Imagup General Magazine 2024
India doesn’t seem to be a top tourist destination for many, but once you end up there, you’ll ask yourself why you haven’t visited earlier. Without a few useful travel tips, you won’t be able to make the most out of your journey to India, so why not stick with us for a while and learn something first-hand?
Unlike what you are used to back at home, India has some very interesting, confusing and overwhelming places, traditions and ways of doing things. We are not saying that this will be your most comfortable visit to a foreign country, but it sure will be very interesting.
There’s a lot to explore
Before heading to India, know that there are so many things that you can see, but you won’t be able to. The country is huge, and interesting things are hidden behind every corner, but unless you are visiting for an entire month, you’ll have to make a list of locations with priority.
Don’t be disappointed if you don’t manage to see everything, and if you are the type of person to fall in love with the Indian culture, you will be visiting once again pretty soon, so there’s nothing to worry about.
Get informed about the culture
Before visiting, it is advisable that you read a bit about Indian culture. People in this country live very differently from what you are used to seeing, so don’t let this be a shock to you when you arrive. India is a beautiful country, but some traditions are very unique and might even confuse you. That’s the beauty though, so you can skip this step if you want to be surprised instead.
Try to get a tourist guide
Just like we mentioned earlier, there are so many things that you can see in India, so if you don’t have a close friend or a relative living there to point you in the right direction, it is useful to hire a tourist guide. This might cost you a bit more, but you will be able to get the most out of your journey.
Give every part of the country a chance
Mumbai and Delhi are some of the best destinations that you can visit, and they are amazing cities in general, but that’s not the only thing that you can see in India. The country is a lot more than just these two famous cities, so if you are staying there for a longer time, make sure that you visit beyond these attractive tourist locations. The rural parts of the country can be very interesting. For example, camping at Pawna Lake is a really popular destination lately. If you are interested in learning more about, visit www.thrillophilia.com.
Try to adapt your dress code
You might be coming from a very liberal place, but India can sometimes be quite different than what you are used to. Although it’s nobody else’s business but yours when it comes to what you are wearing, some places in this country are quite conservative, so try to match the dress code as much as you can.
You don’t have to go fully covered in sheets when you are planning to take a walk in the city, but at least avoid wearing mini-skirts and other revealing pieces, especially if you are planning to visit one of the sacred temples.
The Sacred Temples
India is full of sacred temples that people praise, so when you are about to enter one, make sure that you dress accordingly, and take off your shoes before the doorway. To avoid all the hassle of tying and untying your footwear, try to wear something that’s very easy to take off, such as sandals or slip-on. Doing this will allow you to be quick with their removal in case you are instructed to do so by some of the people working at the temple.
E-Visa for India
Along with many other countries worldwide, the Indian government decided to implement the need for an electronic visa for people who want to visit the country for a short period. Fortunately, the process is very easy to complete, and it doesn’t take more than a day to get everything sorted out.
On top of that, it doesn’t even cost all that much, so make sure that you take care of this before planning your trip for India. You don’t want to find yourself in a situation where you pay for everything but you are denied access because you have no visa. For more information, you can visit https://www.india-visa-gov.in/
Understanding the challenge 
Visiting this country might be the most challenging trip of all the previous one that you had in the past, but that shouldn’t be viewed as a bad thing. The traffic is jammed most of the time, people might try to trick you into buying something that’s not as expensive, and there might be some litter on the streets every now and then, but that doesn’t mean that you won’t have an unforgettable experience.
Every place on Earth has something special to offer, and so does India, you just have to give this country a chance.
The music
If you are a fan of music, especially of genres that are less-known and commercialized, you will have a lot of fun exploring and listening to local artists. The main and most widely-listened music genre in this country is Tamil music, and even though you might be unfamiliar with the name, chances are that you’ve heard at least some tracks in a famous Bollywood movie.
Interactions with the locals
At first, you might feel a bit confused, or even intimidated by the way locals communicate with you, but worry not, most of the time you are just misunderstanding their intentions. Whenever you are trying to purchase something, whether it’s from a stand or a more official shop, the person working there will try to “make you” accept a higher price, but here’s the catch.
Haggling is something that is very common in this country, and knowing this will allow you to save a lot of money. It is very normal for a person to ask for a higher price for an item that they are selling, simply because it’s their way of “shooting their shot”.
Anyway, they do expect you to make a counter-offer at a more reasonable price, and even better, they will accept it ninety-nine percent of the time, so don’t be afraid to tell them what you think.
