What you should know when you have intention to travel to India??

Many of you travelled to India before, some yet and some planning to, soon. I would like to share some humble tips from my journey to India recently (including Kashmir). We might went to the same country and states, but the journey won't be the same. 

1) Visa: For Malaysian, the cost for 1 year multiple entry visa is RM462.56. You may visit Online Visa Application to fill up online visa application form. The form later on need to be printed out for the submission to Visa Centre together with the following:

a) Photograph size 2 inc x 2 inc (white background).
b) Passport
c) Return air ticket to India (not compulsary) 

Effective from 1 April, the centre has been relocated to Wisma Chase Perdana, Damansara. 

Refer to this website for updated info, time for visa application and collection time etc Visa India - Malaysia. Normally, it will take 3 days for the visa to be affixed to your passport.

Please be careful in filling up online application form since one mistakes can cause you to pay RM30 for corrections.

You also may apply e-Visa which is valid for 4 months with costs RM320. You may fill up the form and make online payment here e-Visa.

How the visa looks like. It will be affixed to your passport. Google picture. Of course i won't put my pasport here hehe.. 

2) Injections: Thyphoid, Meningitis, Hepatitis B & Malaria would apply but depends on your antibody system. The cost of injections however depends on clinics or hospital you are going. Klinik Kesihatan DBKL for example offered Thyphoid injection at a cost of RM41 and Meningitis injection at a cost of pada harga RM120 for Malaysian.

2) Injections: Thyphoid, Meningitis, Hepatitis B & Malaria would apply but depends on your antibody system. Aku kene inject sebab perut cap ayam

3) Food: If possible, unless your antibody is damn strong, please avoid street and uncooked food. The dusts, unsafe food preparations and the dirt environment is enough to cause your diagnose diarrhoea or any related viruses. If you stay in hotel, i can say the food is save for you to consume. 

Hawker selling foods at the road side

Wash cleanly should you bought this

4) Activities: India is too wide and contains a lot of hidden germs. Golden triangle is normal. You can try the other part of India such as Jodhpur, Amritsar, Chennai, Udaipur and many more. If you are nature lover, Jammu & Kashmir also Ladakh is attractive and enthralling enough for you to go for trekking (summer and spring) and having snow activities (winter). 

5) Transport: Various of transports including charter car, busses, trains, metro, tuk tuk and auto rickshaw, but is still depends on which city or state that you arrange going. For example, metro not available in Jaipur and Kashmir. So, do some research for city that you are going to. If you travel on the road, please spare a bit of your time for traffice jam since it may cause delay in your journey. 

I haven't tried the local transportation in my last trip since we book agent to drive us here and there. I should try in my next trip 😁

Taj Mahal in foggy morning view

6) Language: Most in tourism industries are fluent in English. The rests are nehi nehi. Its good for you to know basic Hindi as well. Worst case, you can download google offline for Hindi Language. 

7) Drinking water: Drink bottled and mineral water only. But, i have tried Chai during my last trip, the famous milk tea in India. Tastes good and give no harm to my stomach. 

Bottled water sold everywhere

8) Toilet: Most of them have bidet. But be prepared with wet tissues as well.  In my previous trip, i only used toilet/washroom at the hotel, airport and restaurants. The cleanliness is rated as acceptable and quite clean. 

9) Scams: Too many. Be careful in every of your steps, words and actions. While the car stopped at the traffic lights or while you stucked in the jam, there will be a lot of people knocked down your car window, selling stuffs and some are beggars. Don't give anything otherwise a bunch of the same will come to you soon after (You can do so if you are kind enough to entertain and 😬). 

If you plan to ride tuk tuk or rickshaw, careful also in bargaining the price. Preferably you made a research first rather than zero knowledge.

Don't ever exchange your money with the stranger to avoid chances in receiving fake notes. 

10) Price Negotiations: Please do even in a boutiqe or established shops 😁.

Pashmina sellers

11) Sim Card: You can buy it through Lazada or any online based shopping cart. Other than that, you may purchase it at the airport upon arrival (if you are not roaming). 

Vodafone is widely used as compared to other operator. 

12) Donations: Contrary to No 9 above, if you go to Kashmir, please reserve some portions as they are Muslims and deserve for it. You can give as a tips for their tourism service or by saffron or pashmina from them since some of the villagers are selling pashminas and saffrons at very cheap price. 

1g of Saffron sold for Rs100. Super cheap! 

13) Expect the unexpected: Some tourist attractions can be closed without early given notice. I experienced this when Qutub Minar closed due to ticketing system down in the afternoon and Red Fort also closed due to the cultural performance held next door to the Fort. What a bad day!

• Kindly share yours. Would love to read it!