India is a culturally, historically, geographically and religiously diverse country. Located in South Asia, India occupies most of the peninsula and shares borders with many neighboring countries such as Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
India is the 7th largest country in the world by area but the most populous country in the world.
This tourist destination has the oldest civilization in the world with a history of more than 5,000 years. This is considered the origin of many major religions. In addition, this country is also influenced by many other cultures.
Therefore, when traveling to India, you will realize that this is a multilingual, multi-ethnic, multi-religious country and possesses richness and diversity in many areas such as culture, art, music, cuisine, architecture and customs.
However, traveling to India also has potential risks. To have a safe trip, tourists need to equip themselves with necessary travel experience and knowledge.
Best time to travel to India
Due to the characteristics of terrain and climate, India's weather is divided into 3 seasons: summer, rainy season and winter.
Summer in India lasts from March to May, the weather is extremely hot, the peak can reach over 40 degrees Celsius. Therefore, you should not make a trip during this period.
India's monsoon season starts in June and ends in October. The temperatures are cooler at this time, but the rains can also make your trip difficult.
If other places do not encourage tourists to come in winter, on the contrary, this is the best time to come to the land of the Ganges.
Indian winter lasts from around December to February of the following year. Therefore, you can go during this time. This is also the season of grand festivals such as Diwali, Holi or Pongal. You can enjoy delicious food, admire unique architectural works and enjoy the joyful, bustling atmosphere of the Indian streets.
Note about passport
Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry if you do not want to be deported while traveling in India. Always carry your passport with you wherever you go as most tourist attractions in India require a passport.
Buy travel insurance
Travel insurance is essential for a trip to this country. Public hospitals are poorly equipped and private hospitals are expensive. It will also ensure you are covered in case of emergencies and any adventure activities you may be involved in.
If you are unfortunate enough to become a victim of a crime, contact your local police station or call the national emergency number: 112 or 100.
Buy SIM before traveling
It’s easier if you have a local SIM card. Bring a SIM-capable phone and ask your local phone store to sign you up for a plan.
To register, you will need to bring your passport.
Luggage when traveling to India
India has a mainly tropical climate, hot and humid. Therefore, when traveling to India, you should prioritize loose, airy, sweat-absorbent clothes that can cover your arms and legs. Sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat should also be in your luggage because of the hot weather.
Goods such as cosmetics and cigarettes may be considered contraband and will take longer to clear through checkpoints. Make sure you have room in your suitcase for your return trip with plenty of souvenirs from India.
Hotel Booking
Hotel touts are common in India, ask your driver to drop you off at the exact hotel you booked, confirm your drop off at a specific location and book your room from there. Carry a small padlock with you to lock your hotel room door for safety while you sleep, as hotel locks are also relatively loose and easy to break.
In particular, bring a spare battery because electricity in India is unstable, sometimes only 30 minutes of electricity a day.
Personal belongings storage
You should keep important items such as money and passport in a thin waist bag under the clothes you are wearing. Only keep a small amount of change in your wallet for spending, never let others know where you keep your money. Avoid showing off money or expensive electronic devices if you do not want to attract the attention of thieves.
Cash is the main thing
In cities, you can swipe your card at shopping malls, restaurants, etc., but in small towns, avoid using your card to pay for everything. It's best to keep cash on hand.
In India, Rupee is the main currency used. So when you arrive at the Indian airport, you can exchange money right here or at the hotel where you stay. If you are not fluent in the language, you can ask the tour guide to exchange for you.
How to greet in India
When you travel in India it is like being a celebrity. People will want to talk to you and take pictures with you wherever you go.
The traditional Indian greeting is “Namaste” (hello). It is used both for greetings and farewells. When meeting a Muslim, say “salaam alaikum” (peace be upon you) – the correct response is “alaikum salaam”.
Shaking hands is customary in business between men, but men and women rarely shake hands with each other. Also, if you are invited to an Indian home, bring a small gift (flowers or sweets) and take off your shoes before entering.
One taboo in India that you should know is that when giving or receiving something from a local, you absolutely must not use your left hand. This is considered impolite and uncivilized.
Traffic
Be careful with traffic in India, especially at railway stations and on trains when travelling around the country. Rush hour traffic is a nightmare for any traveler. Choose domestic flights for a safe and convenient trip. Be aware that airport security checks are quite strict, with separate checks by gender.
