What you need to take with you to India. What to take with a tourist to goa

If you are going to big Adventure in India and plan to visit several cities and states, you should not stuff your suitcases - you need to limit yourself to the bare necessities. Almost everything that you may not have with you can be bought on the spot at low prices.

When packing in your suitcase or backpack, remember that most of the year (from February to October) it is warm in the country, so warm clothes may come in handy only in mountainous areas (and they will certainly come in handy there). A windbreaker or sweatshirt will suffice. It is better for women in India to wear closed clothes (covered shoulders and long skirts or trousers), otherwise you can be considered vulgar and get a lot of sidelong glances.

The most suitable shoes for traveling in India are sandals that fit the foot tightly. For mountainous areas running shoes come in handy.

Next on the list of what to bring with you to India are bedding: a couple of sheets, a towel. In Indian hotels (even of an average level), bed linen is of extremely dubious freshness and cleanliness. For hiking, a blanket for spending the night in the mountains will not be superfluous.

Among the things to take with you to India, it is especially worth noting a soap dish with soap (for washing hands, fruits and vegetables), toilet paper (Indians do not use toilet paper, so it is found mainly only in hotels), wet antiseptic wipes, insect repellent.

What medicines to take with you to India

First of all, drugs for disorders of the intestines and stomach - Immodium, Linex, Smecta, Mezim. Also in the first aid kit should be iodine, a bandage plaster, an antiseptic (miramistin, hydrogen peroxide, chlorhexidine), a remedy for headache and heart pain, an anticonvulsant, hygiene products for women.

What to take a child to India

When traveling with a child, you should stock up on sanitary napkins, which should be with you everywhere. You can also take foods that can be stored without a refrigerator: cookies, nuts, candy, dried fruits, corn in jars, as Indian food is too spicy and not everywhere you can find food suitable for a light snack.

I recently wrote, in the same article, I promised to prepare a small memo for independent travelers, which should make it a little easier to pack and live in Goa. It's time to keep the promise.

I want to start by saying that it is correct to speak in Goa, since it is a state, not an island, surprisingly, not everyone knows this. Thus, I advise you to get rid of the grammatically incorrect “holiday in Goa” as soon as possible, and boldly go to this curious area. Northern part Goa is a very inhabited tourist area, with a mass of Russian-speaking tourists, winterers, long-stayers and businessmen. Local Indians (Goans) already understand Russian quite well in markets, shops, cafes and the beach, so you shouldn't worry too much. When you need it, you will be understood.

I met a lot of similar articles on the Internet, and they really turned out to be useful, unfortunately, many were written quite a long time ago and have partially lost their relevance. However, trusting them, we rather "overdid it", so that they did not bring harm. On the other hand, I did not find a single complete manual, as a result I had to work with many sources, the information in which is also duplicated. Therefore, I will try to cover the most important issues related to the trip to Goa as much as possible, but at the same time I will write concisely and to the point.

A general article on all the necessary aspects of a vacation for a traveler going to India may also come in handy:

Packing bags for India in Goa 2016

I want to start with what it is possible and desirable to prepare at home in order to less overshadow my long-awaited and so:

