Buy a local or international SIM card

When you’re in a new country and unfamiliar surroundings, you’ll want to ensure you have a reliable phone signal whenever possible. This could be vital for checking flight times, contacting others in your group if you get split up and researching the best places to eat near your hotel.

Keep social media safety in mind

This tip is especially useful if you’re travelling to India alone. You might be desperate to share your amazing images online so your friends and family can see them. However, if your profile is open for all to see, you’ll potentially be giving your exact location away to thousands of strangers. It’s wise to store up your holiday snaps and only share them once you’ve moved from one location to another.

Pay by cash wherever possible

This advice isn’t exclusive to India. It makes sense not to use your credit card in a different country and entrust a complete stranger with your details. Some unscrupulous vendors may have hidden card cloning machines which copy your details and will potentially cause you problems during your stay or once you’re back home.

It’s wise to let your card provider know that you’re travelling to India on holiday in advance, so they can keep an eye out for any suspicious activity on your account. While it might be better to pay by cash in smaller stores and markets during your stay, as with any country, be careful about carrying too much at once and be discreet when taking notes out of your wallet or purse.

Keep your valuables close to you

Some places are worse than others regarding pickpockets and bag snatchers. Unfortunately, it’s all too easy to get distracted by the number of people, sights and sounds around you and leave yourself vulnerable to theft.

Wearing a bum bag under loose clothing, a sling bag that goes across your body or a neck pouch to keep your valuables in while you walk around is a good idea. You can even buy sockets with hidden pockets online, which is one place potential thieves are unlikely to consider.

Beware of beggars

While many people live in genuine poverty in India, when you go to the big cities, you’re likely to come across beggars on the streets. As a tourist, you’ll be a target for their attention. The problem isn’t that they’re aggressive or a threat, but if you decide to give some money to one person, you could find yourself surrounded by others who want your money too.

If you’d like to do something to contribute, you could buy them food or donate to a local charity to ensure the right help reaches the right people.

Don’t be without the essentials

While you don’t want to carry too much stuff around with you, we’d highly recommend having hand sanitiser and insect repellent with you at all times. With such densely populated cities, it’s impossible to keep everything spotless, so if you’re concerned about picking up a bug, keeping your hands clean is important, especially if you’re going to be eating with them.

A nasty bite from a mosquito bite or other insect can derail your holiday plans or be annoying and uncomfortable. There are certain roll-ons and sprays that protect you better against mosquito bites than others, so it pays to do your research before travelling and take some over with you.

Learn a few common phrases in Hindi

English is widely understood in many parts of India, but it’s always nice to show the locals you’ve made a bit of an effort to learn the local language. Many people already know “namaste” means “hello”, but a few others worth learning include:

● Dhanyavaad - thank you

● Haan - yes

● Nahin - no

● Krpaya - please

● Theek - OK

There are lots of videos online that will help you to pronounce these and other Hindi words correctly, and it’s worth practising a bit before your holiday.

If you’ve got good access to the internet while you’re away, you can always use an online tool like Google Translate to hear a pronunciation first. Don’t worry if you get it slightly wrong; people will appreciate it if you’ve made an effort to speak to them in their own language.

Haggle with a smile on your face

We’re not a nation of hagglers in the UK. Most of us wouldn’t dream of trying to knock down the price of a takeaway sandwich or when buying clothes from a market stall. However, in India, it’s a completely different culture, and if you’re not willing to have a friendly bit of banter to get yourself a better deal, you’ll undoubtedly end up paying way over the odds.

When you want to make your holiday budget stretch a little further, haggling is a great way to do it and have a bit of fun with the locals. If you come across a seller who’s adamant about sticking to their original price, simply thank them for their time and look elsewhere. Some might then offer you a discount, but if not, there are likely to be many other places you can buy the same thing for less. Think of it as a game, and don’t take haggling or yourself too seriously.

Be mindful photography isn’t allowed in some places

There are many sacred sights in India that you’ll yearn to take amazing photos of. The most famous place in the country where photography is forbidden is inside the Taj Mahal. Don’t be tempted to try and sneak a couple of sly snaps because there are guards whose job it is to spot you - this is considered disrespectful and very much frowned upon.

Prepare for the change in humidity

It’s not just the temperatures in India that some people find it hard to acclimatise to; the humidity is also higher than in the UK. You should bear this in mind if you plan to do a lot of sightseeing on foot, as the humidity (and air pollution) in some places can slow you down a bit.

It’s also a good idea to ensure you’ve got a plentiful supply of bottled water so you don’t get dehydrated. Packing lots of cotton or linen items in your holiday luggage will help keep you cool on your travels as opposed to synthetic materials like polyester

Pack for the time of year and location

This sounds obvious, but it’s easy to get caught out, especially if you’re touring different parts of India that may have slightly different climates. There’s plenty of information online about monthly temperatures, the likelihood of monsoons etc., so it pays to spend a bit of time researching what to expect so you arrive prepared for any eventuality.

If you’re unprepared for what the weather throws at you, you’ll be able to buy what you need if you stay in a city without blowing too much of your holiday budget. As we mentioned above, remember to haggle so you don’t pay an inflated price.

Expect plenty of noise and a lack of personal space

Don’t be alarmed when you’re packed in like a sardine on public transport when staying in cities; Indian culture doesn’t particularly involve giving others lots of room. You may find some people ask you personal questions when you’re out and about, but don’t worry – it’s all part of the culture, and they’re simply showing polite interest in you.

The same goes for noise – Indian cities are renowned for being loud and busy, but it’s all part of the exciting experience. Soon enough, you’ll get used to the city’s decibels and won’t bat an eyelid when you’re sharing the road with a cow or two - not a common sight on the UK’s roads.

Expect to be popular

Whether you’re exploring Indian cities or taking in some of the country’s natural wonders, you can expect plenty of attention as a tourist. The vast majority of this will be friendly and inquisitive, but there might be the occasional scammer who sees you as an easy way to make some quick cash.

If you’re unsure what to expect, it’s a good idea to chat with someone who’s been to India already or have a look online for videos and message boards. You may not get many people looking to get their picture taken with you when you pop to your local Tesco, but in some parts of India, you’ll be made to feel like a VIP, which can take some getting used to.

Embrace Indian life to the full

There’s no denying that India is completely different from the UK and likely different to other countries most people have visited. To maximise your experience, be sure to fully embrace everything on offer. From the food to the festivals, the temples to the tigers and the rickshaws to the roads – go with the flow and enjoy it all. It’s a country like no other, and the memories of your trip will never leave you.

If the idea of travelling alone in India isn’t for you, you can book our Golden Triangle tour to see many of the country’s highlights in a safe, easy-going environment. This trip culminates in a week-long stay in the Maldives, so you’ll have plenty of time to recharge your batteries before boarding your flight back home.

It’s easy to run out of superlatives when writing about India. If you’ve only been on holiday to Europe and/or the US previously, your eyes will be opened to a completely different way of life. It’s an overused phrase, but a tour of India is undoubtedly an experience you’ll never forget.

It’s a country of spectacular contrasts you’ll wish you’d visited sooner. One holiday here is never enough, given that it’s such a vast and varied land. Our team works hard behind the scenes to bring you the best possible packages, so travelling to India needn’t be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

We’ve got dozens of deals, including New Delhi, Indian spiritual tours and beach breaks in glorious Goa. You can browse all our inspiring Indian holidays or give us a call.

We’re open seven days a week from 9am until late to answer your questions and help you book the trip of a lifetime.

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