India is a fascinating destination but in many occasions, not the easiest if it is your first trip. Any trip, whatever the destination, is subject to unforeseen events but you can minimize the risk of some uncomfortable situations if you inform yourself and read this article about the mistakes of a trip to India.
I will tell you the most common mistakes made by travelers visiting the country so that you have a head start and you don't commit them (or at least that you don't commit them all).
Mistakes to avoid on a trip to India
Planning the trip without taking the weather into account
The weather in India is very diverse and although it is unpredictable, if you are well informed, you can minimize the risk of torrential rains, extreme cold or scorching heat making your trip difficult or even ruining it.
I recommend that you read the article on the best time to travel to India,where I explain everything in detail.
Traveling without insurance on your trip to India
This is one of the worst mistakes you can make and it is a VERY big risk. The health network in India is precarious if you compare it with that of western countries. There are extremely good hospitals but they are all private and mostly in the cities. Investing in insurance is very cheap if you take into account the peace of mind it will give you during your trip.. I recommend the following insurances HeyMondo, they are experts in the needs of travelers and have a huge range of insurances depending on the type of trip and the activities to be performed. Here is my article about travel insurance for India and for being a reader of MiViajealaIndia, you have the 5% discount on your insurance from this link.
Waiting until the last minute for your appointment at the international vaccination center
The international vaccination centers are usually in high demand. In high season they can take more than 2 months to give you an appointment, also you have to take into account that some vaccines must be taken 1 or 2 months before the date of travel. Although there are no compulsory vaccinations for India, there are several recommended and the visit to this center is very important because they inform you about precautionary measures to take with water, mosquito bites, monkey bites and other animals..
You have all the information in the article on vaccinations for India and other health tips for your trip.
Wanting to see everything (the biggest mistake on a trip to India)
India is a huge country, so if you intend to see it in 15-21 days, let me tell you that you won't be able to. And if you try, you will spend your days on the road or flying and adding a lot of kilometers to your travel diary but not too many experiences.
India must be discovered calmly because each destination is a world full of history and traditions. It is not enough to pass by the monuments and take the usual photo, the real India is experienced at the markets, at the villages, at the festivals and in contact with its people.. Everyone travels as their wants and according to their priorities, but India is not a destination to be seen but to be felt so don't let the opportunity pass you by and stop rushing before you get on the plane.
Do not make your flight and train reservations in advance.
You rush to buy your international flight to get a better price but you leave domestic flights and train reservations to the end. Let me tell you that this is a very common mistake! Be proactive and book in advance, especially for trains, since the demand is very high because it is the best way to move around the country.. So if you don't want to be forced to change your plans at the last minute or spend hours looking for alternatives and spending a lot more, book early!
You can read the guide to train travel in India where I explain everything in detail.
Do not carry printed or digital train-plane tickets.
In India you must present your ticket and passport at the airport entrance gate and in many occasions if you depend on wifi, you will be in trouble. I recommend you always download your travel documents to your phone and/or the cloud so that you can consult them if you don't have internet access and make sure you don't run out of battery on your mobile device. For the more forward-thinking, like me, I recommend a printout of all tickets just in case.
Changing money at the airport
The airport is the most convenient and most common place to exchange currency upon arrival in the country but not the most efficient for your budget as their prices are much higher. So if you arrive without rupees, change the minimum for the cab and the first day and then ask the hotel to recommend a reliable exchange house. Many of your purchases will be on the street so always carry cash in your wallet during your trip.
In addition I advise you to have a card free of commissions as it will make your traveling life much easier. More details in my article about cards for travellers.
Eating at street stalls without knowing
Street food is very typical in India and if you go to the right places it is a delight. However, it can be a bit risky to venture out to eat at random food stalls. Check with your hotel beforehand and whenever you go for it, choose cooked dishes and avoid salads, cut fruit and other raw preparations since you don't know if they have been washed properly. And follow your intuition, if it doesn't give you a good vibe, look for another place to eat!
And make sure you have booked a travel insurance!
"Not Spicy, no hot"
In India they use many spices in their dishes that enrich its flavor making it one of the favorite cuisines in the world. And one of its star ingredients are chili peppers. I don't know if you like spicy or not, but you must take into account that the concept of spiciness for Indians is usually quite different from that of most Western countries. So remember to always ask for your dishes without spice, it will still be spicy but at an acceptable level.
Drinking unbottled water (one of the mistakes on a trip to India that you should not make).
