Get excited because you are going to Indian for friends wedding!
There will be fun dancing, great food, new cultures and more. However, it will probably get pretty expensive if you are coming from far away.
In this post we will give you 10 tips for you visit to India to save some money and make your trip that much more enjoyable.
1. Buy your wedding outfits when you get to India
In order to have fun at an Indian Wedding you need to buy some Indian clothes. For ladies, we recommend a Saree or Anarkali and for the guys we recommend a nice Kurta Pyjama. Weddings usually last a couple days so you might want a couple outfits.
It will be much cheaper to get your outfit once you arrive in India. Plus, you get to try it on then.
2. Prepay for Taxis using OLA or Uber
OLA is the most popular Taxi hailing app in India and you should download the app before you arrive. You can then use it on the free airport or hotel wifi. Uber is also available in India.
By pre-paying or using an app you don’t get into bartering with cabbies. You just enjoy the ride!
3. Get an Indian SIM Card for your phone
We only recommend this if you are staying for longer than 2 weeks and are doing extensive travel. It will help you stay connected to the internet and have cheap ways to call people and get around.
4. Barter
Bartering is basically one of India’s favorite sports. The price is not the price for most things in a market. Make sure you barter to get the price down and save some money.
5. Book your flights before you arrive
If you are doing some traveling after the wedding book your plane tickets for the entire trip before you arrive. This will keep you from having to take the last minute price hike.
6. Use Holiday Packages to save
If you are staying many nights in the same place or hotel you can use popular Indian Holiday Booking sites. Plus, they also have good coupon deals to save even more. MakeMyTrip, Yatra & Cleartrip are the favorites over here in India.
7. Don’t open the mini bar
The mini bar in your room is sometimes 3x as much as if you were to leave your hotel room on a quick walk and pick up the same item.
8. Don’t keep your money in your pocket
This is more of a money-protecting tip. Use your zipped up passport holder that goes under your clothes to keep your money in. This eliminates the chance of someone pick-pocketing all your cash.
9. Don’t go to shops suggested by your driver
Drivers & guides sometimes have deals to get commissions from places they bring you. Instead, ask your local friends and other tourists.
10. Stay at a family house
If you want to experience even more Indian culture you can ask to be a house guest of your friend’s family. This will eliminate your hotel budget which is sometimes half the expense!
Now you are ready to go to your Indian Wedding and have a blast without breaking the bank. Have fun and safe travels!