Travel tips for India

Travel tips before you visit India:

	There are many five star, deluxe and heritage hotels all over India waiting to serve tourists to standards in line with international standards of hospitality
	Home stay is becoming popular in many ‘touristy’ destinations and can sometimes give a much closer view of India.
	There are a number of budget hotels and guesthouses for budget travelers.
	Tourists can also stay at the YWCA and YMCA hostels located in different parts of India. India is well connected by air, trains and road transport. Advance booking is possible for all of them, hence try to make a tentative plan for your stay / travel in India.   Have photocopies of all the important documentslike passport visas travel insurance and driving license etc just in case it is lost is a wise way to ensure you at least have a copy.   Keep important emergency numbers with you.Print emergency numbers in Delhi.     Don’t forget cash. Credit cards /Debit cards / travelers cheque are the safe mode of payment, however in many situations cash would be required. Try to keep some local currency in hand.     Hiring taxis from prepaid booths or availing of services of registered cabs is always safer. If you do travel by local transport, insist on going by the meter or fix the fare in advance to avoid being fleeced.     If you are unsure about booking local transport yourself, ask your tour operator to do it for you. On the whole, India is a safe country. But all visitors should exercise the usual levels of vigilance.   Always drink bottled water or packaged mineral water.   Avoid spicy food, especially if you’re not used to it.     Beware of touts; be assertive and confident and don’t give them the impression that you are unfamiliar with India.   Familiarizing yourself with a couple of commonly used words or phrases in the local language will help you while shopping or talking to the local people. India is geographically varied, therefore the climate also varies. Always be aware of the weather before you travel to a region. Always make sure you carry the appropriate clothing to keep yourself comfortable, so you can enjoy your trip.   English is a commonly used and understood language throughout India. However, interpreters and guides for other languages are also easy to book.   Indians are fairly friendly and helpfulhelpful   One can find all basic food / amenities confirming to international quality and standards.   All banks in India function from Monday to Friday. There are many ATMs from which one can withdraw cash 24x7.   All post offices in India are open from Monday to Friday     All the government and administrative offices in India operate from 0930 to 1700 hours on weekdays.   DON'T carry your passport and important travel documents at all times   DO carry attested photocopies of travel documents in person and keep the originals safely.   DON'T buy air/rail or travel tickets from unauthorized persons.