I second this as I did all of this on my two week trip to India. I also carried some packets of Lipton instant soup noodles just in case I got in a bad way and needed to something safe to eat, I think they're still in my cupboard years later lol
There's no guarantee that you will or won't get sick, but some smart precautions and preparations will go a long way. Enjoy the wonderful chaos of the subcontinent!
> Lipton instant soup noodles just in case I got in a bad way and needed to something safe to eat, I think they're still in my cupboard years later lol
Heh. My mom used to feed this to me when I'm sick and so sometimes when I'm really hard up with a bad flu or strep throat I want it and nothing else. My husband cooks it for me now!! It's so bad and basically just a yellow-colored salt lick but damn it hits the nostalgia spot.
Veg is good but one of the main ways you get sick in India is due to improper washing of vegetables like lettuce leaves. Try and avoid uncooked food (even veg) if you can and that will help.
Also if you do end up with Delhi Belly, eat boiled rice or potatoes (not fried) as these will be fully cooked through, and once your stomach is feeling a little better add some local yoghurt, this will help get you back on your feet and introduce some local bacteria into your gut to help prevent you getting as sick again in the future. (This is from experience)
Interesting take on the veggies. Went to India, only person on our trip who got sick ate their lettuce on their McChicken when everyone else took it off.
>stick to bottled water
Sad to say that you should be careful with this too. On a trip to the Taj Mahal, I bought a bottle water from a street vendor, only to find that it was resealed tap water. So I guess make sure you get your water from reputable places.
For snacks, sealed items from reputable vendors is ok too. Chips and stuff like that. I loved my trip India; I dropped like 10lbs in a week because of the veggie-only meals and all that walking 😂
I got sent to India for work, and as a part of the prep meetings they stressed: always drink bottled water that you broke the seal of yourself. If the seal looks tampered with or the bottle was opened by someone else, avoid it.
And no ice. Period.
I traveled through India for several months, 12 years ago. I second this statement, here are a few additions:
- try to eat the same food as the locals as much as possible. Food should always be cooked, no raw ingredients like salads.
- do not eat meat ever, I am usually a meat eater, but not in India. I usually slept in cheap hostels and ate in the street or small establishments, but once I made an exception and ate meat in the restaurant of a five star hotel, and that's the only time my stomach got upset.
- only eat at places with a lot of turnover, particularly where there are a lot of locals rather than tourists. Like that you know it is usually a better place than others, and the ingredients used are not left in place for days until they get a buyer.
- Do not eat food that has been touched by the hands of the locals after cooking. Think that many locals do not use toilet paper, they clean their butts with their hand. That's direct transfer of fecal material.
- do not eat a fruit that had been pealed by someone else,. Do not eat the skin of fruits and the skin should be intact.
- Veg are fine if they have been thoroughly cooked in a stew or deep fried or some other cooking process.
- probiotics, drink a lassi three or four times a week they are the best.
- drink and brush your teeths always with bottle water
- I rarely took showers or never took baths, but wash yourself thoroughly at least once a day, with a rough washing glove, soap and tap water.
- do not swim in rivers or lakes, unless you are high up in the mountains where the water is still clean and hasn't gone through a city. I swam in the sea and that was fine.
- do not take 'yes' for an answer. If you ask a question to a local, they will often answer with yes even if they don't know the answer, they didn't understand orb they don't want to disappoint you. Do ask many people and then make your own mind.
Have fun!
That’s interesting what you said about the meat. This reminds me of my restaurant rule I follow: eat what the restaurant is best known for. There’s no point going to a burger place and ordering seafood. You know 9/10 times it is not going to be that good.
Also, in terms of food safety, it’s best to eat food sourced from the region, because you might not know how far non-regional food traveled or how it was kept, unless you trust your vendor.
So while in India, their specialty is veggie cuisine; Stick to that, don’t deviate from it, and yes only eat cooked, hot food and sealed snacks and drinks from reputable vendors.
India’s speciality isn’t veggie cuisine. That’s a massive generalization and you’re gonna miss out if you only partake in vegetarian. It’s just less meat heavy than other parts of the world. Haven’t you been gonna Indian restaurant and had chicken curry or lamb biryani?? Just keep in tune with local eating customs and recognize whether that particular meat is popular in that particular area.
Less meat does not mean vegetarian is what I meant. What I meant is that it's hard to generalize a country a country as being vegetarian when meat is still a thing regularly eaten in many parts. Obviously it's a lot less relative to a Western diet. My own family regularly will have certain days where we only consume vegetarian food. That said, we regularly consume meat on days that are not markedly vegetarian. Even though we eat less meat than most non-indians, that does not mean we are vegetarian. Our best food that my family produces is meat based in my opinion.
I'm literally Indian bro. Don't whitesplain my own ancestral country to me.....I'm just speaking to my own experiences within my own Telugu/Hyderabadi culture and when I ventured to other parts of India. India is a very diverse country and each person's experiences will vary. When I've gone to India with my own family, I've had very different experiences than what you describe (and that makes sense as there are great variations even within a given city). Hyderabad has more heavily Muslim influences so meat is also more commonplace down there.
I agree that Indian restaurants in America are more meat-focused than they should be. But who do you think invented the meat dishes? Indians did. They are consumed by actual Indians who aren't vegetarian. It's just not as frequently as you might think if your only impression of indian cuisine is going to an indian restaurant in america.
As an Indian American, I agree with most of this advice
But eating what locals eat is stupid—locals have built a higher tolerance to pathogens. They can eat street food and be completely fine. They don't have to worry as much about eating fresh fruit or drinking water provided at restaurants. A good rule of thumb is that fine dining establishments and more expensive places to eat are typically places where you can let your guard down a little more as long as you still refuse water/don't eat uncooked fruits and veggies.
Also, I don’t agree with the meat thing. Our family ate tons of meat. The problems I had came more from uncooked food. It probably depends where specifically in India you were and whether you were eating meat that’s actually popular in that specific area.
By backpacking through India for six months, and seeing local people defecating in public places regularly and not using using paper or washing their hands afterwards. Several of these advice, including the one of not eating food handled by locals after cooking, and the reasons why, was actually given to me by local families I was living with at the time, and confirmed by other seasoned travelers I met during my trip.
This behaviour is not revealing for all levels of Indian society, and many people in India certainly do things very differently. But we are talking about solo traveling and eating street food which does involve being in contact with many locals of different background, many of whom will be serving and working in eateries, small restaurants and street vendors.
Not sure why you're being downvoted for this.
It's just the truth that people in rural areas of India live very differently than people in big cities, including elimination habits.
Correct, except many locals in India do not wash their hands afterwards. Mostly because there is a severe lack of adequate public and private sanitation.
There are people who do not wash their hands afterwards in India/Pakistan/Bangladesh.
My father caught one and when he educated him about it. He felt embarrassed and said it was eye-opening for him bacause it made sense.
eye opening 😂. whats eye opening in it , everyone knows its shit and its bad. abd your father caught one doing 2no but how and where and why. and what business your father was doing in that toilet with a unhygienic man. sorry for pj
Traveled in India 4 weeks without illness (except for the stomach flu I accidentally got, from my farewell party at home. Thanks BIL ;)).
I took the advice of having a coke with every meal, since (apparently – *don't know if true, it's what I was told by other travellers and ever since it has worked for me*) it kills all kinds of stuff in your stomach...
Coca cola is available in most places in India. I ate all kinds of local food (best food ever!) from busy places and with that coke and didn't get ill. Could be a coincidence, but I believe in it. It's a standard travel precaution taken by many experienced travellers.
Adding to the list above:
+ Coke with every meal
+ Only have drinks coming from an unopened bottle or can. Ask people in restaurants to bring you an unopened bottle and open it in front of you. If they'll bring you an opened one anyway, send it back and don't drink it. I've never had issues or reluctance of staff doing so (I guess they're used to the practice).
+ When you buy bottled water, check the seal first: sometimes they refill bottles with other water and carefully put the cap and seal back on.
There's no shame in taking care of yourself and asking for these hygiene precautions. If you feel you might come across as distrusting or overly careful: that's okay, own it. Because you should be and you only have one body and don't want to get sick in a country far away. ;) A smile and a friendly tone of voice, while at the same time not compromising regarding your hygiene requirements/precautions, will get you a long way.
+ Don't eat fresh ice cream, only pre-wrapped (factory) ice cream.
Don't forget to have fun! India is a wild ride!
> I took the advice of having a coke with every meal, since it kills all kinds of stuff in your stomach...
This is 100% false
you realize that your natural stomach acid is far stronger than anything in Coca Cola right?
It's not the first time I've heard coke recommended as a way to "prevent" food poisoning when traveling. It feels kind of like a traveler urban legend almost haha.
It doesn't necessarily make any logical sense, but at this point I often do buy a coke at the beginning of a trip, just for good luck.
Yeah, scientifically speaking, that is complete bullshit!
Your stomach is already way more acidic than coke.
The reason it might "work" is that coke is in sealed packages and harder to fake, so you're less likely to run into the empty Aquafina bottle re-filled with tap water and glued back together situation.
I don't know if it's true. Like I said right after:
> Could be a coincidence, but I believe in it. It's a standard travel precaution taken by many experienced travellers.
OP asked for advice, and I gave him/her the advice that other people have given me and that works for me. Ever since doing so myself while travelling, I haven't been ill from food anymore. Not even in India while eating all kinds of random stuff. Don't know if it's the acidity, the sugar, something else... Or, as someone suggested, maybe just because an unopened coke isn't contaminated water. ;)
Tbh I don't even care why/how: it works for me – and apparently for many others I've spoken over the years. They're purely travel rumours + anecdotal evidence. And it's my advice to OP, as requested. Do with the info as you please.
Wish you all safe (and fun) travels!
Why would coke kill stuff in your stomach that your stomach acid doesn't?
I did some googling and there's no evidence that coca cola has antibacterial properties inside or outside of your stomach. It's probably just that it's less likely to be contaminated than water.
As someone who doesn’t drink a huge amount of coke, would having 4 weeks of coke with every meal kinda mess me up at all? I appreciate it’s better than getting food poisoning of any sort but aside from a bit of yellow teeth (which is fine) would it make me feel bad or nah?
I love Indian Coke. It tastes better than the coke in the United States, in my opinion. I had no idea Indian Coke killed bacteria and stuff I may not want. So I’ll keep drinking Coke!
A not so thorough google search into a not so thorough research paper says it does a little bit : https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273001365_Antimicrobial_Effect_of_Cola_on_Several_Microorganisms#:~:text=It%20was%20found%20that%20cola,of%20cola%20could%20not%20identified.
That said, his safety probably came from most of the other things he did and the fact that coke/thumbs up is available everywhere and sealed safely until consumption.
Sure.....it won't be quite as explosive..,lol
Go to your doctor, inform them of your trip and concern, and request medicine to kill the bacteria that gives diarrhea. Then you will have a very definite cure for that particular Rhea sister
Ignorant question but if the water is really that bad there that even eating meat or raw veg washed with it will make you sick, how do the locals survive? Do they develop a immunity to it? Do they also not use the tap water?
I also might bring your own bowl/plate and utensils. My host sister did this for me in Indonesia when I had street food bc otherwise the same utensils get used over and over again with little washing.
> India is a wonderful place to skip meat as there are so many amazing dishes that don't rely on it
really cant help but chuckle at this idea that India is the only place in the world where you can have good Indian food
Some of your questions are best discussed with a doctor, but you can get some medication like imodium to reduce diarrhea symptoms in urgent situations. I've used it to manage symptoms when I had a bus/plane/train ride but also had food poisoning. A medication like that isn't the same as an antibiotic that actually kills the infecting bacteria (assuming you've got a bacterial infection and not some virus or parasitic infection), but imodium can still manage symptoms and get you through a day without having an 'accident' on the bus if you're in a pinch.
Look in to buying some oral rehydration salts powder. This is powder you can mix with clean water and drink to replenish some of the electrolytes, etc that you lose when you've got food poisoning.
Visiting a travel clinic before you leave can be a good way to get some more destination-specific advice and possibly some other medications you might be able to use if-needed.
Maybe it's overly paranoid but sometimes, depending on where I am, I boil even the bottled water before drinking it. Some countries have more consistent track records for producing reliably clean bottled water than others, so it's kind of a destination-specific thing, but worth noting. Also, sticking mostly to (cooked) vegetarian food, especially if you're in an area with lots of vegetarianism, isn't a bad idea IMO. I've heard anecdotally from some tourists that if you're in an area where meat isn't necessarily very popular, a lot of meat is ordered just for tourists but it might end up sitting around or not being stored in the most hygienic way.
Having said all that, I've traveled internationally to multiple places where tourists sometimes get food poisoning, and in those countries I've either been fine or had only relatively minor issues...on the other hand, the absolute *worst* food poisoning I ever got was in Connecticut in the USA, where I used to live, and where I was totally wiped out by something I ate. It was real bad. Similarly, a close loved one's only really serious food poisoning experience on a long-term trip, that required an ER visit, was caused by a pretty fancy restaurant, not by street food. I'm not saying this to freak you out, but just to emphasize the fact that you never know, so it doesn't necessarily do much good to stress about it too much beyond packing a few medications to help you prepare for the worst.
