India travel guide 2023

India travel guide 2023 – Arooha Tours UAE

India is a holiday or vacation travel choice with so many to offer. Therefore, if you are planning to visit India, you have made the ideal choice. If it is your first time, you need an Indian travel guide to help you plan your visit.

Here we have an India travel guide covering all the basics you need to know for a successful trip to India. In this guide, you will learn about India and the unique e things you can do in India.

01 Visa requirement

If you have a UAE passport, you need a visa to enter India. You can get a visa through e-visa or on arrival. If you are an expatriate you need to pre apply visa to India for regular/paper visa for India before arriving.

02 About India

India, located in South Asia, is the world's seventh-largest country and the second-most populous country.

India's location on the shores of three major bodies of water (the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, and the Bay of Bengal) makes it a popular tourist destination for people from all over the world.

India is among the world's most remarkable travel destinations, and it deserves to be on everyone's bucket list. It is the second world's most populous country, with a long and unbroken history, a kaleidoscope of sights, sounds, and smells, and one of its most rapidly changing societies.

03 COVID Situation & COVID restrictions for travelers

The COVID cases in India have been reduced, and the Indian government removed the international traveller’s restrictions. However, there are certain requirements you have to meet to be allowed to enter India. These requirements are;

  • Be fully vaccinated and show proof.
  • Fully vaccinated travellers are exempted from PCR tests
  • The vaccine doses must have been completed at least 15 days before departure.
  • Children aged under five years are exempted from PCR tests.
  • All relevant documents, including a self-declaration form, must be uploaded on the Air Suvidha portal.
  • The thermal screening will be carried out at Indian airports.
  • On landing, some passengers will be selected for random PCR testing. They will be allowed to leave after sample collection.
  • All travellers are required to self-monitor their health for 14 days after arrival.

04 Currency

The Indian Rupee is the official currency of the country of India (INR). Major currencies such as the United States dollar, the British pound, and the euro are readily available throughout India. It is necessary to show your passport if you exchange money or traveller's checks abroad.

The Indian Rupee is the official currency of the country of India (INR). Major currencies such as the United States dollar, the British pound, and the euro are readily available throughout India. It is necessary to show your passport if you exchange money or traveller's checks abroad.

Credit cards are being accepted at various establishments, including shops, up-market restaurants, and midrange and high-end hotels. When travelling outside large cities, always have cash or traveller's checks on hand as a backup.

In India, all major brands of Travelers Cheques are accepted, but some banks may only accept checks from American Express and Thomas Cook, among other brands. The fees associated with altering travellers' checks vary from location to location and bank to bank.

05 Tax refund for tourists

In India, the Goods and Services Tax Act (GST Act) gives opportunities for international visitors visiting India to claim GST refunds. The GST goods purchased in India are eligible for a refund since the Goods and Services Tax (GST) is an indirect tax applied on the consumption of goods and services delivered in India.

The integrated tax paid by a foreign tourist departing India on any supply of goods taken out of India is eligible for a refund if the products are returned to the country. The refund of integrated tax applies to purchases made by foreign tourists who are departing India in accordance with the terms and criteria outlined in the IGST Act.

06 Language

Hindi is the most frequently spoken language in India. However, English is also widely spoken and written in the country. According to the Indian Constitution, there are 17 major languages and 844 dialects recognized.

In prominent tourist areas, you will find that the vast majority of individuals can comprehend and communicate with a reasonable level of English. In rural areas, on the other hand, only a small percentage of the population is fluent in or understands English.

07 Weather

The weather in India is extremely unpredictable. Whereas the southern tip of India is being pummeled by tropical monsoon rain, the northern part of the country will be coated by a layer of heavy snow.

India is separated into three distinct seasons in terms of weather: the winter, summer, and monsoon seasons. In general, the ideal time to visit India is during the winter months, when the weather is reasonably cool and pleasant in most locations throughout the country.

08 Getting to India from Dubai or Abu Dhabi

Before you are allowed to enter India from Dubai or Abu Dhabi, there are certain visa requirements you have to meet. Also, it is important to know how long it takes to get to India and to which airport.

09 How far from Dubai & Abu Dhabi to India

A Flight time from Abu Dhabi or Dubai to New Delhi takes approximately 3 hours 15 minutes.

10 Major airports in India

The Delhi International Airport and Mumbai's international airport have been named major airports in India for the past three years by the prestigious Airports Council International.

The Delhi airport is a popular destination because of the large number of retailers carrying international brands and the diverse selection of restaurants.

Other major airports in India include Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport – AMD, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Commercial Airport and Indira Gandhi International.

11 Getting around India

There are several means you can use to get around in India. Here are the best options.

By Air

You should save internal flights for journeys into the Himalayas if you wish to travel as little as possible — the flights to Leh in Ladakh and Pakyong in Sikkim are among the world's most stunning air routes, offering breathtaking views of the world's tallest mountains.

Airlines come and go in India due to the intense competition; at the moment, the largest carriers are Air India, Indigo, and SpiceJet.

By car

You can also get around in India by hiring a taxi. Taxis are found everywhere in India, and they can be hired for in-town rides, day trips and multi-day journeys.

By train & city trains

When it comes to exploring the country, travelling by train is the most evocative mode of transportation, despite the seeming lack of government investment in the country's huge but aging rail network.

In addition to connecting practically every corner of the country, trains run up into the mountains on narrow-gauge tracks, including numerous wonderfully nostalgic "toy trains."

12 Top things to do in India - nowhere in the world you can do

Here are the unique things you can do in India;

  • Visit the Taj Mahal, the world's greatest monument to love, which continues to be India's most unforgettable sight.
  • Visit the Golden Temple, which is the spiritual center of Sikhism.
  • Visit Red Fort, perched high above the smoky cacophony of Delhi's streets
  • See the Ajanta Caves, a complex of 29 cave shrines that have been delicately carved out of the surrounding rock, are dedicated to the three major religions of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.