33 Things That Gave us Absolute Culture Shock in India

Experiencing culture shock in India was something we expected, but nothing could have fully prepared us for just how different everything felt. From the moment we arrived, we were immersed in a world unlike anything we had ever experienced. Every day brought new surprises, leaving us in awe, confused, and fascinated all at once.

India is a country of vibrant contrasts, where ancient traditions blend with modern life in ways that can be both mesmerizing and overwhelming. The energy of the bustling streets, the deep-rooted customs, and the sheer diversity of people and places made us realize just how much there was to learn. No matter how much research we had done beforehand, nothing compared to experiencing it firsthand.

Looking back, the cultural differences made our trip even more unforgettable. While some moments were challenging, they also gave us a deeper appreciation for India’s rich history, unique customs, and incredible way of life. In this guide, we’ll share the experiences that surprised us the most and how they shaped our journey.

Culture Shock in India - the Chaos

Culture shock in India is real, and the biggest part of it is the pure chaos that ensues. Here's what we mean:

1. The Traffic

Both coming from big cities and traveling extensively, we're no strangers to traffic - but there truly is no traffic in the world like that of India.

Rules seem to go out the window in India - lanes hardly exist, traffic lights are a suggestion, and it's truly every man for himself.

Not only is it super chaotic trying to get from one place to another, but it's also important to note that travel times are just never what you might be anticipating - something to keep in mind during your travels!

2. The Noise

With all the traffic, you can just imagine the amount of cars, trucks, and tuk tuks honking their horns. But it's not even just in traffic! We're convinced drivers have just become so accustomed to honking that sometimes they'll just honk for no damn reason.

It doesn't matter the time of day - it's LOUD in India, especially in the cities! Honking is just a part of it, but is a big portion of the chaos and culture shock in India we experienced.

I swear - I still hear honking in my nightmares.

3. The Crowds

We're from New York and Buenos Aires - two cities that have A LOT of people. From music festivals to packed nightclubs and big tourist attractions, we know big cities can be home to crowds.

Well, there truly is nothing like the crowds you'll encounter in India though. Tourist attractions, markets, and streets alike are full of people - no matter what time of day you want to explore.

This is also something to keep in mind when planning your visits to tourist attractions, as it can take hours to simply enter certain places - especially those that have special events happening. Our recommendation? Go to whatever you can for sunrise - this is when most places open, and the only time you'll have a bit of peace.

4. The Size

India is such a massive country, but we didn't honestly realize just HOW big the country was until we tried planning for our trip.

It would take you at least a year to truly experience all that the country has to offer - so it's important to give yourself a lot of time, and stick to specific areas.

We just did the Golden Triangle, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, and Udaipur (which is just a tiny section of India's North). In 15 days we hardly scratched the surface, and we probably could have even spent 2 weeks just in Delhi with all there is to do and see.

5. The Contrasts

Some people show all of the bad parts of India, while some show the stunning architecture, rich culture, and incredible restaurants. Well- what if we told you that those two people probably were sharing the same place?

If it's one thing we took away from India, it's that it's EXTREME. One moment you could be walking around gorgeous gardens, and the next you could find yourself in one of the poorest neighborhoods in the world.

It's truly eye-opening visiting India, because you'll see two very different sides of the coin, often side by side.

Culture Shock in India - Hygiene

We've all heard the stereotype - but how real is it? Is India really that dirty? Well, even with our expectations, we still had some culture shock in India when it came to hygiene.

6. Trash

With an extremely high population comes all types of problems, one unfortunately one of them is trash.

While some places are pristine in India, many are not. This is definitely something the country needs to improve on, because we can't even count the number of times we saw people (of all ages and types) simply throwing their trash right on the ground.

The amount of culture shock in India we had from witnessing this was like no other. That's why it is SO important for us as travelers to do everything we can to enforce better habits. Always use trash cans, and try to help by picking up things you see people intentionally throwing on the ground.

