16 India Travel Mistakes to Avoid

Last Updated on July 29, 2025

Traveling to India? Learn what not to do in India, and all the best tips.

Planning international travel can be stressful, especially when you’re headed to a country or region that you haven’t visited before. That’s exactly why I’ve put together this guide covering what NOT to do in India.

Knowing what not to do in India is important, because for most of us visitors, the local culture and customs are different from what we’re used to. Learning about local life in India is part of what makes traveling there so great. But it also means you should know up front many of the cultural norms, so that you can be a responsible tourist while there.

While everyone’s experience is different, I definitely felt a bit overwhelmed when I arrived in India. Because India is so different from my home country, Canada, I had a mild case of culture shock. And, it took some time to learn the travel basics – like how to book a train trip, for example. 

Once you get used to things, traveling India is a blast. Two of my favourite experiences were riding camels out into the Thar Desert, and exploring the UNESCO world heritage sites around Hampi, Karnataka. 

Ready to visit India yourself? Read on to learn 16 India travel mistakes to avoid.

16 India Travel Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

Before planning a trip to this region of the world, it’s important to know these India travel mistakes. Here’s what not to do in India.

1. Don’t Forget Your Indian Tourist Visa

Almost all foreigners visiting India require a tourist visa. Luckily, India offers an e-visa that can be applied for online. This is the simplest way to apply for a visa, and  it can be done up to 4 days before your first trip to India.

Prices for the e-visa vary depending on your nationality and the length of your visa. There are three types of tourist visa that you can apply for: 

• One month (30 days), double entry
• One year (365 days), multiple entries
• Five years, multiple entries 

If you happen to be from Japan, South Korea, or the United Arab Emirates, you’re in luck. For these nationalities, some airports in India offer visa-on-arrival. You do need to print and fill out a form beforehand, which you can get from the India Visa Online website. 

Applying for the e-visa is pretty straightforward, just be prepared to answer lots of questions in the online form. Once your visa is granted, you’ll simply print it and present it when you arrive in India. 

For the most up to date information about Indian tourist visas, visit the website: Indian Visa Online. 

2. Don’t Forget to Learn Basic Hindi

Hindi is one of India’s two official languages, according to the Government of India’s Official Languages Act. The other official language is English. 

So if you’re reading this blog (in English), you’re in luck! You’ll find many people you encounter in India, especially those who work in tourism, speak English.

Hindi has its roots in the ancient Indo-Aryan language of Sanskrit. But the Hindi that’s spoken today across India is more closely associated with Urdu. 

Hindi is predominantly spoken in Northern India, and it’s used as the lingua franca in other parts of the country. This means that if two people whose native languages aren’t Hindi meet, they’ll often use Hindi to communicate. 

Interestingly, although Hindi is an official language, it isn’t often the first language a person in India learns. According to the 2018 Indian census report, over 19,500 languages and dialects are spoken across the country! Given this, it’s not surprising that many people in India speak several languages. 

If you speak English, and know some basic Hindi, you’ll likely always be able to communicate with locals. 

Our first time traveling India, we found that if someone we spoke to couldn’t speak English or understand our admittedly bad Hindi, they would often be able to call over someone nearby who could understand us. We always found a way to communicate!

To get you started, below are some basic Hindi phrases:

• Hello/hi = Namaste
• How are you? (informal) = Kya haal hai? /Kaise ho?/sab theek?
• I’m fine, you? = Main theek hoon. Tum?
• Excuse me = Suniye
• Thank you = Dhanyavad
• Yes = Haan
• No = Haan
• How much does this cost? = Ye kitne ka hai?
• How much? = Kitna?

3. Don’t Forget to Pack the Essentials

There are a couple things that you should be sure to pack for your first trip to India. These are items that will either come in handy, or items that might be difficult to find in shops there.

Travel insurance. 

Travel insurance isn’t just a must-bring for India, it’s a must for any and all travel. Even if you are totally healthy, it’s important to buy insurance in case of an emergency or accident. 

And, insurance can often cover you in case you run into cancellations or lost baggage. I never leave the country without insurance, and it’s paid off. When I had an allergic reaction in Australia, my insurance covered most of the hefty hospital bill. 

