Essential Tips for Visiting India as a Female Traveller

India was to many’s surprise my first country in Asia (not counting crossing to the Asian side of Istanbul before that). However, I had a very good reason to visit India and that was to attend the wedding of my 2 dear friends. While I was travelling with my husband, I still had to prepare myself on the culture, common rules and safety, so that I feel comfortable while exploring this incredible country. I can say I did my research well, and therefore I’d love to share with you my essential tips for visiting India as a female traveller, so you can be prepared as much as you can before you go there.

P. S. As already stated I travelled to India with my husband with whom I travel everywhere all the time. I am not a solo female traveller and this blog post is not how to prepare for India from that perspective, but rather from a more general and inclusive one, whether you are indeed a solo female traveller, or you travel like me with your partner, or in a group or with your whole family. This travel guide to India is written as a general and broader advice and safety guide to India from the female traveller perspective.

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Why Visit India as a Female Traveller

My answer can realistically apply to both male and female travellers, but here are my top reasons why I believe you would enjoy India as a female.

Firstly, it is an incredibly rich country when it comes to culture and history. I was left in awe with the beauty of its landmarks. From palaces to temples, each landmark testifies to the strong and long history of the Indian nation.

So, speaking of palaces, you can actually stay in a lot of them for a very affordable price! Before travelling to India I never indulged myself in such luxury, so even if you’re on a tighter budget, you can truly feel like a queen in India (even if it is for a day or two).

🫶 I stayed at the Shiv Niwas Palace, which is a part of the city complex in Udaipur. We paid only £293 for 2 nights with breakfast, I mean, I cannot recommend it more to you!

Beside rich cultural heritage, as a 7th largest country in the world, India is surely not lacking natural beauty. From the Himalayas to beaches in Goa, you can enjoy some of the world’s most beautiful nature destinations.

What I found really cute in India (when it was not too overwhelming at times, but I’ll speak more about it later), was how many local women were coming to me and asking me to take a selfie with them. Some even gave me their babies to hold, so they could take a photo of us. At first, something like that can come as a surprise because it is not even remotely related to our Western culture, but after a couple of days, you get used to it. And I tended to love it.

India is so colourful, loud and playful. It is a different world to our western one, so if you’re looking for some life-changing experiences, this is why you should visit India.

Is it Safe to Visit India as a Female Traveller

India is generally considered to be a safe country, but there are some things to keep in mind, especially as a female traveller.

We will discuss some things in more detail throughout this blog post, but some of the most common tips, and especially if you’re doing a solo trip, is to never be alone at night, not even in a progressive states like Kerala. Never share your live location and avoid using the public transport as much as you can. If you are onboarding the local trains, and if not travelling with a male companion, then choose only women’s carriages. I would personally always stick to Uber or transfers through reputable companies like GetYourGuide or Viator.

Don’t engage in conversations with local men alone as they may interpret it as flirting and a sex invitation! In general, there are areas and cities that you can explore on your own easily, but if you’re not feeling comfortable, it’s better to book a guided tour, again through GetYourGuide or Viator.

Dress modestly at all times and be respectful of Indian culture. If you understand the cultural differences and apply common sense, your trip to India will be pretty safe, even as a solo female traveller.

Planning Your Trip to India

When it comes to planning your trip to India ahead of time, we will look into 3 main things: best time to visit, where to stay and what documents to bring.

When to Visit India

Generally, the best time to visit India is from October to March. The weather is the most pleasant then. You can expect warm, dry and sunny days. From April it tends to get very hot, while between June and September India is experiencing a monsoon season.

However, as India is a South Asian subcontinent, some parts of India such as North India, and particularly the Ladakh region, is great during the summer months because it gets really cold there during the winter.

So knowing where you’d go and understanding the climate in this particular region/regions is essential when it comes to preparing for India.

How to Choose Your Accommodation in India as a Female Traveller

When people ask me if India is cheap, I usually answer with: it depends.

It can be very cheap if you’re eating at the street food markets (which I don’t recommend AT ALL) or if you’re staying in some super cheap hotel/hostels (which I also DON’T recommend).

