India Travel Documents:
To beat jetlag, book an overnight flight or one that arrives in the
evening when traveling east so you can either catch your sleep on
the flight or as soon as you get in to your destination. All visitors
are required to carry a passport valid at least for the next 6 months.
India Visa requirement :
Citizens of all countries (including Commonwealth) require a valid
passport an an appropriate (entry, transit or tourist) visa. The
visa must be obtained abroad from an Indian Mission. If planning
to visit a neighboring country such as Nepal and then re-entering
India, a double/multiple entry visa should be obtained.
General requirements:
(a) Original passport valid for at least six months
(b) Correct visa fee.
(c) Two passport-size photographs (five photographs in case of Pakistani
nationals)
(d) Supporting documents, where necessary
(e) Duly completed application form (Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals
need to apply on special application forms)
Air tickets to India :
Major Airlines operating to India: Malaysia Airline, American Airlines,
Air India, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, Eva Airline,
Malaysia Airline, Singapore Airlines, Continental Airlines, Emirates
Airlines, Northwest, Air Canada, Ethiopian Air, Lufthansa, Kenya
Airways, China Airlines, Thai Airways, United Airlines, Air France,
Alitalia, Delta and Korean Air.
Cheap India Airfare Search Tips
~ Traveling on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday traditionally costs
less.
~ If your travel plans are flexible, consider these days.
~ Buy your India ticket as far in advance as possible. Fares are
often lower when purchased 7, 14 or 21 days in advance.
~ Avoid flying on a weekend. Many airlines have made this a requirement
for reduced fares.
Book travel during holidays, or other peak periods, as
early as possible to get the best promotions and deals.
Best Airfare Deals from :
Los Angeles, LAX, Logan Boston, BOS, New York, NYC, JFK, Newark,
NJ EWR, Chicago, IL CHI, O'hare, ORD, Denver DEN, Las Vegas, LAS,
Detroit,Michigan, MI DTW, Baltimore, BWI, Phoenix, PHX, Denver,
DEN, Dallas Fort Worth, DFW, Houston, HOU, Atlanta, GA ATL, San
Francisco, SFO, Minneapolis, MN MSP, San Diego, CA SAN, Miami, Florida
MIA, Texas, IAH, AUS, Philadelphia PHL, Seattle, Tacoma SEA, Pittsburgh
PA PIT, St Louis, MO STL, Washington DC WAS, Orlando, FL MCO, Salt
Lake City, UT SLC, Charlotte, NC CLT and Cincinnati, OH CVG.
What to take :
As little as possible, you can buy just about everything when you
are out there. Perhaps the only area in which buying in India is
neither cheaper nor easily available is technical equipment. And
offcourse don't forget to bring in your complete clinical / medical
records translated into English with you !
What to wear :
Bare minimum ! if you buy out there, you blend in better anyway.
During winter months in the North and the highlands in the South
do get cold at night, but at all other times light weight cotton
is best. Respect their culture, discreet clothing for women especially.
For foot wear - comfortable sandals are all you need.
Email / Internet access in India !
Now huge in India, particularly on all well trodden travelers paths.
Connection can be slow but you will rarely fail to find a selection
of Internet cafes. Good tip is to duplicate records of Travelers
Cheque numbers, passport and plane details, etc. on your Yahoo/Hotmail
accounts.
Electricity in India :
The voltage used is 220 volts (the U.S. uses 120 volts). You can
purchase a converter at most hardware stores for appliances that
do not switch to 220V.
General Travel Tips :
(A) Drink only bottled or
boiled water, or carbonated (bubbly) drinks in cans or bottles.
Avoid tap water, fountain drinks, and ice cubes. If this is not
possible, make water safer by both filtering through an “absolute
1 micron or less” filter AND adding iodine tablets to the
filtered water. “Absolute 1 micron filters” are found
in camping/outdoor supply stores.
(B) Buy bottled water from respectable outlets to guard against
stomach upsets. Some of the better known brands are Bisleri, Kinley,
Aquafina, Himalaya etc. Make sure that the seal of the bottle is
intact.
(C) Watch out for spicy dishes, especially at the outset of your
tour. Avoid eating food from road side stalls. Eat unpeeled fruits
and avoid fresh salads, especially in small hotels. If you are forced
to eat food at some place that you have doubts about, make sure
the food is served hot.
(D) Always use an insect repellent if you find yourself in a mosquito-prone
area. But remember, not every place is mosquito-infested and low
temperatures in winters (when most tourists come to India) kill
most bugs in the northern plains and hills.
(E) If traveling in scorching heat, remember to drink enough water,
use hats, sunglasses & UV lotions. Do not venture out in the
mid day sun.
(F) Pharmacies or chemists are available in every little town and
village and you can buy medication. In case you need to see a doctor
for a specific condition, ask for help from your hotel (most have
doctors on call) or your tour operator. The cost of visiting a doctor
is fairly low (less than a dollar) compared to western countries.
India medical value Travel
Checklist (suggestions):
Below you will find a
checklist of documents that you may need prior to departure.
Passport
Please ensure that your passport is valid and will not expire
within the next 6 months.
Visas
Please ensure you have a valid visa for travel.
Air Tickets
If you need to re-confirm your return flight, please do this in
good time. Any requests for a wheelchair or particular dietary
requirement should be made at the time of booking your ticket.
Travelers Cheques, Money, Credit Cards
Ensure that you have enough cash for your trip and it is always a
good idea to have access for extra funds in case of any emergency.
Medical information
If you have any medical information or reports please bring
these along with you on the trip. Remember they should be
translated into English Language.
Copies of the above documentation
It is advisable to take copies of your passport, visa, air
tickets, traveler’s cheques information, and keep this information
separate from the originals. Why not e-mail this information to a
web account as well. |