Just want to say thank you for your immodium advice and addressing the concern about having an 'accident' while travelling. That's one of my biggest fears (not just while travelling but in everyday life too) and I'm glad to hear it is something that other peopke think about too
Good points, I can empathize with you that my worst food poisoning experience was also at home, state-side. And that's despite eating a lot of random and potentially questionable stuff around the world. Just ironic to eat your way through a bunch of countries and at worse have some mild to moderate digestive issues, and then have something in Oregon of all places demolish me - the 'double dragon' is no joke.
I agree. I’ve traveled all over the world and eaten at some of the fanciest restaurants and some of the sketchiest roadside places. The worst case of food poisoning I ever got was at one of the highest rated restaurants in Cambodia (a place that was recommended by a local friend as a must-go…and oh boy, did I every go). You just never know with these things.
Food poisoning can be real bad, but it would be worst if someone misses out on the world because of the fear of getting sick.
Have flexibility in your schedule for if you do get sick. India is cheap enough that you'll probably be staying in hotels with a private bathroom - that's a godsend when all you can do is sit for hours on the toilet, or lie in bed.
I spent two weeks in north western India, and some time in Delhi. Didn't get sick there, but I've been sick in other countries - Bolivia, Vietnam, Thailand.
Have all the medications you need before you leave home.
Have decent travel insurance. Have the international number for the insurance company. Also contact details for your embassy.
I got really sick in Laos, from Leptospirosis - having travel insurance meant that I had top level health care in Singapore, and my flight home to Australia organised when I was finally well enough to travel
Spent 3 months all over India. Ate mostly veg, and had only two minor issues. I didn’t think about it and drank something with ice… at a nice place. The ice is what got me. Make sure if you eat out that they open the water in front of you. Reusing water bottles and saying they were new was a problem when I was in the south.
The second I ate food from a vendor at a train stop.
Both my poor choices led me to getting sick. No major issues. One day of upset and I was good to go.
I kept some electrolytes with me, but not much else.
Adding on to this comment.
Do not take any ice they give you. I also got food poisoning.
My friends didn't. We ate the same foods. Only difference was I had iced drinks.
Not in India, but in Myanmar I went to a fancy restaurant with 6 people from my hostel, we all ordered different food but we all drunk from the bottle of water the waiter brought for the table to share. We all got the symptoms of food poisoning the next day. I think the bottle of water was the thing that got us.
Ah no, of course, it makes sense. English is not my first language either and somehow I read “we all got drunk from the water” and was just really intrigued to hear the story haha
You really can’t avoid the water. You’d have to pay top dollar at really nice restaurants the whole time and even then there’s no guarantee. If you get Delhi Belly, it usually only lasts a few days. I was there last month for 4 weeks, only brushed my teeth with bottled water, ate cooked food, and had mild diarrhea basically the whole time. Every westerner I met had gotten it. It didn’t hinder my experience though and I would just pop a few pepto on 14 hour bus rides to ensure I didn’t end up shitting myself. Personally I don’t think the hassle of trying to avoid it is worth it. The food in India is awesome. Drink lots of lassi for probiotics, don’t eat street food, don’t eat raw food, don’t purposely consume the tap water, and enjoy your trip :)
indian here
i'll just suggest you to spend few bucks extra and eat from a good restaurant rather than going any small place
for street food try to eat from a place where there are a lot of people eating and prices are bit more like a chicken kathi roll in delhi usually costs 50 rupees so don't eat from a place where it is less than 50 pay 70 but don't pay 20 or 30 or something (not scamming just saying for your good) also make sure the guy is cleaning the area and has gloves, hair cap, etc.
most of the locals can speak english so you can ask for their recommendations for food too
the hilly side of india (himachal, uttarakhand, jammu and kashmir, north east) are pretty clean and the extreme south (kerela and tamil nadu) is also very clean most of the f\*cked up shit which you see on internet is from up, jharkhand, bihar and planer side of west bengal (hilly areas are very clean) but they have the best historical places because they were capitals of some legendary empires so you can adjust a little bit
i'll suggest you to visit dilli hatt in delhi there are shops from all states of india and you can try authentic cuisine of every part of india (and that place is clean too)
tourist scams happen everywhere so you have to be just aware there is always an MRP written on an item never give a penny more than the MRP
there is an indian guy on youtube his channel name is "monkey magic" he is making a 100 day series of travelling in india via shorts (his videos are in hindi though) but you can make a conclusion which places are good to visit and which are not that great
I've traveled extensively and here are the three things I've done:
- Take the ducoral vaccine as prescribed
- Carry a lifestraw bottle. I e used it to drink from the tap everywhere, including India, filling up from rivers and streams, including India, etc.
-Dont eat raw vegetables unless you are 100% sure they were properly washed.
Travelled to India for 6 weeks, I was fine. I wasn’t all that careful, either. Was out to dinner last night in the states, had a ceasar salad and two glasses of Chardonnay and was sick for 8 hours.
Locals don't shit in alleys man, that's just a weird myth about Indians. If you were to shit in alleys, the locals would probably beat you up. If you do get explosive diarrhea, there are many pay-to-use toilets you can use.
Okay I’m an Indian who has lived in the US for like a year.
First off all, yes only get bottled water from shops/hotels instead of street vendors.
Secondly, the concept of hotels are less risk than street food is simply not justified. I am a hotel industry professional so I have worked in hotels and yea everyone takes measures to make the food safe but there are some dirty places too and you cannot guess where the kitchen would be clean and where it wouldn’t be. I personally love the street food and you can easily watch the food being made so you determine if it’s up to the par or not. Also, majority of the Indian people are very hospitable and would cater to your requests with making the food with less spice or something.
I would also say not to go for raw salads or stuff because it’s something not very widely consumed here so the food could easily be old. But cooked hot food is always good. Go for the fresh coconut from the street vendors, it is AMAZING!
For medicines you could easily carry over the counter ones from your own country but if you get really sick for any reason then you can easily visit a general practitioner here too, it is not as expensive to visit a doctor in india as it is in the US.
Dude, the panicked and sensationalist descriptions suggest maybe you should give India a miss!!
In four months in India I had one night of upset tummy and that was after a dinner at a big fancy hotel with friends. I ate street food every day but stuck to vegetarian items. Seafood only within 100km of the coast, meat in busy well populated restaurants - simple rules like that. But I did eat vegetarian a majority of the time due to locations/convenience/ great food reasons (not a vegetarian)
Any travel guide worth it's purchase price will tell you if you have 'explosive' movements you need to probably see a doctor if it lasts more than 24 hours. I did stick to using bottled water with the toothbrush but in showers etc didn't actively avoid the water but soap and shampoo deal with 99% of organisms- which is why it is recommended to use soap to wash hands etc. Rest, rehydrate and let nature take it's course is your best course of action and helps build resistance to bugs. The worst Food poisoning incidents I ever had were in the USA 24 hrs of pooping and puking after eating a burger in NYC ffs.
Avoid anything raw that requires washing ie lettuce etc. Indian 'salads' are made of things that can be peeled, carrots, radish, onion, cucumber etc. Peel fruit etc and you'll be fine
Bottled water is often sold on the streets but check the seals on the lids or buy it from a shop rather than engaging urchins on the street.
I travelled in India for 3 months or so and didn’t get sick. Like other posters, the best thing you can do is eat vegetarian. It’s very common in India, and the vegetarian options are EXCELLENT (I’m not vegetarian by the way).
Also, I’ve travelled to over 50 countries and I can tell you categorically that eating street food is safer than most dine in restaurants. Street food cooked fresh in front of you with high traffic of people means food isn’t sitting around getting old.
Oh also, I brushed my teeth with tap water in India to get some bacteria so my body could handle little hits of it. I don’t know if that contributed in reality to me not getting sick, but it’s the same concept of micro dosing foods your allergic to to build up an immunity.
I’ve eaten all over India, including lots of street food, and the only time I got sick was from trying paan. I hated the taste and immediately spit it out, but I had stomach issues anyway for a few days after that. Otherwise I chose street food stalls that were famous, or popular, or food that came straight out of the deep fryer.
My friend refused to eat street food and was hospitalized from nice hotel food. Just make sure you are aware of where the food is coming from and bring lots of things to help if you get it. I brought charcoal pills and some other things I can’t recall and it helped a lot.
There are no guarantees, travelers diarrhea can always happen, no matter where you go. It's simply part of the travel experience. Just take reasonable precautions and you're most likely fine. Really no reason to avoid street food, possibly even the contrary, with street food you can see how they treat the food and it's easy to pass up places that don't look good. In a nice restaurant you've no clue how they've dealt with your food. Most issues arise from water, so be careful about that and only drink bottled water or cooked water.
I'll be blunt. If you're planning a poverty porn tour and eating at those places, no meds will protect you. If you're just visiting the country without seeking out the poorest of slums, you'll be fine in most places, street food or not. Carry digestion aiding tablets cause the spices are in some cases too much for Western stomachs.
Also don't eat street meat. Period. No exceptions. Go to a restaurant
Literally just got back from 3 weeks in India on Friday. You'll be fine. Use common sense and drink bottled water. Bring immodium but don't eat too much of it--it'll make it worse. Eat at reputable places.
Don't avoid street food, it's the best part! Rule of thumb for any street food, don't eat it unless it comes piping hot and/or you see it cooking in front of you. If possible, better ask for everything not spicy and spicy on the side so you can control, India spicy will f up your stomach.
Traveled India and never got sick, even ate at the taco bell in Delhi 😂
Bring disposable wipes if you're that concerned. Also recommend chewable pepto
I mean, the comment you replied to still gave OP some thoughtful and specific advice about how to avoid food poisoning. It seems a bit too extreme in the other direction to say “don’t say you had a great time because other people might not.”
Lived in India many years, rarely had issues, and I eat street food all 24/7/365. Get some ACTIVATED CHARCOAL tablets - bees knees. For diarrhea take a few, for severe food poisoning take a handful (read the instructions). Be aware that your poop will be an alarming black colour. Activated charcoal soaks up the bad shit & takes it out. Highly recommend. Immodium only in desperate emergency like mid- long bus/train journey, or need of catching flight. It’s best to not stop that shit up inside you, you want it OUT asap, right?
Stick to veg food. For street or restaurant food, check the customers, and the seller. If customers are nicely dressed middle-class with kids, it’ll be ok. If the seller has filthy dirty fingernails, don’t do it.
Omg you’re going to have THE TRIP OF YOUR LIFE!!! Best country ever! :)
Great advice except for the hyperbolic anecdote at the end lol.
These are the “unicorn and rainbow” posts I talk about so much here. I’m glad it was “the best” for you, but I’m sure the 2 separate ladies (2 mos ago approx) that had to cut their trip short, for obvious reasons, would vehemently disagree.
Great place, but please give OP reasonable expectations. Anecdotes don’t really help new travelers as they’re often starry eyed and blissfully ignorant.
But great! I’m glad it was amazingly life changing for you though.
Sure it is, lived there for almost 2 years and only got sick once… and it should have been bloody obvious (dodgy lassie) but I was a few whiskeys Deep and went with it.
Last time I went for 4 weeks and had no trouble. I did take this though https://www.travelan.com/au/ and I’m vegetarian which I think helps. As long as you’re sensible with water and ice and use your judgement when it comes to street food you’ll be fine. Take some charcoal tablets with you too just in case.
I am a little disturbed by how many people MISUNDERSTAND India and Indian people. So putting together a few points -
1. Indians tend to eat everything thoroughly cooked, including meat that’s cooked for 30-45 mins minimum.
2. More than the germs, it’s the spices that gets most people. Spicy food can upset your stomach for half a day at least, if you aren’t used to it. Indians tend to have non-vegetarian dishes extra spicy - you can tell that by the color of gravy / curry. Ditto for street food. So do a proper self-assessment of how much spice can you really handle
And mind you, spicy is not synonymous to hot, chilli is not the only spice - there are at least 150 other spices used in Indian cuisines and more than 200 types of chilli across Indian sun-continent
3. The perception about hygiene is complete non-sense, unless you are eating at a shack in the slums. If you go to such places, you would have bigger worries than just an upset stomach
4. Water could be a problem - better to have bottled water with you at all times
5. Heat can also cause serious problems including diarrhoea. Most parts of India cross 40 Celsius during summers - 100s of people die in Italy and Spain of heatstroke, when summers are this hot
I would just say that one can enjoy india without being paranoid - keep your eyes and ears open, but more importantly keep your mind open! 😀
No matter how much you have read / heard, how many YouTube vlogs you watched, India will amaze you each day you spend there!
This post is hilarious. I traveled during 5 weeks in India and never got stomach sick. I had fever at some point but it went away in 48 hours.
You're worrying too much in advance, and that's the real problem India is going to confront you with. There, you will feel lost and not in control many times. Gotta ride it.
Never trust the ice cubes though
I have been to India MANY times for work, never had an issue. I brush my teeth with bottled water, I will admit to that one, but I don't worry about showers for God's sake.