7. Street Food

Alright - we've all heard about the culture shock in India when it comes to street food - but we definitely weren't prepared for the amount of unhygienic behavior in some of the stalls.

Whether it was cooking with water taken from the dirty river or using their bare hands to smear a paste onto bread, the street food stalls in India are something you'll really need to pick and choose between carefully.

We'd recommend doing a street food tour with a local - that way you can be sure you're trying high-quality street food that won't get you sick.

8. Water Bottles

When we arrived at our first hold in Delhi we were given complimentary water bottles - nice right? Well, our Indian friend grabbed a water bottle and threw it to the side. She continued opening water bottles and throwing them to the side.

What on Earth was she doing?! Well, apparently a lot of used water bottles get taken and refilled with *God-knows-what-type* of water.

Of course this isn't all bottled water - but you'll definitely want to make sure that no seals are broken from water bottles you purchase. Our recommendation? We'd get a massive jug of water from a reputable supermarket and refill your own reusable water bottle.

9. The Toilets

Something that hit us with a big burst of culture shock in India was the toilet situation. A lot of places only had pit toilets - ones where you have to squat down and do your business in a hole in the ground.

Some may argue that this is more hygienic - but I have to disagree with this one being that oftentimes you'll find yourself standing in pee, and potentially even having your clothing accidentally drag in it.

Not only were pit toilets pretty common, but we even saw urinals right in the middle of the streets! Watching men pee in public was a bit of culture shock in India we weren't expecting, but apparently it's pretty common in some places.

10. The Bathrooms

Something that drove me absolutely wild in India was the lack of hygiene in the bathrooms in general. Soap and toilet paper oftentimes seemed to be a luxury, and not offered all the time.

Make sure to bring your own tissues and hand sanitizer!

11. The Cow Shit

When we were walking around the streets we saw a lot of women selling these big brown disks. We had no idea what they were - honestly they looked kind of like massive cookies.

Well, it's a good thing we asked before buying one because they are hardened disks of cow manure.

Honestly, it's a pretty great eco-friendly process they have - but it definitely hit us with a bit of culture shock while India.

Culture Shock in India - Animals

Honestly, we were simply not prepared for what we saw in India when it came to the amount of animals we encountered. A lot of our culture shock in India came from animals, and here's why:

12. The Stray Pups

There is an insane amount of dogs on the streets in India, and it doesn't seem that there are a lot of people that have them as pets.

With lack of vaccines and neutering comes more and more dogs without a home, and without the resources to keep up, you'll see tons of pups starving and neglected.

These dogs are in desperate need of help, so please try to give them water, food, and love whenever you can.

13. Cows on the Streets

While we've seen a lot of stray dogs and cats around the world, the one thing that shocked us the most in terms of animals was the sheer amount of cows wildly roaming the streets.

Cows are sacred in India, so you'll notice that they end up walking around even in the middle of cities without being bothered.

14. The Amount of Monkeys

Just when we started getting used to all of the dogs and cows roaming the streets, some more culture shock in India snuck up on us. There are monkey s everywhere! From climbing the forts to stealing food at train stations, you'll find these little critters all over.

The monkeys are adorable, but also can be dangerous, so make sure to watch out for your belongings, especially your food, and don't approach them catching them off guard.

15. The Animal Cruelty

Not only are animals not cared for on the streets of India, but there is a high level of animal cruelty that has been normalized in this country.

People talk a lot about the issues with elephants in Thailand but people hardly mention that there are cities in India which are even worse, where tourists will actually RIDE the elephants! This is so harmful for their backs, so  please please please do not support this type of awful animal tourism.

Culture Shock in India - Food

Having tried a lot of Indian food abroad, we were quite nervous about traveling to India. However, we had some really amazing culture shock in India when it came to food, that will pleasantly surprise you!