Backpack. Or something similar, with which it will be convenient to ride a bike for shopping, take things to the beach. A practical and useful thing in Goa, and throughout Asia, if you prefer to travel on a two-wheeled vehicle without a trunk, well, it’s more convenient not to carry your belongings in your hands
Copies of documents for a trip to Goa. Be sure to make a few copies of the civil and Indian visa, driver's license, travel insurance, if you decide to buy it, electronic tickets. Carry one copy with you, including in, in case you lose your main luggage. You can take photos of these documents on your smartphone, at least with a driver's license, the local police can do it, as long as you have an open category A (a motorcycle is drawn). By the way, we were advised to simply paint a motorcycle in Photoshop to the image of our rights, and the police in Goa to say that the original is at home and we are afraid to lose it.
Travel insurance to India. Safety and health are above all, so do not save on insurance. An insurance policy bought on time will allow you to receive compensation for a vacation spoiled due to a non-departure or loss of luggage, will help you return the funds spent on treatment and will keep it like a real talisman. Before submitting documents for Indian visa we took out insurance in case of refusal, because we had already bought tickets by that time. Therefore, I recommend not to save on security.
Photos. Most likely, after that you will have photos, so you can take them with you, do them separately - there is not much sense. Since they were not useful to us, but the circumstances are different, they are needed to purchase a tourist SIM card, as well as some copies of documents, but this is easily bypassed, more on that later.
First aid kit on the road. WITH pack away, with a focus on antibacterials and digestive aids. If you are afraid of malaria, then a week before the trip and throughout the trip, as well as one to two weeks after, you can drink one tablet of doxycycline per day. This is a weak antibiotic that will not cause much harm to health (if you drink it with any probiotic), but it will help malaria bypass you. Although, when traveling to high season in GOA you are unlikely to face this disease. In any case, before taking antibiotics, consult your doctor. In India, by the way, a lot of medicines are produced, the prices for which will pleasantly surprise you., so, perhaps, it’s not worth typing a lot from expensive Russia, but on the contrary, it makes sense to think about.
Cosmetics and means of protection. In general, all this can be bought on the spot, but in order to immediately run to the sea upon arrival, it makes sense to take a sunblock with a protection of at least 25, well, and a small cosmetic bag to make up in the evening. Although very soon imbued with the spirit of Goa, the need for all this will disappear. Cosmetics, again, in India are much cheaper, and the quality is on top, so do not stuff your suitcase.
Insect repellent in Goa. You don’t need to bring in large quantities, since India has its own good tools, which, at times, work better than proven domestic ones, but for the first time you can buy it. However, the remedy for termites and ants will have to be bought on the spot almost immediately upon arrival.
Flashlight. The road from the beach, and in many places in Goa, at least in the northern part, is dark and unlit, so to save your legs, it is best to have a small LED flashlight and a supply of batteries or accumulators. In addition, illuminating your path, you can safely miss each other with all sorts of unpleasant little animals, which are not desirable to step on.
A trifle on the road. Be sure to prepare some dollars in small bills, they will come in handy both on the plane if you want to buy lunch during the flight, and when changing at the airport upon arrival, at a predatory rate, on the way to your vacation destination in Goa.
Padlock (like barn). The door locking system in India at first struck me a little, but it is easily explained, because. allows you to lock the house with your own lock, and the owners do not have to change the keys after each vacationer. As they say, both the sheep are full and the wolves are safe, or vice versa, here someone feels like someone.
Foods Missed in Goa. Officially, the import of meat and dairy products, as well as cereals to India, must be declared, but no one does this. But many tourists, especially winterers, bring delicacies: cheese, sausage, seeds, herring, caviar, buckwheat, chocolate, vermicelli - i.e. those products that cannot be found here in the daytime with fire in the usual quality and at affordable prices
Things and suitcases. Usually people come with empty bags and take home trunks, including clothes. So take the most necessary or very favorite, still buy a lot of things. If you grab a large empty suitcase, then you will have something to carry gifts back. You can also buy it on the spot - I remember the story of one of my comrades, how he bargained for two days in Goa for one roomy suitcase - well, this is also an element of exoticism.
Women's clothing. India is a country of strict views, it is not customary to bare legs and shoulders much, therefore, out of respect for a foreign culture, do not pick up miniskirts, shorts and any tight underwear if you want a good attitude towards yourself. Short clothing, not safe for riding a bike in the heat and generally not practical. In Goa, of course, people are more accustomed to the sight of tourists, but if you are going to experience the spirit of India, then you should not irritate its inhabitants, of course they will be silent, but at best they will write you down in the category of women of easy virtue.
Other little things. Shampoos, oils, soaps, gels, powders, etc. there is a large amount of local production, natural and cheap, so you need a maximum supply for the first day or two
money in goa. The Indian Rupee has a relatively stable exchange rate against the dollar, so if there is no confidence in the sharp growth of the ruble or, on the contrary, there is fear for its further fall, then it is better to immediately exchange dollars and go with a pre-calculated budget. By the way, the ruble traditionally grows in the spring, so we took the minimum amount of cash.
Plastic cards. This is the best replacement for the grief of cash, a relatively safe and profitable means of storing money. The main thing is to set the limits correctly, and have several cards of different banks and payment systems. The question has its relevance in Goa, it is always relevant: with a stable ruble exchange rate (when was this?), cash dollars are profitable, even with double conversion, but right now a card is more profitable for me. By the way, this and the previous paragraph can block all the others, because it is very easy to relax lightly with money. On the other hand, I know several examples where people in India managed with practically no money, and here who goes for what.
spare phone. If you come for the whole season, then it makes sense to use a cheap old mobile phone, because due to humidity and sand, not every smartphone can survive in Goa for six months. In addition, you should not shine unnecessarily with expensive equipment in front of poor Indians