However, even staying in a luxury hotel in India is WAAAY cheaper than staying in such similar hotels in the West. So, not only you can treat yourself with some very nice accommodation for what you’d pay for an average hotel in Europe or the US, you will actually keep yourself safe too (and this particularly applies for solo female travellers).

All these hotels for Westerners are fenced properties with some high-tech security watching over you. Yes, inside is a completely different world from what you see on the streets of India, but it also comes as a nice break from all that chaos on the street.

I think you get the idea now.

📖 Read my Is It Worth Staying at the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai? A Complete Review blog post.

Which Documents to Bring to India

If there’s one thing you need to take from this paragraph is to not even imagine yourself travelling to India without having travel insurance (or anywhere else really). For now, I’ve been using the one from Allianz and I’m very happy with it.

Catching a Delhi belly in India is so common, actually so much that both me and my husband got it and we’ve been extremely careful (eating at reputable restaurants ONLY, drinking probiotics). To top it off, because of all the bacterias flying out and about (think open sewage!), I was even able to catch a flu towards the end of my trip (which is sadly why I couldn’t explore Delhi at all).

Luckily for me, both the Delhi belly and the flu were manageable discomforts, so I didn’t need to go to see the doctor (I only went to the pharmacy to get us both antibiotics for the belly). But it could’ve been worse and I don’t even want to imagine what could’ve happened if I had to be hospitalised with no travel insurance!

💡Disclaimer: The information provided is for informational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. Consult your doctor before making any medical or travel decisions. The author assumes no responsibility for consequences resulting from using this information without consulting a medical professional.

Second thing, some countries will need the visa (or e-visa) to enter India.

👉 Check the official site of the Indian government for more info!

Vaccinations are not required for travel to India unless you are coming from a country with a risk of yellow fever.

If you’re travelling from the UK, transiting through Europe or the Middle East, and have not been in a South American or African country within the past week, a yellow fever vaccination certificate is not required (as confirmed here).

💡Disclaimer: This information is for guidance only. Always double-check and do your own research to ensure you have the most up-to-date information.

📖 If you’re interested in how to actually survive India, check my 5 Essential Tips for Surviving India – Top Things to Know blog post.

What to Wear in India as a Female Traveller

While I am not a fashion blogger per se, I do love to look fashionable when travelling WHILE respecting the local culture. I leave my modern western mindset at home when I travel to a destination with a different culture. In Croatia we have a saying that goes something in those lines: Love yours, respect others.

Therefore, please don’t dress in India like you would at home. And there are many reasons for it. Firstly, there’s this cultural difference. While in the big cities like Mumbai you will see Indian women dressed in jeans and shirts, they are a minority. Most local women dress very traditionally (which I personally found so beautiful).

Second, and even more important, you will attract views from the local men even if you walk in a sari all day long, especially if you’re blonde. Despite me being with my husband all the time, at times it did feel uncomfortable to be attracting that many views from men, and so I can’t even imagine what would that mean if I were to dress in very tight mini dresses or whatnot.

In your hotel you can dress as a Western woman if you’d like. I still only brought the swimming suit because I knew some hotels would have pools, but otherwise, all of my clothes were either long trousers, short-sleeve t-shirts and maxi dresses and skirts + the local clothes.

In terms of footwear, I brought 2 pairs of trainers, 1 pair of flat sandals and 1 pair of flip flops. Bring something that is not completely new or of a luxury brand because all your shoes will get very dirty and you don’t want to ruin something new or expensive you have in your wardrobe.

Needless to say you need sunglasses. I also got a light coloured crossbody bag, nothing too fancy.

Understanding India’s Culture & Cultural Differences

It’s really important to understand India’s culture and cultural differences, especially as a woman travelling to India.

I already mentioned that dressing modestly is really important for avoiding unwanted attention from Indian men. If you’re with your husband or boyfriend, they will never approach you directly, but if they would like to take a selfie with you, they will ask your partner for permission.

Speaking of selfies – this is so common in India! I remember when a group of Indian guys approached us asking for a photo, we thought they wanted us to take a photo of them. But they wanted my husband Slaven to be in the photo too, lol! And then I remembered how I read about selfies in India.

