India Travel Tips
 

CURRENCY

  • The units of Indian currency are the Rupee and Paisa with a rupee being equivalent to 100 paise. Abbreviations : Re. (singular), Rs. (plural). Paper money in India is found in the denominations of Rupees 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000. Coins are in denominations of Rupees 1, 2 , 5 and 10. There are no restrictions on the amount of foreign currency or traveler's cheques that a tourist may import, provided a Declaration form is duly filled on arrival. This will facilitate the exchange of imported curreny as well as the export of unspect currency on departure. Cash, bank notes and traveler's cheqyes of up to US $ 10,000 or equivalent need not be declared at the time of entry.  Any money in the form of traveler's cheques, drafts, bills, cheques, etc. which the tourist would wish to convert into Indian currency should be exhanged only through authorized currency exchange. For current exchange rate, please click here. 
  • Please exchange currency only from the authorized currency exchangers or at the hotels and banks. Exchanging money through unauthorized persons is not only illegal but also involves the risk of receiving counterfeit currency. To exchange foreign money other than through banks or authorized money- changers is considered as an offence. It has to be noted that no Indian currency whatsoever can be imported or exported, except for Rupee travelers` cheques. The bank branches too keep Rupee balances with their agents in India and are able to draw upon these balances to issue Rupee travelers` cheques to intending tourists. There are 24-hour exchange facilities available at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai international airports.
  • Credit cards: Most hotels, restaurants and some shops accept major credit cards such as American Express, Diners Club, Visa and MasterCard. They would usually display signage to that effect.  

SHOPPING

India is a great place to shop, especially for the Indian hand made goods, the skills of which are being followed from the ancient times. Handmade fabrics, clothing, knitted carpets, imagery depicting various religions, decorative articles made out of bronze, wood, stone etc. Jewellery is something that is not to be missed out upon along with leather, perfumes and musical instruments and so on being offered at a very reasonable price.

However, an Indian bazaar usually is colorful and extremely crowded with people swarming from all sides. You can shop from an ordinary road side hawker all the way upto an air – conditioned mall, experiencing many different Indian ways.

Although, there are many reliable establishments that cater to tourists offering to deliver goods at your doorstep, but they do take a considerable amount of time to be delivered.

On the other hand, the Indian law prohibits the export of antiques that are over 100 years old. Hence, it is mandatory to keep all the sales receipts and certificates to show proof of your purchase and legitimacy while you're leaving the country.

TIPPING

  • Some hotels include service charges on their bills. In such cases tipping is not necessary. Incase, the service charges are not included in your bill, then a tip of 10% is customary. However, if you are part of a big group with the food bills soaring high, then the tip on the total bill can come down to 5%.
  • The porter who carries your luggage to your room is usually tipped Rs.5 per bag or Rs.10 to Rs.20 per trolley. (These estimates are for 4 and 5-star hotels and are proportionately less in 1, 2 or 3 star hotels.)
  • Tipping to taxi drivers for airport/railway station transfers is not customary. However, tour guides and drivers do expect tips depending on the assignment and the number of days they are engaged for.

 

PHOTOGRAPHY

For amateur photography of national monuments, there are no restrictions for using a still camera (with flash inside the camera synchronized with exposure) or an 8mm.movie camera. However, it is prohibited to photograph places of military importance, such as airports, bridges, sensitive border regions etc. Certain temples may prohibit interior or exterior photography. Charges may be levied to photograph certain monuments, forts or temples, interiors of a museum, or while photographing art works or flash cameras might be prohibited. You are requested to check with your guide/escort/local staff at the monuments.

