Traveling is one of the greatest ways to invest one’s money and time since they get to experience a different culture, learn the history and the current state of another country in the world while also getting to know an alternative lifestyle.
All those things apply to traveling to India as well. India is a vibrant country, famous for its delicious cuisine, its customs and traditions and the many striking adventures offered there.
However, travelers should be cautious and mindful of several issues when visiting India in order to ensure that they have a fun trip and nothing too bad happens due to ignorance or misunderstandings.
Women’s safety
If you’re a female solo traveler, India should not be your destination. Even when you’re traveling in a group, women have reported receiving verbal, physical and sexual harassment and attacks. It goes without saying that not all areas are dangerous and not all men – Indian and temporary or permanent foreign residents – disrespect women. Respecting and following the national dress code, the social norms there, and not going to isolated or remote areas are some of the things that women travelers can do in order to keep safe.
Scams
Many scams are reported there, so no matter your gender you should be very cautious and suspicious if you want to ensure that no one will try to steal money from you. Use public transport or official pre-paid taxi services in order to get to your destination. Most hotels offer safe transport from and to the airport, which can be lifesaving. Do not enter the vehicle of people claiming that they can take you from one place to another for a small fare because it is usually a scam, and they end up threatening you to give them all your money. Additionally, you should not accept any too-good-to-be-true offers, like buying valuable jewelry in the streets. Check where a police station, your embassy and a law firm in India are in order to know where you need to go in case something terribly wrong happens.
Bargaining
When you are at a flea market and you spot a thing that you want to purchase, don’t accept the first price that the seller tells you. It is almost like a tradition in India that you’ll need to go back and forth in order to find the price that will satisfy both sides. This type of negotiation might feel awkward and embarrassing, but if you don’t try it, you’ll end up overpaying for everything.
Currency
The currency in India is Indian rupee. In case you’re wondering about its value, if you exchange 1 USD (United States Dollar), you will receive approximately 75 INR (Indian Rupee). What is pretty unique about India is the fact that tourists are not allowed to enter the country with Indian currency. Travelers can bring cash or cheques in their own national currency and a bank card and then exchange their money to rupees in India.
