Hip Travel Guides

Book Hotels

Login Form

Forum



Home Hip Guide to India

Hip Guide to India

India is so vast it is considered a sub-continent, with 1.2 billion people it is the second largest country in the world after China. Located in south Asia, India ranges from the lush tropics in the south, to the Himalaya mountains in the north. The culture of India is fascinating and dates back more than 30,000 years. India is the seat four major religions, Hindusim, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. There are also Zoroastrians, Christians and Muslims to be found here. From stunning architecture such as the Taj Mahal to the incredible number of films produced in Bollywood, India is amazing and a marvelous place to visit.

Whether you come for a quick visit or extended tour, you will find a wealth of information about destinations here. The Hip Guide to India offers the highlights of the country, and contains many tips for making your stay here more rewarding.

The Hip Guide to India is your source for hotel reservations, tourist information, events, reviews, shopping and much more. Don't forget to visit our India Photo Gallery! Bookmark this site, and visit whenever you need to find out what's happening in India.

THIS SITE IS INTERACTIVE! You can participate by adding your own reviews, comments, stories or event listings. Don't forget to tell your friends about us!

Staying Healthy in India

Print | Email
Going to India, you have to adapt to a new climate and new food. Most travellers to India will become at least slightly ill during their stay there - even Indians returning from abroad. However, with precautions the chance and severity of any illness can be minimized. Don't stress yourself too much at the beginning of your journey to allow your body to acclimatize to the country. For example, take a day of rest upon arrival, at least on your first visit. Many travellers get ill for wanting to do too much in too little time. Be careful with spicy food if it is not your daily diet.
 
No vaccinations are required for entry to India, except for yellow fever if you are coming from an infected area such as Africa. However, Hepatitis (both A and B, depending on your individual circumstances), meningitis and typhoid shots are recommended, as is a booster shot for tetanus.
 
Tap water is generally not safe for drinking. However, some establishments have water filters/purifiers installed, in which case the water is safe to drink. Packed drinking water (normally called mineral water) is a better choice. But if the seal has been tampered, it could be purified tap water. So always make sure that seal is intact before buying. At some places, you will have to pay extra to get "chilled" bottle of water.
 
Diarrhea is common, and can have many different causes. Bring a standard first-aid kit, plus extra over-the-counter medicine for diarrhea and stomach upset. A rehydration kit can also be helpful. At the least, remember the salt/sugar/water ratio for oral rehydration: 1 tsp salt, 8 tsp sugar, for 1 litre of water. Most Indians will happily share their own advice for treatment of illnesses and other problems. A commonly recommended cure-all is to eat boiled rice and curd (yoghurt) together for 3 meals a day until you're better. Keep in mind that this is usually not sound medical advice. Indians have resistance to native bacteria and parasites that visitors do not have. If you have serious diarrhea for more than a day or two, it is best to visit a private hospital. Parasites are a common cause of diarrhea, and may not get better without treatment.
 
Malaria is endemic throughout India. CDC states that risk exists in all areas, including the cities of Delhi and Mumbai, and at altitudes of less than 2000 metres in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu, Kashmir, and Sikkim; however, the risk of infection is considered low in Delhi and northern India. Get expert advice on malaria preventatives, and take adequate precautions to prevent mosquito bites. Use a mosquito repellent when going outside (particularly during the evenings) and also when sleeping in trains and hotels without airconditioning. A local mosquito repellent used by Indians is Odomos and is available at most stores.
 
Getting vaccinations and blood transfusions in India increases your risk of contacting HIV/AIDS-even in many private hospitals.
 
If you need to visit a hospital in India, avoid government hospitals. The quality of treatment is poor. Private hospitals provide better service.

Source: Wikipedia
Category: Hip Guide to India

Telephone and Internet Access in India

Print | Email
The country code for India is 91. India is then divided into area codes, known locally as STD codes. See individual city guides for the area codes.

 

In acronym-happy India, a phone booth is known as a PCO (Public Call Office) and they usually offer STD/ISD (Subscriber Trunk Dialing/International Subscriber Dialing), or national and international long distance respectively. These are usually staffed, and you dial yourself but pay to the attendant after the call is over. Metering is done per pulse and a service charge of Rs 2 is added to the bill. Larger cities also have Western-style unmanned public phones, which are usually red in colour and accept one rupee coins.

 

Local phone numbers can be anywhere from 5 to 8 digits long. But when the area code is included, all phone numbers in India are 10 digits long, including cellphones (which usually start with '9'). When calling from a landline phone, the syntax varies based on where you are calling to, as India is divided into circles that are almost, but not quite, the same as states. For example, for phone number 1234567 in area code 22 (Mumbai):

 

Calling from Price Syntax Example

Same city Local number 21234567
Same circle Local 95-area code-number 95-22-21234567
Different circle STD 0-area code-number 022-21234567
Overseas ISD +91-area code-number +91-22-21234567
Toll-free numbers start with 1-800 or 1-600, but they are operator-dependent: you can't call a BSNL/MTNL number from an Airtel landline, and vice versa.