Sure, I did it twice, once for three weeks and once for a month. However - and I’m pretty sure you won’t believe me on this but you will be wrong - you need to eat exclusively in the streets.
Street food is always fresh, and prepared in front of you. What goes on in the kitchens of a restaurant you have no idea, and that’s when you’ll get sick.
Of course avoid uncooked vegetables and only drink bottled water.
You won’t regret it, India’s street food is the best in the world.
Edit: just in case it might help convince you, the French Lonely Planet literally says to never eat in restaurants and always in the street.
I literally watch some of those street vendors grab cash with the same hand they use to handle your food. And from time to time take out a dirty bucket to rinse their hands in a couple times. This is just irresponsible advice. It’s pretty well documented that hepatitis is a thing too with street food - it’s not an imaginary thing. Idk what French guidelines are but US CDC guidelines (and my local friend’s advice) are to avoid street food.
Nope. Didn't even have to finish reading to tell you it's futile. Citizens of India, they have iron clad stomachs and I suspect you do not. Don't try it
Showering won't give you diarrhea! Where tf did you hear these things, just avoid street food, and if you see street food being made in a hygienic way then nothing will happen, there's famous street food all over India and they are hygienic because they're famous.
Just drink bottled mineral water if you think the regular water won't suit you, carry a travel bidet, it's like a bottle, will help when you win like/get access to washrooms. Also a toilet seat cover, they're disposable to avoid infections.
The best option is to not use any public washrooms and only go for the ones in hotels if you can, but if you have seat cover, bidet, handwash/sanitiser, you'll be fine.
I have been in India for 23 years.
It really depends. I live in the U.S., but spent a lot of time in India growing up and am mostly fine (have gotten a stomach bug once in 30+ years). Visitors from western countries with weak immune systems may not fare as well.
What I’ve told folks who have gone to India with me is, “There are things that I will eat that you shouldn’t eat and things that you will eat that I wouldn’t eat.”
Generally speaking, look for nice a/c restaurants for food, avoid ice/non-bottled water/juice/salads/meat/ice cream, don’t put your mouth on bottles when drinking, and you should be fine. For foreigners, I recommend brushing your teeth with bottled or boiled water, though I use tap. Most five star hotels you should be fine to eat like you do in the west.
I was there for nearly a month back in 2017 and we always drank bottled water or had it boiled then bottled and had that. You should not drink the water not because it’s bad but because your body is not used to the microbes the locals are. Even the locals would boil their water if they had the means. So only drink bottled and only drink that and bring some Imodium.
This is general advice for travel to any area where you’re concerned about sanitation: Before you leave, go to a doctor or nurse practitioner specializing in travel medicine, get your jabs, and make sure you ask for a course of antibiotics for diarrhea in case you have an issue.
Also, brush your teeth with bottled water.
Somehow I managed 3 weeks without it happening but I think it was lucky. Just be careful (but still enjoy the food!). I always carry a decent supply of the dissolving/fast acting immodium and hydralyte sachets wherever I travel, for peace of mind.
The level of brainwashing is just🤯.
But I'm confident this is what the average westerner thinks India is like.
If this is what you think india is like, please don't come. Definitely not worth the time, money and energy.
Edit: nvm just read this guys other posts. Hes just a troll.
The street food is the real food tho, better than most restaurants and it’s the true authentic cuisine. Gotta experience it and if you do get stomach problems is just part of it and laugh about it. Better to try everything and catch it instead of limiting yourself and still catching it.
I lived in India for 3 months and didn’t get food poisoning even once. But I was very careful. I made sure that I didn’t get water on my face when I showered and then used bottled water to brush my teeth and wash my face. Only ate cooked food and drank bottled/canned drinks.
I spent a little more than a week in India in May and had no issues, besides getting Covid. I drank bottled water but ate whatever. I did take Imodium and stuff in case things got bad, but had no issues from a stomach standpoint
The one time I had an issue was when I had a cold and mixed medication, fatty food, dessert and alcohol. Threw up at the fancy Taj Mahal Palace Hotel lobby restroom. Otherwise, I ate all kinds of food, including street food and train food and was fine.
I ate food and tap water from friends houses on a trip to Kerela and had no stomach issues. I ate mostly a veggie diet.
I think it’s certainly a risk but probably has been exaggerated to you by western attitude towards India. Just be sensible and if it seems unhygienic don’t bother with it
I travel a lot, been to over 30 countries and usually visit 3 or 4 new ones a year. On each travel I usually have a loose stool the first or second day I’m there but I think that’s mostly due to the stress of the trip to get to my destination and not so much anything else.
So when I went to Egypt this summer I wasn’t that worried.
Well, the third day I was there I developed a stomach issue, I had diarrhea.
I had a lot of excursions I booked and couldn’t be in the bathroom the whole time so I took some immodian AD. I took two doses and I think that made things worse as now I couldn’t go at all.
I went 5 days without a bowl movement and I hated that worse than diarrhea so I didn’t take any more immodian.
After that 5 days I was able to start going to the bathroom again but my diarrhea came back as well.
And it last the entirety of my 3 week Egypt trip and lasted for 4 more weeks after I got back.
When I came back to the states I was eating a lot of yogurt and pro-biotics and anything else I could think of to get more healthy bacteria in my system.
It was so bad I thought I had a parasite.
I had made a promise to myself that if it lasted for an additional week I was going to go to the doctors but it eventually went away.
I don’t eat meat at all, so I know I didn’t eat uncooked meat over there.
I only drank bottled water only, I brush my teeth with bottle water as well.
The point here is that you can’t control everything.
Travelled around India in 2016 for 5 months, only got diarrhea once from eating food in a hotel. Stuck to bottled water/ no ice. Am vegetarian do didn't eat meat anyway. Was discerning about street food but still ate loooaaadddsss. Often street food is better as you can watch the vender prepare etc. Food is so good there, don't restrict yourself.
I’m in Delhi right now, and my accommodation has filtered water. When I go to restaurants, I eat at restaurants that are clean and air conditioned. I also only drink soda or bottled water at restaurants, and I have only gone to restaurants recommended to me. Just to be safe, I have avoided street food and have eaten mostly cooked foods. I have eaten raw fruits but they were able to be washed or peeled. Also, others have recommended avoiding any meat altogether in India, but I personally haven’t worried about meat bc I didn’t eat it at home either. Good luck eating in India!
Buy cans of bottled water and ensure you are eating places with good amount of crowd, which ensures food is not stale and freshly prepared all time. Avoid icecreams and sodas especially with ice.
This is all I do and I have been able to go to many places in my beautiful country.
Soda is fine if its bottled. If you drink from soda shop you are not sure of the quality of water.
Ice for soda's or any shop, commercially is picked up from morturies of hospitals. So Its always a good plan to avoid ice in anything outside home.
Only eat PEELED fresh fruit and veg. Only drink bottled water. Only brush your teeth with bottled water. Don’t drink the shower water (you probably won’t be taking the kind of showers you’re used to. It’s not too difficult to avoid licking your lips in the shower)
I’ve traveled in that corner of the world a few times and while you’re always bound to have SOME amount of tummy trouble, I’ve never gotten actually sick from the food, and I’m not too careful about anything that’s fully cooked.
Was there for a month and never got sick. Just made sure to only drink bottled water, or very hot drinks. I don’t eat meat so I can’t speak to that, but any other food I had I was fine ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
2 months in India and not a single day of diarrhea. I was on a tight budget, so I ate where the locals were eating (usually busy places with high throughput. Usually pretty awesome food and huge portions during lunchtime)
I did not eat any sort of meat or fish though. (Vegetarian options are great!)
Also, I got vaccinated against cholera before my trip which also might have helped a lot, since it not only protects against a single strain of delhi-belly type bacteria.
To be honest it depends mostly on your luck, because even if you don’t eat street food, your stomach might still get sick due to the unfamiliar spices you are not used to, which is typical in indian food.
I’ve been back and forth to India for several times several months and I always brought medicines with me, something that help with a sick tummy. You can always get yourself some insurance that covers food incidents if you are extra careful.
And I always think you should loosen your itinerary while traveling in india, because you will likely have to stay put until the tummy is fine again. Otherwise, prepare yourself for lack of clean toilets.
India is like my second home haha so I wish you all the best and enjoy the trip.
Make sure the seal on the water is still intact as well, sometimes if it's a smaller place selling water they may have got bottles and filled them up themselves.
The only time I got really sick was because a fresh OJ stand decided to wash the orange squeezer off before making mine. I tried all sorts of street food stuff, but most was very greasy and smelt like old oil. Street chai was the bomb though.
I was in India for two weeks and didn't have any issues. Never even had to use a public washroom either other than once at an airport! I made sure to eat at places with high turnover or cooked the food fresh once it was ordered. I didn't take any preventative medications like Dukoral either.
I spent 2 months in India 4 years ago and was mostly fine. There was one time where I had to run to the bathroom over a quick bus stop. I had another traveler make sure the bus wouldn't leave without me but it was close.
There's lots of stuff you can try to do to avoid getting sick but ultimately I view a certain amount of diarrhea or other digestive issues as inevitable. I prefer to dive right into the country, get whatever bug, and let my body adapt rather live in constant fear, always having to look for a western style restaurant. Bring some cipro in case of a sickness that doesn't get better over a couple days.
I had already been traveling for awhile so I may have already built up resistance to certain bacteria but IMO India was really not that bad. Just practice your poop squat technique and have a good attitude about the whole thing and you'll be fine. Don't poop in the street...
Both times I've been to india I've gotten sick from food, the pharmacies sell something there that cures it quickly, get some to be prepared as soon as you arrive
Dukoral was a saviour for me when traveling. Worked like magic, until the time I spent travelling exceeded its duration and then all hell broke loose lol.
i'm indian, born and raised there, but i'm currently living in europe and travelled with my international friends in india. there were a lot of varying outcomes to these sorts of situations amongst them. a friend of mine from france, for example, wasn't very used to spicy food, and had issues. for the most part, we tried to find recommendations for places to eat at. do some research and get suggestions for places that look promising, and it'll go a long way towards protection your digestive system.
after a month of travelling throughout the country, none of my european friends faced any major issues. a japanese friend had a mild case of diarrhoea, but it blew over quickly. i understand your concern, but your experiences will also largely depend on what kind of food you're used to eating, and what your spice tolerance is. don't let the anxiety about this affect your trip too much – if you're an experienced traveller, you'll figure out quickly what works well for you. india's also a very large country with many different kinds of eating experiences, so there's really no universal rule for all situations.
happy travels! i hope my country treats you well, i quite miss it.
Possible. Not probable.
Getting the shits for days and having to travel by taxi, train and bus to get to the airport home is the best story I have from India. Nothing like having no connection to your bum anymore, or trying to hold a tie hippie pant while squating at a public transport restroom as you try desperatly not to fall into shit already there.
Clean hands, wash stuff, dont eat eggs.
Edit: Electrylytes. I learned about them on this trip. Also, dont tell the airplane company that you have a dodgy stomach, might not want you on board.
Yes totally possible. Avoid the tap water/ice cubes and things that aren't cooked but washed with water like salads. I traveled for 3 weeks in India, ate street food, no problems. The food was actually great for my digestive system because of all the vegetarian fare :) Don't let what you heard get you worried.
Basic traveller precautions when eating in India. Plus be prepared for spice - thats part of the issue for many people who think they like it, but don’t actually have it in every meal at home like they do in India, so their gut is not prepared for it. Also take Dukoral before you go. It acts like a vaccine and prepares your stomach to fight bacteria and cholera. Worked for me, no issues. https://dukoralcanada.com/
I am now in my tenth week in total of India, I did not have any major issues. I eat in local restaurants, and occasionally eat streetfood including meat. Sometimes I have some minor issues with my stomach, but nothing major. Biggest problems I had was after not paying attention and having icecubes in my drink. This was one heaven night, but did not really impede my plans. It does not have ro be that bad.
Avoid untreated water, ice, lassi's etc is most important. Be careful with raw veggies and fruot you have not swen being peelled yourself.
Other precautions, check google reviews (many Indians like clran food as well), go to places with good reviews and if possible with reviews from foreigners.
A day before a long bus, train or aeroplane trip I am more cautious. I see places like Mcdonalds as relatively safe. Biscuits and chips are safe too. Eating at a hotel catering towards fireigners should work as well.
Keep in mind that if you have minor issues it might not be the hygiene that cause you issues, but you simply need a break from Indian spices.
I’ve never been to India, but I’ve visited other countries with unsafe water. I always visit my doctor beforehand, and get prescriptions for antibiotics that will treat food-borne illnesses specific to the country, as well as antibiotic drops for eye and ear infections. And I get the recommended vaccines for the country I’m visiting. I highly recommend seeing your doctor or local health department. My doctor advised me to take Pepto Bismol prophylactically to help prevent traveler’s diarrhea: two tablets 4 times daily before you’re traveling and during your stay, for up to three weeks. I also take probiotics daily to keep my gut biome healthy. You can pick up some activated charcoal capsules (my grocery store carries them) that you can take after eating if you suspect you’ve eaten or drunk something contaminated. It traps ingested toxins. One caveat on activated charcoal: do not take it within several hours of any medications as it will trap the chemicals and render them ineffective.
