Fast facts:

Capital: New Delhi.

Language spoken: Official: Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Bengali, Kashmiri, Kannada, Marathi, Gujarati and Telugu. English is widely spoken.
Currency: Rupee £1 = 80 Rupees. $1 = 40 Rupees.

Time zone: GMT +5.5 hours

Approx flight time: London to New Delhi: 8.5 hours. New York to New Delhi: 13.5 hours.

Country dialling code: 0091

Overview: India

India lies in southern Asia and is the second most populous country in the world with a population of 1.1 billion and 7^th in terms of geographical size.

India is one of the world’s fastest growing economies with tourism playing a major role.

India is known for its diverse culture and has a wealth of sights, stemming from its rich history. Due to its size there is an amazing variation of scenery across the country ranging from the mountainous region of the Himalayas in the north, the tropical beauty of Kerla in the south and the beach resort of Goa in the west.

The Taj Mahal is one of the 7 wonders of the world and is best reached via the capital city of New Delhi.

As a medical tourist destination: India

India certainly is one of the heavy weights when it comes to medical tourism currently attracting around 150,000 patients each year. It is thought that this number is set to grow by an estimated 30% per year.

The government are certainly getting behind medical tourism and by declaring it an export industry, the sector is entitled to tax breaks helping to further reduce the cost of its healthcare.

Although prices are often a fraction of what would be found in the UK/US this certainly is not a reflection on the quality of care you receive.

Indian doctors are regarded as highly as anywhere in the world and many have often had their training in the US or UK.

Vaccinations: India

• Malaria: Many parts of India are considered low risk but Malaria is present in certain regions. Consult with a medical professional as to whether prevention measures are required for your destination.
• Vaccinations: Vaccinations are generally required but this depends on what you have already had in terms of your own countries vaccination programme and which areas of Thailand you are travelling. Consult with a medical practitioner.

Cost of Living: India

Accommodation: Rupees 1000 – 10,000 per night.

Average Meal Prices: Rupees 50 – 250.

Transport: The best way to get round the cities in India is by taxi. They are both inexpensive and numerous. Domestic flights between cities are normally inexpensive.

Weather India:

India’s climate is difficult to generalise due to the size of the country and its various topography. There are 4 main seasons:

Winter: January and February

Summer: March – May

Rainy season: June to September

Post monsoon: October –December.

Generally speaking the south stays warm throughout the whole year where as the north gets cold in the winter. Summer months are very hot across the whole country with the average daily temperature over 30 deg c.

Visa:

Visas are required to visit India from both the UK and US.