Lots of sunscreen. 

I found that sunscreen was expensive to buy in India (compared to prices at home). The other thing is that many sunscreens sold there include whitener. To avoid the expense and the whitener, bring lots of sunscreen from home. 

Tampons/Diva/pads. 

You can of course buy tampons and pads in India, but while traveling around I sometimes found it challenging to figure out what shops would have what I need. So for the sake of simplicity, pack all the feminine products you think you’ll need for the duration of your trip. 

Basic medications. 

Always talk to your doctor before a trip to make sure you have the right vaccines and any necessary emergency medication, like inhalers or epipens. 

I also like to pack basic over-the-counter remedies for food poisoning, headaches, cold and flu – that way I have it on hand in case I need it. Bringing rehydration powder is also a good call in case food poisoning or the heat leaves you feeling dehydrated. 

Charcoal tablets. 

These little tablets work wonders for traveler’s diarrhea! Unlike Imodium, which just stops you entirely from pooping, charcoal tablets absorb the bacteria in your body to help reduce diarrhea. 

When my partner got terrible food poisoning in Ukraine, charcoal tablets managed to stop the reaction in its tracks. Bring some charcoal tablets along, and take a dose (according to the instructions on the bottle) as soon as you feel some traveler’s diarrhea beginning. 

Water filtration system. 

It isn’t safe to drink tap water in India, and so you’ll be relying on filtered water – usually bottled – for your entire trip. Buying bottled water every day results in a lot of plastic waste. 

If you’d like to avoid this, consider bringing a water filtration system! I have a Grayl bottle that allows me to scoop water from a river, or simply filter tap or rain water. You can read more about the bottle I use, here. 

Modest clothing and a light scarf. 

India is a conservative nation, specifically when it comes to gender roles. As a result women dress very modestly.

I packed mostly long, cotton pants and light t-shirts that covered my shoulders, and that worked perfectly! I also made sure to always have a light scarf around in case I needed extra coverage for entering a temple, or something extra for cooler evenings. 

Toilet paper. 

When we traveled India we stayed in low budget and mid budget hotels. We found that only some of them provided toilet paper, and it was usually a really small amount of it. We eventually got used to just using water to rinse rather than toilet paper – but we still carried a roll with us just in case! 

Because it’s not as commonly used in India, we found rolls of toilet paper were sometimes hard to come by. Usually we could buy a roll from a street vendor for around $1 per roll. To avoid the hassle, be sure to pack some T.P.!

4. Don’t Forget Your E-Sim

Having access to the mobile data is super convenient for your first trip to India. 

The quality of internet connection can vary around India. We found that in low-budget hotels the internet was often slow, whereas in mid-range and higher end hotels it was fast. In most of the restaurants and cafes that we ate in, decent internet was available for free.

We like to disconnect when we travel, so my partner and I don’t always pick up a local SIM card when we’re abroad – often we’ll just rely on hotel and restaurant WiFi. 

But in India we felt that having a SIM with some mobile data would be helpful just in case we ever needed to research something on the fly, or use Google translate. 

In India, SIM cards are sold as “prepaid” which means it is topped up with data and minutes before you can use it. It’s essentially the same as pay-as-you-go. 

There’s also “postpaid,” but this is a monthly contract which you pay for at the end of every month, so this system makes more sense for locals and expats. If you’re just visiting, go with prepaid.

Prepaid SIMs often offer data per day – so your data limit will be per every 24hrs, and it will reset every morning. Costs range, but depending on how much data you’d like you can expect to pay from a minimum of 250RS, up to 900RS for SIM plus prepaid data. 

These days, most airports sell SIM cards at arrivals. They tend to be a little more expensive in the airports, but it is worth it for the convenience.  

If you don’t want to buy one at the airport, your best bet is to go to an authentic shop rather than a reseller. Go somewhere that seems to be busy and popular, or ask a local about where to go. Your hotel or hostel can likely give reliable suggestions. 

You will need to provide paperwork to purchase a SIM. This typically means  providing passport information, and sometimes you will need to provide a 2×2 photo. 

