For many women with wanderlust, India is the ultimate destination. The blend of cultures, colors, religions and history makes for an attractive travel cocktail. But the Subcontinent is also known for being confusing, frustrating, and crowded.

The women’s travel blog Wanderlust and Lipstick has one of the best collections of insider tips for women who want to take the South Asian plunge. Here are some of the highlights:

Attire
Dress conservatively. Places like Mumbai and Delhi are quite cosmopolitan and the people there are likely to accept shorts and sleeveless shirts without blinking. However, India is a rather conservative country. To truly gain access to all the different cultural and religious places of interest and to be able to interact with local people in small villages, it is best to be conservative when it comes to clothing: shirts with sleeves and skirts or pants that go below the knee are generally acceptable.

Shopping
In India, there are plenty of places to buy cheap clothing and other goods. At city markets and specialty shops, where the best deals can be found, bargaining is the norm. There are many fakes, however. Buying clothes and souvenirs is generally a simple matter of bargaining the price down to a reasonable level. Purchasing collectables, jewelry and artwork is another story. Those who want to make purchases have to have enough knowledge about the product to spot well-made fakes.

Health
Health is a major concern for travelers in India, regardless of gender. Up-to-date immunizations, travel insurance, and a full supply of medications are all necessary ingredients for healthy travel. Women should also bring any feminine products, such as tampons, that they might need. These items are readily available in major cities, but are hard to come by elsewhere in the country.

The complete collection on India-realted tips can be found on the Wanderlust and Lipstick web site.

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