Travel Tips

For foreigners, visiting India can be a thrilling experience , but they also need to be well prepared for it.Don’t be beset with fears of living conditions in India. Hotels, especially the 4 and 5-star ones, are of international standard and the comForts and cuisine they provide are as good as any you can find anywhere in the world. The deluxe and Palaces hotels are a world apart, each unique. The 3-star hotels are there for the medium budget traveller, and 1 and 2-star hotels, Travellers Lodges, Tourist Bungalows, Holiday Resorts. Do make all tour arrangements in advance, especially between the months of October and March(the high tourist season) and in May-June, the Indian tourist season. When planning your tour , ask your Agent to include an Indian fair or festival in your itinerary. Witnessing the light and gaiety of these celebrations is, you will find, a great experience. Here are some travel tips to keep in mind.

Visa
Except for nationals of Bhutan and Nepal, all foreigners need to possess a valid Passport and obtain a Visa for visiting India. A Tourist Visa is valid for 6 months from the date of issue and is usually a 90-day visa. A Tourist Visa does not permit the holder to do business or academic or research work in India. Extension of tourist visa may be granted by the Foreign Registration Officer. Tourist staying for more than 90 days have to register themselves with the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer or the Superintendent of Police of the district within a period of one week from their arrival. They also have to report changes of address and any intended absence from the given address for 15 days or more.

Foreigners in India need to get special permits to visit various restricted and protected areas in some states.

Money Matters
Foreign currency above US$ 10000 brought into the country need to be declared in a Currency Declaration Form. Currency should be changed only at the authorised dealers.Airports, most banks and many hotels fall under this category.They will issue an encashment certificate which is later required to reconvert local currency into foreign currency. Local currency cannot be legally be taken out of the country due to exchange regulations. Banks at International Airports, as well as some authorised money changers, are open 24 hours a day. Travellers Cheques in the local currency are a safer option than cash. Credit cards like Visa and Master cards, as well as Amercian Express and Diners, are accepted in many establishments in the major towns and cities. All foreign nationals have to pay their hotel bills in foreign currency only, in cash or by travellers cheques. (However Indian rupees are accepted if supported by proof of certificate of encashment in India of foreign currency or travellers cheques).

Business Hour
In the cities, offices are generally open from about 9.30am to 5.30pm on weekdays. Saturdays May be off, half-day or full worKing days. Banks are open to the public from 10:00a.m. to 2:00p.m. on weekdays and 10:00a.m. to 12:00p.m. on Saturdays. Shops open - in theory - at 9.30a.m., but often are not really active till an hour or so later.Closing time is usually 7.00p.m. Insome shopping complexes there is also a lunch break for some time between 2.30p.m. to 3.30p.m. Unlike offices, shops do not invariably close on Sundays. Different areas are closed on different days of the week. The banks in these areas also observe the same day off

Health
Typhoid vaccination, Polio booster and anti-Tetanus are advisable before coming to India. No vaccinations are essential for foreign tourists entering India, except Yellow Fever vaccination for tourists coming from African or South American countries. Tourist are requested to get themselves vaccinated against Hebetates - B & C. If you have a weak stomach, stick to mineral water, bottled drinks, coffee, tea, beer or wine during meals. Tap water is not always chlorinated. Bring your own medicines, as all medicines in India are locally manufactured and you may not find the same brand names.(The chemist can always advise you, however , on the best substitute.) There are good doctors and chemist shops(also called Pharmacies) every where. Ask your hotel to recommend a doctor if ever you need one.

Food & Drink
Indian cuisine is a part of the Indian Culture and, as such, it should be sampled. But watch out for the especially spicy dishes. Becareful that you eat non-vegetarian dishes only at good restaurants, as the quality can be dubious at the small, cheap establishments. Beef is not generally eaten in India.Pork, too, is rarely eaten. Curd or yoghurt is an effective and natural aid to digestion. It is advisable to stick to only cooked food and to eat fresh fruits whose skin you can peel off or remove, especially if you have a queasy stomach.

There are various dry days in the year, when liquor cannot be purchased by Indian nationals. However, foreign nationals can purchase liquor on proof of nationality. A few Indian states are completely dry.