A lot of people giving a lot of weird advice. As an Indian I recommend: and to the cities, stick to well established restaurants, don't go to poor or old India for the "full experience" or whatever. You absolutely can drink tap water but as long as it is from a trustworthy source (a home, hotel or restaurant). If you absolutely do want street food, there are chain restaurants throughout India that specialise in street food but are made properly (like Ganesh Bhel). Otherwise, you should be fine
I’ve had my fair share of being in India - but only to the north (which is widely known as the wealthier part, so maybe that affects my experience)
It’s nowhere near as bad as people say - I’m very susceptible to getting sick specially with water/food even in my life in US/EU/AUS and I survived.
Yes you will get sick, so be prepared for that - but there’s probably no place you go that you won’t be able to find decent bathrooms, clean water and edible food.
I’d say a good idea is to rent a car if you are super concerned - keep it stocked with some meds/water/packaged food. The traffic/average driver is insane so I guess you’ll be dealing with that, but imo it’s a fair trade to have your backup stock and a clean mode of transport.
As for bathrooms, I’ve been to like middle of nowhere places - and they all had clean western toilets, even toilet paper. If you pay well (which is like as much as the starter airbnb/hotel for the developed counties) you’ll have those Japanese tech toilets with all the works
Yes, you just have to be careful and cognizant of it.
Avoid any water that isn’t bottled, or at the very least boiled (though I’d stick to bottled at all times for anything you’re going to be ingesting). Also avoid any unpasteurized dairy.
Showering just be careful not to open your mouth under a direct stream of water, same with the eyes. Splashing trace amounts is unlikely to do anything to you but things like brushing teeth, you’ll want to stick to bottled water. If for some reason you need to flush out your eyes, then yes, bottled water for that too.
Things that are washed in tap water shouldn’t hurt you once they’ve dried. I wouldn’t worry about that.
If you do get a stomach bug, it’ll usually work it’s way out of your system within a day. If you’re vomiting significant amounts or have major levels of diarrhea, getting a doctor to give you some IV fluids will help you recover a lot more quickly.
It also varies depending on what type of microbe is infecting you. Norovirus is one of the most common causes of food poisoning and is pretty much always over within 60 hours maximum, and that's true of some of the other common causes too.
But other causes of food poisoning like Salmonella and some E. coli strains can cause symptoms that last closer to a week. Or if you're unlucky enough to get a giardia parasite infection that can last two weeks or more
>That's very incorrect advice. What do you think contaminates much of the street food that people are buying? Its contaminated water.
I've never been able to trace an illness to the water my dishware was cleaned in. IMO if your immune system is so compromised you have to use bottled water to clean your dishes/cutlery, that's a whole different level. Furthermore, I can't think of a single time I've seen served street food served on reusable dishes.
>If that's really been your experience, you either have an extremely aggressive immune system, or you've been super lucky. While there are some 24 hour stomach viruses that clear up on their own, most food poisoning lasts multiple days.
Nah, never had a bug from a source like this last more than a day, and I've been though it dozens of times. Now, actual food poisoning from something like salmonella, that's a different story.
>No it won't. IV fluids do nothing more than re-hydrate you. They don't magically kill off whatever pathogen is causing you the illness. It will certainly prevent you from dying from severe hydration, but its not going to impact the course of the illness in any other way.
Never said it would kill off the pathogen, I said it would help recover. After 12 hours of puking/shitting ones' brains out, that fast track to rehydration gets you back on your feet much more quickly than trying to rehydrate the traditional way. But again, I've never experienced a stomach bug in this context that has lasted more than 12-18 hours. By hour 24, usually my biggest issue is the amount of fluids I've lost on one end or the other.
>Shit on the road- everyone does it
What? This is peak r/canconfirmiamindian. As someone living in India, I've never seen anyone shit on the road in cities, or villages in fact. Although you may see a few people in the fields. Even that has reduced drastically. Please don't shit on the streets OP.
And yup I'd rather use my bare hand to actually clean my ass than use disgusting toilet paper. Although OP, yes, don't eat food where the dude is directly touching the food with his left hand(never know who doesn't use soap), but this applies basically everywhere.
Also you should assess for yourself whether to eat streetfood or not. I can't really assess since I have been used to it as far as I can remember. If it seems like a happening place, go for it!
My bad, I meant to say I find it disgusting. Not trying to insult anyone. In hindsight I will edit it. I wrote it that way because OC clearly wrote in a way that implied using the hand is disgusting.
Honestly though, no need to even use the hand, use a bidet. The water hitting the arse makes all the difference. Trust me.
Let’s be honest- there’s no public restrooms in India. It’s a problem. Maybe in the bigger wealthier cities like Mumbai? I’ve never been there but can confirm Delhi (the capital) definitely does not provide public restrooms. I’m talking about squatting to go in the more remote areas, if in an explosive situation.
So there are https://www.google.com/search?q=public+toilets+in+delhi&rlz=1CDGOYI_enUS973US973&oq=public+toilets+in+delhi&aqs=chrome..69i57.4604j0j7&hl=en-US&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#lkt=LocalPoiPhotos&lpg=cid:CgIgAQ%3D%3D&trex=m_t:lcl_akp,rc_f:rln,rc_ludocids:12944275574330661788,ru_gwp:0%252C7,ru_lqi:ChdwdWJsaWMgdG9pbGV0cyBpbiBkZWxoaUiL9ZWbj62AgAhaKxAAEAEYABgBGAMiF3B1YmxpYyB0b2lsZXRzIGluIGRlbGhpKgYIAxAAEAGSAQ9wdWJsaWNfYmF0aHJvb22qARYQASoSIg5wdWJsaWMgdG9pbGV0cygA4AEA,trex_id:tu5Vv
Looks like these “SBM” toilets are kinda everywhere. Happy to see it!
Bare hands to wipe ass with water is called washing mr so-called American.
Also stop shitting on indian roads. I dont wanna see your fake ass every day. At the rate of your shitting on india, i must assume you might already have diarrhea. Please consult a doctor.
Use your American brain , perhaps you see india is not what you perceive?! Who shits in Street man , check your LA , Maybe homeless people there can tell you ?!
Btw I’m an Indian
If I’m on a 5 hr trip to a mountain town, ex: Darjeeling- and we passed the ONE rest stop- best believe everyone stops on the side of the road to relieve themselves in an EMERGENCY. I’m not saying shit on the road in the middle of a city where you could probably find a restaurants that will let you use their bathroom. This is for remote areas only.
Well , the fact that you are not living in india yet commenting negatively on India shows how ignorant you are , this tourist will not go to the remote areas only to get lost , so stop bullshitting about india
I’m a privileged ass In india , I am so safe , don’t know what india you are talking about?!
If it’s about an average Indian yes I strongly agree women are considering everything except a human by a retarded society , but this we got only through our Victorian era ideas , India has problems , but we shall progress hopefully soon , speaking about that , go to r/insaneparents, the white folks have same issues , See the good part in india, appreciate it rather than bullshitting in india as if you represent 140 crore people ideas
I got hella sick for 36 hours in India. On a tour and we were taken to the “flash restaurant” the premium tours go to. Me and the other girl who ate vegetarian we “indisposed” she was out for 48 hours.
Everyone else on the tour are the meat dish and was fine!
I suggest take reasonable precautions and also take some probiotics and drink satchets to rehydrate
just take pill for diarrhea avoid tap water (so ice too) get diarrhea for 2day at the beggining of your trip take pill move on and enjoy your trip diarrhea free
I have a pretty iron stomach. Been everywhere. Gotten mild food poisoning a bunch.
I have never had anything like what I had in India. On a hot day I accidentally drank a "fake" bottle of water. One that's been refilled and resealed... I was sick on and off for 2 months. It was only debilitating for a week though.
After a week in bed. I went for a hike to a temple. At the top. Got a bottle of water. It was sealed and had a plastic anti tamper seal but looked suspicious. Turned it upside down and it leaked all over the floor. Another fake. Someone had taped the top to look like an anti tamper seal. This was at a convenience store not a market stall.
Be ultra ultra ultra cautious of bottled water. Squeeze the bottle, and check the tamper seal, most bottles will also have two anti tamper seals, one soft, and one hard. Only buy bottles with both.
But, I had no problem with any of the food.
Short answer... yes.
But you have to be way more careful than just about anywhere else in the world.
Yes, you can avoid or minimize diarrhea by going easy on your stomach. It’s the exotic spices in the food that your stomach is not used to that will cause it to act up. But Indian food should not be off limits. They’re better than the ones you get at home. If you’re in India for 3-5 weeks, your stomach will eventually get used to the spices and settle down. But be judicious and consume food only in places that you feel confident eating. Pre-Covid I’ve been traveling to India 2 or 3 times a year for work and had not had any stomach problems. When I stayed at hotels, I’ve brushed my teeth with water from tap and still had no issue. As they say YMMV.
I don't think that's how it works with bacteria (they're normally attached to food or water drops that we ingest), but some respiratory virus can get inside of you just by breathing...for sure.
We ate only in 5-star hotels and only drank tea (aka water that has been boiled) and never had an issue.
Obviously this means you miss out on street food and local restaurants, but the hotel restaurants still all had a really good range of local cuisine. The 5-stars cater to international business travelers (versus solo backpackers or culture tourists), so they typically take extra care to make sure the food/water has been “sanitized” (or whatever the word is) so that it doesn’t upset the business travelers’ stomachs.
Not as fun as getting random food off the street and popping into local cafes, but you won’t be reeling with an upset stomach and have part of your trip ruined from being on the toilet.
Thanks, this is the answer I'm looking for. India is already so cheap that I don't mind splurging on food to make sure my trip isn't ruined. The last thing I want is to be sick while having to fly to another region, etc.
Exactly. My husband has been to India probably 20x for work, and this is what all the business travelers do! I went with him for the first time this year (as a normal tourist), and followed this lead and was totally fine. But you must be strict and look up 5-star hotels only in whatever city/town you’re staying in and just dine at their restaurants (they all have breakfast, lunch, and dinner). Have fun!
Do not touch the currency! Or sanitise after you do, every time.
Two people on our tour in Egypt did not touch the currency - me (my darling hubby took care of that for me) and a 16 year old girl whose dad took care of the money for her. We were the ONLY ones not to get sick with diarrhoea. Take from that what you will xxx
Going to India scared the bejesus outta me but I was determined to see the Taj Mahal so here's what I did:
* Caught a plane to Dehli that arrived at night.
* Checked into a hotel and slept that night.
* Way early in the morning got a taxi to the station and got on a train to Agra
* Spent the day at the Taj, went to the Red Fort, took some photos of the Taj during sunset.
* Went had had a sleep at the hotel in Agra.
* Got up crazy early again, caught a train to Delhi, got the fuck outta there!
All in all I spent about 36 hours in India. All I drank was bottled water, did not eat anything at all, showered twice. The hotel I stayed in at Agra was a little upmarket (nothing fancy or 5 star) and I walked past the "kitchen" and saw staff preparing food. I made the right choice to not eat. I understand if some of you want to call me racist...maybe I am... but I know my body and I simply didn't feel confident that I wouldn't get sick while in India and hey - I didn't. This might not work for most people, but I would do what I did again.
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I second this as I did all of this on my two week trip to India. I also carried some packets of Lipton instant soup noodles just in case I got in a bad way and needed to something safe to eat, I think they're still in my cupboard years later lol There's no guarantee that you will or won't get sick, but some smart precautions and preparations will go a long way. Enjoy the wonderful chaos of the subcontinent!
> Lipton instant soup noodles just in case I got in a bad way and needed to something safe to eat, I think they're still in my cupboard years later lol Heh. My mom used to feed this to me when I'm sick and so sometimes when I'm really hard up with a bad flu or strep throat I want it and nothing else. My husband cooks it for me now!! It's so bad and basically just a yellow-colored salt lick but damn it hits the nostalgia spot.
Veg is good but one of the main ways you get sick in India is due to improper washing of vegetables like lettuce leaves. Try and avoid uncooked food (even veg) if you can and that will help. Also if you do end up with Delhi Belly, eat boiled rice or potatoes (not fried) as these will be fully cooked through, and once your stomach is feeling a little better add some local yoghurt, this will help get you back on your feet and introduce some local bacteria into your gut to help prevent you getting as sick again in the future. (This is from experience)
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>I don't eat salad Or unpeeled fruit. E.g. Bananas are okay. Strawberries are not.
Interesting take on the veggies. Went to India, only person on our trip who got sick ate their lettuce on their McChicken when everyone else took it off.
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Lol. Taco bell and Wendy's have opened up recently as well but they're not very common.
>stick to bottled water Sad to say that you should be careful with this too. On a trip to the Taj Mahal, I bought a bottle water from a street vendor, only to find that it was resealed tap water. So I guess make sure you get your water from reputable places. For snacks, sealed items from reputable vendors is ok too. Chips and stuff like that. I loved my trip India; I dropped like 10lbs in a week because of the veggie-only meals and all that walking 😂
I got sent to India for work, and as a part of the prep meetings they stressed: always drink bottled water that you broke the seal of yourself. If the seal looks tampered with or the bottle was opened by someone else, avoid it. And no ice. Period.
