Plan India Vacation

You can start by reading something on India, preferably written by those who've been to India. Internet is another resource that'll help you greatly in garnering valuable information. Even otherwise, you will find some friends or relatives who've been to India and they are definitely going to be helpful. Same experiences can have different effects on different people as wandering your way through India is an extremely personal experience. You may like one particular thing or event whereas the same can put off another traveller so much that he may want to pack his bags and go back.

However, first things first, so let us get started. These are the following things that you'll need to do first :

Most of you may already have a passport, but others who don't have it should first arrange for one. For your visa, you can contact the Indian Embassy or Consulate where you'll be given a variety of visa options. Usually, it has been seen that the six month tourist visa is the most convenient one for those with a flexible schedule. Generally, the visa is processed within five days if you send an application for it through the express mail and is processed the same day if you submit it at the consulate counter.

There exists a concern among the first time tourists about the potential health problems that might arise during their stay in India. Consult your doctor for he should be able to advise you and allay your concerns on the health related issues in India.

Of course you'll need to pack many sets of clothes but some tourists also advise that you can bring minimum number of clothes and buy them here since the clothes are available for a fraction of a price for what you'd pay otherwise. You may like it any which way, it's your choice. However, you must bring your warm clothes if you are going to India in winter. Other things that you might need are :

• Footwear that you can easily remove or wear
• A torch or a flashlight
• Medicines for general health problems
• A water bottle carrier
• A light shoulder bag
• Alarm Clock
• Calculator (for currency exchanges)
• Camera and lots of film roles (or enough storage space)
• Copies of your passport and visa
• Keep your bag as light as possible
• Traveller's checks and sufficient cash
• Indian train schedule

Please keep in mind that the list mentioned above is not exhaustive and can vary according to your own individual preferences. So you can rather customize it according to your needs.

• Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai
• Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi
• Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata
• Cochin International Airport
• Chennai International Airport
• Raja Sansi International Airport, Amritsar
• Jaipur International Airport
• Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, Guwahati
• Sardar Vallabh Bhai International Airport, Ahmedabad
• Hyderabad International Airport
• Goa International Airport
• Thiruvananthapuram International Airport
• Dr Ambedkar International Airport, Nagpur
• HAL Airport, Bangalore

It is no secret that India is a vast country which therefore encompasses varied weather depending upon the region you are in at a particular moment. But generally, winters are here from November to mid-March when the sun seems pleasant whereas the mornings and the evenings are fresh. The dry and dusty summers last here between April and June. The monsoon rains lash over most of the region from June to September.

• Anjuna Beach, Goa
• Baga Beach, Goa
• Calangute Beach, Goa
• Doba Paula Beach, Goa
• Juhu Beach, Mumbai
• Marina Beach, Chennai
• Marari Beach, Kerala
• Gopalpur on Sea, Orissa
• Kovalam Beach, Kerala

• Darjeeling
• Gulmarg
• Srinagar
• Mahabaleshwar
• Manali
• Almora
• Dalhousie
• Gangtok
• Kodaikanal
• Kufri
• Ladakh
• Mount Abu
• Munnar
• Nainital
• Mussoorie
• Shimla

• Regional Director (East) India Tourism (Kolkata)
• Regional Director (West) India Tourism (Mumbai)
• Regional Director (South) India Tourism (Chennai)
• Regional Director (North East) India Tourism (Guwahati)

• Never be casual about your next vacation. This is a definite ready made recipe for chaos. Even if your intentions are good, arbitrary preparation often leads to unwanted results.
• Never procrastinate while planning or executing your plans for vacations. Avoid that familiar last minute I-think-I-missed-something routine.
• Never think that it's too early to plan for a holiday (that doesn't mean we are asking you to plan for your great grandson's honeymoon). Start early as it actually eases the pressure on your pockets.
• Bargaining while on a holiday should come to you as easily as you brush your teeth. Don't like it, but that's the real world out there. Even if the service provider is adamant, ask for additional facilities as there are some perishable things such as an unoccupied room where this skill can come in handy.
• Scan the websites on tourism as some of them are real deal. You won't expect it but even some government sites are a treat to ... should we say surf?
• Book everything in advance, be they hotel rooms, air - rail tickets or vehicle. You can be flexible about where to go and where not to but you'll not be going on foot, that's for sure (in most cases). So, book your vehicle, hotel rooms and everything else in advance or work out an arrangement with your hotel. Whatever your choice, just do it as early as possible.
• If you can plan your vacation during the off-peak season, nothing like it. The hotel rooms are available at half the rate during these seasons. If that is not possible, try the period just before the peak season, this way you can get the best of both worlds. Crux of the matter is ... try to be flexible with your schedule.
• Even the packing should not be left for the last day. Start early as it reduces the chances of forgetting something important. Try to pack your luggage in a way that makes it easy to carry.
• During your vacations, never forget to recharge your batteries. Take optimum rest so that you can extract the maximum out of your holiday and enjoy it. You shouldn't feel that you are dragging through it. You are on a vacation and not running for half marathon.
• It's always better to carry some snacks with you and a bottle of water as ... you never know.
• While going on a drive, try to get to know the local traffic conditions so that you can avoid the usual traffic congestion.
• Think that fancy places are a must for that special dinner for your loved ones? Seems you haven't thought of some cozy place where there are only you and your loved ones and nobody else. You don't have to make your way through the crowd here, and you can also start off a new tradition by coming here again and again.
• Don't put anything for that elusive right time and place which usually never arrive. So, find a way of doing it right away.
• You can carry your favourite music along to make your vacations more memorable. You can always switch it off whenever you need some silence.
• If you are taking your kids along, be prepared for the weather changes and keep something for indoor activities.