So, few things to bear in mind. Firstly, at some point it will get very overwhelming to take that many selfies all the time, so it is fine to say no or just avoid eye contact (I was doing the latter). Second, like I mentioned, the Indian men will ask your male partner for permission, but Indian women will be asking you directly. See that cultural difference in how they treat communication between men and (married) women.

However, if you’re travelling solo or with a group of girls or you have a girlfriend, then I would really refrain from taking selfies with men because they might read that as an open invitation for sex. I know, crazy, but sadly there are many uneducated men in India who just interpret things in a different way and here’s where the problems may occur, especially if you’re solo. So, as a woman travelling solo or with other women, I would just accept selfies with local women.

👀 Anecdote on my side: Even though I was with my husband, I got spammed on my Instagram by a local man. Basically, he asked my husband the general stuff as in if he can take a selfie with me. My husband approved. 🤣 We took a selfie and the guy asked my husband if he has an Instagram. And then my silly husband told the guy how I am more active on it and he gave him my profile (seriously, I know!). What happened is that the guy was messaging me all the time asking to be friends (goes in the line of how uneducated men approach these things). Sadly, I had to block him because it was just too much.

So, definitely never give your Instagram profile, not even if you’re with your husband like I was.

And now going back to being modestly dressed, it is absolutely a must-have for visiting temples and other sacral places. You can’t enter temples if your shoulders and knees are not covered. If you’re visiting mosques, then a pashmina is a must too!

How to Stay Safe in India as a Female Traveller

Like I already mentioned when we discussed accommodation in India, the safest is to stay in a Western hotel because usually they have a really good and reliable security system.

The next, and maybe even the most important thing, is to use a reliable means of transportation. I would refrain from taking trains because not only are they a nightmare to book but also they may not be the smartest choice. If you do want to experience the famous Indian train, and especially if you’re travelling solo or with other girlfriends, then book the women’s train compartments.

However, the best means of transportation if you ask me is to either order your ride on Uber or on GetYourGuide (the latter especially for the inter-city transfers). Or just fly for longer distances because not only would you save a lot of time but domestic flights in India are actually very affordable!

If you’re exploring cities solo or with other girlfriends, then just stick to the places that are the most popular. Definitely don’t walk alone at night, and especially not in non-touristy areas! If you’d love to do day trips, especially solo, then book a guided tour.

And most importantly, just apply common sense. If something seems weird, then it probably is!

Best Destinations in India for a Female Traveller

These are some of the best (and safest) destinations in India for a female traveller, especially of this is your first time to visit India:

Rajasthan

Rajasthan is by far my favourite region of India. The architecture, food, people, everything is just amazing about it.

Most famous cities in Rajasthan are: Jaipur (Pink City), Udaipur (White City), Jodhpur (Blue City) and Jaisalmer (Yellow City). You can guess why they’re named after the colour (the whole city is in that particular colour).

Because Rajasthan is one of the most famous tourist regions in India, it is also safe for women (especially Udaipur), though still apply the same advice as mentioned above.

👉 BEST ACTIVITIES IN RAJASTHAN

Goa

Goa is a beautiful region of India on the coast, often considered as best for having a relaxing beach stay.

While it is becoming more and more attractive for tourists and especially solo female travellers, Goa is still generally considered safe and therefore you should still avoid being alone at night, drink or party outside or engage in conversations with local men at night.

Otherwise, it’s a great destination in India for female travellers.

👉 BEST ACTIVITIES IN GOA

Kerala

Even more relaxing than Goa is Kerala, which is considered one of the safest states in India to visit, especially for a female traveller.

Kerala has one of the lowest crime rates in the whole country, the people are more literal and educated there and it’s less chaotic than some other regions. Kerala is often referred to as “God’s Own Country” which is putting the emphasis on progressive social norms making it a respectful environment for women travellers.

You should still respect and behave what we’ve discussed above, but it is surely one of the best and safest destinations to visit in India as a woman.

👉 BEST ACTIVITIES IN KERALA

Ladakh

For those seeking mountains, Ladakh is surely the best region in India to visit because it is situated on the western end of the Himalayas.

