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India @ a glance ... Quick Reference |
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Northern India
Western India
Southern India
Eastern India
Festivals & Fairs
Shopping |
Adventures
Wild
Life
Monuments
Taj Mahal
Travel
Guide
Know
Ayurveda |
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Discounted Hotel rates for many hotels and resorts all over India,
not only to book brand name hotels but also lesser known and
hard to find hotels. Great savings & reliable customer service [more]
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HOUSE BOATS, KERALA
(Star Rating - Deluxe)
Houseboats are traditionally
called 'Kettuvallam'. The modern houseboat has a long history dating
back hundred of years. These boats were used by merchants to transport
rice and coir from town to town. During those days roads were a few.
With the emergence of road transportation, these boats were forgotten.
Today, thanks to tourism, they have been modified into luxurious
single and double bedroom houseboats with attached bathrooms, kitchen,
verandah and much more.
Click here to make a Reservation
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Harmony of body, mind
and soul Ayurveda
evolved around 600 BC
in India. Today, it's a
unique, indispensable
branch of medicine. [more]
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Information Zone - Travel |
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Int'l Air Travel
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Just about all major international airlines fly into India. Major international
airports include Delhi, Mumbai (Bombay), Kolkata (Calcutta), Chennai (Madras), (Trivandrum)
Tiruvananthapuram , Bangalore and Cochin ...
Domestic Air Travel :
This is also well organised. Apart from the govt. owned Airlines many private
airlines and low cost carriers operate to
various destinations all over the country. All state capitals and major towns
are connected by air.
Train Travel : The Indian
Railways have the fourth largest rail network in the world. Just about every
Indian city, town and village is connected by train and it is one of the best
ways to get into the interiors of the country.
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TRAVEL GUIDE |
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Clothing | |
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Travel as light as possible. Clothing and laundry are both quite inexpensive.
Women should dress conservatively. Avoid tank tops or short skirts / shorts.
The best outfit, especially during the hot summers, is a T-shirt worn with
loose cotton trousers. These are comfortable, cool and easily washable.
You can purchase them anywhere in India, at very reasonable rates, at any
of the street shops. If you are adventurous, wear the Indian 'salwar-kameez'.
It is comfortable and free sized, and you will be amazed at the change of
attitude among the shopkeepers, pedestrians and taxicab drivers!
Do not forget to remove your footwear when visiting a place of worship
or mausoleum.
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Food And Drink |
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Drink only bottled water
Buy it only from respectable or known outlets
In restaurants insist that they bring a sealed bottle to your table
Try Indian Beer - it is quite drinkable
Beef is not served in India. Pork is also not easily available
Eat non-vegetarian food only in good restaurants
The meat in cheaper
and smaller places is generally of dubious quality
Vegetarian food is easily available, cheap, and of excellent quality
Curd or yoghurt is served with most meals It is a natural aid to
digestion and helps temper the spicy food
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Health Precaution | |
Always drink bottled water.
For the first few days it might be advisable to clean your teeth
in bottled water. Eat fruit you can peel. Always wash fruit well before eating
it. Wash your hands before and after eating. Always keep a tube of mosquito
repellent with you. Always carry a kit of the basic emergency medicines you
might need for diarrhoea, fever, etc. Also, band aids and an antiseptic
ointment.
If you do catch a bug, do not panic. It will go away in a few days -but try
the following tips to keep it down:
• Drink lassi - a yoghurt drink. It will help tone down the bacteria.
• Eat plain rice, or try a simple khichdi - an easily digestible mixture of
rice and lentils.
• Drink plenty of coconut water. It's cooling, and naturally sterilized!
• Drink plenty of fluids and take some electrolyte salts if the bug persists.
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Social Interaction | |
If you are fair-complexioned, blonde or red-haired - and especially if
you are female - chances are that you will be stared at continuously,
specially in the smaller towns. Don't be offended - they mean no
harm, it is just curiosity.
Try to avoid shaking hands. Greet people with a 'namaste' (hands
pressed together at chest level as if in prayer). You will be
appreciated for using the Indian style of greeting.
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Shopping | |
Try to shop only in government handicraft shops. There the prices are
fixed and the quality is certified. If that is not an option, check
the prices at a few shops before making a choice. Bargaining is
standard and is enjoyed by all.
Get used to the fact that you will probably be charged more than
the locals. If possible, take a local along when you go shopping.
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Tipping | |
In hotels and restaurants, tips are not normally included in the bill.
Some hotels include service charges on their bills. In such cases
tipping is not necessary.
The standard tip is 10%.
In hotels, porters and room service attendants are normally tipped
at the end of the stay, though an early tip is likely to get you
better service. Tipping of taxi drivers is not customary.
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Sightseeing | |
Dress codes for religious places can include covering your head,
being barefoot etc. Ask, so that you don't unwillingly give offence.
Some temples do not permit any leather articles at all on their premises.
Certain areas of temples are not open to Non-Hindus.
Most museums in India are closed on Mondays and Site Museums, those
near archaeological monuments, on Fridays.
The dry summer heat can drain you completely. Drink lots of water
and fluids.
The sun is strong. Remember to use sunscreen on exposed parts of the
body. Wear sunglasses to screen out harmful rays.
Photography is not always permissible, and at many places it is
permitted only at a fee. There is usually a higher fee for using a
video camera.
Smoking is not allowed at all public places.
English is spoken at almost all tourist centers, but you can also
request Government-trained and approved guides who also speak
German, French, Spanish, Japanese, Italian or Russian. |
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