Some Safety Tips For A Foreign Traveler In India

[SusieQ]

All good things to consider. Thanks for the info. One can never be to sure while travelling.

 

[MichelleVL]

Tourism is one the fastest growing sectors in India and India is becoming a hot location for many foreign tourists across the globe. Even though India is a safer place, a few tips can go a long way in ensuring your safety in India.

1. Avoid night walking - Walking alone in public places is safe, but you should not be there in dark isolated places at night. I think this is true anywhere in the world.
2.Dressing sense - Try to avoid dresses that expose too much of your skin. Why should we invite problems during the trip.
3.Reject anything from strangers during train travel - Indians have a habit of offering food to fellow passengers. There can be people with bad intention too. So just say "No, thanks". Do not take any chance.
4.Avoid over friendliness with strangers, especially if you are a solo female traveler

If the above things are taken care of, you can travel anywhere in India with great peace of mind and enjoy your visit.

Thank you very much for the tips TravelGuide. The 2 tips that caught my attention the most were the ones where you warned about accepting food from strangers and being weary of overly friendly people. Frankly I have been to India before (in groups) and the thought hadn't even crossed my mind. Thanks again, during my next trip to India, I will be a lot more careful and safer thanks to you.

 

[djordjem87]

Yes, very true. You need to avoid any food offers especially during train journeys. There were instances of robbing people after offering food with ingredients which can keep them unconscious for long time. It is always safe to deny it politely. Even during halts do not let others buy food items/beverages for you. That can be quite risky. Remember they can even inject anything in a sealed plastic bottle. In short, it would be a pleasant trip for you if you mind your own business.

This is very good to know. I was wandering though, i live in Serbia where crime rate is pretty high but as India is much larger than Serbia i would assume the crime is more prominent. However, i never thought that this kind of things are being done because they are organized. I never heard for such a thing here. You can get held up, of course. Simple and plain robberies are common but this is kind of cunning move to do. Can anyone tell me about statistics considering crime rates in India ? I am just curious because i thought US, Brazil and South African Republic were the ones with this type or organized crime.

 

[Rezonate]

For a guy like me who has lived in East Los Angeles and LA nearly all My life and Southside Chicago where LA is the gang capital of the world and Al Capone notoriously ran the streets of windy city I think I can handle myself in India. However one can never be too prepared when it comes to new territory so this list is greatly appreciated thank you !

 

[arthnel]

I think crime happens everywhere and it's good to keep your guard up all the times. I'm usually just careful to avoid back roads and dark streets in general. I did let down my guard with some guys in India once and they took us to a nightclub and we had a great time. Initially we were on very high alert and ready for a showdown if necessary, but I think were lucky to just find some guys willing to make a few dollars by showing us around the city. We tipped them afterwards and it all went well. You have to use gut feeling sometimes too.

 

[HanaDyad]

This is a great thread. It is a good base for travel anywhere, really.

Everyone should do their research before traveling: find out what is considered respect in the area you are going, actions and dress wise. Learn the culture enough that you don't accidentally offend or cause drama. Learn enough of the language to say 'no, thanks' or 'thank you' or similar, so that you know you are able to cover the basics. Learning the way to contact the authorities and ask for someone who speaks your language are very important. Even if you never need to do so, you'll feel safe and in turn be more likely to handle things in a calmer manner.

Biggest thing is to learn how to talk to authorities in any country in case you ever need to.

 

[Ritika Sharma]

Yes, one should follow these security measures while travelling any part of the world.

 

[samfad55]

Thanks for this tip, it will definitely be useful for me in the near future when i visit India. However, i hope i wouldn't see someone who would offer me a food/drinks because rejecting these things where i come from is an act of disrespect i hope indians don't see it that way too.

 

[pwarbi]

I think that if it's obvious that you're a toirsist, then you may not get offered food, and even if you did and rejected it then I dint think it would be seen as being disrespectful.

People have their own ways and customs depending on where they're from, and I think people will accept that. As long as you respect there's at the same time of course.

 

[GammaRay]

Great advice! I always say to others to bring a family or friend on a trip just so you have safe company, a share-able experience and to be with someone you love. Bringing a guide book or reading travel blogs before going anywhere for your travel itinerary is also pretty great advice, financially and otherwise.

 

[CaptainOblivious]

Might I add to the list by suggesting that you always keep the contact numbers of your embassy with you. In the case of an emergency your embassy will be able to best guide you the course of action to take. I recently came to know of an Australian citizen who had to go through a lot of stress as he lost his documents and didn't think to contact his embassy first. They will be able to give you a temporary loan and alternate travel documents.
Hope I helped!

 

[OursIsTheFury]

Basic safety tips, starting with knowing where you and your significant others' are at all times while outside. Also research on the area that you will be visiting beforehand, and make sure you know where the nearest police station is. Research online on the most popular scams thieves like to do to tourists, their methods, targets, and how you can avoid them. A little lesson in self defense may also come in handy, but all in all the most important thing you can do is to stay alert at all times. Keep your wallet in check, while having an extra physical copy of your passport just in case. Make sure to keep an eye on your belongings, and just not have too much fun that you forget about your safety. Good luck, and have a pleasant trip!