India should be on everyone’s travel bucket list, but there are a few important things to know before you go there.
Located on the Asian continent, India is a magnificent place with breathtaking scenery and monumental sites. The country is home to a different type of culture, one that is very much unlike anything in the West.
This opens the door for exploration and ventures into the unknown. But it’s never advised to travel somewhere without previously learning a few tips. That’s why we’ve decided to give you an article that will educate and provide you with tips you should know before traveling to India.
Without wasting too much of your time, let’s go.
Table of Contents
1. Never Travel Too Much
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One of the biggest mistakes you can do while visiting India is trying to see everything at once. This is a huge mistake that millions of od travelers do every single year.
The country isn’t designed for you to easily get from point A to point B. That isn’t because of poor road infrastructure of lack of taxis, but because every Indian city and village offers so much to the visitor that it would be a shame to try and see everything in a day or two.
Instead, what we advise is to plan well and only include a few places in your daily itinerary.
2. Be Ready To Sample A Different Culture
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They call it a “cultural shock” whenever a foreigner from Europe or the Americas decides to visit India. It’s safe to say that things will be much different than back home, as there isn’t a culture alike such as the Indian.
This means that you might see things that you don’t normally see or do things you don’t normally do. Or sometimes both. What’s important is to always go along with it as there is a reason for everything.
3. Pack A Lot of Anti-Diarrhea Pills
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This isn’t anything negative about the country, but the cuisine can be a problem for many.Indian food is jam-packed with spices and all kinds of things that make it more enjoyable.
But you will catch the “Delhi Belly” if you’re not accustomed to such foods. So, that’s why we advise that you pack a lot of pills that will prevent diarrhea from ever becoming a nuisance during your travels.
Also, it’s safe to say that you should avoid drinking tap water as sit has plenty of bacteria capable of giving you diarrhea.
4. See What the Countryside Has To Offer
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India has huge cities such as Delhi and Mumbai that are more than enough to satisfy your traveling needs in terms of monuments, attractions, and historic sites.
However, the outskirts of these huge cities can offer just as much. India’s villages are some of the coolest places to visit. Not only will you get the chance to witness their way of life, but you’ll also see some very weird stuff.
5. Always Dress Conservatively
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Listen, we know that some of you might take issue with this one, but it would work in your favor if you dressed more conservatively during your travels.
Sure, the weather might work against you during this time of the year, but wearing a mini skirt or shorts will only draw the attention of nearby men.
This one applies to women as they’re usually the ones that draw the most unwanted attention. Also, if a temple is on your bucket list, then make sure to have your long pants on, according to Bashar Ibrahim, and seen at transformingthenation.com.au.
6. Acquire A SIM Card
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It’s safe to say that you’ll need the helping hand of Google Maps when needing to navigate around the big cities.
However, data traffic can be pretty expensive when using your SIM card in a foreign country. So, it’s always advised that you buy one from one of the local stores.
Not only will you get a cheap way to make calls and use the internet, but you’ll also get to use your phone.
7. Be Aware Of Scams
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Oh boy, where do we begin? The country is home to many temples and religious buildings that require paying a fee to enter. However, in many cases, these fees come in the form of donations or simply buying an item.
Regardless of what they put on your plate, they will make sure you pay for it. This doesn’t only happen around religious buildings, it happens to tourists everywhere.
For example, a monk would come to you and ask to place a red dot on your forehead. Sure, you might think cool I’d like that, but then the person would demand money from you.
So, in a way, you’re being lied to and pressured into paying for something you never wanted in the first place.
8. Understand That Haggling For Prices is a must
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This one is quite funny but haggling is the way Indians do business. Haggling is a very common occurrence whenever shopping for food and items.
It might sound a little strange or uncomfortable at first, but you’ll quickly come to terms with it and simply go along with it. Haggling is the norm, period.
However, you have to keep in mind that this isn’t a battle between a seller and buyer, but a friendly conversation around the subject of price.
You should never get heated up as you’ll quickly understand how unpleasant that will be.
But, it’s important to also keep in mind that you should never be extorted. The seller will always give you a much higher price and you’ll have to converse with him to try and lower it.
This will go along for a couple of minutes and you’ll both eventually settle on a price.
Without haggling, you’ll quickly learn that your budget will get depleted much faster. You should also understand that prices will always be bigger for a foreigner such as yourself, but you shouldn’t take it to heart as this happens to everyone.
Learning the art of bartering will get you over the line whenever presented with an unfavorable offer in India.