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| India travel tips posted by real travelers and India locals. Map |
 | India Warnings or Dangers | Tips 1 - 10 of 275 |  |
If you don't like crowds, avoid Varanasi! This city is a Holy Pilgrimage center in India, so crowds and crowds of pilgrims come to town everyday, and specially during the many Religious Festivities.
Walking along the narrow alleys in the center might be claustrophobic as is a very "down to earth" experience. Leave a Comment
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ALWAYS, when using an Auto-Rickshaw or Taxi, confirm a price before you depart. Most of the drivers are honest, but some do try it on, and can cause some unpleasantness.
Also,don't let on if it is your first trip to India,for obvious reasons.
Wherever possible- if you find a GOOD honest driver- try and get a mobile number from him, and use him if he is available. We did this,and managed to keep the same driver in a number of cities. They are only too happy to be of help to foreign visitors, and sometimes even give advice that one finds useful Leave a Comment
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Free, or included-with-entry guides, are not really the deal you might think.
We passed up on the opportunity to hire a private guide at Bikaner's Junagarh Fort, as we were advised that one came with our ticket. There was a guide, leading a goup of predominantly Indian tourists, but we really got the short end of the deal. He was obviously more comfortable in Hindi than in English, and I know enough of the language to know how much was not being translated for us.
All of his attention was focused on moving us through the fort as quickly as possible, even to the annoyance of the rest of the group. He started speaking before people were within earshot, then refused to fully repeat what information he had given. . .all in all, it was a disappointing experience, since we were not able to leave the group and wander alone.
The extra cost of the private guide, who would have gone at our pace and answered our questions, would have been a worthwhile expense. Leave a Comment
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The Kalighat Temple is one of the more-visited sites in Kolkata, but there's a very smooth operation underway for tourists. As soon as you arrive anywhere near the temple, you are whisked in through one of the entries and met by a priest (I knew something was up as soon as I tried to explore the outside lanes before entering ~ everyone seemed very disgruntled), who will take you on a "tour" of the temple.
Obviously, anyone who offers assistance like this will expect a tip/donation at the end, and I typically have no argument with compensating for this type of service. However, when you reach the final stage of the Kalighat Temple tour, you'll be shown a book of signatures with donation amounts written next to each name and country (in strangely dissimilar handwriting). The amounts began at 1000 rupees and moved upwards. . .I was browbeaten to give more than I offered. I stood firm, signed the book and wrote in 100 rupees, but I'm certain that has since been adjusted.
The temple is interesting, but this experience ruined the visit for me. . .I've had many pleasant tours of temples, without the same kind of aggressive sham at the end. Leave a Comment
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This photo is from the security gates at the Taj Mahal complex, but I've also encountered security checks in a few other temples and sites in the country.
It's worth noting that cell phones, flashlights, walkmans/Discmans, food, and even pens will result in a request to check them at a cloak room. I've never had a problem with theft from any cloakroom, but items of irreplaceable value should always be left at home.
The security checks for flights within the country were mixed ~ I had to remove batteries from my cameras & alarm clock before one flight, but not before the next. Leave a Comment
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As you are not allowed to bring Indian currency into the country, nor outside, all money is supposed to be changed at local banks or money changers. You should ask and keep an encashment certificate for each change! First, you will need it for rechange when going back home. Second, and this is important for those deciding to stay more than six months, you'll need the certificates to prove you've been changing your money all along your staying and not earning money while you are in India. Leave a Comment
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This is a very big problem with women travellers - especially those travelling alone. Being an Indian woman, I often face the same problem. My advice, wear sunglasses, avoid eye contact and just ignore them. However, if anyone touches you in a way that is inappropriate, just scream and make a rucuss - it works every single time. Don't be afraid to slap them and if you can find a policeman nearby nothing like it. It happened to me in a beach in Kerala and that guy almost got beaten up after I yelled at him. Leave a Comment
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India is a crazy place. But one of the biggest concerns is water, in particulat drinking water.
If you are like me, and don't really enjoy foreign stomach microfauna, helping you with your weightloss, then you will be a little cagey about drinking the water in India. Never drink tap water. That goes without saying. Often this water comes straight out of an OPEN well. Even if it doesn't, the filtration systems, and chemical treatment is not even close to par. So its best to drink bottled water.
If you are in the main centres, and tourist centres this is a good idea. water is mass produced and usaully treated and then blasted with UV rays.
However if you are in Rural areas, and smaller towns, then often bottled water cannot be trusted. the bottles are refilled and re-sealed with un-treated water. I read a report that reported a water factory pumping water into bottles straight from a nearby stream. So one should always be vigilant.
If you are cagey about bottled water, you caould always drink soft drink (Soda) as they are manufactured under strict international standards. but then that may mean having to brush your teeth more, which takes us back to ahhhhh - bottled water.
I drank Chai. lots of it. and I drank tea. lots of it. Leave a Comment
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It might look obvious but always bring it with you.
It's the most basic travel document and at the end of your travel, you'll have learnt by heart date of issue, expirying date and number of passport, 'cause you'll be asked to show it every time you book for a room.
Bring some extra passport-size photos just in case you need to extend your visa. Leave a Comment
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I was staying in a Hilaveli, on the you can see it a little in the picture. It was made of a beautiful golden sandstone that Jaisalmer is famous for. Anyway one afternoon I thought I'd take a nap. All I had drunk that morning was tea and Fanta. I was not drinking water because well I didn't trust it (Silly silly me).
Jaisalmer regularly hits 45+ degrees in the dry season. Also being the dry season, airborne humidity is very very low indeed, so you don't have to be a meteorologist to know that a dry air, and a hot sun, will draw humidity from anywhere.
My girlfriend drank water. She awoke rerfreshed allbeit a little thirsty. I on the other hand woke up freezing, shivering, my teeth where chattering in the heat. Soon I was nauseous, vomiting, and shaking. I was taking lots of showers to keep cool. I knew I had heat stroke.
I went downstairs, the manager was there, and its cooler there. I used his shower and the he told my gf to go and by medicine. By this time was was zoning in and out of consciousness. And I had pins and needles in my mouth. My feet and hands were cramping. I was scared to &^%* if I lost consciousness there, how were they going to rehydrate my blood. 30 minutes later (in the nick of time) my gf turned up with electrolytes.
When you are in the Desert. drink alot of water, you lose more water through eveporation that you think. second pack some sachets of electrolytes in your bag. mix them with water and take them slowly. They work so well. The flat, water mixed softdrinks don't work with acute sunstroke (Thermic fever) that I had. Leave a Comment
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on March 9, 2004
on May 9, 2009
on February 22, 2004
on August 26, 2004
on July 21, 2004
on February 6, 2005