Food safety
Food is a great part of traveling. However, when you visit India, you need to be careful with unhygienic and spicy street food.
Useful safe travel tips for India to enjoy the best local cuisine: do not drink water from ponds or unfiltered taps, but use bottled water. You should also bring your own pair of chopsticks.
Due to the custom of eating with your hands, as well as the poor hygiene of street food in some localities, tourists are susceptible to digestive diseases such as stomachache, indigestion, or worse, food poisoning. Therefore, prepare yourself with digestive and stomach medicines.
India is a religious country so they do not eat beef and pork. The main foods are chicken, goat and lamb. If you cannot eat lamb and do not like Indian food, you should prepare instant noodles, pork floss, beef jerky... at home to bring along to avoid going hungry while traveling to India.
Get to know Indian English
Although it is not related to religion, this is also a thing worth noting for your trip to India to be smoother. Indian English is quite difficult to understand, so if possible, you should familiarize yourself with it through movies/videos so that you are not too surprised when you are in a foreign country.
No public displays of affection
Public displays of affection are frowned upon by many people, as they are considered private. If you do this, you will inevitably be stared at. Try to avoid holding hands or using overly affectionate gestures in public.
Sometimes, in some states, this can even get you in trouble with the authorities, for violating rules related to morality and public order.
Modest clothing
As a multi-religious country, Indian culture is diverse with conservative rules, remember to cover your shoulders and legs when going out.
Wear Indian style clothes like kurta or shalwar kameez for your safety. This will keep you away from the attention of local men and avoid attracting unnecessary curious attention.
In addition, you should plan what clothes to bring when traveling to India. With the climate in India, the weather is hot and humid, but you need to dress modestly to suit your religion. Prepare scarves, pants and long shirts to cover your body and note that when entering temples, in India, it is customary to take off your shoes.
Avoid looking into other people's eyes
When you walk on the streets of India, you will see a lot of men. They often gather in groups or groups or wander around and give curious glances to tourists.
It is inevitable to want to be open when visiting a foreign country, but in India, this is not advisable. Looking back at them or smiling politely will make them think you have some kind of intention. So, do not pay attention to avoid contact and act normal and focus on your work.
Be careful with body language
In addition to not paying attention to the looks around you, you should also pay attention to your body language. Just one wrong gesture or action can bring trouble when in India. Limit intimate handshakes, touching the other person, pointing, and it is best to avoid contact as much as possible.
An experience for you when observing Indian people is that when they shake their head from left to right, it means “ok” to agree with what you say, shaking many times but lightly means “maybe” not sure if it is true. But if they shake their head strongly with a serious face, it means they “disagree” and are quite angry.
The Law of the Hands
Anything that requires one hand (like giving a gift, a cup of tea or important documents) must be done with the right hand, the left hand is mainly used for hygiene.
In a traditional Indian meal, there are no Western cutlery because Indians eat with their hands, so your left hand should hold your tray, the right hand is used to take rice, meat and vegetables served with bread.
Harassment
Reports of rape and sexual harassment of women in the media make India an unsafe place for female tourists. Women are advised not to travel alone to India.
To avoid this situation, women should wear wedding rings (even if they are not married) and use sunglasses and headphones. This will help you limit being teased or stared at by men on public transport.
If you get into trouble, draw attention to yourself - others will come to your aid; avoid getting into a taxi or tuk-tuk without anyone other than the driver; avoid walking alone in quiet areas, especially at night; you should not accept food or drink from strangers.
Bring tissues, wet wipes
What surprises tourists when traveling to India is that the toilets here do not have paper. Indians only use water to wash, so you should pay attention to prepare dry tissues and wet tissues from home. In India, tissues are not used much, so the sale of tissues is very limited, and it is also difficult to find tissues in this country.
Bargain when buying
Tourists to India are often quoted higher prices than usual, so you need to know how to bargain. If both parties are not satisfied with the price, politely decline and shop elsewhere.
Do not touch the book with your feet.
In India, children are taught from a young age that books are the foundation of knowledge. They even have a Goddess of knowledge, music, art, speech, wisdom and learning, Saraswati. So touching books with your feet or even kicking a school bag full of notebooks is considered disrespectful. School supplies are also respected, and should not be touched with your feet, such as pencils, pens, etc.
Hopefully the above experiences will help you gain more knowledge and prepare best for your trip to India.
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