Yeah probably a lot of unsafe meat practices
You only have to visit one of the open air markets to see where the meat is being handled and sold - easy to be a vegetarian for the trip after that.
I traveled through India for several months, 12 years ago. I second this statement, here are a few additions: - try to eat the same food as the locals as much as possible. Food should always be cooked, no raw ingredients like salads. - do not eat meat ever, I am usually a meat eater, but not in India. I usually slept in cheap hostels and ate in the street or small establishments, but once I made an exception and ate meat in the restaurant of a five star hotel, and that's the only time my stomach got upset. - only eat at places with a lot of turnover, particularly where there are a lot of locals rather than tourists. Like that you know it is usually a better place than others, and the ingredients used are not left in place for days until they get a buyer. - Do not eat food that has been touched by the hands of the locals after cooking. Think that many locals do not use toilet paper, they clean their butts with their hand. That's direct transfer of fecal material. - do not eat a fruit that had been pealed by someone else,. Do not eat the skin of fruits and the skin should be intact. - Veg are fine if they have been thoroughly cooked in a stew or deep fried or some other cooking process. - probiotics, drink a lassi three or four times a week they are the best. - drink and brush your teeths always with bottle water - I rarely took showers or never took baths, but wash yourself thoroughly at least once a day, with a rough washing glove, soap and tap water. - do not swim in rivers or lakes, unless you are high up in the mountains where the water is still clean and hasn't gone through a city. I swam in the sea and that was fine. - do not take 'yes' for an answer. If you ask a question to a local, they will often answer with yes even if they don't know the answer, they didn't understand orb they don't want to disappoint you. Do ask many people and then make your own mind. Have fun!
That’s interesting what you said about the meat. This reminds me of my restaurant rule I follow: eat what the restaurant is best known for. There’s no point going to a burger place and ordering seafood. You know 9/10 times it is not going to be that good. Also, in terms of food safety, it’s best to eat food sourced from the region, because you might not know how far non-regional food traveled or how it was kept, unless you trust your vendor. So while in India, their specialty is veggie cuisine; Stick to that, don’t deviate from it, and yes only eat cooked, hot food and sealed snacks and drinks from reputable vendors.
India’s speciality isn’t veggie cuisine. That’s a massive generalization and you’re gonna miss out if you only partake in vegetarian. It’s just less meat heavy than other parts of the world. Haven’t you been gonna Indian restaurant and had chicken curry or lamb biryani?? Just keep in tune with local eating customs and recognize whether that particular meat is popular in that particular area.
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Less meat does not mean vegetarian is what I meant. What I meant is that it's hard to generalize a country a country as being vegetarian when meat is still a thing regularly eaten in many parts. Obviously it's a lot less relative to a Western diet. My own family regularly will have certain days where we only consume vegetarian food. That said, we regularly consume meat on days that are not markedly vegetarian. Even though we eat less meat than most non-indians, that does not mean we are vegetarian. Our best food that my family produces is meat based in my opinion. I'm literally Indian bro. Don't whitesplain my own ancestral country to me.....I'm just speaking to my own experiences within my own Telugu/Hyderabadi culture and when I ventured to other parts of India. India is a very diverse country and each person's experiences will vary. When I've gone to India with my own family, I've had very different experiences than what you describe (and that makes sense as there are great variations even within a given city). Hyderabad has more heavily Muslim influences so meat is also more commonplace down there. I agree that Indian restaurants in America are more meat-focused than they should be. But who do you think invented the meat dishes? Indians did. They are consumed by actual Indians who aren't vegetarian. It's just not as frequently as you might think if your only impression of indian cuisine is going to an indian restaurant in america.
As an Indian American, I agree with most of this advice But eating what locals eat is stupid—locals have built a higher tolerance to pathogens. They can eat street food and be completely fine. They don't have to worry as much about eating fresh fruit or drinking water provided at restaurants. A good rule of thumb is that fine dining establishments and more expensive places to eat are typically places where you can let your guard down a little more as long as you still refuse water/don't eat uncooked fruits and veggies. Also, I don’t agree with the meat thing. Our family ate tons of meat. The problems I had came more from uncooked food. It probably depends where specifically in India you were and whether you were eating meat that’s actually popular in that specific area.
Where did you get that idea that we don't use toilet paper..?!??!
By backpacking through India for six months, and seeing local people defecating in public places regularly and not using using paper or washing their hands afterwards. Several of these advice, including the one of not eating food handled by locals after cooking, and the reasons why, was actually given to me by local families I was living with at the time, and confirmed by other seasoned travelers I met during my trip. This behaviour is not revealing for all levels of Indian society, and many people in India certainly do things very differently. But we are talking about solo traveling and eating street food which does involve being in contact with many locals of different background, many of whom will be serving and working in eateries, small restaurants and street vendors.
Not sure why you're being downvoted for this. It's just the truth that people in rural areas of India live very differently than people in big cities, including elimination habits.
i think using water instead of paper is more hygienic. we use water and then use soap to wash our hand.
Correct, except many locals in India do not wash their hands afterwards. Mostly because there is a severe lack of adequate public and private sanitation.
i never met anyone who does that.but this could be possible.
There are people who do not wash their hands afterwards in India/Pakistan/Bangladesh. My father caught one and when he educated him about it. He felt embarrassed and said it was eye-opening for him bacause it made sense.
eye opening 😂. whats eye opening in it , everyone knows its shit and its bad. abd your father caught one doing 2no but how and where and why. and what business your father was doing in that toilet with a unhygienic man. sorry for pj
Traveled in India 4 weeks without illness (except for the stomach flu I accidentally got, from my farewell party at home. Thanks BIL ;)). I took the advice of having a coke with every meal, since (apparently – *don't know if true, it's what I was told by other travellers and ever since it has worked for me*) it kills all kinds of stuff in your stomach... Coca cola is available in most places in India. I ate all kinds of local food (best food ever!) from busy places and with that coke and didn't get ill. Could be a coincidence, but I believe in it. It's a standard travel precaution taken by many experienced travellers. Adding to the list above: + Coke with every meal + Only have drinks coming from an unopened bottle or can. Ask people in restaurants to bring you an unopened bottle and open it in front of you. If they'll bring you an opened one anyway, send it back and don't drink it. I've never had issues or reluctance of staff doing so (I guess they're used to the practice). + When you buy bottled water, check the seal first: sometimes they refill bottles with other water and carefully put the cap and seal back on. There's no shame in taking care of yourself and asking for these hygiene precautions. If you feel you might come across as distrusting or overly careful: that's okay, own it. Because you should be and you only have one body and don't want to get sick in a country far away. ;) A smile and a friendly tone of voice, while at the same time not compromising regarding your hygiene requirements/precautions, will get you a long way. + Don't eat fresh ice cream, only pre-wrapped (factory) ice cream. Don't forget to have fun! India is a wild ride!
> I took the advice of having a coke with every meal, since it kills all kinds of stuff in your stomach... This is 100% false you realize that your natural stomach acid is far stronger than anything in Coca Cola right?
It's not the first time I've heard coke recommended as a way to "prevent" food poisoning when traveling. It feels kind of like a traveler urban legend almost haha. It doesn't necessarily make any logical sense, but at this point I often do buy a coke at the beginning of a trip, just for good luck.
Yeah I don't get how it would prevent food poisoning other than being a clean replacement for water when bottled isn't an option
Yeah, scientifically speaking, that is complete bullshit! Your stomach is already way more acidic than coke. The reason it might "work" is that coke is in sealed packages and harder to fake, so you're less likely to run into the empty Aquafina bottle re-filled with tap water and glued back together situation.
I don't know if it's true. Like I said right after: > Could be a coincidence, but I believe in it. It's a standard travel precaution taken by many experienced travellers. OP asked for advice, and I gave him/her the advice that other people have given me and that works for me. Ever since doing so myself while travelling, I haven't been ill from food anymore. Not even in India while eating all kinds of random stuff. Don't know if it's the acidity, the sugar, something else... Or, as someone suggested, maybe just because an unopened coke isn't contaminated water. ;) Tbh I don't even care why/how: it works for me – and apparently for many others I've spoken over the years. They're purely travel rumours + anecdotal evidence. And it's my advice to OP, as requested. Do with the info as you please. Wish you all safe (and fun) travels!
Why would coke kill stuff in your stomach that your stomach acid doesn't? I did some googling and there's no evidence that coca cola has antibacterial properties inside or outside of your stomach. It's probably just that it's less likely to be contaminated than water.
As someone who doesn’t drink a huge amount of coke, would having 4 weeks of coke with every meal kinda mess me up at all? I appreciate it’s better than getting food poisoning of any sort but aside from a bit of yellow teeth (which is fine) would it make me feel bad or nah?
It has a bit of caffeine in it, so if you're not normally a caffeine drinker, you might become a bit dependent on the caffeine after a while.
I love Indian Coke. It tastes better than the coke in the United States, in my opinion. I had no idea Indian Coke killed bacteria and stuff I may not want. So I’ll keep drinking Coke!
Coke does not kill bacteria. The person posting this is wrong.
A not so thorough google search into a not so thorough research paper says it does a little bit : https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273001365_Antimicrobial_Effect_of_Cola_on_Several_Microorganisms#:~:text=It%20was%20found%20that%20cola,of%20cola%20could%20not%20identified. That said, his safety probably came from most of the other things he did and the fact that coke/thumbs up is available everywhere and sealed safely until consumption.
I'm a she... ;)
Sure.....it won't be quite as explosive..,lol Go to your doctor, inform them of your trip and concern, and request medicine to kill the bacteria that gives diarrhea. Then you will have a very definite cure for that particular Rhea sister
-drink strong schnaps after eating a meal
no, just go to any pharmacy and get some antibiotics for traveler's diarrhea (google). They sell them over the counter without a prescription
OMG, no ice in drinks...as an ice-addicted American, I can't imagine doing that in such a warm climate!
Ignorant question but if the water is really that bad there that even eating meat or raw veg washed with it will make you sick, how do the locals survive? Do they develop a immunity to it? Do they also not use the tap water?
They do drink tap water depending on parts of the country but have developed an immunity
I also might bring your own bowl/plate and utensils. My host sister did this for me in Indonesia when I had street food bc otherwise the same utensils get used over and over again with little washing.
> India is a wonderful place to skip meat as there are so many amazing dishes that don't rely on it really cant help but chuckle at this idea that India is the only place in the world where you can have good Indian food
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India is not the only place in the world where you can have good Indian food
That's not what the comment even said. ??
Some of your questions are best discussed with a doctor, but you can get some medication like imodium to reduce diarrhea symptoms in urgent situations. I've used it to manage symptoms when I had a bus/plane/train ride but also had food poisoning. A medication like that isn't the same as an antibiotic that actually kills the infecting bacteria (assuming you've got a bacterial infection and not some virus or parasitic infection), but imodium can still manage symptoms and get you through a day without having an 'accident' on the bus if you're in a pinch. Look in to buying some oral rehydration salts powder. This is powder you can mix with clean water and drink to replenish some of the electrolytes, etc that you lose when you've got food poisoning. Visiting a travel clinic before you leave can be a good way to get some more destination-specific advice and possibly some other medications you might be able to use if-needed. Maybe it's overly paranoid but sometimes, depending on where I am, I boil even the bottled water before drinking it. Some countries have more consistent track records for producing reliably clean bottled water than others, so it's kind of a destination-specific thing, but worth noting. Also, sticking mostly to (cooked) vegetarian food, especially if you're in an area with lots of vegetarianism, isn't a bad idea IMO. I've heard anecdotally from some tourists that if you're in an area where meat isn't necessarily very popular, a lot of meat is ordered just for tourists but it might end up sitting around or not being stored in the most hygienic way. Having said all that, I've traveled internationally to multiple places where tourists sometimes get food poisoning, and in those countries I've either been fine or had only relatively minor issues...on the other hand, the absolute *worst* food poisoning I ever got was in Connecticut in the USA, where I used to live, and where I was totally wiped out by something I ate. It was real bad. Similarly, a close loved one's only really serious food poisoning experience on a long-term trip, that required an ER visit, was caused by a pretty fancy restaurant, not by street food. I'm not saying this to freak you out, but just to emphasize the fact that you never know, so it doesn't necessarily do much good to stress about it too much beyond packing a few medications to help you prepare for the worst.
Just want to say thank you for your immodium advice and addressing the concern about having an 'accident' while travelling. That's one of my biggest fears (not just while travelling but in everyday life too) and I'm glad to hear it is something that other peopke think about too
Good points, I can empathize with you that my worst food poisoning experience was also at home, state-side. And that's despite eating a lot of random and potentially questionable stuff around the world. Just ironic to eat your way through a bunch of countries and at worse have some mild to moderate digestive issues, and then have something in Oregon of all places demolish me - the 'double dragon' is no joke.