In terms of female safety, it is generally considered safe because the locals are often respectful and friendly and the crime rate is pretty low. You still need to be aware of your surroundings and respect the cultural norms just like anywhere else in India.

👉 BEST ACTIVITIES IN LADAKH

Modern & Famous Places

And lastly, here are some of the modern cities and/or famous places you can visit in India.

• Mumbai

Mumbai is such a modern city, which I like to refer to as if London and India had a baby. It is generally considered safe for women, though you should still not walk the streets at night alone and obviously stick to the tourist areas.

👉 BEST ACTIVITIES IN MUMBAI

📖 Check my detailed Mumbai 3 Days Itinerary: How to Spend Your Time Perfectly blog post.

• Bengaluru

Even more modern than Mumbai and the capital of the IT sector in India, Bengaluru is one of the safest modern cities in India to visit and generally one of the best places for female travellers. Still be aware of your surroundings and apply common sense.

👉 BEST ACTIVITIES IN BENGALURU

• New Delhi

The capital of India is a must visit for sure, though you should really only stick to the touristy areas, especially if you’re alone and absolutely avoid being on the streets at night, even if you’re in a group of other female travellers. With applying common sense, New Delhi is actually quite a good destination to visit, particularly if you’re a first-time visitor.

👉 BEST ACTIVITIES IN NEW DELHI

• Agra

And lastly, you can’t come to India and not visit Taj Mahal in Agra, one of the 7 World Wonders of the New World.

It is by far one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen. Because there is not much to do in Agra anyways, you will visit Taj Mahal during the day and already be in your hotel in the evening (recommended), so even if you’re exploring on your own or on a guided tour, it will be a very safe visit, but just beware of scams there.

👉 BEST ACTIVITIES IN AGRA

📖 Planning a trip to India? Check my How to Spend 2 Weeks in India: India Travel Guide blog post.

Experiencing India’s Cuisine

The main concern for every traveller out there, and for a good reason, is how to eat the local cuisine without risking the infamous Delhi belly.

My main tip for you, before the trip to India even starts, is to drink probiotics 2 weeks before the trip and during the whole time you’d spend in India. That way you decrease the chances of your stomach reacting to some unfamiliar bacteria.

Once you’re there, I would mainly stick to the restaurants with 4.5 star reviews on Google, and particularly I would be looking if the tourists left their reviews. Such restaurants usually implement better hygiene because they want to attract foreign visitors. The main con to eating at tourist-oriented restaurants is that the price for the meal is higher than what you would pay on the street or in some super random local restaurant of questionable hygiene. The price is still affordable and cheaper than in the West, but don’t expect it to be dirt-cheap because it won’t.

The main reason why I suggest not eating super locally is or off the street is because most of these places don’t have any fridge (and if you’re eating meat, well…). Also, the streets are so dirty, there’s open sewage in a lot of places, so you can imagine all these bacteria floating around (pretty disgusting if you ask me).

And even if you do follow all of my tips, you can still get a Delhi belly because guess what?! Both me and my husband got it despite being EXTREMELY careful with what we eat and where we eat. Luckily, our stomach sickness was manageable, especially when we got the antibiotics from the local pharmacy.

If you are braver than I am and still want to eat the street food, I highly recommend doing it only with a reputable street food guide because they will know the best places.

P. S. Absolutely DO NOT drink tap water because it contains Escherichia coli! Don’t even brush your teeth with it!

Final Thoughts on Visiting India as a Female Traveller

As we’ve seen throughout this blog post, India is such an incredible and diverse country that every traveller should visit at least once in a lifetime. While it’s generally not considered as one of the easiest countries to visit, especially for a female traveller, you can still have a pretty good experience if prepared correctly and know what to expect.

A trip to India will require a lot of preparation, will test your mental and physical resilience, get you out of your comfort zone, but it will reward you a thousand times more. Whether you’re going to India solo, with a partner, friends or family, always respect the local culture and cultural differences. Use common sense and remember: if something doesn’t feel right, then it probably isn’t.

But don’t refrain on visiting the 7th largest country in the world that is so culturally rich.

Tell me, what are your thoughts and/or experiences on travelling India as a female traveller? Leave your comments below!

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