Travel Essentials › India
Travel Essentials
Plugs: Types C, D and M, 230 V. Emergency: One number for everything 112, Police 100, Ambulance 108, Fire 101. Tipping: About 5-10% in restaurants if no service charge; small tips for porters and drivers. Tap water: Drink bottled or treated water.
Types C, D and M, 230 V
| One number for everything | 112 |
| Police | 100 |
| Ambulance | 108 |
| Fire | 101 |
About 5-10% in restaurants if no service charge; small tips for porters and drivers.
Checked 13 Oct 2026 against the official page: wwwnc.cdc.gov
Greetings. A 'Namaste' with palms pressed together is a respectful, widely appreciated greeting; handshakes are also common in cities, generally between people of the same gender.
Right hand and shoes. Eat and pass items with your right hand; remove shoes before entering homes and most temples.
Dress and photography at religious sites. Dress modestly (cover shoulders and legs) at temples, mosques, and gurudwaras, and cover your head at Sikh gurudwaras; ask before photographing people or ceremonies.
India is generally safe for tourists who take sensible precautions; petty scams, overcharging, and food/water-related illness are far more common issues than violent crime, though solo women travelers need extra vigilance in some areas.
Unregistered taxi/tuk-tuk overcharging. Drivers may quote inflated fares or claim the meter is broken; use prepaid taxi counters, ride-hailing apps, or agree the fare upfront.
'Helpful stranger' / gem/shopping scams. Friendly strangers may steer tourists to shops or 'tourist offices' that push overpriced goods or fake travel bookings with commission-based tricks; book through verified agencies.
Fake sadhus/temple donations. Some individuals posing as holy men or temple staff pressure tourists for large 'donations'; a polite decline is fine.
Women travelers. Requires extra vigilance: sexual harassment and assault are documented concerns, particularly in cities like Delhi; dressing modestly, avoiding isolated streets after dark, and using trusted transport significantly reduce risk. Kerala, Goa's resort areas, and Himachal Pradesh are generally more relaxed.
Legal · Mostly Safe
Same-sex sexual activity was decriminalized in 2018, but same-sex marriage is not legally recognized and there are limited anti-discrimination protections; Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Goa have visible LGBTQ+-friendly spaces, though attitudes are more conservative elsewhere.
| Coffee (café) | ₹150 | $1.80 |
| Local bus or metro ride | ₹20 | $0.25 |
| Mid-range restaurant meal | ₹500 | $6 |
| Hostel bed / budget room (night) | ₹600 | $7.20 |
| Mid-range hotel (night) | ₹4,500 | $54 |
| Daily budget, mid-range traveler | ₹3,500 | $42 |
2026-09
October-March is the most comfortable window across most of the country, with cool, dry weather in the north; April-June turns hot before the June-September monsoon brings heavy rain (and lower prices) to much of India.
India visa requirements by nationality
Basic Hindi phrases · Basic English phrases · Basic Bengali phrases · Basic Telugu phrases
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