Packing Tips for India

List of Essentials for What to Pack for a Trip to India

Mar 25, 2009 Angela Schnaubelt

Packing light and packing thoroughly may sound contradictory, but here are some tips for what a visitor to India should include in the luggage to be well prepared.

If you plan on traveling around the country, then try for just one piece of luggage. Trains stop very briefly, and can be stressful getting on and off with cumbersome baggage.

Indian Clothes

Plan on the very first day of your trip to shop for Indian clothes. This is the cheapest and quickest way to fit in.

It’s common for women to wear a “suit” which consists of baggy pants, a long tunic shirt and a scarf. Suits range from $25 USD to $60 USD ready-made in Mumbai. Saris are also traditional and elegant, but can be tricky to learn to wrap.

You will not see jeans anywhere in rural India, so if you want to fit in, it is best to buy a couple of outfits. As an added benefit, the material is polyester or rayon, so the clothes dry quickly when you wash them by hand and hang them to dry overnight. Clothes dryers are almost non-existent.

Shoes for Travel in India

If you plan to visit temples, then make sure your shoes are easy to remove, as you will find yourself taking them on and off very often. However, if you plan to walk extensively, don’t wear flip flops. Hiking sandals (such as Birchenstock, Crocs, etc.) are more practical.

Medicine/Nutritional Supplements for Non-Indian Visitors

India’s doctors practice Ayurvedic medicine, so don’t expect to run down to the local pharmacy and pick up some antihistamines.

Westerners visiting the country often do not have an immune system built to resist bacteria in the water. Bring supplements and back-up prescriptions for emergency sickness from bacteria and viruses in the water.

In addition to a visit to your doctor for immunizations, the following is recommended:

Antibiotics
Antidiarrheal
Multi-vitamin
Vitamin C to boost immune system
Multi-B complex to help body deal with physical and emotional stress of traveling
Antihistamines for allergies (e.g. mold spores, dust mites)
Malaria pills

MP3 Player and/or Ear Plugs for Sleeping in India

India is very noisy! Cars honk even throughout the night, wild dogs bark, and busy, overcrowded cities are packed with people who are active night and day.

Radio stations are non-existent in rural India; so only bring your MP3 player if you have music downloaded into it. Earplugs or your MP3 player will work to drown out the constant noise of the horns—cars honk to indicate passing instead of using turn signals.

Buy earplugs with a high rating (highest rating is 33) because the cheap ones will do no good. India is very noisy!

Toiletries for Survival in India

Toilet paper is easy to find in stores if you don’t pack enough.

You should pack hand sanitizer, soap, or baby wipes, as soap is not common in restrooms or in restaurants. Travel size hand sanitizer is 2 fl. oz, which is small enough to put in your carry-on or purse for the airplane (put it in a clear, zip lock bag) since it is under 3 fl. oz.

Infusium is a good shampoo to bring since it can be used to double up as laundry detergent. You will likely be washing your clothes by hand.

Mosquito repellent is essential no matter what time of year you are going and no matter what part of the country you will be visiting. Malaria is only one concern—mosquitoes carry a host of diseases.

Camera for Exotic, Colorful India

There is so much to see in India, and lots of interesting things to take pictures of. The Indians are beautiful people with vibrant, colorful clothes. The temples are ornate and exotic to the Western eye, and the landscape is scenic everywhere in India.

Most of the list comes from common sense. One of the keys to successfully packing light is to reduce the number of pairs of shoes and clothes. Remember, if you are sensitive, you can never have enough baby wipes and hand sanitizer gel. The better prepared you are, the less stress you have while visiting India, and you can concentrate on having a lovely time and enjoy the culture and the people!

If traveling in the southern part of India, consider making the trip to visit Tiruvannamalai, a temple town at the foot of Mount Arunachala in the Indian State of Tamil Nadu. It is a place of pilgrimage and sacred land to the Hindu God, Lord Shiva. There are numerous temples with colorful photo opportunities, and friendly, sincere people from all walks of life.

The copyright of the article Packing Tips for India in S Asia/China Travel is owned by Angela Schnaubelt. Permission to republish Packing Tips for India in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.