers often pick to find themselves spiritually, but the experience can be pretty overwhelming, especially for those flying to the country for the first time. Before organising a trip to India, it’s vital that you browse through our website as well as do your research before your departure. In addition to your research, here are a few tips on travelling India:

1) Be prepared for the crowds

India is well known for its growing population and high population density and because of that, the concept of personal space doesn’t really exist. Expect to get squished on public transport, and people asking you seemingly intrusive questions. Don’t be intimidated by the latter, as Rough Guides explain that this is merely a way of expressing their polite interest in you and your foreign culture. If you ever need an escape from the crowds, there are lots of quiet retreats down south to the mountainous regions, the backwaters and the hill stations.

2) Stay Healthy

The hygiene situation in India isn’t the best nor the safest, so you’ll need to be on the lookout for anything unsanitary. Lonely Planet explains that the basic things to avoid include tap water and any food washed in it. This means no ice, no salads or fruits that you haven’t peeled yourself. You might want to consider a vegetarian diet while travelling to prevent any illnesses from dodgy looking meat, which won’t be difficult to do considering the country does have a wide selection of vegetarian dishes. In terms of the toilets, you’re better off using the “left-hand-and-water-jug” method rather than dry paper. You can also bring your own toilet paper, along with soap and hand sanitiser.

3) Subscribe to email alerts for cheap airfare

Tickets to India have experienced price fluctuations in the past few years, and while the rule of thumb is to book them early, sometimes spontaneity will find you the best value for your trip. Although you can choose to book through a cheap carrier, these days budget airlines have a bunch of hidden costs, with some carriers even excluding Airport Tax in the quoted price, according to the leading airport parking aggregator, Parking4Less. Often the best deals will come up during the low season, so if you don’t have strict travel dates, keep an eye out for promotions by subscribing to alerts via email or text.

Last Updated on November 12, 2018 by Rohan