India | ellensvoyage

INDIA

India is a vibrant tapestry of culture, history, diversity and culinary food. From the majestic mountains in the north, from the beautiful beaches in the south, this country has everything you want! Above all, one of the seven world wonders is located here, which is definitely a bucket list item for many people! India has been such an adventure for me and I would love to return to discover more as it’s so diverse and huge!

Continent

Asia

Language

total of 23 official languages, but most spoken is Hindi

Currency

Indian Rupee = INR
1 euro = 89.4 INR
1 dollar = 82.9 INR

Capital

New Delhi

Habitants

1.4 billion

Best time to visit

India is a huge country, so the climate will change according to the region. But overall, the best time to visit India is between October and March, as it’s dry and not that hot. But in the peak winter season (December and January), it can be quite cold in the north of India (for example, New Delhi and Agra). Another important thing to know it that the smog is quite bad in the winter months, where you can’t see further that 10 meters in front of you.

Winter

December - April

December to April is typically the winter season, whereas it can bring cooler temperatures, but also pleasant weather as it’s not that hot. Only, the northern region is way more chilly.

Summer

April - June

The summer months, or also known as pre-monsoon season, is between April and June. This concludes very hot months. Think about temperatures around 32 – 40 °C (90 – 104 °F)

Wet season

June - September

The monsoon or rain season starts in June and runs all the way to September. In these months, there is a lot of rainfall, that starts in June and is less frequent in September.

Post wet season

October - December

Post wet season is actually autumn in India, and lasts between October and December. This season brings less rain and cooler temperatures

Practical information

Do you need a passport?

You’ll need to have a valid passport to enter India.

Do you need a visum?

You will need a visum to enter the country (click here to apply for one)

What plugs do India use?

India uses power plug sockets that are of type C, type D or type M. The standard voltage is 230 V and the frequency is 50 Hz.

Can you use dataroaming in India?

It’s best to buy a local sim card at the airport so you don’t get overwhelmed without internet in the big cities. Or you can buy an e-sim beforehand.

Can you use your credit card/visa everywhere?

No, it’s quite important to have cash with you all the time as at some places, as they don’t accept card at most entrances. There are a lot of ATM’s around the cities tho, but it’s important to get cash.

Is India safe?

The first question I got when I mentioned I will travel to India was, ‘Is it safe to travel there?’. Of course, people are concerned about your safety, but believe me when I tell you that I felt completely safe in India! The people were so friendly and they always went out of their way to help us. But it goes without warning that you still need to be wary, especially in the big cities. Also, know that a lot of people try to scam you in all kind of different ways. But if you are aware of your valuables and your surroundings, and you will be fine.

Is it easy to take public transportation in India?

As most things in India, public transportation can be very chaotic! But there are a lot of buses and trains that run from city to city. And if you’re not comfortable with that, you can always opt for booking a private driver. They are easy to find if you just ask your hotel!

What is the budget for India?

India is a very cheap country! You can eat for not that much and the attractions are also not that expensive comparing to other countries. So it’s the perfect country if you want to do a budget trip!

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