India

Hindi and English are the two languages used for national government business, but India recognizes over twenty other official languages, and most people's everyday language is a regional one such as Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, or Punjabi. English is widely spoken in tourist areas, hotels, and by anyone in a service role in the bigger cities, so getting by without any Hindi is entirely possible. Road signs in most states are written in both the local script and Latin letters, though smaller towns may only use the local script.

Prepaid SIM cards are cheap and widely available, but foreign visitors need to buy one in person at a shop with their passport and a passport photo; some networks also ask for a local address or a sponsoring hotel, so it's worth checking at the airport counter if this applies. eSIMs from international providers are a simpler option that skips this process entirely. Mobile data coverage is strong in cities and most towns, though it can drop out in remote mountain areas like Ladakh.

Tap water isn't safe to drink; stick to bottled or filtered water, and be cautious with ice in smaller towns. Pharmacies, called chemists, are widely available in cities, many open late or around the clock, and can fill most prescriptions without one. Street food and casual restaurants are part of the experience, but choosing busy stalls with high turnover reduces the risk of an upset stomach. Talk to a doctor or travel clinic a few weeks before the trip about recommended vaccinations, since these vary by region and season of travel.

Most foreign visitors need a visa to enter India; a small number of nationalities, mainly from neighbouring countries, can enter visa-free. The e-Visa is the most common option for tourists: it's applied for online before arrival and covers stays of 30 days, one year, or five years depending on the type chosen, with entry only permitted through designated airports and seaports. A regular visa obtained through an Indian embassy or consulate is the alternative, required for some nationalities and for longer or more complex trips.

Visa and entry requirements change frequently. Verify current requirements with the official immigration authority or your country's embassy before travel.

Modest dress is expected at religious sites: shoulders and knees covered, shoes removed before entering temples, mosques, and gurdwaras, and a head covering for Sikh gurdwaras (scarves are usually available at the entrance). Namaste, said with palms pressed together, is a common greeting alongside handshakes, especially in business settings. Use the right hand for eating, giving, or receiving items; the left hand is considered unclean for these purposes. Bargaining is expected in markets and with rickshaw or taxi drivers who don't use a meter, but not in shops with fixed price tags. Ask before photographing people, particularly in villages and at religious ceremonies, and note that some temple inner sanctums are closed to non-Hindus.

Major festivals like Diwali and Holi can shut down shops, offices, and transport for a day or more with little notice, and hotel and train prices rise sharply around them, so it's worth checking the calendar before booking a trip. Outside festival periods, most shops in cities stay open seven days a week, typically from mid-morning until late evening; a long afternoon break is common in smaller towns and in the heat of the south.

• By train: Indian Railways connects almost every town, and long-distance journeys are often best done overnight in a sleeper or air-conditioned class. Book on IRCTC, the official booking site, well in advance for popular routes and during festival season.
• By air: Domestic flights are cheap and frequent between major cities, and often save a full day of travel compared to trains on long routes such as Delhi to Chennai or Mumbai to Kolkata.
• By bus: State-run and private coaches reach places trains don't, including hill towns and smaller cities; overnight sleeper buses are common on medium-distance routes.

India drives on the left, which affects how traffic flows and how to read road signs when getting around on foot or by car.

Food in India varies enormously by region, and there's no single "Indian cuisine" the way visitors sometimes expect. Breakfast might be idli and sambar in the south, poha or paratha in the north, or a simple cup of chai with biscuits. Lunch and dinner are often built around a thali, a plate with rice or bread alongside several small dishes of vegetables, lentils, and curry, refilled as needed. A large share of the population eats vegetarian, particularly in states like Gujarat and Rajasthan, so vegetarian options are the default rather than an afterthought almost everywhere.

Street food is a genuine part of the culture, not just a tourist activity: chaat, samosas, and pani puri are eaten by locals daily, usually from stalls with a visible line and high turnover. Sweets (mithai) made from milk, sugar, and nuts are given as gifts and eaten during festivals. To drink, chai, spiced milk tea, is everywhere in the north, filter coffee is the equivalent in the south, and lassi, a yogurt drink, is common alongside meals in warmer regions.

Meals are traditionally eaten with the right hand rather than cutlery, especially with bread like roti or naan used to scoop up curries; restaurants that cater to tourists will usually offer cutlery on request. Family-run canteens and thali restaurants remain the most common way locals eat out, alongside a growing number of modern cafes and restaurants in the bigger cities.

India's classic first trip links Delhi, the capital, with Agra, home to Taj Mahal, and the pink-walled city of Jaipur — together known as the Golden Triangle. From Jaipur, Rajasthan's desert region continues to Jodhpur, with its hilltop Mehrangarh, Udaipur, built around a chain of lakes, and the fortified desert city of Jaisalmer, home to the sandstone Jaisalmer Fort.

In the northwest, Amritsar draws visitors of all faiths to its Golden Temple. Along the Ganges, the ancient city of Varanasi is one of the holiest sites in Hinduism, with cremation and bathing rituals taking place daily on its riverside ghats.

On the west coast, Mumbai is India's largest city and financial capital, anchored by the Gateway of India on the harbour. South of it, Goa mixes former Portuguese colonial towns, including the Basilica of Bom Jesus, with some of India's best-known beaches.

The south holds a different India again: Kochi, on the Kerala coast, blends Chinese fishing nets, colonial architecture, and the Paradesi Synagogue; Mysuru is home to the ornate Mysore Palace; and the ruined temple city of Hampi sits among boulder-strewn landscapes once the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire.

In the east and the Himalaya, Kolkata centres on the Victoria Memorial and its long literary and artistic history; the hill station of Darjeeling is famous for its tea gardens and views of the Himalaya; and Leh, high in Ladakh, is the gateway to Buddhist monasteries and some of the highest motorable roads in the world.