Food and drink have the potential to wreck 4 to 7 days of your trip in India while you recover in bed (or on the throne). Stomach infections, aka Delhi Belly, are the primary ailment travellers face on their trip.
I’ve had several cases of different stomach infections from food and water over the years. If you’re in India for long periods you’ll fall sick at some point. Invariably, someone in your travel group usually suffers from stomach issues while in India.
But, there are a lot of precautions you can take to limit it as much as possible.
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India Survival Guide Table of contents
- Introduction
- Travel Essentials: Before You Travel to India
- Arriving in India: Getting to Your Hotel & Airport Amenities
- Tourist Scams to Avoid in India
- Avoiding Fake Money & Ripped Notes in India
- Avoiding Bad Accommodation
- How to Bargain, Get Refunds, and How Much Rickshaws Cost
- Avoiding Counterfeit Souvenirs in India
- How to Be Street Smart in India
- Buses and Trains in India Explained
- Food and Drink Safety for Travellers (You’re here)
- What to Do If You Get Sick in India
- How to Deal with Air Pollution in India
7 replies on “India: Food and Drink Safety for Travellers”
Karl, this website is epic. Thank you! If you only had 2 days in Delhi, passing through, where would you head for a really great (and safe!) food experience? 🙂 (Staying in South Delhi, near Lotus Temple)
Thanks Josh! Head to your nearest Haldirams or Bikanerwala restaurant. Both are safe and clean and serve the same Indian street food.
Hello Karl, how does one know that the glass has been washex in clean (purified for our Australian stomachs)? If one wants to floss the teeth, do you have to wash them in purified water? How do you recognize those reversed osmosis filters in restaurants and elsewhere? Thank you for your help, regards Danny
Hey Danny. It’s impossible to know, really. Stick to bottled water or fill your water bottle up from a filter yourself. Use bottled water to brush your teeth too. You can buy 5L bottles of water here and leave it in your hotel room and just keep refilling your drink bottle from it. As for cultery, I usually just clean them with a tissue paper before using it to eat – it’s all you can do really. Eat at better quality restaurants to avoid any issues. Best not to take any risks because a stomach infection can wreck your holiday. Have a good trip!
For a foreign vegetarian, what should I look out for when eating food in a small village?
Hello Karl! Thank you for your tips!!! One question, what about drinking lassi? Is It safe?
Hey Marina, Lassi often blended with ice. But it’s the drink I take the most risk with because I love it. I’m just careful where I drink it from.