10 Things You Must Know before Traveling to India

India is a country with a long history, and it is also full of mystery. With the development of Indian movies, many people's impressions of India have changed a lot. Recently, many tourists choose to travel to India. What should you pay attention to when traveling to India? Top Asia Tour lists 10 things You Must Know Before Traveling to India for the first time and we hope it will be useful to everyone.

1. Do I need a visa to travel to India?

People from most countries need to apply for a visa to travel to India. It is very convenient to apply for a visa now. You can apply online or ask a travel agency to help you apply for a visa. Usually, you have to apply for a visa about a week before departure, and it will be approved within two or three days. You can enter the country twice within a year, and you must enter the country within 60 days after applying for a visa for the first entry.

Passport

2. Is India safe to travel?

India's crime rate is not high, even behind developed countries such as the United States, France, Ireland and Italy. It is dominated by non-violent crimes such as fraud and theft. We need to raise our safety awareness during the journey, understand the local folk customs, and do not violate some local taboos. Generally speaking, it is relatively safe to travel to India.

Flea Market

You must pay attention to the following points when going to India.

• Women should pay attention to dress when traveling. It is best not to expose your shoulders and knees, otherwise, it is easy to attract the attention of some criminals.

• Avoid traveling alone to remote rural areas and slums, which are prone to robberies.

3. How do I book hotels in India?

Agoda.com and booking.com are two global hotel reservation websites, and both require credit card reservations. Choose a chain hotel or a decent hotel to stay in. Please keep your valuables such as travel documents, cash, traveler's checks, credit cards, air tickets and cameras with you, and do not store them in your suitcase or leave them in a car, hotel room or public place. In the hotel, valuables can be stored in the safe at the reception, and please get the receipt. The door and luggage should be locked tightly when leaving the room, and the key can be handed over to the reception for safekeeping to avoid loss.

4. Can tap water be drunk directly?

Tap water in India is of poor quality and cannot be drunk directly. Do not drink raw water indiscriminately in India, especially the water placed on the table in the restaurant. It is recommended to buy pure bottled water in supermarkets or stores. A small bottle of water is 10 rupees (about 1 yuan) and a large bottle is 30 rupees (about 3 yuan).

5. Do I need to tip?

The restaurant has to add a 10% service charge, so there is no need to pay another tip. If it is a higher-level restaurant, a 7% luxury tax is also required. When entrusted to carry luggage at the airport or station, a tip of 1 rupee per piece of luggage should be paid at the counter.

6. What are the necessary items for traveling to India?

Toilet paper

Indians don't use toilet paper when going to the toilet. They use water directly, so it's better to prepare toilet paper or wet wipes. If you go to a public toilet, there is no toilet paper, so it is better to prepare some yourself.

Medicine

You can bring some of the commonly used medicines. If you are uncomfortable in India or have vomiting and diarrhea, just remember to buy the medicine at the local pharmacy. India's antiemetic and antidiarrheal medicine is the most effective and cheap.

Medicines

Converter

The voltage in India is 230V/50HZ. The plugs in India are all round plugs with three holes and two holes. If it is different from the socket in your country, you can bring a converter.

Dry hand sanitizer

Because the streets in India are very dirty, you can’t find water to wash your hands when you eat with your hands. Therefore, it is recommended to carry a bottle of dry-cleaning hand soap with you, preferably a spray type.

7. Can women travel alone in India?

Women should not go alone, especially at night. Due to cultural issues in India, women's status in the social system is very low. There are even reports that India is the most persecuted country for women in the world. They don't care about your nationality, as long as you are a single woman and you are at a very high risk. So, if you are traveling to India, please be sure to join group tour or go with male friends.

8. Don't drink Ganges water

As the origin of the entire Indian civilization, the Ganges is called the mother river by the Indian people. Because of religious culture, the Ganges has become a sacred place. Countless devout believers regard the Ganges River as the holy river. The newborn babies will be taken to the Ganges River to bathe, and the dead relatives and friends will also be sent to the Ganges River for "river burial".

Ganges

However, due to the lack of attention to environmental sanitation, the Ganges has become the dirtiest river in the world. The bacteria in the Ganges water are thousands of times that of normal river water. If you want to see the Ganges, please look as far away as possible, and don't go down the river or taste the Ganges water.

9. Don't try street food

Because of its large population, the Indian street food industry is very developed. In densely populated streets, you can see all kinds of street food everywhere. However, the hygiene of most street food is not up to standard. And due to cultural differences, Indians are more willing to grab a meal with their hands without paying attention to personal hygiene. Many tourists who travel to India will experience physical discomfort after eating snacks. If the stomach is not good, don't eat street food indiscriminately. It is recommended to choose dry food such as fried rice noodles and flatbread.

10.  What are the taboos in India?

1. In the eyes of Hindus, cattle are the mounts of Lord Shiva, so beef or cowhide products are prohibited. But Muslims in India do not eat pork, so it is best for tourists to eat chicken or lamb.

2. In India, you should avoid passing things to the locals with your left hand because the left hand is considered unclean.

3. Do not touch the head of a child, because Indians think the head is sacred.

Indian Child

4. In India, you must take off your shoes when entering religious temples and historical sites, and it is best to enter the country as the customs.

5. Never Wear shoes inside any holy places, leave your shoes outside the entrance. Do the same when you go inside someone's house. It is better not to wear shorts and short skirts in temple.

6. ​​In India, when you see special religious ceremonies being held, don't despise or criticize it, so as not to cause trouble.