If a shop doesn’t request items for paperwork, that’s a red flag – it means they likely don’t plan on submitting the activation paperwork. If that’s the case, your SIM could get shut off down the road.  

Airtel and Vodafone are India’s biggest network providers, so they are both good choices for service providers. 

That said, coverage is not the same all over India so even with one of these providers you might find that the quality of your data varies between regions.   

5. Don’t Rush Through Your India Trip

Especially in India’s cities, there are lots of crowds, tons of new smells, and in the cities you might be overwhelmed by all the sounds of horns honking. 

Much of this is simply because India has a super large population. India’s density per square kilometer is 454 people. 

In the USA, the density is around 58 people per square kilometer, which is tiny comparatively! So your first trip in India, you might feel overwhelmed by all the people.

My partner and I found that we often got tired early in the day while traveling India, and I think that’s probably because of a mixture of the crowds, high energy and heat. 

So, we made it a routine to take a break at some point every day as we traveled. Often, we would leave our hotel early in the morning to wander, and then return in the afternoon for a midday nap. 

We also avoided setting lots of daily expectations for ourselves. For example, we never jam packed our days with lots of itinerary items. 

Instead, we typically decided on one “thing” that we would do per day – a visit to a temple, a museum, or other site. The rest of our time we could fill in with wandering neighborhoods, hanging out in cafes and restaurants, and resting. 

This slow approach to travel was super rewarding because it allowed us time to really get to know places, and it also helped avoid travel stress. 

We never felt pressure to fit a lot into one day! So instead of trying to cover lots of ground on your trip, go at a slow pace. Spend at least 4 days in every place you visit (or more!).

For more on managing travel stress, read 12 Mental Health and Travel Tips

6. Don’t Skip All the Food!

I remember the first meal I had in during our first trip to India. My partner and I were wandering a market in Kolkata, amazed by all the incredible smells. 

When going for street food, we know that the key is to look for a place that is busy. So when we spotted a big group of men standing around one particular street food vendor, we had a feeling that would be the right spot to have lunch.

As we got closer we noticed that everyone had a banana leaf plate, and were eating some sort of bean curry from their plate, with chapati.  

As we approached we were ushered into a small room where we were seated and handed our own banana leaves. The meal was simple: chapati and dal. We used our hands to scoop up the dal with the naan. 

Every few minutes the vendor would come by and offer us more. We ate until we were perfectly full. When we were finished, we drank chai out of a small clay cup, as is custom in Kolkata. It was one of the best meals of my life. 

India’s food is as diverse as India itself. Cooking styles vary from region to region, but you’ll notice some common staples that appear across the country: Rice, wheat, and curries. 

And no matter where you are in India, you’ll always be able to find a delicious cup of chai tea. As you travel, look up what dishes are local to the region you are in, and try them!

Here are the basics of what you can expect in Indian cuisine, by region: 

Northern India: You’ll find lots of dairy is added to dishes. Paneer, which is a delicious Indian mild cheese, and ghee (clarified butter) are common. Korma is a great dish to try while in the North. It’s a creamy curry made of coconut milk, cumin, coriander and nuts. 

Western India: Like most of India, rice is the staple in Western India. But unlike in the North there is an abundance of sea food. In Goa specifically you’ll find delicious prawns and fish. 

Eastern India: Vegetarian dishes are common all over India, but you’ll find them especially popular in Eastern India. Common ingredients include mustard seeds and “paanch phoran” which is a mix of five spices. In the East you’ll also find momos – steamed meat or veggie filled wontons as well as lots of dairy dishes. 

Southern India: South Indian food is distinct, known for its use of seeds, spices, tomatoes, tamarind and plantain. The staple in the South is dosa: this dish includes a large crepe-like pancake made from fermented batter. Traditional dosas are called “Masala Dosa” and they are filled with a mix of potato, onion, and spices. Expect all dosas to be slightly different, and do as the locals do, eat them with your hands!

7. Don’t Book Trains Last-Minute

I’ll be completely honest – this guide about India travel mistakes is based off my own experience! We did not book trains or accommodation in advance during our first trip to India, which sometimes meant we couldn’t get the trains we wanted.