SOME IMPORTANT DO'S AND DON'T'S

  • Foreign nationals have to pay their hotel bills in foreign currency only, be it in cash, travelers` checks or by credit cards. However, Indian rupees are accepted if supported by a proof of certificate of encashment in India of foreign currency or travelers` cheques.
  • Do not exchange money on the black market—it's not worth the risk. Keep the currency exchange receipts if you wish to reconvert your unspent money.
  • Don't accept damaged or torn local currency notes, as they may not be accepted by others. You may also find that banknotes of higher amount might not be accepted for small purchases due to the shortage of change.
  • Concessional- tickets like Indrail Pass, Youth fares, Discover India Fares and Air Fares are to be paid for in foreign exchange only.
  • We do not recommend purchase of air/ rail/ bus tickets through strangers or unauthorized travel agents/ tour operators.
  • For your safety, we suggest that you do not hire transportation from unlicensed or unapproved operators. We can provide you all types of transportation at a very reasonable price. Self- drive cars though available are not recommended as it is not advisable for you to drive on the Indian roads clogged with traffic.
  • While shopping, sightseeing or going to and from transportation terminals, avoid touts and brokers. Be aware of unscrupulous shopkeepers; if you feel that you are being abused, then do not hesitate to consult the proper authorities.
  • Taxi and auto-rickshaws fares keep changing; therefore, they do not always conform to readings on meters. To avoid confusion, insist on seeing the latest fare chart available with taxi/ auto-rickshaw drivers and pay accordingly. Taxis and auto-rickshaws do not have meters in all cities, but where they do, insist on the meter being flagged in your presence. Incase the driver refuses to cooperate, seek the assistance of a policeman. Where there are no meters, ask assistance at your hotel and agree on a taxi fare in advance.
  • We recommend you to carry a kit containing sunscreens and other lotions for protection from the sun, insect repellents and sting relief creams, water sterilizing tablets and medicines for possible stomach upsets or indigestion.
  • To prevent yourself from mosquitoes when outdoors in the evenings, use an insect repellent on exposed skin, and wear socks, trousers and long-sleeved shirts.
  • Water from the tap is not purified for drinking in India. Unless you have an access to a water filter, or are sure that the water has been boiled, it is safer to stick to the bottled water. Avoid ice in your drinks from outside your hotel.
  • Avoid ice cream or food sold by roadside vendors, uncooked or undercooked food, fruits or vegetables that cannot be peeled.

GENERAL INFORMATION

  • English is widely spoken, especially in areas that are visited by tourists, though accents and grammar may vary considerably. Hindi is the most widely spoken language in the country, but it also has regional variations and accents. There are a total 15 major languages and 544 dialects spoken in India along with English. Please note that we always ensure that our clients are paired with guides who can speak their language.
  • The Indian postal service is huge and hence, you're likely to find post offices in the most remote towns. You can usually buy stamps and leave letters for posting at most hotels.
  • Internet facilities are also easily available in most cities and tourist centers, in cybercafés and business centers, but free wireless connectivity is rare. Connectivity - wireless or conventional broadband - in five-star hotels tends to be many times more expensive than cybercafés in the same areas, although some hotels are now Wi-Fi enabled.
  • Some commercial offices operate on a five-day week, with Saturdays and Sundays off. Others work a half-day on Saturdays. Office hours tend to be from 09:30 to 18:00 hrs. The commercial shops do not have a standard time line. In major metros, you may find malls and departmental stores open until 20:00 hrs, seven days a week. Shops in business areas tend to close a little after the office hours. In tourist areas, you will probably find small stores open late into the evening. In many small towns, shops tend to close around 20:00 hrs. Restaurants and bars have different legally-enforced closing hours in different states. In most parts of the country, this would be around midnight or even earlier. The only food establishment legally open 24 hours a day is the coffee shop in the five-star hotels.
  • Working hours for Government Offices/Shops: Monday – Friday: 10:00 - 17:00 hrs. and 0930 to 1230 hrs on Saturdays. Some government and commercial offices are closed on alternate Saturdays.
  • Working hours for Banks: Monday - Friday: 10:00 - 14:00 hrs; Saturdays: 10:00 - 12:00 hrs.
  • Working hours for Post Office: From 1000 to 1630 hrs for Monday to Friday and 0930 to 1230 hrs on Saturdays

 

Hope you found our travel tips useful. For further queries, you can refer to FAQ

We look forward to meeting you soon.