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It is hard to generalise in a country that runs from the Himalayas to the beaches of the Indian Ocean but broadly speaking October to March tend to be the most pleasant months in India, when it relatively dry and cool. In the far south the best months to visit are between January and September, while north-eastern areas of India tend to be more comfortable between March and August. The deserts of Rajasthan (west of Jodhpur) and the north-western Indian Himalayan region are at their best during the monsoon (July to September). The mountainous regions of Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir should be visited over the summer months (May to September).

Delhi	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rainfall (mm)	23	20	14	10	15	68	200	200	122	18	3	10
Rainfall (inches)	0.9	0.8	0.6	0.4	0.6	2.7	7.9	7.9	4.8	0.7	0.1	0.4
Min Temp (°C)	7	10	15	21	26	28	27	26	24	19	13	8
Max Temp (°C)	21	23	29	36	39	38	34	33	34	33	28	23
Min Temp (°F)	45	50	59	70	79	82	81	79	75	66	55	46
Max Temp (°F)	70	73	84	97	102	100	93	91	93	91	82	73

Mumbai	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rainfall (mm)	3	1	1	1	14	518	647	384	276	55	14	2
Rainfall (inches)	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.6	20.4	25.5	15.1	10.9	2.2	0.6	0.1
Min Temp (°C)	16	17	21	24	26	26	25	24	24	23	20	18
Max Temp (°C)	31	31	33	33	32	30	29	30	34	33	33	32
Min Temp (°F)	61	63	69	75	79	78	77	76	75	74	61	65
Max Temp (°F)	87	88	91	92	92	89	86	85	86	91	91	90

Goa	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rainfall (mm)	5	5	6	23	100	76	98	124	160	140	30	10
Rainfall (inches)	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.9	3.9	2.9	3.8	4.8	6.2	5.5	1.1	0.3
Min Temp (°C)	19	17	23	25	27	25	24	24	24	23	22	21
Max Temp (°C)	32	32	32	33	32	31	29	29	29	31	33	32
Min Temp (°F)	66	63	73	77	81	77	75	75	75	73	72	70
Max Temp (°F)	90	90	90	91	90	88	84	84	84	88	91	90

• Glass of wine                    US$ 2 – 3
• Beer                                US$ 2 – 3
• Meal at local restaurant     US$ 6 – 7
• Buffet meal                       US$ 10 – 14
• Bottle of water                  US$ 1 – 2
• McDonalds burger             US$ 1 – 2
• Cup of local coffee             US$ 1

Approximate Currency Exchange Rates
INR 1.00 =	USD 0.02	GBP 0.01	CAD 0.02	AUD 0.03	ZAR 0.15	EUR 0.02	NZD 0.04

Tipping: Taxi drivers do not expect to be tipped, however all other services expect small tips, including porters, guides, hotel staff, and waiters in small establishments. In tourist restaurants or hotels a 10% service charge is often added to bills. Baksheesh is common in India, it is more a bribe than a tip and will ensure better service; it is given before rather than after the service.

Safety: The vast majority of visits to India are trouble-free, however in light of the dispute with Pakistan most governments advise against travel to the Jammu and Kashmir regions, all but essential travel to Srinagar (fatal attacks continue), and anywhere near the border with Pakistan, with the exception of Ladakh via Manali or by air to Leh, as well as to Jaisalmer and Amritsar. A number of recent grenade attacks in Srinagar, Kashmir, have targeted tourists and tourist buses, causing several deaths and numerous injuries. Manipur and Tripura should also be avoided and travel to Imphal is not recommended. There has been an increase in the severity of terrorist attacks in the east and northeast of the country with a spate of bomb attacks, and visitors should keep up to date with the situation. Many people, including tourists, have been killed. Violent extremist groups are active in Bihar, Jharkland, Chattisgarh, West Bengal and Orissa where attacks and violent crime has caused fatalities. Security has been increased in Delhi and other cities following the three bombs that exploded in Delhi on 29 October 2005 that killed over 60 people, and the three bomb explosions in Varanasi that caused a number of deaths and hundreds of injuries on 7 March 2006. On 11 July 2006, seven near-simultaneous bomb blasts tore apart commuter trains in suburban Mumbai killing more than 190 people and injuring over 700. Visitors should be aware that there are tensions between the Muslim and Hindu populations, and there is a risk of terrorism throughout India, and they should remain particularly vigilant in public places, on public transport and at tourist sites, especially around Mumbai and Delhi. Crime is an issue at major tourist spots and visitors are advised to keep an eye of their valuables and, in particular, passports. Be aware of confidence tricksters, often involving fake jewellery, particularly in Agra and Jaipur, and never accept food from strangers, particularly on trains as travellers have been drugged and robbed. The earthquake in Pakistan on 8 October 2005 was felt in the northern region of Kashmir that caused many deaths and widespread damage. Road accidents are common and claim hundreds of lives every year. Bus accidents are blamed on reckless driving and speeding, and old vehicles. In April 2006 at least 64 people were killed in bus accidents in northern India when drivers lost control of their vehicles. The monsoon season, usually from June to September, causes great flooding, loss of life and destruction in India every year.

Customs: India is generally a fairly tolerant society however visitors should be aware of religious and social customs. When visiting temples visitors will be required to remove their footwear and cover their heads. In general women should dress conservatively both to respect local sensibilities and to avoid unwanted attention. Topless bathing is generally illegal. Travellers should not get caught with drugs, as jail sentences are long.

Communications: The international access code for India is +91. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). International calls can be quite expensive and there are often high surcharges on calls made from hotels; it is cheaper to use a calling card. Alternatively, there are telephone agencies in most towns which are identifiable by the letters STD for long distance internal calls and ISD for the international service. The local mobile phone operators use GSM networks and have roaming agreements with most international operators. Internet cafes are available in the main cities and resorts.

Duty Free: Travellers to India over 17 years do not have to pay duty on 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g tobacco; one bottle of alcohol; medicine in reasonable quantities; 59ml of perfume and 250ml eau de toilette; and goods for personal use. Prohibited items include livestock, bird and pig meat products.

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