Instead of ending

Perhaps this is the end of the first part. I really hope that I have not forgotten something especially important and worthy of attention, in extreme cases I will add it. In addition, there is a place in the comments, not only for questions, but also for forgotten answers. best advice from the comments I will supplement this article or prepare a separate one if there is enough material. When using this memo, do not forget that in it I draw conclusions based on own experience, including writing about what I myself forgot during the training camp and regretted upon arrival in Goa. I hope my mistakes will become a science to someone. In general, we pack our bags and take a bold step to India, and what awaits upon arrival, I will tell you in the near future. Success and good luck on your trips, perhaps India will not scare you either, at least the prices are very pleasant, both for accommodation and for the road, but, by the way, check it yourself.

/ Medicines and hygiene products. What medicines to take with you to Goa and India?

In India, there are excellent body and hair care products, highly developed homeopathic and Ayurvedic medicine - preparations from herbal ingredients without animal fats or chemicals (everything is based on herbal ingredients that have long been used in this region for thousands of years).

A fairly large number of tourists, going to India, first of all are interested in whether it is necessary to get vaccinated before the trip and which ones.

So, vaccinations are desirable, but not required. At least if you are going to India (Goa) for only 2 weeks. In addition, there is an important addition: if any vaccinations are done, then they must be done at least 3 weeks before the trip.

In fact, the main thing is to observe the usual hygiene measures: drink only boiled or mineral water Wash your hands often and be sure to wash fruits and vegetables before eating. Take a fresh shower after swimming in the sea or other open water. Treat wounds and abrasions with antiseptics.

Please note that most of the well-known European drugs and devices are not available here, and therefore, when traveling to Goa, we advise you to take some medicines from Russia with you. Namely:

First. Miramistin, hydrogen peroxide or another antiseptic and an elastic bandage (ordinary bandages are sold here on every corner), which together it is advisable to always carry with you in the glove compartment of motor vehicles, because through your fault or not, you can peel your knees and elbows on thorns and stones, on asphalt or on another motorcycle.

Second and very important - aspirin or other remedies for minor head ailments, since Europeans here have periodic migraines due to unusual pressure, and besides, in the first week, despite the heat during the day and the slight coolness at night, it is quite easy to catch a cold here.

Third. Activated carbon, Nosh-Pa and Festal. Indian cooking, even continental food, is quite specific and, out of habit, can cause pain in the stomach and even intestinal upset.

Fourth. Cream from and for sunburn for the first 3-4 days (degree 4-12 depending on the specifics of your skin), because the sun does not seem to be very hot here, however, fresh pink European skin burns and chars in the first 2 hours.

Fifth. Everything is blooming here all the time except for the rainy season. In addition, local exotic fruits are so delicious that it is almost impossible not to try them. Therefore, if you are allergic, take Claritin or any other antihistamine with you. .