16. The Restaurants

We originally had this misconception that India was mostly just unhygienic street food. The truth is that India has so many incredible restaurants - and you can find everything from delicious and budget-friendly local cuisine to 5-star dining experiences with cuisines from around the world.

We had everything from incredible pasta dishes to mushroom soups and fancy desserts. There is something for everyone in India, and especially in the big cities you can find a really wide variety of trendy restaurants and unique foods to choose from.

17. The Lack of Meat

With a large vegetarian population, India an incredible amount of plant-based options, and oftentimes even more vegetarian options than meat options! Many restaurants are actually entirely vegetarian, while a lot of others have separate sections for “non-veg” dishes.

If you're a vegetarian and travel a lot, then you'll be pleasantly surprised by the variety of plant-based options you can choose from in India.

Culture Shock in India - Hotels

Not only did we have a lot of culture shock in India with dining, but we also did even more with hotels!

18. Being Cat Fished by Hotels

Searching for hotels in India seems easy - but the reality is the opposite! There are so many hotels out there, and the photos oftentimes are not anything like what the place looks like. This is actually most common when coming across OYO properties, which we later found out are basically treated like motels for locals.

We had pure culture shock in India arriving at our first hotel - and not just because of how bad it looked. The owner was messaging us asking us for more money! This is why it's important to do a lot of research, and to book at reputable places.

Don't have time to read the whole article and want to save it for later? Just pin it!

19. Needing Marriage Certificates in Some Hotels

Another thing that we didn't realize when traveling to India is that some places are super religious - to the point that only couples who are married can have a hotel room together!

When we arrived without a marriage certificate you could imagine the amount of culture shock we had to realize they weren't going to let us stay there.

Check the religious restrictions in each place you go, and read the fine print before booking anything. (PS: This happened in Jodhpur, which is a pretty religious city).

Culture Shock in India - The Strict Rules

We have never seen as many rules for tourist sites as we have seen in India! Whether it's how to dress or what you can bring in, we found India to have a lot of restrictions, which was one of our biggest culture shocks while visiting.

20. No Tripods/Drones

Drones are not allowed practically anywhere in India, and there wasn't a single place we were able to use a tripod either.

We'd honestly only recommend bringing your drone for getting shots out in nature, and bringing tripods for street photography.

21. Other Prohibited Items

Other than a lot of photography restrictions, there are also a lot of other unexpected things which are prohibited at tourist sites. Some places won't even let you bring a bag in at all! 

At Akshardham Temple in Delhi for example, there was a line 1-2 hours long for people to drop ALL of their belongings at, including bags, cameras, and even phones.

22. Having to Take Your Shoes Off/ Dressing Up

Like we mentioned earlier, we were pretty surprised about how religious some places in India were.

Whenever visiting places such as temples, mosques, or grave sites, you'll need to take your shoes off, and many places will also make you cover your knees and shoulders, similar to other Muslim countries.

Culture Shock in India - Other Things We Were Shocked By

Now you know a lot of the things that gave us culture shock in India - but we have a few more bizarre things that we found while visiting India for the first time.

23. The Sexual Harassment

Being a woman in India can be a little uncomfortable, especially coming from other parts of the world. 

Men can be grabby in India, and there are definitely boundaries often crossed that would hardly happen in the Western world.

We've written a whole article about safety in India, so that you can be properly prepared for the cultural differences, especially as a woman visiting.

24. The Constant Pictures

Amongst the culture shock in India as a woman in general, it is common practice for strangers to want to take pictures with foreigners. So if you want to feel famous, just go to India! Okay we're kidding - but it can sometimes feel like it.

Whether you are a woman, man, couple, or entire group, if you don't look Indian, people (mostly men) will come up to you and ask for a picture with you, or just stand next to you and start snapping away.

The more you say yes, the more crowds start to form for more and more pictures, and truthfully it can become a bit tiring. If you are in a place with a lot of people around or this makes you feel uncomfortable, politely decline, but do keep in mind it's very common and not with bad intentions.

