The Other Spot

Article by Direct Line Travel Insurance

‘Incredible India’, the current slogan of the Indian tourist board, aptly describes the sensation that is India. It is a land for all seasons and all reasons. India is a land of extremes and most visitors have trouble deciding if they love it or hate it. Either way, India will inspire, excite, engage and leave its mark on you.

A sensory explosion

India is exciting, inspiring and heart wrenching. The stunning scenery will take your breath away while the contrast between rich and poor will make your heart bleed while India’s ancient history and beliefs seem to transcend time and exist in parallel with modern life. From brightly coloured saris on the sun-baked fields of Rajasthan to noisy cars avoiding sacred cows on ramshackle streets, India will enthrall you and challenge you at the same time.

Action and adventure

India has such a wide variety of natural wonders that you could visit year after year and still not see it all. There are massive mountains, tropical jungles, sparse deserts, sweeping coastlines, mystical rivers and secret backwaters to explore. To see as much as you can in the time you have, take a cross-country train trip. It is possibly the best way to see as much of India as possible and the train journey is an adventure in itself.

If you like a bit of action on your holiday, there are a number of activities available like trekking and kayaking. If you do plan to take part in outdoor activities, you need to make sure your travel insurance policy covers you.

Down time

India is a popular destination for the relaxation and revitalisation of body, mind and soul. You can relax on a tranquil beach in Kerala or Goa and partake in the ancient art of yoga, mediation and ayurveda. Depending on your budget, converted palaces and colonial buildings offer luxury accommodation at affordable prices.

A brief history of India

The founders of the Indus Valley Civilisation travelled across the Himalayas from Sumeria (now Iraq) to settle in a part of the northwestern Indian subcontinent about 5,000 years ago. The Indus Valley Civilisation developed many forms of ancient writing, religion and ayurveda.

India has seen many kingdoms and empires come and go since then. Most notably The Mahajanapadas kingdom and the Gupta Empire. This was a time that was known as ‘The Golden Age of India’ and when Hinduism and Buddhism spread across Southeast Asia. Islam arrived in the 8th Century.

In the 15th Century most of northern India was ruled by Delhi Sultanate followed by the Mughals. This was a time when art and architecture thrived in northern India. To the south and west, the Maratha Empire and Vijayanagara Empire had taken control.In the mid-18th Century and the 19th Century, the British East India Company gradually annexed India. After many years under British rule, India became independent again in 1947 after being partitioned from Pakistan. Bangladesh became independent in 1971.

From coast to coast and everything in between

India largely lies on a peninsula that juts into the Indian Ocean. It has a coastline of more than 7,000 kilometres stretching from the Arabian Sea in the west to the Bay of Bengal in the east.

India shares land borders with Pakistan, China, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar and Bangladesh.The climate in India varies from equatorial in the far south to alpine in the upper reaches of the Himalayas.

The fertile Indo-Gangetic Plain covers most of northern, central and eastern India. The Deccan Plateau covers most of Southern Indian and the Tahr Desert stretches into part of western India. India’s major rivers are the Ganga (Ganges) and the Indus. The Lakshadweep Islands and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands also fall under Indian sovereignty.

When to visit

Weather wise, the best months to visit are from November to mid- March when the weather is cooler but the sun still shines. India is a tropical country with hot weather that varies in extremity from region to region. The hottest months of the year are from April to June.The wet season, when Monsoon rains produce wet and stormy weather on the coast is from mid-July to September.

For more information on area-specific weather conditions visit http://www.hcilondon.net/tourism-information/weather.html. Another informative website is http://www.fco.gov.uk – the Government’s travel advice guide to India.

Travelling by plane

There are quite a few cheap flights to India. You can fly direct to most major hubs including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata. There are also direct flights available to Goa from London and other UK destinations. For more information on direct flights and transfer points, visit http://www.flightmapping.com/Asia/India.

Paperwork

If you have a British passport, you will need a visa to travel to India. You can apply for a short-term visa at the High Commission of India, India House, Aldwych, London WC2B 4NA. It costs £30 and the form can be downloaded from http://www.hcilondon.in/visa.php.

Safety first

Before you leave, check out the FCO website for information on countries that are not recommended for travel. It also offers useful information on country-specific travel health and how best to avoid crime. As you will be exposed to crime and health risks on your travels through India, make sure you have travel insurance.

India Top 3

If you are pushed for time, we suggest you use your time wisely and visit the following attractions:

* The Taj Mahal and its beautiful gardens at Agra. Built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife Mumtaz Mahal, it is widely considered a shining example of Mughal architecture. * Visit the river Ganga (Ganges) at the holy city of Varanasi (Benares). The river itself is shrouded in magic and myth and it is a favourite meeting place for poets, philosophers, pilgrims, writers and musicians. The holy city is also known for its fine temples and art.* Climb aboard a houseboat and cruise the emerald green Keralan backwaters of South India also known as the Venice of the East. Enjoy unprecedented views of lush paddy fields, sprawling plantations and animal and bird life. The boat itself is a kettuvallam, meaning a boat with knots where not a single nail is used in its construction.

India travel information

For more information and holiday ideas visit, http://www.incredibleindia.org.

Guidebooks are another useful source of ideas, suggestions and travel tips. Try:

* Lonely Planet’s India Country Guide * The Rough Guide to India

Other books that offer insight into India are The Story of India by Michael Woods and India with Sanjeev Bhasker. Both books are linked to popular TV programs of the same name.

Travel Insurance

Whether you are planning a short trip away or a longer holiday like a gap year, there is a travel insurance policy to suit your individual needs. Most travel insurance companies offer quick and easy travel insurance quotes online. For a travel insurance quote and more information about the types of travel insurance available from Direct Line, visit http://www.directline.com/travel/welcome.htm.

India fast factsCountry name: Republic of IndiaCapital: New DelhiPopulation: 1, 129,866,154 (July 2007 estimate)Official languages: Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and SanskritCurrency: Indian Rupee (INR)Dialling code: +91Time zone: GMT +5:30

About the Author

Cheap quotes can be found online at http://www.directline.com, so visit the site today if you need travel insurance.

Find More Mid-east Travel Articles