Sixth. If you are a fan of sleeping in a hammock in the fresh air, just in case, take the Russian anti-mosquito cream "Taiga" or something similar with you, as the local mosquitoes here are terribly biting and no spiral stink sticks will help you when sleeping in the fresh air, although their choice is very large here.

Seventh. Only for girls. We recommend taking all hygiene items with you: here “size matters”. Yes, and the choice is quite limited. In addition, many locally produced contraceptives, tampons and pads named after European manufacturers are usually simply not available here.

In pharmacies, it is almost impossible to find pads for tango panties or black underwear. So if you use contraceptives and go here for long time(for the season) be sure to take your pills or creams with you for the entire period with a margin ...

Eighth. For boys. Rubber products - the safest contraceptive, also buy at home.

Before asking about what to bring to goa, you must immediately answer the counter question: “What to take with you to paradise?” This is the question that hippies asked themselves when they went here to live permanently in the 60s. They did not take anything with them, only their dreams, songs and a sea of love. But we will look realistically at the world and still decide on the main things that need to be taken into india goa in a trip.

Season and weather

Goa has its own weather conditions in every period of time. For example, the ideal time to relax is from October to March. But many tourists live here year-round and do not experience any particular inconvenience. From April to July, the rainy season begins in Goa, when everything around is flooded with heavy rain almost daily. Then you should stock up on waterproof shoes, clothes and a large umbrella. And for example, from August to October, intense heat begins here and there is basically nothing to breathe. It becomes so stuffy that neither the sea, nor the shade, nor the cold water will save. At this time of the year, it is better to go to the northern regions of India and wait until October. But we will talk about the most favorable stage. weather conditions- from October to March. It is during these months that millions of tourists plan their trips and remain as satisfied as possible.

What to bring with you to Goa: the most necessary things

The first step is to make sure that the passport and plane tickets and also money. Should do all copies of documents and take it with you. As a rule, tickets are ordered via the Internet and it is necessary to print them out. Customs asks to show ticket and hotel reservation. You can book any hotel and then cancel it. Be sure to have a valid visa to india- local authorities are especially closely monitoring this, as there are many cases with tourists who simply stayed to live in India without registration and with expired documents.

It is worth changing rubles in your homeland for dollars or euros. Otherwise, it will be difficult to exchange them in Goa. It is more profitable to have dollars on hand. They are more often used in everyday life and are more likely to change at exchange points.

I believe that these are the most necessary things, without which you are unlikely to get to another country. For me, this is enough and nothing more is required, but this is my opinion. And for you it will be relevant to save some more things.

Insurance in India

Better take care of medical insurance and take it with you to Goa. It costs about 30 rubles a day and allows you to call a Russian-speaking doctor to the hotel, who will provide assistance. You never know what can happen on the coast, it is better to insure yourself in every sense. This is especially true for those who ride a scooter, because ordinary insurance does not cover such risks. Need additional option leisure” or “driving a motorbike”, with which the cost immediately increases by 2 times. But it's worth it.

first aid kit

For particularly squeamish tourists and for those who have any health problems, you should take your first aid kit. For example, you can bring antiseptics, painkillers and prebiotics. In general, India is a country that produces the most natural and effective medicines in the world. They are based on the ancient recipes of Ayurveda. You can buy everything you need at the local drug store, as we usually do. But it is better to take care of your health in advance, which can also let you down when transferring to planes.

Other

Can be taken to Goa credit cards. There are ATMs in Goa, and in some cafes and shops you can pay by card without commission. And also need to take to Goa international driving license. You can rent a scooter without a license. The maximum fine for driving without documents is 500 rupees, if you drive without a helmet, then 100 rupees. Fines are very democratic, compared, for example, with Thailand, where you have to pay 1,500 baht for parking in the wrong place, and 3,000 baht for driving without a license.

The English-Russian phrase book helped me a lot. It is small and does not take up much space, but what an effective one. It is also worth taking a guide to India in Russian. Although you can find all the information on the Internet. Paper maps are very helpful. Best of apps google maps and Maps.me. Download them to your phone in advance.

