Tips and tricks for a visit to India

December 18, 2017

Visas

Visa requirements for India
Visa approval for India can take a few weeks so make sure there is enough time before departure to get the documents back.

Transportation at the airports

Most international flights arrive late at night. All airports have kiosks outside the terminal that help travelers hire a registered taxi for a predetermined amount based on the destination. It is safer to take these taxis to leave the airport.

Money and Currency Exchange

ATMs are the way to go. Banks and other exchange places offer a much lower exchange rate than the agents at the airport.
Most restaurants and large stores take MasterCard and Visa credit cards .
Most small/local stores and restaurants will take cash. Its best to keep smaller denominations for paying for tuk tuks, shopping at local markets, etc.
There are agents at the airport to exchange currency. Its best to keep a small amount to pay for taxi, etc. and get the rest from an ATM the next day.

Power outlets

Power outlets in India provide power at 230 V and the outlets need 2 or 3 pronged round plugs. To use your 110 V appliances, you will need a step-up transformer and an adapter to use in India. We now keep a set of travel appliances that take 110 – 240 V so we don’t need to take a transformer. We just take an adapter for the Indian power outlets.

Sun safety

Sunscreen and hats are a must for kids. Most historical monuments are spread out with large courtyards with no shade.
Cotton is the most comfortable fabric for Indian weather. There are stores in most cities that sell ready to wear 100%cotton clothes.
Wearing long sleeves and long pants made of thin linen or cotton goes a long way towards protection from the sun and heat, especially during warmer months.

Personal Safety

Keep your children close, especially in crowded places. Its easy to get pulled away. We keep hotel and contact information on our kids in case they get separated.
Its best to avoid wearing gold or other expensive jewelry as chain snatching is not uncommon. Keep your valuables close and your camera in a safe hold.
Passengers in the backseat of cars/taxis do not require seat belt or a car seat. Traffic may speed up and slow down in spurts so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the road to know what to expect.

Bug Spray/Insect Repellant

Keeping a bug spray, anti-histamine and insect bite treatment would be a good idea. We have had to use benadryl for our son after a bite from an unknown source.

Strollers

Majority of cities and attractions are perfectly compatible with strollers.
There are steps that need to be navigated at most historical places so the strollers would need to be carried up.

Food and drinks

It is unsafe to drink any water that comes from an unsealed bottle. We avoid ice for the same reason.
It would be safer to eat only fully-cooked food in a restaurant that looks clean. It would be best to avoid eating from a cart or a hole in a corner type of place. We avoid salad as well as it is uncooked and can cause food poisoning if not properly washed.
Allergens are not well documented on packaging, so if in doubt, avoid.

Formula/baby food

Most brands of formula available in India have a higher sugar content than the ones sold abroad. We took our own formula to avoid any issues.
Most canned baby food available in India has distinct flavor and our son refused to try it when he was a baby. We had taken a few cans from home and made do with formula for the rest.
It is imperative to sterilize bottles in India and not just make do with a quick wash. We solved the problem of sterilizing while traveling by carrying bottles that use drop-in liners and carrying about 10 nipples. That way, we just threw away the liners and sterilized all the nipples in one batch at the and of the day. We bought an electric kettle to boil water where ever we stayed.

Shopping

In all local markets, the price of everything being sold is up for negotiation. It’s a good idea to offer half the quoted price and go from there. The exception would be upscale malls, where the sticker price tends to be the final price.
Shops in most shopping areas do not open before 11 AM.
Most cities have some local markets that sell local handicrafts at good prices. Hotel staff tend to give the best recommendations for good local markets and restaurants.

Transportation

Ask your hotel to arrange for a taxi. Negotiate the fare in advance.
Tuk-tuks or the three wheeled auto-rickshaws are common and a cheap mode of transportation in most cities. Negotiate the fare in advance or make sure the meter is turned on.
For a full day’s trip, the safest option is to arrange for a cab and keep it for the whole day. It is not much more expensive than getting an auto-rickshaw or taxi at every stop and negotiating a new price to go to the next stop.
Getting in an unknown taxi late at night may be unsafe in some cities. Check with your travel agent, hotel staff or any other local contact for general safety of a particular city.

Tour Guides

Most attractions have a lot of tour guides at the entrance offering their service at a fraction of the cost arranged by the travel agent.
Always check for their license or some other official identification.

Toilets

Hotels – The bathrooms were extremely clean and in working order.
Restaurants – The bathrooms depend on the class of the restaurant.
Public – Most public restrooms need 5-10 INR for use so its good to keep coins handy for that. Restrooms at city attractions looked more like the gas-station bathrooms in the US. We packed these items in everyone’s day pack and didn’t have to worry about bathrooms after that.
- Mighty Clean Baby Disposable Toilet Seat Covers – is very strong and does not get ripped or wet and is large enough to cover the whole surface
- Small pack of antibacterial Wet Wipes
- Portable Soap Slice Disposable Soap Paper
Some public attractions do not have a usable bathroom nearby. Its best to find a restaurant nearby and order some coffee and use the restroom.

Also see – Visit to India