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Tips for travelling in India
There’s no denying that travelling to India can be a major culture shock, especially on your first visit. It’s a huge and bewildering country, with many different religions and cultures, and cities that roar with traffic and bustle with activity non-stop. Indians are hospitable and friendly people, if they stare at you, do not consider it rude, it is only a matter of curiosity. A tourist need never be lost in India, most people are more than willing to go out of their way to guide you to your destination.
Currency: Rupee
System of measurement: Metric (kilometers for distance, kilograms for weight, centigrade for temperature)
Driving: Left hand
Time: GMT plus 5 hrs 30 minutes
Languages: English widely spoken; main local language: Hindi in the North, Tamil in the South. Public signs are likely to be in English also, in addition to one or two local languages.
Dialling code: 00 91 (from the US); 00 1 (to the US)
A local custom: People may prefer to misguide you rather than admit that they do not know. Again they will tend to agree with you, even when they don’t.
Currency:
There are approximately 100 Indian Rupees to a pound and 60 to a US Dollar. The notes in regular circulation are in denominations of Rupees 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 & 1000. There are 100 Paise in a Rupee and there are coins of Rupees 10 or less, going down to 1 Rupee. Most people do not wait for change of less than one Rupee or so and even beggars may refuse smaller coins.
Being a partially controlled currency Rupees are not readily available outside India. All ports of entry in the country, however, have a 24-hour bank exchange counter immediately after Customs and Immigration, which will offer you the opportunity to buy some Rupees. These can also be bought in most hotels. Buying from a bank is time consuming and is best avoided unless converting a significant amount.
It is advisable to keep the receipts (also called encashment certificates) that are given by hotels/banks when you convert foreign currency into Rupees. Tourists are required to pay local bills in foreign currencies and your Rupees, when supported by the encashment certificates, are deemed to be foreign exchange (in actual practice no one really bothers to check these). These are more useful when reconverting your Rupees into foreign currency when you return. The re-conversion is best done during departure at the airport. Tourists are warned that changing money through unauthorized persons is not only illegal but also involves the risk of receiving counterfeit currency. To exchange foreign money other than through banks or authorized money- changers is an offence
Healthcare:
Avoid drinking tap water and taking ice in drinks. Stick to bottled water (or boiled/UV treated water available at the hotel) and ensure that the seal is opened by you/in your presence. Aerated waters (bottled soft drinks) are fine.
Eat in moderation for the first few days. Allow your system to get used to the changes. Yoghurt (locally called “curd”) is advisable for weak constitutions or after a hot curry.
Indian beer, gin and rum are fine. You may not find some of the local whisky very good. Wine, if available, would generally be very expensive. Check the price before ordering. Imported liquor is available but very expensive.
We recommend you carry with you a small supply of basic health care medication such as travel sickness tablets, anti-diarrhoea tablets, insect repellent, sun creams and a general purpose antibiotic. Although most of these items are available in India, the security provided by brands one is used to, is reassuring.
We strongly recommend that all travellers are properly insured for the holiday. If you have taken your own travel insurance, please check that it includes repatriation costs.
Clothing:
Most hotels, including the more exclusive ones, do not insist on formal wear in restaurants and smart casuals are acceptable.
During the day it is best to wear light, comfortable cottons with a pair of good ventilated walking shoes (Open-toed sandals let in dust and pebbles) and cotton socks.
For the sightseeing sessions you may find a good pair of sunglasses and a sun-hat handy.
At some of the monuments/temples/mosques, it is advisable to avoid sleeveless tops and short skirts. You may also be asked to remove your shoes; in such cases airline socks are useful.
Early morning and night temperatures in the North, especially from December through February can be quite low, adequate warm clothing should be carried. Moreover, most mid-range heritage hotels do not have any heating.
In wildlife parks neutral clothes are recommended. Early morning game drives in open vehicles can be very cold – mittens, mufflers and layers of clothing are recommended. As the day progresses some layers can come off.
The floors may not be carpeted, particularly in heritage hotels and jungle lodges, and slippers are advised indoors.
Laundry:
Most hotels offer same day laundry service. A portable iron can be handy when pressed for time. In remote areas laundry service may not be available and even when available may not be reliable.
Airports:
At some airports our representatives will go in with you till the checking in stage; this may not happen at all airports and you should not come to expect this everywhere.
Our representatives tend to take you early for check-ins, just to be on the safe side, and some reading material or a crossword may help as you wait for your flight.
For reasons of security you may be asked to remove batteries from your camera.
Most airlines do not permit the carrying of sharp objects in the cabin and items like scissors, nail cutters, pen knives, etc., are best carried in the checked-in baggage.
Batteries and any sharp objects, if asked to be surrendered, are seldom returned back.
Shopping:
India provides splendid opportunities for the shopper especially for silks and cotton, Jewellery & Gemstones, carpets, bed linen, handicrafts in all types of medium, miniature paintings and much more. If asked, our local agents will advise on where best to buy particular items.
When purchasing an expensive item, always check the level of duty payable in the UK/US on your import. Most hand woven carpets used to be exempt from import duty; this is no longer the case.
At some places our agents may give you a list of recommended shops. These are reputed establishments offering quality products. The advantage of buying in these is that any issues arising after purchase, such as delayed delivery or a flaw in the product, can be sorted out with our assistance.
As a consequence you may encounter occasional pressure selling from some guides/drivers. If you are not interested, and if the guide/driver is particularly insistent, do not hesitate to refuse and bring it to the attention of our associate offices/agents. You are more likely to encounter pressure selling in the more popular tourist spots in Northern India and less so in the South.
Please note, however, that we are not responsible for any shopping and related problems, although we assure you of any help that we can provide.
Voltage:
The electric voltage in India is 220 volts. Most English electric appliances work well in India but a universal adapter is needed. Many deluxe hotels provide hair dryers but it is advisable to carry your own, if you use one regularly.
Tipping:
Tipping is common, particularly if you are happy with the service. Please note that tips are in addition to (and not the same as) porterage, which unless otherwise specified, is included in your holiday price. Some suggested amounts for tipping are:
Reps who help you with the transfers : Rs 300
Bell boys who carry your baggage to your room: Rs 50
Guides for half day/full day sightseeing trips: Rs 300-500
Drivers for long trips spread over many days: Rs 300 per traveller per day
(The above amounts are mainly indicative. It is often customary to pay higher sums depending upon the quality of service)
Waiters in restaurants 5-10% of billed amount (if service charge not included)
For room service tipping is common but NOT for housekeeping. We would suggest you keep some notes of smaller denominations (Rupees 50) handy.
Others:
Talk to local people. No one is much bothered about “intrusion of privacy”, a concept that is somewhat alien to the local culture. Be prepared in turn for being asked personal questions.
If you feel there is a problem do have faith in our local associates and bring it to their attention. It is not a good idea to harbour a complaint for redress later rather than seek remedy locally.
Above all retain your sense of humour.
