Money and Currency
India employs a decimal system where 100 paiseequals 1 Indian Rupee (INR). The 15-year averageexchange rate is INR 45 per Australian dollar.It’s worth noting that all of our custom madeitineraries are priced in Australian dollars; onceyou have booked you can rest assured that theprice will not change, irrespective of any foreign currency fluctuations.
ATMs are widespread in India sowithdrawing rupees is the easiest way to obtainlocal currency. Australian dollars cash and travellerscheques are widely exchanged; there is no need to carry US dollars. Pre-paid travel cards offer securityand low fees and are also worth considering.
Smaller shops and eateries only accept rupees andgenerally do not have credit card facilities; manylarger shops (‘emporiums’) accept foreign currencyand credit cards; large restaurants and hotels acceptcash and credit cards. We suggest you inform yourbank that you are planning to visit India to avoid your card being blocked after your first transaction on your card in India.
Shopping in India
India is a shopping paradise. Jewellery, handicrafts,wood carving, marble inlay, carpets, leather goods,ready-made and tailored clothing and textiles andfabrics are among the most popular and best valueitems for visitors. Some shops are fixed price, while in others and in thebazaars, bargaining is the norm. Bargaining takes alittle getting used to, but once you have the feel forit and realise it’s part of the way things work, it canbe fun. Remember not to take it too seriously and beprepared to walk away if it’s not good value. Many of the larger shops offer shipping if you can’t fit all ofthose purchases into your luggage!
Health and Wellbeing
Food hygiene and preparation have improvedmarkedly in India over the last 15 to20 years. Your digestion might be slightly disrupted as you adjust to the different food – this is more to do with the different oils, the richness of the food (especially in North India) and the spicesthan anything else. We’ve noticed the incidence ofserious stomach upsets reduce over the years.It still pays to observe some basic rules whiletravelling: use bottled water rather than tap water,thoroughly wash your hands or use hand sanitiserprior to eating, when eating out choose clean andreputable restaurants that have good patronagefrom locals, take it easy with new and unfamiliarfoods and begin with staples such as rice, dal androti (bread) before moving on to richer and moreambitious dishes (and street snacks) once you haveacclimatised. If you have a sensitive stomach youmight consider a course of probiotics in the lead upto the trip, and then a travellers’ supplement whiletravelling, to help keep stomach upsets away.It is also pays to take common sense generalprecautions such as staying well hydrated, coveringup against the sun, ensuring that you are well restedand not overdoing it in the early days of your trip.(Many people get swept up in the excitement of theirtrip that they forget to ease into it.)
Tipping
We provide extensive advice and guidelines ontipping in India in the documentation you receive prior to travelling.
Clothing
Modesty is important in India. Womenshould wear long skirts or pants with chest andupper arms covered. A shawl or scarf can also beuseful at sacred or religious sites. Men should wearshorts to the knee or long pants. It’s not such anissue in the bigger cities, but is important in thecountryside. North India can be surprisingly cool inJanuary and February, so it’s worth packing a fewwarm layers if visiting at this time. Your driver or localguide will advise you on this if there is a particulardress requirement for any given day.
Communications
Your mobile phone will work if you have globalroaming activated; keep in mind the high data andcall rates before using your phone extensively.Unlike other Asian destinations, it is notstraightforward to purchase a local sim card in India– we’ll provide further information on this prior totravel.
Call rates from hotels are very high. However most hotels in India are wifi enabled and this isgenerally the best way to stay in touch.Your driver will be carrying a mobile phone and youcan use this number for people at home to contactyou on if necessary.
