Welcome greetings in India:

The welcome greetings change with almost each state like Padharo in Rajshtan, Sat shree Akaal in Punjab, Salaam in Kerala. Namaste with folded hands is the common greeting accepted across India

Tips for traveling in India- On  clothing

- Some part of India ,particularly in rural side, small town and villages, still have traditional styles of dressing

- Dress codes for some religious places can include covering your head, being barefoot etc

- Do find out about local customs and traditions from nearest tourism office ( details provided below) or concerned travel guide while visiting such places.

 

Tips on food and drinks

- Drink only bottled water

- Do not take /accept food and drinks from strangers

- You are not obliged to tip and need not pay service charge also

 

Tips on shopping

 -Prices are fixed at shops in mall and quality certified handicraft shops

- Bargaining is acceptable in most markets and smaller shops

- Always look for MRP ( Maximum retail price) before buying

- Insist on your credit card being swiped in your presence in case payment is made by card.

- Please obtain proper invoice for all purchases. Small road side street vendors may not be able to provide that but they would not be selling anything very expensive also.

- Kindly take proper contact details and ensure you provide proper address if you want the stuff to be shipped to your place.

 

Tips on sightseeing

- Some temples do not allow leather articles in their premises

- Ascertain visiting hours and closed days before visiting museums, monuments

- Smoking and drinking of alcohol is not allowed at public places

- All properties of Indian Railways including trains and railway stations are strictly non-smoking zones

- Government trained and authorised guides speaking English and foreign languages can be hired at most tourist places

- Some monuments and tourist sites have facility of audio guides as well   

 

Booking your taxi,bus,train or air travel

- Hire taxi and auto-rickshaws ( famously called Tuk Tuk ) from pre-paid booths,wherever possible

- Buy air, rail and bus tickets through authorized travel agents or tour operators with a valid invoice. Approved list of tour operators in India is available on the website link below

http://etraveltradeapproval.nic.in/approvalsummary.aspx and

http://etraveltradeapproval.nic.in/approvaldetails.aspx

- It is advised to book through Online Travel Agencies to avoid issues. Major travel agencies are Goibibo, MakemyTrip, Yatra.com, Expedia and you may even choose to book directly through the airline website or IRCTC website.

 -You may check your train numbers through http://Indiarailinfo.com and http://www.indianrail.gov.in

- You may check your ticket confirmation on the PNR status http://www.indianrail.gov.in/enquiry/PNR/PnrEnquiry.html?locale=en

 

Safety and Security

- Take the photo of taxi number plate and share with near ones

- Avoid isolated places and going out alone late in the night

- Do not accept lift from strangers

- Do not open your hotel room without the safety latch or without verifying the identity of the person

- In case of emergency, you can dial 100 to reach the Police Control Room 

Additional points to remember

- Some areas in North and North East require special permits for traveling. Ensure necessary paper work is complete.

- Do ask the guide to show his photo identity proof.

- In cities, you can change most foreign currencies. It is advised to change at the airport to avoid wasting time to visit them . Widely accepted currencies at hotels are Euro, USD and British Pound.  

- Most cities town and even populated villages have ATMs accepting Master and Visa cards.