What to take to India Goa: packing a backpack

Yes, yes, it’s a backpack, not a suitcase with flowers. Why backpack because it is the most efficient hand luggage. It is easy to get on a plane with it, it is easy to put it in luggage without worrying about whether the wheels will fall off. And it is also easy to carry from place to place when you go on a trip to Goa and its surroundings. Who knows where the dashing one will take you? Maybe you end up in Bali.

India is the most unpredictable country in the world, having the features of a portal where tourists can move, amazed by the freedom and boundlessness of their actions. This is how they leave society to live. It all starts with a backpack, of course. 🙂

What to wear in Goa

So the backpack should be at least 60 liters. It is worth putting comfortable summer shoes, spare jeans, shorts, a T-shirt, socks, underwear, a swimsuit or swimming trunks, a hat, a long-sleeved sweater or an olympic jacket (it’s very cool in the evenings, especially when you ride a scooter). The rest can be bought in local shops for little money. For example, T-shirts cost 100-200 rupees, dresses 300-700 rupees.

What else

Be sure to take to Goa a means of communication, a camera or camera, as well as spare batteries and accumulators. Sunglasses will come in handy, but it is better to take inexpensive or buy locally. There is a chance of losing or breaking them. I often noticed that many travelers have a laptop. They work on it in their free daytime hours, when the sun is hot and they don’t want to go anywhere. And some communicate with loved ones on Skype. Each cafe has its own Wi-Fi, although the quality of the Internet is not great everywhere. Therefore, it is not possible for us to work in Goa at all.

You can take a small flashlight in your backpack on vacation in Goa. It will come in handy if you rent a house somewhere on the outskirts. India has a different system of electrical appliances and often a Euro adapter is needed. You need to take it and also stock up on a tee so that there are always enough outlets. You can also take a notebook and a pen to Goa. It helps when inspiration comes and you want to pour out your innermost thoughts on paper. And this happens everywhere, because Goa inspires creativity. You should take color photographs 3 by 4 with you. They will come in handy when buying a local SIM card or the Internet. Many useful things can be bought in local supermarkets. Many of them have been adapted and already have inscriptions in Russian.

What not to take to Goa

Do not take expensive things to India in Goa. For example, you should remove all gold jewelry or those that are of value. In addition, expensive phones and appliances are also best left at home. Do not take high-heeled shoes - there is simply nowhere to put them on. And you don’t really want to paint in the heat. Natural beauty is the most attractive. Don't take a lot of clothes. She will only get in the way.

Also, do not take chargers that take a long time to charge. Time is precious and it is not known where you may be in half an hour. No need to take sunscreen and insect repellent with you to Goa. Because they are in every stall, they are cheap and very effective. An inflatable pillow is also not useful. And huge books will burden your stay. Moreover, many cafes have their own libraries of books left by tourists who are tired of carrying them on vacation.

Own experience, what to take on vacation in Goa

With a one-way ticket, a backpack, a sleeping bag, a T-shirt and pants to change and take off my winter clothes, as well as a couple of thousand dollars, I set off for unknown India. In fact, things are sold there and you can buy shoes, glasses, hygiene items and everything you need for a penny. I even ordered a return ticket via the Internet at a local Internet cafe. And I can say that buying air tickets from India is more profitable than from Russia. All winterers do just that.

First of all, I thought about where I would store the money. After all, this is the main thing that has value in an unfamiliar country, after a passport, of course. For security reasons, I recommend taking a barn castle to Goa. He is insanely helpful in both closing hotel rooms and hanging them on old safes. From the outside, it may seem strange to take a barn castle with you to Goa on vacation. But this "accessory" helped me and kept all my belongings safe in the hotel room. As you understand, the cleaning lady, the receptionist and the crowd of people have the keys to a standard lock in a hotel. I also recommend that you always close the windows so that no stranger climbs in on you. It sounds ridiculous, but such cases are true.