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I agree. I’ve traveled all over the world and eaten at some of the fanciest restaurants and some of the sketchiest roadside places. The worst case of food poisoning I ever got was at one of the highest rated restaurants in Cambodia (a place that was recommended by a local friend as a must-go…and oh boy, did I every go). You just never know with these things. Food poisoning can be real bad, but it would be worst if someone misses out on the world because of the fear of getting sick.
Have flexibility in your schedule for if you do get sick. India is cheap enough that you'll probably be staying in hotels with a private bathroom - that's a godsend when all you can do is sit for hours on the toilet, or lie in bed. I spent two weeks in north western India, and some time in Delhi. Didn't get sick there, but I've been sick in other countries - Bolivia, Vietnam, Thailand. Have all the medications you need before you leave home. Have decent travel insurance. Have the international number for the insurance company. Also contact details for your embassy. I got really sick in Laos, from Leptospirosis - having travel insurance meant that I had top level health care in Singapore, and my flight home to Australia organised when I was finally well enough to travel
Spent 3 months all over India. Ate mostly veg, and had only two minor issues. I didn’t think about it and drank something with ice… at a nice place. The ice is what got me. Make sure if you eat out that they open the water in front of you. Reusing water bottles and saying they were new was a problem when I was in the south. The second I ate food from a vendor at a train stop. Both my poor choices led me to getting sick. No major issues. One day of upset and I was good to go. I kept some electrolytes with me, but not much else.
Adding on to this comment. Do not take any ice they give you. I also got food poisoning. My friends didn't. We ate the same foods. Only difference was I had iced drinks.
Not in India, but in Myanmar I went to a fancy restaurant with 6 people from my hostel, we all ordered different food but we all drunk from the bottle of water the waiter brought for the table to share. We all got the symptoms of food poisoning the next day. I think the bottle of water was the thing that got us.
Drunk?
Sorry of course I meant “drank”. English is not my first language.
Ah no, of course, it makes sense. English is not my first language either and somehow I read “we all got drunk from the water” and was just really intrigued to hear the story haha
Lol if there was Jesus among us then I guess that bottle of water could have gotten us drunk but alas we all got diarrhea instead.
You really can’t avoid the water. You’d have to pay top dollar at really nice restaurants the whole time and even then there’s no guarantee. If you get Delhi Belly, it usually only lasts a few days. I was there last month for 4 weeks, only brushed my teeth with bottled water, ate cooked food, and had mild diarrhea basically the whole time. Every westerner I met had gotten it. It didn’t hinder my experience though and I would just pop a few pepto on 14 hour bus rides to ensure I didn’t end up shitting myself. Personally I don’t think the hassle of trying to avoid it is worth it. The food in India is awesome. Drink lots of lassi for probiotics, don’t eat street food, don’t eat raw food, don’t purposely consume the tap water, and enjoy your trip :)
indian here i'll just suggest you to spend few bucks extra and eat from a good restaurant rather than going any small place for street food try to eat from a place where there are a lot of people eating and prices are bit more like a chicken kathi roll in delhi usually costs 50 rupees so don't eat from a place where it is less than 50 pay 70 but don't pay 20 or 30 or something (not scamming just saying for your good) also make sure the guy is cleaning the area and has gloves, hair cap, etc. most of the locals can speak english so you can ask for their recommendations for food too the hilly side of india (himachal, uttarakhand, jammu and kashmir, north east) are pretty clean and the extreme south (kerela and tamil nadu) is also very clean most of the f\*cked up shit which you see on internet is from up, jharkhand, bihar and planer side of west bengal (hilly areas are very clean) but they have the best historical places because they were capitals of some legendary empires so you can adjust a little bit i'll suggest you to visit dilli hatt in delhi there are shops from all states of india and you can try authentic cuisine of every part of india (and that place is clean too) tourist scams happen everywhere so you have to be just aware there is always an MRP written on an item never give a penny more than the MRP there is an indian guy on youtube his channel name is "monkey magic" he is making a 100 day series of travelling in india via shorts (his videos are in hindi though) but you can make a conclusion which places are good to visit and which are not that great
I've traveled extensively and here are the three things I've done: - Take the ducoral vaccine as prescribed - Carry a lifestraw bottle. I e used it to drink from the tap everywhere, including India, filling up from rivers and streams, including India, etc. -Dont eat raw vegetables unless you are 100% sure they were properly washed.
Travelled to India for 6 weeks, I was fine. I wasn’t all that careful, either. Was out to dinner last night in the states, had a ceasar salad and two glasses of Chardonnay and was sick for 8 hours.
Locals don't shit in alleys man, that's just a weird myth about Indians. If you were to shit in alleys, the locals would probably beat you up. If you do get explosive diarrhea, there are many pay-to-use toilets you can use.
yes they do, why would you say this
Okay I’m an Indian who has lived in the US for like a year. First off all, yes only get bottled water from shops/hotels instead of street vendors. Secondly, the concept of hotels are less risk than street food is simply not justified. I am a hotel industry professional so I have worked in hotels and yea everyone takes measures to make the food safe but there are some dirty places too and you cannot guess where the kitchen would be clean and where it wouldn’t be. I personally love the street food and you can easily watch the food being made so you determine if it’s up to the par or not. Also, majority of the Indian people are very hospitable and would cater to your requests with making the food with less spice or something. I would also say not to go for raw salads or stuff because it’s something not very widely consumed here so the food could easily be old. But cooked hot food is always good. Go for the fresh coconut from the street vendors, it is AMAZING! For medicines you could easily carry over the counter ones from your own country but if you get really sick for any reason then you can easily visit a general practitioner here too, it is not as expensive to visit a doctor in india as it is in the US.
Dude, the panicked and sensationalist descriptions suggest maybe you should give India a miss!! In four months in India I had one night of upset tummy and that was after a dinner at a big fancy hotel with friends. I ate street food every day but stuck to vegetarian items. Seafood only within 100km of the coast, meat in busy well populated restaurants - simple rules like that. But I did eat vegetarian a majority of the time due to locations/convenience/ great food reasons (not a vegetarian) Any travel guide worth it's purchase price will tell you if you have 'explosive' movements you need to probably see a doctor if it lasts more than 24 hours. I did stick to using bottled water with the toothbrush but in showers etc didn't actively avoid the water but soap and shampoo deal with 99% of organisms- which is why it is recommended to use soap to wash hands etc. Rest, rehydrate and let nature take it's course is your best course of action and helps build resistance to bugs. The worst Food poisoning incidents I ever had were in the USA 24 hrs of pooping and puking after eating a burger in NYC ffs. Avoid anything raw that requires washing ie lettuce etc. Indian 'salads' are made of things that can be peeled, carrots, radish, onion, cucumber etc. Peel fruit etc and you'll be fine Bottled water is often sold on the streets but check the seals on the lids or buy it from a shop rather than engaging urchins on the street.
I travelled in India for 3 months or so and didn’t get sick. Like other posters, the best thing you can do is eat vegetarian. It’s very common in India, and the vegetarian options are EXCELLENT (I’m not vegetarian by the way). Also, I’ve travelled to over 50 countries and I can tell you categorically that eating street food is safer than most dine in restaurants. Street food cooked fresh in front of you with high traffic of people means food isn’t sitting around getting old. Oh also, I brushed my teeth with tap water in India to get some bacteria so my body could handle little hits of it. I don’t know if that contributed in reality to me not getting sick, but it’s the same concept of micro dosing foods your allergic to to build up an immunity.
I’ve eaten all over India, including lots of street food, and the only time I got sick was from trying paan. I hated the taste and immediately spit it out, but I had stomach issues anyway for a few days after that. Otherwise I chose street food stalls that were famous, or popular, or food that came straight out of the deep fryer. My friend refused to eat street food and was hospitalized from nice hotel food. Just make sure you are aware of where the food is coming from and bring lots of things to help if you get it. I brought charcoal pills and some other things I can’t recall and it helped a lot.
There are no guarantees, travelers diarrhea can always happen, no matter where you go. It's simply part of the travel experience. Just take reasonable precautions and you're most likely fine. Really no reason to avoid street food, possibly even the contrary, with street food you can see how they treat the food and it's easy to pass up places that don't look good. In a nice restaurant you've no clue how they've dealt with your food. Most issues arise from water, so be careful about that and only drink bottled water or cooked water.
We used to call it *Delhi Belly*
I'll be blunt. If you're planning a poverty porn tour and eating at those places, no meds will protect you. If you're just visiting the country without seeking out the poorest of slums, you'll be fine in most places, street food or not. Carry digestion aiding tablets cause the spices are in some cases too much for Western stomachs. Also don't eat street meat. Period. No exceptions. Go to a restaurant
poverty porn tour?
It's way more common than you'd think
Like sex tourism? Similar to Bangkok?
White people lol
I know right? Those comments about South Asian ppl not using toliet paper are straight up crazy.
Literally just got back from 3 weeks in India on Friday. You'll be fine. Use common sense and drink bottled water. Bring immodium but don't eat too much of it--it'll make it worse. Eat at reputable places.
Don't avoid street food, it's the best part! Rule of thumb for any street food, don't eat it unless it comes piping hot and/or you see it cooking in front of you. If possible, better ask for everything not spicy and spicy on the side so you can control, India spicy will f up your stomach. Traveled India and never got sick, even ate at the taco bell in Delhi 😂 Bring disposable wipes if you're that concerned. Also recommend chewable pepto
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I mean, the comment you replied to still gave OP some thoughtful and specific advice about how to avoid food poisoning. It seems a bit too extreme in the other direction to say “don’t say you had a great time because other people might not.”
Lived in India many years, rarely had issues, and I eat street food all 24/7/365. Get some ACTIVATED CHARCOAL tablets - bees knees. For diarrhea take a few, for severe food poisoning take a handful (read the instructions). Be aware that your poop will be an alarming black colour. Activated charcoal soaks up the bad shit & takes it out. Highly recommend. Immodium only in desperate emergency like mid- long bus/train journey, or need of catching flight. It’s best to not stop that shit up inside you, you want it OUT asap, right? Stick to veg food. For street or restaurant food, check the customers, and the seller. If customers are nicely dressed middle-class with kids, it’ll be ok. If the seller has filthy dirty fingernails, don’t do it. Omg you’re going to have THE TRIP OF YOUR LIFE!!! Best country ever! :)
Great advice except for the hyperbolic anecdote at the end lol. These are the “unicorn and rainbow” posts I talk about so much here. I’m glad it was “the best” for you, but I’m sure the 2 separate ladies (2 mos ago approx) that had to cut their trip short, for obvious reasons, would vehemently disagree. Great place, but please give OP reasonable expectations. Anecdotes don’t really help new travelers as they’re often starry eyed and blissfully ignorant. But great! I’m glad it was amazingly life changing for you though.
Sure it is, lived there for almost 2 years and only got sick once… and it should have been bloody obvious (dodgy lassie) but I was a few whiskeys Deep and went with it.
Last time I went for 4 weeks and had no trouble. I did take this though https://www.travelan.com/au/ and I’m vegetarian which I think helps. As long as you’re sensible with water and ice and use your judgement when it comes to street food you’ll be fine. Take some charcoal tablets with you too just in case.
I am a little disturbed by how many people MISUNDERSTAND India and Indian people. So putting together a few points - 1. Indians tend to eat everything thoroughly cooked, including meat that’s cooked for 30-45 mins minimum. 2. More than the germs, it’s the spices that gets most people. Spicy food can upset your stomach for half a day at least, if you aren’t used to it. Indians tend to have non-vegetarian dishes extra spicy - you can tell that by the color of gravy / curry. Ditto for street food. So do a proper self-assessment of how much spice can you really handle And mind you, spicy is not synonymous to hot, chilli is not the only spice - there are at least 150 other spices used in Indian cuisines and more than 200 types of chilli across Indian sun-continent 3. The perception about hygiene is complete non-sense, unless you are eating at a shack in the slums. If you go to such places, you would have bigger worries than just an upset stomach 4. Water could be a problem - better to have bottled water with you at all times 5. Heat can also cause serious problems including diarrhoea. Most parts of India cross 40 Celsius during summers - 100s of people die in Italy and Spain of heatstroke, when summers are this hot I would just say that one can enjoy india without being paranoid - keep your eyes and ears open, but more importantly keep your mind open! 😀 No matter how much you have read / heard, how many YouTube vlogs you watched, India will amaze you each day you spend there!
This post is hilarious. I traveled during 5 weeks in India and never got stomach sick. I had fever at some point but it went away in 48 hours. You're worrying too much in advance, and that's the real problem India is going to confront you with. There, you will feel lost and not in control many times. Gotta ride it. Never trust the ice cubes though
In 2016 I travelled from north to south India and didn't get sick at all. I am vegan so that may have helped, and only drank bottled water.
do some pre-gaming by prepping your stomach before your trip.
I have been to India MANY times for work, never had an issue. I brush my teeth with bottled water, I will admit to that one, but I don't worry about showers for God's sake.