Because we spent two full months in India, we traveled slowly and we generally decided where we would go next just a couple days ahead of time. This slow approach works well if you have lots of time. But if you’re spending just a few days or weeks in India, booking trains and hotels in advance will save  you a lot of hassle. 

At the very least, book your train tickets 2 or 3 days in advance.

Train travel in India is safe, convenient, fast,  and a fun experience! I always looked forward to our train trips, especially our overnight ones. We would meet locals in our car, sometimes chatting or sharing food. And I loved falling asleep in my small berth to the sound of faint bell whistles and the rhythm of the train’s wheels. 

On long distance trips you can usually choose to reserve your spot in an air conditioned Chair Car, or an AC1, AC2, or AC3 sleeper. “AC” simply means air conditioned, and the number (1,2,3) indicates how many berths are stacked in the cabin you’ll ride in. 

In AC3 there are a total of six berths, AC2 has four berths, and AC1 has just two. We usually booked AC3 because it was economic but still very comfortable. 

Many of the popular train routes have a small Foreign Tourist (FT) quota of seats. These are seats or berths that are available only to foreign tourists. This is very useful:  A train which is theoretically fully booked may still have a few Foreign Tourist (FT) berths available within a day or two of departure. 

While this does mean that foreign travelers can book trains at shorter notice, I wouldn’t rely on the FT seats and berths always being available. If there are lots of other tourists, they book up. 

If you can, book your train trips in advance. You can do this online (details below), or when you arrive in a city. When we were in India, we would book our next train as soon as we arrived in a new place – so typically 3-7 days before the trip. 

You can see the train schedules on the Indian Rail website. But to book, you’ll want to use 12go.asia. This third party site will secure your tickets through IRCTC (this is the system that local residents book through). 

To book in the rail offices in India, or to book online through 12go.asia, you’ll need to provide your passport number. 

The great part about 12go.asia is that they offer flexible options. If the train or class you wanted to book is full, you can indicate whether or not they can book you a different train or a lower class based on availability. 

Note that 12go.asia doesn’t book Foreign Tourist tickets. They book general tickets. Foreign Tourist tickets can only be booked in person. 

Train tickets range in price depending on distance and what class you book. In general, we paid between $5 and $40 for our train trips. 

8. Don’t Book Accommodations Last-Minute

During our first trip to India we almost exclusively used Agoda to book hotels in India. This online travel booking platform is popular in Asia, and we found it reliable. We also occasionally used Booking.com and Airbnb. Booking.com is especially nice because you can easily cancel your reservations if need be. 

There are tons of options to choose from when booking hotels in India, and it all depends on how much comfort you’d like. We traveled on a budget and so we went for small, independently owned hotels. 

They often didn’t have air conditioning, but we adjusted to the heat just fine. Budget rooms will often not include a private bathroom. Instead, you’ll use a shared bathroom that is usually very nearby. 

We didn’t mind shared bathrooms, but if you like your privacy you’ll want to pay a bit extra to have your bathroom in your room. 

Although there are lots of hotels to choose from, it’s always better to book your accommodation as in advance as you can. This means you’ll have the most options to choose from.

9. Don’t Be Ignorant: Learn About India

One of the beautiful things about travel is that it gives us the opportunity to see how diverse the world is! And that diversity isn’t just from country to country, it’s within countries as well. 

For example, in India there are 22 major languages, over 720 dialects, and people across the country belong to different ethnic groups who all have unique traditions and culture. 

India is also a big country. It would truly take years to see it all. Even in our two months there, my partner and I saw only a small snippet of what “India is.” And, our experience was shaped by where within India we went, the budget we traveled on, and the people we met. 

While traveling around India take note of regional culture, religion, language, and traditions. Make an effort to learn about the local culture, and take time to understand a bit of the region’s history, as well as what life is like now.

You can do this by hiring local guides, visiting museums, reading online or watching documentaries, and by simply asking questions when you have an opportunity to speak with a local. This is a great way to practice cultural appreciation and respect as a humble visitor!

Read about how to avoid cultural appropriation, and instead practice appreciation. 

10. Don’t Ignore Seasonal Weather

Weather varies drastically across India, and throughout the year. It’s a massive country, and so every state experiences a variation in climate. 

