India with kids: where to start?

It doesn't seem an obvious choice to go to India with yourkids. I admit, in terms of culture shock, it could count. But that's exactly why we find this trip, so long after the date, still one of the most memorable ones. We often tell our kids how beautiful the world is. We visit the most beautiful national parks, swim in the clearest seas and meet the nicest people. But sometimes showing them the other side can be valuable too. While we slept in nice hotels, we also showed them that the kids in the streets don’t have any swimming pool to return to. Did we do that to demand gratitude? Of course not. But we hope it helps them to get a little more perspective when growing up. Interested in a family trip to India? Some practical tips:

VACCINATIONS AND MEDICATION

When traveling to Asia you always have to get a whole bunch of vaccinations. For India, that’s no different, it even is a bare necessity! India is, to put it mildly, not the cleanest destination and the word 'Delhibelly' is a common term in traveller environments. Because you travel with children, we recommend anyway to look for good hotels where the hygiene is already good. I don't like to give advice to people who ask which vaccinations you need to travel to India. In any case, ask your family doctor for advice.

India has a low risk of malaria in the north and south. We never take malaria pills ourselves and will never give our children anti-malaria either. In the evening long sleeves and a good mosquito product are enough to be protected. In the middle of the country, however, the risk of malaria is higher. That is why we have chosen to avoid this region, precisely because we travel with our kids.
In addition to the usual travel pharmacy, our family doctor also gave us a prescription for antibiotics. Only to be used under strict conditions such as in case of diarrhoea with risk of dehydration. Again: ask your doctor for advice.

TRANSPORT

It's such a big country. And hectic! It's best to arrange transport over long distances in advance. For example, if you want to go from New Delhi to Cochin, it's best to arrange a domestic flight. Find the best prices here.

For shorter distances, you can use a car with a private driver. Driving ourselves in India didn't seem ideal to us (the country was stressful enough already, haha!) and so we used a private driver several times. He drove with us from Ranthambore National Park to Jaipur and from Jaipur to New Delhi. Beware, those are tough rides of 4 or 5 hours, but in our opinion the most comfortable way to travel.

CLOTHING

When we travel, we find it important to show respect for local values. With the exception of tourist beaches or inside hotel walls, bare shoulders and thighs are considered offensive. You won't be addressed verbally that easily, but if you want to avoid staring looks, it's best to make sure you wear a t-shirt that covers your shoulders. If you are planning to visit temples or mosques, you should also bear in mind that you should leave your shoes at the entrance. Stockings are recommended in some places, not because the floor is dirty, but because it can get hot. After all, many buildings in India are 'roofless'.
Of course, inside your hotel walls, clothing regulations are not as strict. You can definitely relax by the pool in your bathing suit. However, you might want to bring coverall swimming suits for your kids. Not because of clothing regulations, but because of the burning sun. On the website of Kids-world, a Danish webshop for kids apparel, we found some super pretty coverall swimming suits!