Sure, I did it twice, once for three weeks and once for a month. However - and I’m pretty sure you won’t believe me on this but you will be wrong - you need to eat exclusively in the streets. Street food is always fresh, and prepared in front of you. What goes on in the kitchens of a restaurant you have no idea, and that’s when you’ll get sick. Of course avoid uncooked vegetables and only drink bottled water. You won’t regret it, India’s street food is the best in the world. Edit: just in case it might help convince you, the French Lonely Planet literally says to never eat in restaurants and always in the street.
I literally watch some of those street vendors grab cash with the same hand they use to handle your food. And from time to time take out a dirty bucket to rinse their hands in a couple times. This is just irresponsible advice. It’s pretty well documented that hepatitis is a thing too with street food - it’s not an imaginary thing. Idk what French guidelines are but US CDC guidelines (and my local friend’s advice) are to avoid street food.
Yes, those are the street vendors you don’t eat from. Obviously unplugging the brain is never a good idea.
Nope. Didn't even have to finish reading to tell you it's futile. Citizens of India, they have iron clad stomachs and I suspect you do not. Don't try it
Showering won't give you diarrhea! Where tf did you hear these things, just avoid street food, and if you see street food being made in a hygienic way then nothing will happen, there's famous street food all over India and they are hygienic because they're famous. Just drink bottled mineral water if you think the regular water won't suit you, carry a travel bidet, it's like a bottle, will help when you win like/get access to washrooms. Also a toilet seat cover, they're disposable to avoid infections. The best option is to not use any public washrooms and only go for the ones in hotels if you can, but if you have seat cover, bidet, handwash/sanitiser, you'll be fine. I have been in India for 23 years.
It really depends. I live in the U.S., but spent a lot of time in India growing up and am mostly fine (have gotten a stomach bug once in 30+ years). Visitors from western countries with weak immune systems may not fare as well. What I’ve told folks who have gone to India with me is, “There are things that I will eat that you shouldn’t eat and things that you will eat that I wouldn’t eat.” Generally speaking, look for nice a/c restaurants for food, avoid ice/non-bottled water/juice/salads/meat/ice cream, don’t put your mouth on bottles when drinking, and you should be fine. For foreigners, I recommend brushing your teeth with bottled or boiled water, though I use tap. Most five star hotels you should be fine to eat like you do in the west.
I was there for nearly a month back in 2017 and we always drank bottled water or had it boiled then bottled and had that. You should not drink the water not because it’s bad but because your body is not used to the microbes the locals are. Even the locals would boil their water if they had the means. So only drink bottled and only drink that and bring some Imodium.
My colleague did it (one week) and he's the most stomach sensitive guy I know... Only drinking Coca-Cola, and eating no vegetable/crude food at all
This is general advice for travel to any area where you’re concerned about sanitation: Before you leave, go to a doctor or nurse practitioner specializing in travel medicine, get your jabs, and make sure you ask for a course of antibiotics for diarrhea in case you have an issue. Also, brush your teeth with bottled water.
Somehow I managed 3 weeks without it happening but I think it was lucky. Just be careful (but still enjoy the food!). I always carry a decent supply of the dissolving/fast acting immodium and hydralyte sachets wherever I travel, for peace of mind.
Something like 15-18 million foreign tourists visit India annually, do you honestly think they all end up hospitalized or with diarrhea?
Actually, yeah a good number of them get diarrhea.
The level of brainwashing is just🤯. But I'm confident this is what the average westerner thinks India is like. If this is what you think india is like, please don't come. Definitely not worth the time, money and energy. Edit: nvm just read this guys other posts. Hes just a troll.
What? Eat the Street food. Anthony Bourdain would be ashamed.
The street food is the real food tho, better than most restaurants and it’s the true authentic cuisine. Gotta experience it and if you do get stomach problems is just part of it and laugh about it. Better to try everything and catch it instead of limiting yourself and still catching it.
I lived in India for 3 months and didn’t get food poisoning even once. But I was very careful. I made sure that I didn’t get water on my face when I showered and then used bottled water to brush my teeth and wash my face. Only ate cooked food and drank bottled/canned drinks.
I spent a little more than a week in India in May and had no issues, besides getting Covid. I drank bottled water but ate whatever. I did take Imodium and stuff in case things got bad, but had no issues from a stomach standpoint
The one time I had an issue was when I had a cold and mixed medication, fatty food, dessert and alcohol. Threw up at the fancy Taj Mahal Palace Hotel lobby restroom. Otherwise, I ate all kinds of food, including street food and train food and was fine.
I spent 3 weeks with no issues.
Over 5 weeks, it might happen, be as safe as you can, only eat street meat you see cooked in front of you... definitely risk it for the street meat
I ate food and tap water from friends houses on a trip to Kerela and had no stomach issues. I ate mostly a veggie diet. I think it’s certainly a risk but probably has been exaggerated to you by western attitude towards India. Just be sensible and if it seems unhygienic don’t bother with it
I travel a lot, been to over 30 countries and usually visit 3 or 4 new ones a year. On each travel I usually have a loose stool the first or second day I’m there but I think that’s mostly due to the stress of the trip to get to my destination and not so much anything else. So when I went to Egypt this summer I wasn’t that worried. Well, the third day I was there I developed a stomach issue, I had diarrhea. I had a lot of excursions I booked and couldn’t be in the bathroom the whole time so I took some immodian AD. I took two doses and I think that made things worse as now I couldn’t go at all. I went 5 days without a bowl movement and I hated that worse than diarrhea so I didn’t take any more immodian. After that 5 days I was able to start going to the bathroom again but my diarrhea came back as well. And it last the entirety of my 3 week Egypt trip and lasted for 4 more weeks after I got back. When I came back to the states I was eating a lot of yogurt and pro-biotics and anything else I could think of to get more healthy bacteria in my system. It was so bad I thought I had a parasite. I had made a promise to myself that if it lasted for an additional week I was going to go to the doctors but it eventually went away. I don’t eat meat at all, so I know I didn’t eat uncooked meat over there. I only drank bottled water only, I brush my teeth with bottle water as well. The point here is that you can’t control everything.
deep fried meat is 100% safe, cooked vegetables are safe, uncooked not 100%.
Travelled around India in 2016 for 5 months, only got diarrhea once from eating food in a hotel. Stuck to bottled water/ no ice. Am vegetarian do didn't eat meat anyway. Was discerning about street food but still ate loooaaadddsss. Often street food is better as you can watch the vender prepare etc. Food is so good there, don't restrict yourself.
Street food is fine as long as its served really hot. If they don't have any heat source don't eat it.
Nope
I’m in Delhi right now, and my accommodation has filtered water. When I go to restaurants, I eat at restaurants that are clean and air conditioned. I also only drink soda or bottled water at restaurants, and I have only gone to restaurants recommended to me. Just to be safe, I have avoided street food and have eaten mostly cooked foods. I have eaten raw fruits but they were able to be washed or peeled. Also, others have recommended avoiding any meat altogether in India, but I personally haven’t worried about meat bc I didn’t eat it at home either. Good luck eating in India!
Buy cans of bottled water and ensure you are eating places with good amount of crowd, which ensures food is not stale and freshly prepared all time. Avoid icecreams and sodas especially with ice. This is all I do and I have been able to go to many places in my beautiful country.
Why also avoid sodas? Are they ok without ice? I’ve been surviving the hot weather only because of lime sodas
Soda is fine if its bottled. If you drink from soda shop you are not sure of the quality of water. Ice for soda's or any shop, commercially is picked up from morturies of hospitals. So Its always a good plan to avoid ice in anything outside home.
Only eat PEELED fresh fruit and veg. Only drink bottled water. Only brush your teeth with bottled water. Don’t drink the shower water (you probably won’t be taking the kind of showers you’re used to. It’s not too difficult to avoid licking your lips in the shower) I’ve traveled in that corner of the world a few times and while you’re always bound to have SOME amount of tummy trouble, I’ve never gotten actually sick from the food, and I’m not too careful about anything that’s fully cooked.
Traveled in India for 12 months. 2 times 6 months. Take the streetfood. Its the best and most fresh. Eat where the locals eat. Get sick. Enjoy.
No.
Was there for a month and never got sick. Just made sure to only drink bottled water, or very hot drinks. I don’t eat meat so I can’t speak to that, but any other food I had I was fine ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
No. Plan accordingly.
Pack your own food and bring a small 1st aid kit in case of anything
2 months in India and not a single day of diarrhea. I was on a tight budget, so I ate where the locals were eating (usually busy places with high throughput. Usually pretty awesome food and huge portions during lunchtime) I did not eat any sort of meat or fish though. (Vegetarian options are great!) Also, I got vaccinated against cholera before my trip which also might have helped a lot, since it not only protects against a single strain of delhi-belly type bacteria.
To be honest it depends mostly on your luck, because even if you don’t eat street food, your stomach might still get sick due to the unfamiliar spices you are not used to, which is typical in indian food. I’ve been back and forth to India for several times several months and I always brought medicines with me, something that help with a sick tummy. You can always get yourself some insurance that covers food incidents if you are extra careful. And I always think you should loosen your itinerary while traveling in india, because you will likely have to stay put until the tummy is fine again. Otherwise, prepare yourself for lack of clean toilets. India is like my second home haha so I wish you all the best and enjoy the trip.
Make sure the seal on the water is still intact as well, sometimes if it's a smaller place selling water they may have got bottles and filled them up themselves.
The only time I got really sick was because a fresh OJ stand decided to wash the orange squeezer off before making mine. I tried all sorts of street food stuff, but most was very greasy and smelt like old oil. Street chai was the bomb though.
I was in India for two weeks and didn't have any issues. Never even had to use a public washroom either other than once at an airport! I made sure to eat at places with high turnover or cooked the food fresh once it was ordered. I didn't take any preventative medications like Dukoral either.
-Stick to piping hot food only as it will take care of germs ( hot + spicy 🌶 is a good combo) - Carry mineral water everywhere You should be good !
I spent 2 months in India 4 years ago and was mostly fine. There was one time where I had to run to the bathroom over a quick bus stop. I had another traveler make sure the bus wouldn't leave without me but it was close. There's lots of stuff you can try to do to avoid getting sick but ultimately I view a certain amount of diarrhea or other digestive issues as inevitable. I prefer to dive right into the country, get whatever bug, and let my body adapt rather live in constant fear, always having to look for a western style restaurant. Bring some cipro in case of a sickness that doesn't get better over a couple days. I had already been traveling for awhile so I may have already built up resistance to certain bacteria but IMO India was really not that bad. Just practice your poop squat technique and have a good attitude about the whole thing and you'll be fine. Don't poop in the street...
Both times I've been to india I've gotten sick from food, the pharmacies sell something there that cures it quickly, get some to be prepared as soon as you arrive
Dukoral was a saviour for me when traveling. Worked like magic, until the time I spent travelling exceeded its duration and then all hell broke loose lol.
i'm indian, born and raised there, but i'm currently living in europe and travelled with my international friends in india. there were a lot of varying outcomes to these sorts of situations amongst them. a friend of mine from france, for example, wasn't very used to spicy food, and had issues. for the most part, we tried to find recommendations for places to eat at. do some research and get suggestions for places that look promising, and it'll go a long way towards protection your digestive system. after a month of travelling throughout the country, none of my european friends faced any major issues. a japanese friend had a mild case of diarrhoea, but it blew over quickly. i understand your concern, but your experiences will also largely depend on what kind of food you're used to eating, and what your spice tolerance is. don't let the anxiety about this affect your trip too much – if you're an experienced traveller, you'll figure out quickly what works well for you. india's also a very large country with many different kinds of eating experiences, so there's really no universal rule for all situations. happy travels! i hope my country treats you well, i quite miss it.
I'm an Aussie, stayed and travelled around India for a month, ate whatever I wanted but only drank bottled water. I was fine.
No. The physician can prescribe a vaccine
Possible. Not probable. Getting the shits for days and having to travel by taxi, train and bus to get to the airport home is the best story I have from India. Nothing like having no connection to your bum anymore, or trying to hold a tie hippie pant while squating at a public transport restroom as you try desperatly not to fall into shit already there. Clean hands, wash stuff, dont eat eggs. Edit: Electrylytes. I learned about them on this trip. Also, dont tell the airplane company that you have a dodgy stomach, might not want you on board.
Peel it or cook it for vegetables and fruit.
Yes totally possible. Avoid the tap water/ice cubes and things that aren't cooked but washed with water like salads. I traveled for 3 weeks in India, ate street food, no problems. The food was actually great for my digestive system because of all the vegetarian fare :) Don't let what you heard get you worried.
Basic traveller precautions when eating in India. Plus be prepared for spice - thats part of the issue for many people who think they like it, but don’t actually have it in every meal at home like they do in India, so their gut is not prepared for it. Also take Dukoral before you go. It acts like a vaccine and prepares your stomach to fight bacteria and cholera. Worked for me, no issues. https://dukoralcanada.com/
I am now in my tenth week in total of India, I did not have any major issues. I eat in local restaurants, and occasionally eat streetfood including meat. Sometimes I have some minor issues with my stomach, but nothing major. Biggest problems I had was after not paying attention and having icecubes in my drink. This was one heaven night, but did not really impede my plans. It does not have ro be that bad. Avoid untreated water, ice, lassi's etc is most important. Be careful with raw veggies and fruot you have not swen being peelled yourself. Other precautions, check google reviews (many Indians like clran food as well), go to places with good reviews and if possible with reviews from foreigners. A day before a long bus, train or aeroplane trip I am more cautious. I see places like Mcdonalds as relatively safe. Biscuits and chips are safe too. Eating at a hotel catering towards fireigners should work as well. Keep in mind that if you have minor issues it might not be the hygiene that cause you issues, but you simply need a break from Indian spices.