 

To dial outside the country from India, prefix the country code with 00. E.g a US number would be dialed as 00-1-555-555-5555. Calling the USA/Canada/UK over the normal telephone line will cost you about Rs. 7.20 per minute. Calls to other countries, particularly to the Middle East, can be more expensive.


Mobile

India uses GSM and mobile phones are widely available. Major operators include Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), Bharti Airtel , Idea Cellular and Hutch . As roaming charges can be very steep, it makes sense to get a local SIM card: prepaid starter kits are available for around Rs. 500, including several hundred rupees of call time, and local calls cost as little as Rs. 1 per minute. Bring along your passport when applying and get ready to pose for a photo (or bring your own).

 

When calling from a mobile phone, you need to prefix the STD code even for a local call.


Internet

Internet kiosks are everywhere nowadays.Beware of using your credit cards online as many cases have come forward regarding credit cards thefts using keyloggers. Calling overseas is also very cheap if you use the many booths that advertise 'Net2Phone' service. Basically it is calling over the Internet. The quality ranges from tolerable to excellent, and the price is very good, with calls to the USA ranging from Rs. 2 to Rs. 5 per minute.
Category: Hip Guide to India

India Map

Print | Email

Explore India with this handy interactive map. Double-click to zoom in, and click and drag to move it around. You can change the view from terrain to a street map or a satellite view of the area you are interested in.


View Larger Map

Category: Hip Guide to India

2012 Public Holidays India

Print | Email

Republic Day Jan 26 Thursday

Milad Un Nabi Feb 05 Sunday

Maha Shivaratri Feb 20 Monday

Holi March 08 Thursday

Mahavir Jayanti April 05 Thursday

Good Friday April 05 Thursday

Buddha Purnima May 06 Sunday

Janmashtami (Vaisnava) August 10 Friday

Independence Day August 15 Wednesday

Idu’l Fitr August 20 Monday

Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday Oct 02 Tuesday

Dussehra (Vijaya Dashami) Oct 24 Wednesday

Idu’l Zuha (Bakrid) Oct 27 Saturday

Diwali (Deepavali) Nov 13 Tuesday

Muharram Nov 25 Sunday

Guru Nanak’s Birthday Nov 28 Wednesday

Christmas Day Dec 25 Tuesday

 

Other Holidays (regional)

New Year’s Day Jan 01 Sunday

Makar Sankranti Jan 14 Saturday

Pongal Jan 15 Sunday

Basant Panchami Jan 28 Saturday

Guru Ravidas birthday Feb 07 Tuesday

Swami Dayananda,

Saraswati Jayanti Feb 16 Thursday

Shivaji Jayanti Feb 19 Sunday

Holika Dahan March 7 Wednesday

Chaitra Sukladi

Gudi Padava

Ugadi

Cheti Chand March 23 Friday

Ram NavmiApril 01 Sunday

Easter SundayApril 08 Sunday

Vaisakhi April 13 Friday

Vishu April 13 Friday

MesadiApril 14 Saturday

Vaisakhadi (Bengal)

Bahag Bihu April 14 Saturday

Hazarat Ali’s Birthday June 04 Monday

Rath Yatra June 21 Thursday

Raksha Bandhan August 02 Thursday

Jamat Ul Vida August 17 Friday

Parsi New Year’s day August 18 Saturday

Onam August 29 Wednesday

Ganesh Chaturthi Sept 19 Wednesday

Dussehra (Maha Ashtami Additional) Oct 22 Monday

Dussehra (Maha Navmi) Oct 23 Tuesday

Maharishi Valmiki’s Birthday Oct 29 Monday

Karaka Chaturthi (Karva Chouth) Nov 02 Friday

Naraka Chaturdasi Nov 12 Monday

Deepavali (South India)Nov 13 Tuesday

Govardhan PujaNov 14 Wednesday

Bhai Duj Nov 15 Thursday

Pratihar Sashthi or Surya Sashthi(Chhat Puja)Nov 19 Monday

Guru Teg Bahadur’s Martyrdom DayNov 24 Saturday

Christmas Eve Dec 24 Monday

 

Category: Hip Guide to India

Related Articles

Reviews

· Art Galleries
· Cafes
· Destinations
· Entertainment
· Hotels
· Museums
· Restaurants
· Shopping
· Tours

See All Reviews


City Hotels

· Agra
· Bangalore
· Bhopal
· Bikaner
· Chennai
· Cochin
· Darjeeling
· Goa
· Hyderabad
· Jaipur
· Jaisalmer
· Jodhpur
· Khajuraho
· Kolkata
· Lucknow
· Madras
· Madurai
· Mumbai
· Mysore
· New Delhi
· Ooty
· Patna
· Pondicherry
· Pune
· Shimla
· Srinagar
· Trivandrum
· Udaipur
· Varanasi


Hip Forums | Discount Hotel Bookings

Copyright © Hip Inc. All Rights Reserved.