If you don't want to spend part of your vacation with diarrhea and discomfort, always use bottled water! There are many hotels and restaurants that offer filtered water, this could be a good option but we don't know the maintenance they do to the filters or their handling until they serve you the water. I advise you not to risk it and make bottled water your only option. I also advise you to always make sure that the water is sealed.
Drinking beverages with ice
If you follow my advice of drinking bottled water but then drink your soft drinks with ice to beat the heat, let me tell you it doesn't make any sense. You don't know what water they use for the ice machine, and yes, we want to trust that it will be filtered water but what if it's not? Unless you're drinking at some 4-5 star hotel or private home, I wouldn't risk it... And at a street stall, don't ever risk it.
Using your phone (foreign SIM) for calls or internet
Using your home country's SIM card for calling or surfing the Internet is a big mistake. It will cost you a lot of money and there is no need to use it because there are cheaper options with more coverage in the country.. Upon arrival at the airport, you can purchase an Indian SIM card that will allow you to make domestic calls to landlines and mobiles and to surf with a good network.
If you prefer to have your SIM activated from the moment you land, you can buy your Holafly eSIM before you travel and be connected from the minute you land. And you get a 5% discount with my link.
Relying on opportunists who want to help you
The people of India have a reputation for being very hospitable and kind to foreigners visiting the country, they tend to treat travelers like kings. But unfortunately not all of them are like that and there is a market for swindling, cheating and stealing from tourists quite wide in the big cities. Be careful and use your intuition so as not to fall into the trap of being cheated or robbed.
Some of the most common scams are that the cab driver tells you that the street to get to your hotel is closed due to a demonstration or festival and they take you to another hotel where they will charge you more or that the ticket office at the station is closed and they offer to help you by taking you to an agency that will charge you much more.
To avoid these situations. If you want to know more, you can read the article on scams and swindles in India.
Do not bargain and pay the first price you are asked (your pocket will suffer)
In India the price of things is always negotiated,Almost nothing has a fixed price. The stores do not have the products marked or labeled, except for some food products regularized by the government. Also when you ask for the price they don't tell you by word of mouth, they show it marked on the calculator and you know why, because for each person who asks they will offer a different price based on the intuition and commercial experience of the seller! So learn to negotiate or you will end up paying a price well above its value as foreigners are always given much higher prices.
Dribbling is an art and at the end of your journey you will have mastered it.. Remember to be fair and not abuse the situation, especially for the most disadvantaged communities. It is always a tug of war until you reach an agreement that interests both parties. In some stores it is common for shopkeepers to invite their customers to chai during the negotiation, I like this part the most.
Do not carry disinfectant gel
India is not famous for its cleanliness or its network of public toilets. So I recommend that you always carry hydro-alcoholic gel so that you can use it whenever you need it. You can carry one from your origin and if you need more during the trip you can find them in all stores and supermarkets.
Failure to respect rules and traditions
This is one of the mistakes on a trip to India that you cannot afford. Remember that you are the one who decided to travel to India to learn from its millenary culture and traditions. India is a country full of contrasts and there are bound to be many things that you don't like, that irritate you and that you don't understand, whatever it is, RESPECT. Respect their rules when entering temples, respect the dress code in public and religious places, respect their people and everything that even if you do not understand surely has a meaning.
Do not tip during your trip
In India, tipping is commonplace. Tipping are a token of appreciation that is conditional upon the level of satisfaction we have with the service of the guides, drivers, services in the hotels, etc. The amount depends on the type of establishment, the number of days of service and the satisfaction with the service.
Feeding the monkeys
Many travelers have the image of the fun and friendly monkey, but I assure you that they are usually not. Monkeys in India are the biggest mafia of small, clever thieves. Keep your distance and do not offer them food, if you get distracted they will steal your camera, glasses or any bag you are carrying unprotected. They are also sometimes aggressive and may bite.
Stress yourself, I recommend you to develop your patience!
There is an old quote that says "that things at the palace go slowly" and that happens in India as well as in many other Asian countries. In India the bureaucracy is slow, the traffic is endless, the noise never stops, the smells are intense and there is an organized chaos that moves the country. Don't stress, take this opportunity to develop your patience and relax. If not, the trip can become an odyssey and you will not enjoy it.
I hope you find this information useful to avoid the most common mistakes on a trip to India. Enjoy your trip to my favorite place in the world :)
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