25. The Amount of Males vs Females in the Streets

When we were attending Holi Festival in India, we could not believe how many men were on the streets vs the amount of women! Many big events are male-dominated, which makes woman really stand out in the crowd. 

26. The Time Difference

I'm not sure this exactly classifies as culture shock in India, but one thing that truly blew our minds (and affected our work schedules) was the time difference.

In India they run their time difference on the half hour! So for example- there was a 10 1/2 hour time difference from New York, meaning that when it was Noon in New York, it was 10:30 pm in India.

Having that half hour of a difference makes things really confusing, and is something you only find in India!

Culture Shock in India - Things that Pleasantly Surprised Us

So as you've seen - some of the culture shock in India wasn't great. That being said - there were so many things that pleasantly surprised us when we visited India! Here are some things you will absolutely love when visiting from another country to India for the first time.

27. The Hospitals

When I was in Jodhpur, I got bit by a dog, and had to go to the hospital. As you can imagine, going to a hospital in another country is always scary, and i wasn't particularly thrilled to be heading to one across the globe.

That being said - India's health care is probably one of the best I have received in the world!

The hospitals are large, efficient, and also free for both locals and tourists. The doctors are compassionate, intelligent, and speak a great level of English, making unexpected accidents a lot less scary.

28. The Nature

While most people think of the chaotic cities in India, they often overlook one of the best parts of the country - the nature! Don't miss out on visiting the quiet beaches or stunning mountains of India, where you'll find incredible natural landscapes and a whole different side of India.

If you don't have time though - don't worry! Even cities have excellent day trips you can escape to, like exploring scenic hikes outside of Udaipur, or taking a desert safari from Jaisalmer.

There truly is something for everyone in India, and leaving time to enjoy this country's nature is crucial to balancing out the chaos.

29. The Diversity

India is incredibly diverse, with over 1,600 languages spoken and multiple religions practiced. Each region offers unique traditions, foods, and experiences, meaning you can enjoy a wide variety of things in India without even leaving the country!

30. The Transportation

Having traveled by public transportation in many countries, we weren't really sue what to expect when it came to Indian transportation. Well, we are so happy that we relied on public transportation, because it was incredible!

There are so many great ways to get around India, with options that are both affordable and comfortable. They even have overnight buses with full beds on them! Trains have multiple classes, and you can also get your very own private car with room service for budget-friendly prices.

31. The Food

There’s this false stereotype that India is just curry and street food (we'll admit- that's what we thought too before going!).

Indian cuisine is far more than just curry and street food though. Each region has its own culinary specialties, from spicy dishes of the south to comforting mountain dishes from the north.

Apart from just the variety of cuisines inside India, most Indian cities also offer a variety of international cuisines. Especially in places like Delhi and Mumbai, you can find restaurants from around the world, as well everything from budget- friendly quick eats to 5-star dining experiences.

32. The Chai

Chai is a major part of Indian culture, and one of the things that we miss the most. Forget your local café’s chai latte - authentic masala chai, made with milk and spices, is a one of the best hot drinks you'll ever indulge in.

Fun Fact: Actually, chai means tea, so chai tea would be “tea tea”. It’s actually called masala chai, and it’s much better than any chai you’ll ever have anywhere else.

Masala chai can be found all over the streets and public transit stations for extremely affordable prices, and often are even served in cute clay mugs that you can take with you! Our Indian friend laughed at us, as they are supposed to be disposable, but we took a few home with us as souvenirs. 

33. The Fashion

If you're a fashion lover, then don't miss out on India's fashion scene! They have the most beautiful fabrics in the world - with vibrant colors and unique patterns you won't get bored looking for fabrics in India.

They're not only super affordable, but and you can even hire a tailor to make you a custom outfit in as little as a few hours!

We hope our article has helped you gain some insight into some of the culture shock in India to expect! If you have any questions about our experience, please feel free to drop them below in the comments.

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