Do I need travel insurance?
We often try to go away to have fun, without spending too much. Insurance therefore tends to be skipped, due to lack of budget but also lack of knowledge. Because travel insurance, especially if you are going to Asia for several months, can be more than welcome in the event of a problem, as the default insurance on credit cards is limited.
The maximum amount for healthcare costs covered by traditional credit cards may prove insufficient (around €10 compared to €000 for dedicated travel insurance) and does not cover civil liability.
I advise you ACS Travel & Expatriation Insurance Solutions.
I would like to point out that if you subscribe to the insurance via the link, I will receive a small commission. This is a simple way to help keep the site running, because insurance is preferable anyway and it will therefore be beneficial for both you and me.
What vaccines and what do I need to know for my health?
Like many Asian countries, a series of vaccines, although not mandatory, are still recommended.
Recommended vaccine:
Depending on the conditions of the stay:
- HEPATITIS B
- RAGE
- JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS
- TYPHOID
If you are staying on the side of Mumbai, (Bombay) and Pune, cases of sometimes resistant tuberculosis are reported. A tuberculosis vaccine is not too much, but think Above all, for your hygiene, wash your hands frequently.
Against mosquitoes
The most important thing is to protect yourself with a good mosquito repellent, in India you would have to suffer from Dengue fever or the virus Zika. There is also a risk with the Chikungunya virus but it does not apply to all regions (Delhi, Kerala, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa, Pondicherry).
And that's without counting malaria. The risks are lower in cities, but during the monsoon period from June to September, especially in the countryside, the increase in mosquitoes increases the risk. Preferably wear light-colored clothing.
If you are pregnant, it is better to postpone your stay, or failing that, discuss it with your doctor to avoid possible unfortunate consequences.
Hygiene conditions are generally quite good. rustic So even if it may seem obvious, there are some precautions to take, from a dietary point of view first:
- Wash your hands frequently before each meal (possibly with an antimicrobial solution since it is used without water).
- Tap water is not drinkable. Drink only capped bottled water or, if this is not possible, water boiled for 30 minutes and then filtered (Lifestraw straws can be an alternative).
- Avoid drinking fruit juices squeezed in the street. Avoid eating food from street stalls (well, this is an official recommendation, but if you are used to traveling, it is not necessarily worse than elsewhere).
- Meat and fish/shellfish must be well cooked before consumption (fish and shellfish should be avoided in the Delhi region between the end of March and the beginning of October due to the high heat and the risk of breaking the cold chain).
And general hygiene rules:
- Avoid swimming in stagnant water (risk of parasitic infection).
- Avoid walking barefoot on sand and wet ground.
- Do not pet animals you meet on the street, even if they do not seem aggressive.
- Remember to wear a seat belt (if possible), wear a helmet on two wheels, this is valid everywhere in the world.
Against pollution
India's major cities are unfortunately known to be among the most polluted in the world. As I write this, the air quality index in New Delhi, for example, exceeds 150 in all parts of the city.
In short, there are high concentrations of fine particles PM2.5 which are harmful to health if exposed for a long time, especially if you have sensitive respiratory tracts. This can cause inflammation of the respiratory tract, a reduction in breathing capacity leading to irritation, difficulty or even pain in breathing. Polluted air can also cause eye irritation and weaken the immune system.
To watch the daily rates in India, you will get everything on the AQICN website
To reduce the risks, in the event of prolonged pollution peaks, purchase N95 or FFP2 type filter masks.
High mountain hikes
If you plan to travel to mountainous areas, such as the Ladakh for example, it is recommended to exercise great caution if respiratory problems appear.
If you are not used to high altitude, your body needs to adjust. If you arrive directly by plane at Leh for example, which is at 3m, give yourself two/three days of acclamation and rest before going higher. Otherwise, go up by steps if you are arriving from the plain by car for example.
If you are planning a hike, do not go without a minimum of physical preparation. In case of breathing problems, it is advisable to descend to lower altitude areas and in any case not to continue the ascent.
For your safety
India is, overall, a relatively safe country, in which one can travel without great difficulty. But as everywhere, it is advisable to respect a certain number of rules and to be vigilant. In general, it is advisable:
- to keep your passport with you
- not to accept any packages from strangers (this goes without saying)
- to have a list of emergency numbers (see below).