What’s most important to know is that India has two monsoon seasons, which affect different regions of the country at different times. In December, the mountains in the north western provinces are hard to travel because roads and passes are closed for safety.

And in May, June, and July, Goa is very quiet with many shops closed. In June and July in particular, it pours rain. 

Planning your first trip to India around the weather will help ensure you have a comfortable trip. I recommend researching the weather for the specific region you’d like to visit, but in general, the best months to travel India are October to March.

11. Don’t Wear Shoes Inside a Temple

This goes for inside people’s homes as well. Removing your shoes inside a temple or home is a mark of respect. And when visiting a temple, it helps maintain the sanctity of the temple.

When visiting temples in India, you will notice a designated area outside the entrance where you can leave your shoes. Often, there is an attendant who you can pay a bit of money to look after your shoes. Or, there is a counter where you can leave them.

12. Don’t Point Your Finger

There are a few things about etiquette that are good to know when visiting India. First up? Don’t point your finger. Although this is common in some parts of the world, in India, it’s perceived as rude. If you need to draw attention to something, like in a shop, motion with your whole hand instead.

Another etiquette rule is to avoid using your left hand to eat, or to pass items to another person. In India, the left hand is considered to be unclea. So, avoid your left hand coming into contact with food or any objects that you pass to people.

13. Don’t Show Affection in Public

In India, it’s not appropriate to show affection in public, like holding your partner’s hand, hugging, or kissing. This is because Indian society is quite conservative, particularly the older generation.

These personal acts are associated with sex and marriage, and are meant to be done only in the privacy of the home. As a foreigner, it’s unlikely that anyone would comment if you show affection in public, but out of cultural respect, it’s best to do as the locals do and refrain.

14. Don’t Drink Tap Water

It’s best to avoid drinking tap water in India. It can sometimes contain bacteria that have the potential to make you sick. Local people typically boil tap water before drinking, or they purchase bottled water.

While in India, stick to bottled water – or, make the more sustainable tourism choice and bring a filtration system with you to India. Filtering your own water is a sustainable tourism practice because it will reduce how much plastic waste you generate.

There are tons of systems to choose from that suit different needs, but all systems have the same function: they filter contaminants out of water, making it safe to drink. There are tons of options to choose from, Lifestraw is a popular one, especially for hiking and camping. After comparing options, I opted for Grayl. 

When in restaurants, order mineral water instead of regular water. It’s pretty likely that the regular water has been boiled or is filtered, but, unless you can confirm this, play it safe and order mineral water.

15. Don’t Wear Tight, Revealing Clothing

India is a very diverse country, but like I mentioned above, much of the population is conservative-minded. The way women dress varies throughout the country. In big cities like Mumbai, you can where whatever you want, but in other regions, women are expected to dress modestly.

Out of respect for local culture, it’s best to avoid sleeveless tops, short skirts / shorts, and tight, or skin-revealing clothing. In general, make sure your shoulders are covered, and you’re wearing long, loose pants, or a long skirt.

Covering up has the added benefit of more coverage from the sun!

16. Don’t Expect to Pay With Cards

For the most part, India is a cash economy. You will pay for everything with cash. In bigger cities like Mumbai, you might find that high-end restaurants and hotels accept credit card, but even in those cases, cash is generally better to avoid transaction and conversion fees.

That said, it’s always good to have a credit card with you for emergencies.

Now You Know Key India Travel Mistakes

I still think often about the experiences my partner and I had, our first trip to India. We arrived in Kolkata late at night. The following morning we ventured into the city, where we were overwhelmed by the smells, noise, traffic, colours and the sheer amount of people going about their business. 

We definitely experienced some culture shock during our two months there, especially in the beginning – but that culture shock created many opportunities for us to learn. We have so many beautiful memories of discovering different parts of India, from exploring the Thar Desert in Rajasthan to learning about ancient history in Hampi.

I hope this guide covering India travel mistakes to avoid is helpful!

More from Pina Travels: 

• A Chronicle of Culture Shock in India
• Ultimate Hampi Itinerary: 3 Days in Hampi
• An Overnight Jaisalmer Desert Safari in Rajasthan, India