India travel tips: 20 things to know before you go

• Drink only bottled or filtered water, and use it to brush your teeth. Check bottle seals are intact.
• Eat freshly cooked, hot food. Busy places with a high turnover are usually safest.
• Go easy on raw salads, cut fruit and ice for the first few days.
• Carry hand sanitiser, rehydration salts and your usual stomach remedies.
• See a travel doctor six to eight weeks before you go about vaccinations and malaria advice for your route.

• Rupees generally can't be bought outside India. Use an ATM at the airport on arrival and carry small notes for tips and snacks.
• Cards work in hotels, larger shops and restaurants, but markets and small stalls are cash only.
• A local SIM card or an eSIM is cheap. Buying a SIM needs your passport, a photo and your visa, and activation can take a few hours.
• Download offline maps and a translation app before you arrive.

• Cover shoulders and knees, especially at temples, mosques and in rural areas. A light scarf is useful everywhere.
• Remove shoes before entering temples and homes. Slip on shoes save a lot of time.
• Use your right hand to eat, give and receive things.
• Ask before photographing people, and look for no photo signs at religious sites.
• Public displays of affection are frowned upon outside big cities.

• Trains are a great way to travel between cities. Reservations open 60 days ahead and popular routes sell out, so book early or let your tour handle it.
• Use Uber, Ola or prepaid taxi booths rather than hailing taxis at airports and stations.
• Distances take longer than maps suggest. Delhi to Agra is about 3 to 4 hours by road; Agra to Jaipur about 4 to 5.
• A private car with a driver is common and good value for the Golden Triangle and Rajasthan.

• "The monument is closed today." A stranger says a sight is shut and offers to take you somewhere else instead. Check opening days yourself.
• Gem and carpet deals. Offers to buy goods to resell at home for a profit are always a scam.
• Unofficial guides. At big sites, use licensed guides with ID, or the guide included in your tour.
• Fake visa websites. Apply for an e-Visa only on the official Indian government site. Lookalike sites charge extra fees.

Delhi and much of the northern plains have poor air quality from around late October to January. If you have asthma or heart or lung conditions, check the daily air quality index and consider a mask, or plan more time in Rajasthan and the south.

Women travel all over India, alone and in groups. Dressing conservatively, using reputable transport after dark and choosing well reviewed hotels reduces unwanted attention. Many women prefer a small group or private guided tour for a first visit.

Tipping is customary. As a guide only, consider around INR 500 to 1,000 a day for a guide and INR 300 to 500 a day for a driver, more on longer private tours. Your tour operator can suggest amounts.