India travel advice

For any medical emergencies, call 102.

With kids, in particular, use hand sanitizer when you can.

Malaria is a risk in India, although there are few cases. But do take precautions, covering up in the evenings, using repellents and sleeping under a mosquito net.

Dengue fever is also a feature, particularly during monsoon season, so good precautions such as strong repellants and nets are vital.

Recommended vaccinations for general travel to India are Hepatitis A, Tetanus and Typhoid. See NHS site Fit for Travel for more details.

Stick with bottled water, although sometimes tricksters seal bottles filled from a tap. Well known brands are safest but if it tastes odd, just leave it. Similarly, avoid ice if you are not sure.

Altitude sickness can occur in certain regions, so let your body adjust to the elevation slowly, and keep hydrated.

Coconut water is brilliant for rehydrating during extreme heat.

Keep kids away from dogs and cats, because rabies does exist in India, and kids’ natural inclination is to go and stroke the animals.

To avoid stomach upsets, look out for under-cooked fish or meat, salads which have been washed in unclean water, already peeled fruit and sometimes ice cream from street vendors.

Always travel with a basic medical kit, including Imodium for stomach upsets. Ensure to bring your own prescription medicines along with a copy of your prescription. If you do get dehydrated through illness or heat, the 1 tsp salt/8 tsp sugar/1 litre of water ratio combo works a treat.

Parasites are a common cause of diarrhea, and may not get better without treatment so if it goes on for more than two days, seek medical help.

There are venomous snakes in India, so look out for markings if you are bitten, seek help urgently and report which snake bit you.

Safety in India is not as bad as you might be led to believe, and issues vary per region. Petty theft is the most common, so you need to protect yourself from that. Padlock your luggage and keep valuables next to the skin.

The best bet is always to check with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) for updated, regional issues regarding safety.

Driving is terrifying. Get a driver. Life’s too short.

In Kashmir, the FCO only advises travel to Ladakh and the cities of Jammu and Srinagar, keeping to major highways. But oh boy, it is still worth it.

For adventure activities, make sure providers are experienced, first aid experts, and that there are helmets and buoyancy aids available for water activities. There is no organization supervising safety standards on the water, so you need to do good research and use a responsible tour operator.

Women are advised to keep the body covered as much as possible, and not to walk alone in tourist cities at night, as sex crimes have occurred. Also, women have been accosted during Indian holidays when street parties become drunken chaos.

Kerala’s houseboats have a good safety track record and guides should be trained lifeguards. But the backwaters are deep, so be careful, especially if non-swimmers are on board.

If travelling overnight on public transport, do not accept food from strangers due to episodes of drugging tourists and robbing them

Go, be brave, leave the well- trodden tourist trail, go up the mountains ...live with the families...it's much more in tune with the pulse of the country. Trust people to plan for you.. it's India ..they will not betray your trust. Be sensitive, in your dress and demeanour, this is a culture with values. Enjoy its diversity...landscapes spiritual beliefs, culinary treats ... - Mary Phillips

Be prepared for chaotic traffic, people begging (sometimes with children) particularly in the cities at traffic lights, lots of retail opportunities, early mornings, long journeys often on bumpy roads, (it took us 6hrs to do 200k one day), ATMs that refuse cards, have no money in them, the tipping culture and expectations of people to be given a tip, hotels that do not accept travellers cheques or card readers that do not work - Elizabeth Gooch

Be prepared for cultural differences. For example, it appears to be polite for someone to watch you eat every mouthful, wait for feedback and be on hand to refill your plate immediately whereas in the UK we leave people to enjoy the meal in peace - Daphne Donkin

Take a travel plug, small half litre kettle, and some cuppa soups and hot chocolate sachets. This enables washing yourself and a few clothes when the water is cold, and enjoying something warming when you can't face curry anymore! Ensure you buy an adapter specifically for India before you go.- Anne Parker