21 Tips for solo traveller in India
Tips for Solo Traveller in India : Travel guide to visit India
When we talk about India, we immediately list it amongst countries that are rich in culture, tradition, and history. Moreover, India is well-known for its great landscapes and mouth-watering cuisines. Today, we bring forward some best tips for solo traveller in India that will make your trip memorable.
Travelling alone is often difficult for most of the people. Although, it always leaves them with great memories to cherish throughout life. Everyone loves to share the story of their first solo travel with the same excitement that they must have felt after completing their journey. It is taken as an adventurous journey of their life. Almost everyone needs to travel alone at least once either because of choice or necessity.
Many people have a love of trekking and will venture out alone on a trekking journey. While some will stick to their own countries for such adventures, others are bold enough to explore foreign countries as well. Although, the important point is to have not just a fun experience but a safe one. This is why you should keep certain tips in mind when travelling alone.
Solo travelling in India could turn out to be one of the best experiences of your life. You will encounter both fun and challenging times. This means that the risk of landing into trouble is also present. But this is not the case with just India. No matter what country in the world you visit, each has its own associated sets of precautions that must be taken. Especially when you are travelling alone.
Check our blog : Best time to visit India
Remember the following precautions : Tips for Solo Traveller in India
Travel paperwork
Scan all the major travel documents and keep a copy in your email. Take a hard copy of your passport, travel insurance, visa, etc. and keep them in a separate section of your luggage. Though this is the traditional practice, you can also consider the digital backup. Carry copies of important documents such as ID card, passport, travel insurance, air tickets, and others paperwork always with you while travelling. Share your hotel, bank, and credit card details with your family. Also, have an emergency contact for safety purposes. Make sure someone can know about this contact through your belongings in case they need to get you to safety.
Pack light
Try packing your luggage in a sensible and easy way. People don’t have time to open up their whole luggage for one thing. A bag pack can be helpful in which you can keep your essentials and it is easy to carry too.
Keep a note
Make sure you remember the address of your hotel or hostel where you’re staying. It’s the worst feeling not knowing where you have to go, after a tiring day of travelling. Sharing contact details with people who are accompanying you on tour is another plus. Smartphones are a must nowadays and almost everyone has them. There are different apps on these phones that let you save locations. Try using such apps for your hotel. This will mitigate the chances of you getting lost.
Avoid Interaction with strangers
This is what most tourists don’t think about when they are travelling. We know that you are having fun and you want to learn about this place and its people. However, avoid talking unnecessarily to strangers when travelling within India, especially if you are a woman. Avoid getting friendly; even with personnel at hotels and tourists sites. Additionally, avoid people who are trying to become your friend without any reason. If you get the feeling that something is wrong, leave the place immediately.
Be alert about your body language. Make sure you try to be as formal as possible. Your actions can put a major impression on the other person. Try to maintain a safe distance when you are interacting with strangers. Never indulge in talking with strangers or share your accommodation details with them unless required. Be careful when talking to an unfamiliar person in a new place.
Never accept any free stuff from strangers. When you are a solo traveller to any new destination, do not take any free stuff like drinks, food, etc. from strangers. Their intentions behind this action could be questionable. If you do not feel comfortable eating alone, then it is advisable to dine at your hotel’s facility or ask for room service.
Staring strangers
One thing you need to be prepared for is staring or gazing. Most men and women have this habit of staring at others. You don’t need to worry that something’s wrong with you; you are totally fine. Try ignoring it. A maximum number of population in India is dark or dusky. They are not excessively familiar with white skin, which could be a reason for the staring.
Wardrobe
Be conscious of your wardrobe. Avoid wearing clothes that are revealing such as shorts, skirts, crop tops etc. Prefer wearing clothes that are rather simple and less revealing. Try wearing a scarf or try carrying a shawl with you, if you can. It won’t take much space in your bag. Cover your head and chest. The reason why we are giving you this advice is that you might be treated as an object of attention. By following these tips, you can reduce that attention and enjoy best trips for solo travel in India.
It is highly recommended to follow the country’s dress code. Make sure to research the local wear of the country you will be travelling to in advance and pack your clothes accordingly. It is suggested to dress modestly to avoid unwanted attention and being embarrassed for not following the dressing guidelines of the country.
Accommodation
Always choose the accommodation with extremely good reviews online. Don’t just go for cheap accommodation. Be sure of the location of the hotel before you plan on staying there. There are numerous websites that provide reviews on different hotels in India. Check the one with the best rating. You can also write us and one of our travel expert will be in touch with you.
Travelling in trains
For short journeys, you can try the local bus services but local transport in India can be inconvenient. So if you have a slightly better budget, then go for car rental companies offering car hire services. For longer journeys, try travelling on trains. It is a better way of transportation because it is cheaper and a quicker way to travel as you won’t get stuck in traffic. Moreover, they have a different compartment for women so you will not feel insecure. But be informed that overnight trains are delayed sometimes.
While planning solo travel India, female tourists must be extra cautious in a number of ways. Avoid entering crowded places or boarding over-crowded buses. Overnight trains must also be avoided if you plan to travel in the sleeper class. Staying out for long at night is completely against your safety. Be careful when hiring taxis, cabs, and auto-rickshaws during odd hours. Always look for ‘reserved for women’ facilities and interact with the local women. Dress up conservatively, don’t open up to strangers and always keep alert.
Avoid alcohol
This is a factor that you must be really careful about. Avoid consuming alcohol when you are travelling within India. Avoid this and you can keep yourself safe from a bundle of problems. Try to be in your senses as much as possible and avoid being taken advantage of. Moreover, you will be breaking the law if you are taking alcohol in public.