Friends who have gathered in India for the first time often ask what things to take with them. The country is quite exotic, truly unpredictable. From our three years of experience, we are claiming some experience :))), so we undertook to compile this important list that will affect the comfort of travelers throughout the trip.
So, what to put in a backpack, so that later it would not be excruciatingly painful not to experience discomfort while wandering around Indian soil.

Documentation
1. Foreign Passport + its photocopy + scanned copy to e-mail
2. Air tickets in several copies + confirmation letters from ashrams or hotels for accommodation + printouts of railway tickets
3. Driver's license (license) or a high-quality color copy laminated to look like the original
4. Money in cash dollars + bank cards with money on them (minimum 2). Access to money on the card must be open specifically for withdrawal or use in India.
5. Passport size photos of yourself - 2-3 pcs.
6. Ksivnik is such a small bag for documents and money, which is worn around the neck or on the belt under clothes
7. Contact addresses in India with a visa application form (you need to fill out migration cards on the plane and indicate them there)
8. Two pens with a notepad
9. Guide or printouts from sites + map of India

Medicines and hygiene
1. Medicines:
A. Hydrogen peroxide, iodine (pack a bottle well, as iodine vapors spoil clothes, books, etc.), cotton wool, bandage, gauze, bactericidal plaster, tea tree oil.
B. activated charcoal, levomycetin, imodium or loperamide, enzymatic and digestive aids (festal or mezim, smecta)
B. antipyretic (aspirin), pain reliever (no-shpa)
D. Individual medications
2. Wet wipes and/or hand sanitizer
3. Dry wipes (3-4 packs)
4. Soap + shampoo in a small tube
5. Towel
6. Toothbrush, paste
7. Razor
8. Pads + tampons
9. Toilet paper
10. Skin moisturizer
11. Sunscreen high degree protection + sunburn cream. Especially relevant for the South of India: Goa, Kerala and the Himalayas
12. Mosquito repellent
13. Comb + mirror
14. Washing powder

economy
1. A small padlock (they close the doors in hotels and chain bags under benches on the train)
2. Bicycle lock
3. Flashlight
4. Candle
5. Boiler
6. Mug, spoon, knife, plate (if there is a light camping one, if not, then a few plastic plates)
7. Lighter, matches
8. Needles, threads, scissors, nail file
9. Tourist seat
10. Rope
11. Clothespins
12.Wide tape
13. Two sheets that you don’t mind wiping and throwing away at the end of the road
14. Sleeping bag(if the bag is a blanket, and not a cocoon, then, probably, one for two can be)
15. Small lightweight backpack for outings around the city
16. Tee
17. Inflatable pillow for sleeping on an airplane

Cloth
1. Two pairs of pants (one for myself, one in reserve)
2. Long shorts or breeches (for sea resorts India)
3. Cotton shirt with long sleeves + 2-3 T-shirts with closed shoulders + underwear
4. Warm jacket (fleece). If you go north, then a scarf + hat
5. Windbreaker from rain and wind or jacket (for the north)
6. Raincoat or umbrella
6. Cotton socks 2-3 pairs + warm woolen socks 1 pair + tights (for the north)
7. Swimming trunks, swimsuit + goggles
8. Sunglasses
9. Panama / sun hat.
In India, clothes are inexpensive and can be purchased locally.

Shoes
1. Boots / sneakers and / or sports sandals (depending on the region and season)
2. Flip flops (cheapest)

Technology and leisure
1. Camera + charger + flash drives
2. Camcorder + charger + flash drives
3. Mobile phone+ charger for it
4. Card reader
5. Player + headphones
6. Laptop + charger for it + flash drives + bag-case + USB cable
7. Dictionary / Phrasebook of English
8. For evening pastime: books / cards / chess / checkers / tamagocchi / condoms and so on.

Food
1. 0.5 kg of various nuts, raisins, dried fruits.
2. Tea
3. Chocolate

When compiling the list, the experience of other travelers from the site was also used.