India is beautiful and will be for sure an amazing trip. But for a lot of people India is scary. Even though they are curious, interested and amazed by India, a lot of people might not go because of some clichés or some fears.
When we got married in India in 2020, my family and my friends were also really stressed. For some of them it was their first trip out of Europe. I created a small guide for them and I think that it helped them a lot. From small tips to bigger warning, if you are prepared you will love India.
⚠️ As I write this, India is still closed to tourism due to Covid19. Before planning your travels, in India or anywhere else, we recommend you to always check the rules.
Soooo, always dreamed about going to India ? Follow the guide !
Good to know before your trip
- 🕦 Time difference: + 4.5 hours in winter and + 3.5 hours in summer.
- 🔌 You don't need an adapter for your chargers. Your European ones will work
- 💧 ALWAYS drink bottled water, and always ask for drinks without ice cube! You will be able to fill your water bottles at airports from drinkable fountains
- 💳 Before your trip, ask your bank about charges for withdrawing money and making payments abroad. If the charges are too big, you can take out money in Europe, and convert your euros into rupees at the airport in India.
- 💊 I advise you to take probiotics the week before your departure to prepare your stomach for Indian (spicy) meals
- 💰 The currency is the Indian rupee: 1 € = about 86 rupees
- 📄 You will need a tourist visa to enter the country. You can ask it quite easily online
- 💉 No vaccine mandatory (but talk about your trip to your doctor)
When to go in India?
The weather is generally warm all year in India. The best season to visit the Rajasthan is from January to April. From April on the temperatures are getting really hot.
The North of India can also be quite cold from October to February, and the rainy season start from July.
Good to know: you can plan to go visit India during Holi Festival (March) or Diwali Festival (November).
How do you move around once in India?
Once in India you can take flight, train or taxi. The type of transport will depend of the time of your trip and your budget. The taxis in India are cheap option to travel around, but it might be long for big trip as the traffic in India is terrible.
Flying
India is a very large country (India is about 6 times the size of France) so the plane is often the fastest way to get where you want to go. You can find flights from Delhi to Jaipur for approx €24 for example.
Good to know: make sure you check what type of luggage is included with your domestic plane ticket. Most airlines allow one piece of checked baggage of MAX 15KG, and one cabin baggage of MAX 7KG.
Taking the train
I am sure that if you already saw a Bollywood movie then taking the train in India is on your Bucket List ! It is a real experience, and one that you should experience at least once during your trip to India. The train in India will take you anywhere and at very low cost. It can also be a solution for destination where there is no direct flight.
Good to know: There is a lot of different classes for train. We advise you to take one of those class for comfort :
- 1A AC First Class
- 2A AC 2 Tier
- 3A AC 3 Tier
- FC First Class
Taxi or rickshaws
You will find a a lot taxis and rickshaws (tuk tuk). However, beware of scams. Most drivers speak English but it can be difficult to negotiate prices. Especially if you don't know the right price for the journey.
To make it easier, you can use the Uber app, or Ola app. I don't think that you need an Indian phone number, but you will need internet connexion to connect to the app. Booking via the app will avoid you the negotiation with the drivers and the potential scam.
Good to know: Ola is often cheaper than Uber.
Using your phone and internet in India
Be aware of the charges you might pay with your European phone contract. At the airport as well as in most of the all hotels, you will find free Wi-Fi.
If you want to be able to call and use the internet (this can be very useful to order your cab, find a restaurant, or look on a map if you are lost) you can buy a prepaid SIM card.
At Delhi airport you can trust the company Airtel: you will need your passport, visa and a passport photo to get a prepaid card. The price indicated on their website is 297 rupees, so about 3€, for a 28 days validity (don't take this information for granted though, it may vary slightly depending on the stores where you buy it).
This package has unlimited calls (within India of course), 1000 SMS per day, and 1,5GB of internet per day. If you want to call in France, the best is to use What's App or Facebook Messenger because calls abroad are very expensive.
Good to know: If you don't want to take an Indian SIM card, I advise you to download the map of India on Google Maps. You will be able to geolocate yourself and use the map even in airplane mode.
Food in India
"I'll be sick in India for sure", "Everything is too spicy", "We only eat curry and naan in India"... I heard so many clichés about India, some of which I also had in mind before leaving. India offers a delicious cuisine, varied and so tasty, but yes ... often very spicy.
I advise you to always ask for your dishes not spicy, it will still be very tasty. My little favourites are the palak paneer, the samosa and the dosas. The street food is very famous. We ate several times outside and did not have any digestion problems. Nevertheless each person and each street food vendor are different. It's up to you if you want to try it!
Good to know: India is an ideal destination for vegetarians. Especially in the north of the country, you won't find much meat (sometimes chicken but of course no beef or pork). In the south of India you will find a little more meat and fish.
Safety in India
I never felt insecure during my trip in India however I was with an Indian, so it might help.
The look of the others can often be complicated to handle : the Indians are very curious and many of them don't travel outside their country so they are not used to see foreigners. Don't be offended if some people try to take your picture or stare at you. It is not a question of malice but rather of curiosity.
India can be scary because of its contrasts, its poverty and the clichés that we have in mind. But if you give this country a chance you will be seduced for sure.
As everywhere, you will find nice people to help you, but also people who will try to take advantage of you.
It is therefore a question of being careful, without falling into paranoia. But above all it is about trusting, opening your eyes in front of so much beauty and goodness. India is wonderful.
Travelling as a woman in India
For more comfort and safety, but also out of respect for the customs of the country in which you are traveling, I advise you to pay attention to how you dress. Wear long pants, skirts and dresses, below the knees, avoid plunging necklines, and tight or see-through clothing.
Also beware of malicious people, especially during the Holi festival. This festival consists of a giant battle of coloured powders, and some people may have bad intentions.
If you are traveling with a man, you will probably find that Indians tend to talk to men more than women. Likewise, when it comes to paying, men are more likely to be approached.
To sum up, you should always take precautions when traveling solo as a woman, in India or elsewhere. Well prepared, you will love discovering India and will be pleasantly surprised by the hospitality of Indian people.
I read a lot of experiences of women who loved to travel solo in India. I also have some friends that visited India and really enjoyed it (more on that later... 😉)
Should I be afraid to go in India ?
Of course no ! India is beautiful, people are so nice and welcoming. You will find all kind of beauties there : monuments, food, shops, people...
If you are still not comfortable even with all my advices you can book an all inclusive trip, and be sure to always be guided during your trip.
Leave us a comment and let us know if you have questions or more clichés in mind. We would be happy to help !
