India is vast place with different cultures and there are number of things
that you should know before beginning your journey as it is not at all easy to
travel here without proper information. Gathering as much knowledge as possible
of the place you are visiting is the best way of exploring that place. It
becomes easy to plan your trip with right information available. Traveling to
India is an extremely wonderful experience if planned properly and here you will
find some important points that will surely help you make your trip a memorable
one…!!!
Let’s explore “Things-to-do before traveling to India”
Get
Necessary Documentations
First of all before planning your trip have all necessary documents like
Passport, Visa, etc.. at your disposal as tourists to India are required to have
a Visa. You will need a valid Passport to travel in India. If you want to apply
for a visa than you can do so on
https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/indianVisaReg.jsp
Make
your things-to-do in India list
Decide where you want to go and what things you want to do in India as it
will help you in planning your trip easily. It’s definitely not an easy task to
decide where you want to visit in India but try making your itinerary as simple
as you can. If it’s possible than try and use guide book, as it can be very
beneficial in making your trip flexible and harassment-free. Allot more time
than usual to each of your scheduled tours as you never know how the place
welcomes you…!!
Pack
as per your need
Packing can be very tricky as most of the people pack just what they need and
prefer to buy other stuff accordingly. This can be very helpful as too much
luggage can be very difficult to handle and can mess your journey. Don’t pack
unwanted things instead try and pack what you think is very much needed as some
places don’t have cabs and rickshaws service. India is not a costly country and
you will get what you need at affordable prices.
Book
Hotels and Travel Tickets in Advance
It will be very beneficial for you if you can get your traveling tickets and
hotel bookings done in advance as in India, you never know what happens. Don’t
ever make the mistake of not booking your tickets In advance because it’s very
difficult to get the tickets at the time you need it. Reservations are very
difficult to get as trains get filled up months in advance. During tourist
season it becomes very difficult to get rooms in Hotels so it’s recommended to
book in advance according to your journey dates.
Doctor’s
Visit is must
India is a place not famous in the World for cleanliness so there is a strong
possibility of you being infected and getting sick so visit your doctor and take
his advice on travel-related medical tips. There are number of vaccinations
which are must before traveling to India but usually tetanus, typhoid and
cholera are advised. Pick and choose what you eat and drink to avoid most of the
health problems.
Exchange
your Currency
India is place where you might need lots of cash as at some places they don’t
accept credit or debit cards so it’s essential to have cash alongside with you.
Exchange your currency as per your need in major cities because especially in
small towns, it can get very difficult to exchange your currency and if by
chance you get one the exchange rates can be very high.
Dress
Properly
India is a narrow minded country and except some major cities like Mumbai,
Delhi, Ahmadabad, Kolkata, etc there are some kind of dress codes that you may
need to follow. You can’t roam around wearing a bikini or a short-dress, skimpy
tank tops or short skirt dresses in the streets of India because people here are
conservative. It’s best to cover up your body with absolutely no cleavage as
this is the real tradition of India and it’s necessary for you to follow this in
order to have a smooth journey.
Update
your knowledge on food and drinking safety
If you want your journey to progress without any sickness barrier than always
follow the rules that each and every traveler to India follows. These can help
you immensely in keeping yourself fit throughout your trip.
Only drink bottled water and never ever drink local water as it can very
harmful and may contains lots of bacteria.
–> Have your food in Hotels that are clean and don’t eat uncooked
foods
–> Don’t drink beverages with ice in them
–> Buy street foods that has been cooked hot and hasn’t been sitting
out
Follow above rules to low the chances of you getting sick to minimum. You are
the one responsible for your health so take care of it.
You
will attract attention
There is a tendency in India that foreigners often get attention from the
locals. So don’t feel intimidated if you see people staring at you as they won’t
harm you. Be it because of your look, language barrier or any other thing you
will be easily identified as a foreigner and some people may want to click a pic
with you so be gentle with them and enjoy your time.
Try
to mix up with locals
Like any other country it will be very beneficial for you if you can mix up
with the locals as they are the one who will brief you with the surroundings.
Try and be friendly with them, have a friendly chat with them and be steady in
your proceedings. Language can be a barrier in talking but still try and speak
in local language as this will make your impression good on them.
Behave
like you know everything
In India, there is a tendency of foreigners or even local without any local
knowledge getting cheated. So pretend that you know everything and talk firmly
and not slowly and lowly. If you won’t toughen up than there is strong chance
that instead of $1 you may end up paying $10. Above things apply especially for
Rickshaws and Taxi Drivers, because whenever they see a new people their rates
start going upwards.
Beware
of Goons
India is country where goons and thieves are found in every street and in
every corner. They may con or loot you before you realize. So if possible, split
the money in different places between wallet, shoulder bag, socks and places
like that. In case if you get pick pocketed than you have enough cash at your
disposals. And try and keep your wallet in the front pocket of your pants as it
is almost impossible to reach it without you being aware. Stay safe and enjoy
your journey don’t go with someone to lonely places.
Respect
the Indian Culture
The culture of India is very unique and is the way of life of the people of
India. Languages, religions, dance, architecture, food and customs differ from
place to place within the country. For example if you are in Gujarat, you will
get the feel of Gujarati tradition and like that if in Maharashtra, Marathi
culture is found. No matter in which part of India you are try and respect the
culture found there to add a flavor to your journey.