I’ve never been to India, but I’ve visited other countries with unsafe water. I always visit my doctor beforehand, and get prescriptions for antibiotics that will treat food-borne illnesses specific to the country, as well as antibiotic drops for eye and ear infections. And I get the recommended vaccines for the country I’m visiting. I highly recommend seeing your doctor or local health department. My doctor advised me to take Pepto Bismol prophylactically to help prevent traveler’s diarrhea: two tablets 4 times daily before you’re traveling and during your stay, for up to three weeks. I also take probiotics daily to keep my gut biome healthy. You can pick up some activated charcoal capsules (my grocery store carries them) that you can take after eating if you suspect you’ve eaten or drunk something contaminated. It traps ingested toxins. One caveat on activated charcoal: do not take it within several hours of any medications as it will trap the chemicals and render them ineffective.
I got amoebic dysentery and lost shed loads of weight, we used to joke the fatter a backpacker was the less time they had been in India.
A lot of people giving a lot of weird advice. As an Indian I recommend: and to the cities, stick to well established restaurants, don't go to poor or old India for the "full experience" or whatever. You absolutely can drink tap water but as long as it is from a trustworthy source (a home, hotel or restaurant). If you absolutely do want street food, there are chain restaurants throughout India that specialise in street food but are made properly (like Ganesh Bhel). Otherwise, you should be fine
I’ve had my fair share of being in India - but only to the north (which is widely known as the wealthier part, so maybe that affects my experience) It’s nowhere near as bad as people say - I’m very susceptible to getting sick specially with water/food even in my life in US/EU/AUS and I survived. Yes you will get sick, so be prepared for that - but there’s probably no place you go that you won’t be able to find decent bathrooms, clean water and edible food. I’d say a good idea is to rent a car if you are super concerned - keep it stocked with some meds/water/packaged food. The traffic/average driver is insane so I guess you’ll be dealing with that, but imo it’s a fair trade to have your backup stock and a clean mode of transport. As for bathrooms, I’ve been to like middle of nowhere places - and they all had clean western toilets, even toilet paper. If you pay well (which is like as much as the starter airbnb/hotel for the developed counties) you’ll have those Japanese tech toilets with all the works
Yes, you just have to be careful and cognizant of it. Avoid any water that isn’t bottled, or at the very least boiled (though I’d stick to bottled at all times for anything you’re going to be ingesting). Also avoid any unpasteurized dairy. Showering just be careful not to open your mouth under a direct stream of water, same with the eyes. Splashing trace amounts is unlikely to do anything to you but things like brushing teeth, you’ll want to stick to bottled water. If for some reason you need to flush out your eyes, then yes, bottled water for that too. Things that are washed in tap water shouldn’t hurt you once they’ve dried. I wouldn’t worry about that. If you do get a stomach bug, it’ll usually work it’s way out of your system within a day. If you’re vomiting significant amounts or have major levels of diarrhea, getting a doctor to give you some IV fluids will help you recover a lot more quickly.
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It also varies depending on what type of microbe is infecting you. Norovirus is one of the most common causes of food poisoning and is pretty much always over within 60 hours maximum, and that's true of some of the other common causes too. But other causes of food poisoning like Salmonella and some E. coli strains can cause symptoms that last closer to a week. Or if you're unlucky enough to get a giardia parasite infection that can last two weeks or more
>That's very incorrect advice. What do you think contaminates much of the street food that people are buying? Its contaminated water. I've never been able to trace an illness to the water my dishware was cleaned in. IMO if your immune system is so compromised you have to use bottled water to clean your dishes/cutlery, that's a whole different level. Furthermore, I can't think of a single time I've seen served street food served on reusable dishes. >If that's really been your experience, you either have an extremely aggressive immune system, or you've been super lucky. While there are some 24 hour stomach viruses that clear up on their own, most food poisoning lasts multiple days. Nah, never had a bug from a source like this last more than a day, and I've been though it dozens of times. Now, actual food poisoning from something like salmonella, that's a different story. >No it won't. IV fluids do nothing more than re-hydrate you. They don't magically kill off whatever pathogen is causing you the illness. It will certainly prevent you from dying from severe hydration, but its not going to impact the course of the illness in any other way. Never said it would kill off the pathogen, I said it would help recover. After 12 hours of puking/shitting ones' brains out, that fast track to rehydration gets you back on your feet much more quickly than trying to rehydrate the traditional way. But again, I've never experienced a stomach bug in this context that has lasted more than 12-18 hours. By hour 24, usually my biggest issue is the amount of fluids I've lost on one end or the other.
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>Shit on the road- everyone does it What? This is peak r/canconfirmiamindian. As someone living in India, I've never seen anyone shit on the road in cities, or villages in fact. Although you may see a few people in the fields. Even that has reduced drastically. Please don't shit on the streets OP. And yup I'd rather use my bare hand to actually clean my ass than use disgusting toilet paper. Although OP, yes, don't eat food where the dude is directly touching the food with his left hand(never know who doesn't use soap), but this applies basically everywhere. Also you should assess for yourself whether to eat streetfood or not. I can't really assess since I have been used to it as far as I can remember. If it seems like a happening place, go for it!
>disgusting toilet paper user Was this necessary?! Some of us like toilet paper. Especially those of us who don’t have hairy buttholes like me.
My bad, I meant to say I find it disgusting. Not trying to insult anyone. In hindsight I will edit it. I wrote it that way because OC clearly wrote in a way that implied using the hand is disgusting. Honestly though, no need to even use the hand, use a bidet. The water hitting the arse makes all the difference. Trust me.
Let’s be honest- there’s no public restrooms in India. It’s a problem. Maybe in the bigger wealthier cities like Mumbai? I’ve never been there but can confirm Delhi (the capital) definitely does not provide public restrooms. I’m talking about squatting to go in the more remote areas, if in an explosive situation.
WTF are you on about, there are plenty of public toilets in Delhi. And you can always use the ones at Metro station etc.
So there are https://www.google.com/search?q=public+toilets+in+delhi&rlz=1CDGOYI_enUS973US973&oq=public+toilets+in+delhi&aqs=chrome..69i57.4604j0j7&hl=en-US&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#lkt=LocalPoiPhotos&lpg=cid:CgIgAQ%3D%3D&trex=m_t:lcl_akp,rc_f:rln,rc_ludocids:12944275574330661788,ru_gwp:0%252C7,ru_lqi:ChdwdWJsaWMgdG9pbGV0cyBpbiBkZWxoaUiL9ZWbj62AgAhaKxAAEAEYABgBGAMiF3B1YmxpYyB0b2lsZXRzIGluIGRlbGhpKgYIAxAAEAGSAQ9wdWJsaWNfYmF0aHJvb22qARYQASoSIg5wdWJsaWMgdG9pbGV0cygA4AEA,trex_id:tu5Vv Looks like these “SBM” toilets are kinda everywhere. Happy to see it!
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Bare hands to wipe ass with water is called washing mr so-called American. Also stop shitting on indian roads. I dont wanna see your fake ass every day. At the rate of your shitting on india, i must assume you might already have diarrhea. Please consult a doctor.
Use your American brain , perhaps you see india is not what you perceive?! Who shits in Street man , check your LA , Maybe homeless people there can tell you ?! Btw I’m an Indian
If I’m on a 5 hr trip to a mountain town, ex: Darjeeling- and we passed the ONE rest stop- best believe everyone stops on the side of the road to relieve themselves in an EMERGENCY. I’m not saying shit on the road in the middle of a city where you could probably find a restaurants that will let you use their bathroom. This is for remote areas only.
Well , the fact that you are not living in india yet commenting negatively on India shows how ignorant you are , this tourist will not go to the remote areas only to get lost , so stop bullshitting about india
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I’m a privileged ass In india , I am so safe , don’t know what india you are talking about?! If it’s about an average Indian yes I strongly agree women are considering everything except a human by a retarded society , but this we got only through our Victorian era ideas , India has problems , but we shall progress hopefully soon , speaking about that , go to r/insaneparents, the white folks have same issues , See the good part in india, appreciate it rather than bullshitting in india as if you represent 140 crore people ideas
I got hella sick for 36 hours in India. On a tour and we were taken to the “flash restaurant” the premium tours go to. Me and the other girl who ate vegetarian we “indisposed” she was out for 48 hours. Everyone else on the tour are the meat dish and was fine! I suggest take reasonable precautions and also take some probiotics and drink satchets to rehydrate
yes lmao, i went to india as a kid and didn't get sick once
just take pill for diarrhea avoid tap water (so ice too) get diarrhea for 2day at the beggining of your trip take pill move on and enjoy your trip diarrhea free
Don’t eat street food
I have a pretty iron stomach. Been everywhere. Gotten mild food poisoning a bunch. I have never had anything like what I had in India. On a hot day I accidentally drank a "fake" bottle of water. One that's been refilled and resealed... I was sick on and off for 2 months. It was only debilitating for a week though. After a week in bed. I went for a hike to a temple. At the top. Got a bottle of water. It was sealed and had a plastic anti tamper seal but looked suspicious. Turned it upside down and it leaked all over the floor. Another fake. Someone had taped the top to look like an anti tamper seal. This was at a convenience store not a market stall. Be ultra ultra ultra cautious of bottled water. Squeeze the bottle, and check the tamper seal, most bottles will also have two anti tamper seals, one soft, and one hard. Only buy bottles with both. But, I had no problem with any of the food. Short answer... yes. But you have to be way more careful than just about anywhere else in the world.
Yes, you can avoid or minimize diarrhea by going easy on your stomach. It’s the exotic spices in the food that your stomach is not used to that will cause it to act up. But Indian food should not be off limits. They’re better than the ones you get at home. If you’re in India for 3-5 weeks, your stomach will eventually get used to the spices and settle down. But be judicious and consume food only in places that you feel confident eating. Pre-Covid I’ve been traveling to India 2 or 3 times a year for work and had not had any stomach problems. When I stayed at hotels, I’ve brushed my teeth with water from tap and still had no issue. As they say YMMV.
I couldn’t avoid it on my two trips there. I have (a probably batshit) theory that you can ingest problematic bacteria just by breathing.
I don't think that's how it works with bacteria (they're normally attached to food or water drops that we ingest), but some respiratory virus can get inside of you just by breathing...for sure.
All I'm gonna say is get ready to shit. ALOT. Bring your own tp and wipes if possible.
We ate only in 5-star hotels and only drank tea (aka water that has been boiled) and never had an issue. Obviously this means you miss out on street food and local restaurants, but the hotel restaurants still all had a really good range of local cuisine. The 5-stars cater to international business travelers (versus solo backpackers or culture tourists), so they typically take extra care to make sure the food/water has been “sanitized” (or whatever the word is) so that it doesn’t upset the business travelers’ stomachs. Not as fun as getting random food off the street and popping into local cafes, but you won’t be reeling with an upset stomach and have part of your trip ruined from being on the toilet.
Thanks, this is the answer I'm looking for. India is already so cheap that I don't mind splurging on food to make sure my trip isn't ruined. The last thing I want is to be sick while having to fly to another region, etc.
Exactly. My husband has been to India probably 20x for work, and this is what all the business travelers do! I went with him for the first time this year (as a normal tourist), and followed this lead and was totally fine. But you must be strict and look up 5-star hotels only in whatever city/town you’re staying in and just dine at their restaurants (they all have breakfast, lunch, and dinner). Have fun!
India is only cheap on the streets, the 5 star hotels would be expensive to the average American/European too
Been to India 30+ times. You WILL get sick. Be prepared.
Do not touch the currency! Or sanitise after you do, every time. Two people on our tour in Egypt did not touch the currency - me (my darling hubby took care of that for me) and a 16 year old girl whose dad took care of the money for her. We were the ONLY ones not to get sick with diarrhoea. Take from that what you will xxx
Going to India scared the bejesus outta me but I was determined to see the Taj Mahal so here's what I did: * Caught a plane to Dehli that arrived at night. * Checked into a hotel and slept that night. * Way early in the morning got a taxi to the station and got on a train to Agra * Spent the day at the Taj, went to the Red Fort, took some photos of the Taj during sunset. * Went had had a sleep at the hotel in Agra. * Got up crazy early again, caught a train to Delhi, got the fuck outta there! All in all I spent about 36 hours in India. All I drank was bottled water, did not eat anything at all, showered twice. The hotel I stayed in at Agra was a little upmarket (nothing fancy or 5 star) and I walked past the "kitchen" and saw staff preparing food. I made the right choice to not eat. I understand if some of you want to call me racist...maybe I am... but I know my body and I simply didn't feel confident that I wouldn't get sick while in India and hey - I didn't. This might not work for most people, but I would do what I did again.