What to Know BEFORE Visiting INDIA

10 Best Tips for First Time Visitors to India (Read Before You Go)

3/13/2023

After spending nearly an entire month in India, and being completely overwhelmed when we first arrived (or really the entire time we were there...) we put together a short hand list of what to expect during your first trip to India! Although these are great things to expect and keep in mind, we also encourage you to keep an open mind when visiting and we promise you'll have the best experience! From local cuisine and etiquette to scams to watch out for, make sure to read through this list before you visit India yourself!

Our Essential Travel Resources :
There are a lot of travel companies out there, but some are better than others. These are our favorite websites and resources to help you plan an incredible trip.

For flights, we recommend using WayAway or Hopper to compare the cheapest dates to travel to your destination.

Car rentals comparisons are best through Discover Cars - just make sure to bring your international driver's permit with you if you're heading somewhere international!

We always use AGODA for hotels. They have an easy-to-use platform where you can compare the best rates.

To keep cell phone service if you're traveling internationally, we always use Airalo’s easy to purchase eSIM’s (no installation required), and always use NordVPN to stay safe while connecting to different wifi connections.

For fun things to do, we always recommend Viator to find the best tours in the area, otherwise Klook also does the trick, especially for tours in Asia.

Just in case, Safetywing is the insurance I always use for travel insurance.

Lastly, my packing list for your international or domestic travels.

10 Things to Know Before Traveling to India

1. Don't Drink the Water - this might be pretty explanatory, but the first thing to avoid Delhi Belly is to never drink the tap water. This includes when you're in the shower, when you're brushing your teeth, and when you're eating out it's essential to always make sure they're using mineral water (or just avoid ice all together).

2. Scams - we don't want to scare you BUT there is an endless amount of scams (and scammers) that will target you when you're doing your best to explore India. It's so important to never listen, follow, or go with anyone you don't know - they will say whatever they need to trick you. We've seen locals wait for tourists to leave their hotel and follow them to claim they actually work for the hotel, we've seen locals trick people into saying the metro is the opposite way of where they're going, we've seen locals give tourists "free things" and then demand payment later, we've seen Tuktuks pretend not to know where to go and then demand increased payment then the agreed upon price. Just trust your gut, don't follow people, and watch your stuff.

3. Expect to Pay More than Locals - Pretty much everywhere you go, restaurants, street vendors, attractions, etc., the "tourist" price will be significantly more than the local price. At some places you'll be able to negotiate, however just know to expect this when exploring, shopping, or eating out.

Our Favorite Tours near Dehli :
- Old Delhi Food Walking Tour
- Taj Mahal Day Trip

4. Pack Appropriate Clothing - When in India, most people dress conservatively. This can be a bit different in larger cities like Mumbai or Delhi, however we recommend airing on the side of caution. Especially when visiting holi sites at temples or mosques, your knees and shoulders will have to be covered. Our best piece of advice is to bring a long shawl or sarong to easily cover your head and shoulders with in instances like this.

5. Verbal & Physical Harassment - Unfortunately, this is still quite common in India. The cat calling was actually not as bad as we had predicted, however the onslaught of TukTuk drivers, beggars, and merchants is something to prepare yourselves for. Occasionally, they will get quite aggressive and grab your arm or pull on your clothes. When this happens just be firm and tell them NO, and if it continues you can record them on video and say you're going to show it to the police.

6. Air Quality & Pollution - The air quality in India is some of the worst we've ever seen. Seriously, if you Google it you'll see the hundred of news articles yourself. It's so bad that 94% of the entire population currently lives in areas where the air pollution levels exceed India's own standards. Not to mention, there is garbage and poop everywhere in the city streets. You'll even see multiple people in the middle of a city peeing on the side of streets and sidewalks, in addition to the constant onslaught of spitting. We highly encourage you to bring comfortable walking shoes you don't mind throwing out after your trip (that goes for any clothes you bring).

7. Lodging Expectations - Unless you're paying out hundreds of dollars a night (or close to it), you'll probably have to lower your lodging expectations. If you have wifi that actually works in your room, that's awesome. If you have a clean bathroom, incredible. If you have clean sheets and towels, you've probably just won the jackpot.

8. Animals in the City - From cows to dogs to monkeys, you'll see plenty of them everywhere. Although you'll see people interacting with and petting each one, we can't recommend, even if you have your rabies shot.

9. Local Foods - If you've never had Indian food, then visiting India and trying local foods can be a bit of a shock. A large portion of food in India is veg friendly, although you can easily find non-veg meals as well. Some of our favorite foods (that weren't too spicy) were :

Aloo - potato
Gobi - cauliflower
Garlic Naan - flatbread
Julibee - a fried dough, similar to a funnel cake
Chana Masala - a chickpea curry
Dal - a lentil soup/curry
Thali - a large plate filled with a variety of curries and rice
Tandoor - bbq/grilled items like potato, mushroom, and meats
Cold Coffee - a chilled coffee with ice cream :)

10. Local Customs & Etiquette - India is a magical place, and if you've gotten this far then it might seem like we hated it. Truth be told, we had an incredible time in India and although everything seemed like A LOT to take in while we were there, we both agreed that we would love to go back one day! Our last point is local customs and etiquette to know. We've created a short hand list of social norms and rules below :

don't touch people on the top of their head
never sit with the soles of your feet pointing at another person, temple, or deity (sit crosslegged or on your knees instead)
cover up when necessary and remove your shoes (knees, shoulders and head when visiting holy places of worship)
use the right hand or both hands when passing an item in public, never use just your left hand when passing something or shaking hands as it is considered "dirty"
remove your shoes before entering someone's home
time is a construct in India (lol) for most things people will arrive 30 minutes to 1 hour late
generally hosts will offer you chai when you're visiting their home or shop, it is typically customary to accept this offer of hospitality

Watch our Adventures in India here!