- to notify the hotel and your families of planned trips
Well, here I am kindly transcribing the directives of the mother country. On the ground in the areas visited, we never really thought about doing all that... On the other hand, I must point out the visiting conditions if you are a woman.
Specific risks for women
You must unfortunately know that India is a country with the biggest problems with rape and violence against women, including foreigners, sometimes raped in front of their traveling companions.
Cases of sexual assault or harassment (including touching, inappropriate behavior, exhibitionism) are reported regularly. As a precaution, therefore, if you are a woman and what is more, if you are travelling alone in India, there are some precautions to take:
- prefer long, loose clothing with covered shoulders
- avoid walking alone in quiet areas, especially after dark (silent streets, including in big cities like Delhi; village alleys; beaches, etc.). Similarly, avoid finding yourself alone, as soon as night falls, with a taxi driver, hotel employee, guide, casual encounter if you do not have complete confidence in this person…
Here again, I am transcribing what the authorities say about it, they even talk about adopting a "restrained" behavior but it seems obvious to me not to play the pushy ones...
Many women who have travelled alone in India have had very good experiences. Others will have felt the insistent looks, etc. I think it depends on the region and everyone will have their own experience.
As I am a man, I had no problems, but having been with my wife on this trip, to my knowledge, she had no no worries in terms of interaction with the male gender.
Risks in transport
If we consider the ratio of number of vehicles to number of inhabitants, India is not that dangerous. (Thailand is doing much worse, currently being in the top 5, if not first outright). But the statistics are still alarming. Roughly, one fatal accident every four minutes. Every day, there are more than 1 accidents that cost the lives of 300 people across the country.
If available, put on your seat belts, even on a bus.
On the train, you have to be careful with your personal belongings (especially in a bunk) because thefts are quite frequent on the lines Benares-Delhi, Agra-Delhi, Calcutta-Benares et Calcutta-Puri. Having taken the Calcutta – Benares line (Varanasi ), I had put all my important things in a small bag, itself stuffed into my main backpack which was closed with a padlock.
To avoid being robbed, avoid drinking a drink offered by a stranger on public transport or elsewhere (particularly in Goa where this seems to be common in bars).
Scams, fraud and crime
There are reports of gemstone scams in the regions of Rajasthan, Goa et Dharamshala. Also on the northern train line between Agra, Varanasi and Calcutta, pickpocketing, especially at stations, is regularly reported.
Keep your personal documents and money with you, preferably in an inside pocket. To book, prefer a station at the official train ticket office rather than an agency, some inflate the prices. Some touts might also mention a train cancellation to take you in a private taxi instead.
Overall it was an excellent reception for us.
Having taken our first tickets through our hotel in Calcutta, they still charged us 500 Rs of fees, which is 50% of the price of a ticket, I'm not saying it's a scam, but it's still a high commission.
À Delhi in particular, be wary of taxi drivers who start telling you that your hotel is actually closed or inaccessible.
I will ignore the advice related to the risks of natural disasters, because it is valid everywhere, note just that there is a seismic risk in the north of the country, that the monsoon can be violent, that certain coastal areas can be affected by cyclones (generally between April and December and more particularly from May to November).
Risk areas
Due to the instability of the borders in some areas of the country, it is not recommended to go there. This is particularly the case in the state of Jammu and Kashmir (Srinagar being its capital in winter, when in summer it is Jammu), bordering Pakistan.
It is an unstable area with occasional attacks and riots due to the demands for independence from part of the population. Here again, I am giving you the "Ministry of Foreign Affairs" version. In practice, tourists, especially Indians, go there in large numbers each season and are rarely targeted, and the military, numerous in the city. Concretely, the main attraction being the lake and its floating "houses", this visit is normally not very risky.
After the state's recommendation to avoid any risk to its citizens, if we look at the map, the whole of India is considered to be in a "heightened vigilance" zone.
I will end this chapter by mentioning New Delhi one last time, the capital. Avoid hotels in neighborhoods of paharganj et Nabi Karim, apparently become fearsome.
Pratical information
– Emergency numbers –
- NATIONAL EMERGENCY NUMBER: 112
- POLICE: 100
- FIREFIGHTERS: 101
- AMBULANCE: 102
- Tourist line: 1363 or 1800111363
- Specific helpline for women: 1091