Tipping
At hotels and restaurants, tipping is the norm.About 10% of the bill is usually acceptable.It is not mandatory to tip cab drivers. Porters are usually tipped at the end of your stay,though tipping at the beginning may result in a higher standard of service. If you are in a big group and the food bill is high , the tip on the total can come down to 5%

Bargaining
India is a shopper’s dream. Shopping is recommended from Govt. Emporia and from suggested shops on the list of the Department of Tourism. All these shops have fixed prices. Information on these shops can be obtained from your Agent.(Most of large stores will ship your purchases for though , for convenience and to avoid postal delays, it is advisable to carry your shopping with you or to book it as unaccompanied baggage). In small shops, and in small towns and cities, bargaining is a standard practise,and is enjoyed by all concerned. Do not crowd to many places in your itinerary.Make sure that you get a free half-day at every major centre for shopping or to explore and wander around on your own.While Shopping avoid touts and brokers.

Sightseeing
Mosques and Temples are not always open to foreigners or women.Dress codes for religious places can include covering your head, being barefoot, etc. If travelling in scorching summer heat, remember to drink enough water and use Sunglasses and a wide rimmed hat. Photography is not always permissible and at many places is permitted only at a fee. There is usually a higher fee for video cameras. Museums and monuments are usually closed one day in a week. Photography at airports is prohibited.

Adventure & Holiday Tourism
India is the ultimate destination of the tourist in search of adventure. Mountaineering, trekking and rock climbing, ballooning and hang-gliding, camel treks and desert safaris, white-water running and river exploration are some of the exciting possibilities. For the tourist in search of fun or sports holiday, there is skiing, scuba diving and underwater coral viewing, angling, wild life and bird viewing. For the sportsman there is golf, tennis, badminton, riding, polo, swimming and motor rallies etc. Tourist who are in search of Sun, sea and surf, there are Beaches on the western & eastern coasts. The larger ones provides water sports and an unforgettable holiday in the Sun.

Mountaineering
The greatest adventure of all is scaling the Himalayan peaks. These mighty mountains stretching across the northern borders of India, from west to east, have hundreds of peaks, many yot unscales, inviting the intrepid mountaineer. The states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Sikkim offer bases for mountaineering expeditions. For information and arrangements you are requested to contact with the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (Benito Juarez Road, New Delhi-110021 Phone # ). Your agent will make all the arrangements including transport, food, porters, camping equipments etc. and will also process and clear all formalities. The IMF will assist in liaising with the Indian Air Force (for helicopters) in case of accidents, in conveying weather forecasts to the expeditions etc. The best season for mountaineering is from May to October

Help
Mugging is not a common crime in India, but tourist should guard against pick-pocketing , bag-snatching and eve-teasing. A few precautions should be sufficient to ensure your safety.Always keep the photocopy of the Passport and visa safe. Carry original with you while travelling around. In case you need to make a report to the police, obtain a copy of the First Information Report(FIR) and keep it with you. Foreigners can always get in touch with your respected Embassy or High Commission in New Delhi, if they need help. Foreigners are requested to be careful while purchasing Railway or Air tickets from unauthorised agents. They are requested to get their tickets from Travelling Agents who are recognised by the Govt. of India and who is member of IATA and other recognised Institutions.

Prohibited Articles
The import of certain articles such as dangerous drugs, live plants, gold coins, gold and silver bullion and silver coins not in current use. The law provides heavy penalties for infringement of this restriction. The export of antiquities and art objects more than 100 years old from India is banned. Skins of all animals, snakes etc. and the articles made thereof used or unused , as personal baggage, whether accompanied or unaccompanied are banned.

Export of Articles
Re-export of all articles, in full, brought into India temporarily with the permission of custom authorities. The following articles can be exported without any export trade control restrictions:

a) All articles including travel souvenirs brought in from outside the country by the tourist.
b) Souvenirs including Indian silk, wool, artware etc.
c) Arms & ammunition for personal use.
d) Articles made of peacock feathers in reasonable quantities.
e) Gold Jewellery: Any person not ordinarily resident in India may take out from India Jewellery made mainly or wholly of gold without limit provided that the Jewellery was previously brought by him into India from abroad, with the permission of the Customs authorities. Such a person may also take at any one time out of India, Jewellery made, mainly or wholly of gold up to Rs. 2,000/- in value purchased by him in India. INCOME-TAX CLEARANCE:

All visitors who are not domiciled in India are exempted from income-tax clearance certificates at the time of leaving the country provided that the total period spent in India does not exceed 90 days and that they were not engaged in gainful employment. All other visitors are required to obtain an income-tax clearance exemption certificate from the Foreign Section of the Income Tax Department in Delhi, Mumbai(Bombay), Calcutta or Chennai(Madras).