When you choose where to relax in India, the question inevitably arises, what is the best way to get there?
By plane
According to Country Verifier, the easiest way to get to India is by plane – regular flights fly to Delhi from Moscow and other cities. There are also quite a few flights direct to Goa. Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, flydubai, Etihad Airways and Air Arabia fly from Russia to India with transfers, and these flights are often more convenient.
By train
You can also take the railway with a change in Bangladesh or Pakistan, but it will take a long time.
By car
It will be a long and difficult journey by car, through Pakistan and Iran.
Transport in India
Urban public transport in India is represented mainly by buses. In large and resort cities, they are modern, but private and suburban buses are often dilapidated and not very comfortable. But this way of moving around the country is very cheap.
There are three types of taxis in India – ordinary taxis, motor rickshaws and cycle rickshaws. Their services are inexpensive, but the price must be negotiated in advance.
There are subways in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.
Recently, air travel has become popular, so you can quickly fly from one city to another at a very reasonable price. There is also rail transport – air-conditioned trains run between major cities. True, in any trains it is very dirty, even in the eyes of Russian tourists.
There are car rentals in India, but the roads here are very bad, and the Indians practically do not follow the rules of the road, so renting a car is unlikely to be a reasonable solution.
Money
The monetary unit of India is the Indian rupee, INR. On price tags, the designation Rs is often found in front of the number. One rupee is made up of one hundred pise.
Cuisine and restaurants
Indian cuisine is very colorful and varied, many recipes have come down to us almost unchanged from ancient times. At the same time, the local cuisine was influenced by Europe and Turkey and successfully absorbed the best of their recipes.
Here are the most popular Indian dishes:
- Steamed basmati rice with spices;
- Bread made from flour or chickpeas looks like crispy flatbread;
- Dal – a mixture of vegetables and legumes;
- Curry is an amazing blend of spices that is used to flavor a variety of dishes;
- Tea is the national Indian drink;
- Chutney – thick pastes and seasonings made from herbs;
- From meat, they mainly eat chicken and fish. Beef and pork are rare, as the former is forbidden by Hinduism, and the latter by Islam.
There are many places to try Indian cuisine. There are a lot of vegetarian cafes in India. Tea can be drunk in teahouses. And in large and tourist cities, the fast food chains we are used to are also presented, if you suddenly do not want to experiment with Indian cuisine.
Souvenirs
To make your vacation in India memorable for you for a long time, you definitely need to bring something from there. Listing all authentic Indian souvenirs is an overwhelming task, so let’s focus on the most popular:
Silk, cotton and other natural fabrics
The perfect souvenir for women. Of particular interest is the sari – a long piece of fabric in which Indian women are traditionally wrapped. Silk scarves are the best to buy in Kashmir
Bijouterie
A great and reasonably priced souvenir. If you want to buy real gems, then go to Jaipur, and for silver, you should go to Rajasthan – there is a large selection and low prices. Gold bazaars work everywhere, but it is very easy to meet a fake
Indian figurines
Beautiful and authentic souvenir. Interesting, for example, Indian elephants-matryoshkas or figurines of gods. It is best to buy them in Delhi – prices are lower there
Teas and spices
Inexpensive, but very good gift. Local teas are very different from those that we drink, and mostly for the better. Such a gift will be remembered for a long time and will not lie dead weight. It is better to buy spices and teas at grocery markets
Rum
An interesting souvenir will be local rum, which is sold in abundance everywhere, especially in Goa.
indian incense
Undoubtedly, a very good souvenir that can take you back to India at least for a while. They are of high quality and truly fragrant, unlike the incense we sell. Such a souvenir is quite inexpensive.
Natural cosmetic
Scrubs, soaps, shampoos, etc. Their quality is excellent and prices are very low.
Indian carpet
Expensive and luxurious souvenir. Will not fit into every design, but will delight you for many years
Indian traditional medicines
Especially popular are trishun, neem, ashwagandha and kailas jevan. Many people buy unusual toothpaste, for example, with pepper
Visa and customs
A visa is required to travel to India. In general, obtaining a tourist visa, especially a single entry visa, is not difficult. It is valid for 30-56 days. Multiple or triple entry is issued for three months.
To travel to Goa, a visa is issued right at the airport, but you will not be able to travel outside the state with it.
Customs rules are standard – you can not import alcohol, drugs and other illegal things, alcohol and cigarettes are subject to duty. It is impossible to export items of national heritage; there are usually no problems with the rest.