Travel during the day
To avoid situations like ending up in an alley alone, try travelling during the daytime. It is when most people are out in the city and you can call anyone if you feel something’s wrong. India is a pretty friendly country. If you call someone for help, there will be dozens of people lined-up to help you out. Try planning your trips at appropriate times. Make sure that you reach your destinations before sunset. You won’t like to get into a situation where you might get mugged or something even worse. Still, if you are willing to visit someplace at night, try going to places that are busy and offer transportation services. We highly recommend to have the services from the Travel Agency Or hotel from pick up and drop at the railway stations and at the airport where most of the touts you can find trying to cheat and selling their services.
Make sure your gadgets are well charged
We hope you won’t forget this one. Of course, you will keep updating your social media but just as a reminder, keep your phone charged and make sure that it has is not out of credit. Try carrying a power bank in your bag pack in order to avoid more trouble. You can call someone from the guesthouse or hotel if something goes wrong.
Don’t Judge everyone
Please don’t take the precautions above as a way to judge someone. You are visiting a place with more than a billion people. If there are a few bad eggs who can cause you harm, it’s better to be cautious rather than judgmental. Be in India, have a great time and enjoy to the fullest but don’t forget to take the required precautionary measures. The place is simply amazing and it could very well be the best trips of your life.
Get ready to feel like a celebrity
There might be situations at times when people will be waving or smiling at you just because you’re not an Indian. Some people might even approach you and ask for a selfie with them. This might make you feel like a celebrity but you have to be careful. As we said earlier, not everyone is your friend and you don’t need to cross the line. Avoid people when they ask for pictures with you as your photos can be misused.
The case gets different when a family asks you for a photo. This will be something that you will find cute. Don’t hesitate and just smile for the camera.
Quality of the food is very important : One of the best tip for solo traveller in India
It is better to avoid roadside food as it is unhygienic. Instead, try well-reputed cafes and restaurants. If you do want to try the street food because India is famous for it, then we suggest you consult the locals for the best place. However, if you think you are vulnerable to falling sick easily, then just compromise on this one excitement.
You may fall sick from drinking contaminated water or eating spicy street food in India. It is one of the most important solo travel India tips to choose bottled water as much as you can. Avoiding tempting platters is almost impossible, but be incredibly careful of where you are eating at. It is possible to find the alternatives to famous street food in certain restaurants. You can simply look up on Google Maps. Carrying travel and health insurance covers is indeed a good idea.
Watch Your Belongings
Check your bag after you have visited a crowded place. Check the place carefully before leaving it. Don’t leave any of your belongings as they are not easy to get back. Carry your cash and luggage carefully. Never leave your luggage behind if you are a solo traveller on trains or local buses while in a foreign country. Also, it is essential to take extra care of your luggage, especially while carrying it in and out of the airport or train. Do not carry any expensive item like a laptop, jewellery, etc. Avoid placing cash in your main luggage. Furthermore, don’t carry a significant amount of cash even on you. Instead of carrying cash, it is advisable to carry your credit card for making the major payments.
Check your budget
Try to keep a check of your budget when travelling alone. You are travelling to a new country and don’t know anyone here. So, going over your budget can lead you to difficult situations. So keep enough aside in case you stuck somewhere with a money shortage.
Take advantages of different apps
There are many apps in the store that can be handy when travelling alone. You can use a GPS to navigate yourself or any cab app to get rides where no transport is available. A translator could come in handy as well if you want some help from a local.
Prefer booking in advance is another important Tip for Solo traveller in India
When planning solo tours to India, it is a smart move if you make a few bookings in advance. For example, hotels, guesthouses, and homestays are better booked online. However, booking train tickets in advance is definitely the best thing to do as seats on the popular rail routes take no time to get reserved weeks before the schedules. It becomes almost mandatory during festival seasons and in the months from May to July, when it is time for summer vacations in India and train tickets are in great demand.
Learn a few local words and phrases
As a solo traveller, it is important to remember this important tip: learn a few words and phrases in the local language. Not understanding the language can cause frustration and might even create a troublesome situation. A basic understating of the common words and phrases will help you easily communicate with the locals. This is the best way to easily navigate your way without finding someone who could act as a translator.
When going offbeat alone
In case you desire to choose off-the-beat locations in India, it is advised to hire a tour operator service or at least a knowledgeable guide. You can book best trips for solo travel in India through many tourist travel service companies. You may also find and join the groups of hobbyists from India and align your travel plans with theirs. This helps to have a great company while visiting the remote Himalayan places, jungle areas, and other less-explored regions across India.
Don’t hesitate to ask
India, being a culturally diverse country, may surprise you with customs and rituals that may differ from other regions. For example, it is mandatory to remove footwear when entering the religious places likes Temples, Mosques etc. Several Hindu temples in South India don’t allow foreigners to enter. A few places may even prohibit photography. If you are visiting temples, Sikh shrines, mosques or any other religious place, then it is expected you where respectful and modest clothing. Whenever you are in doubt about how to act or react in a particular situation, it is better to ask the local people than inviting trouble.
Indians are very hospitable people. They can be expected to go overboard with their welcomes but it is all in good nature. Just trust their hospitality and follow the rules you just learnt and you will definitely enjoy your adventure as a solo traveller.
Hopefully, these travel tips for a solo traveller in India will be helpful. India is a beautiful country that must be included in the bucket list of every traveller.
If you ever feel that something is wrong, just grab your phone and dial 100. This will be the contact number for the Police forces. They are available 24/7. However, if you follow most of the above best tips for solo travel in India, you may not reach such a point in your travel.
