Delhi Belly is synonymous with one of the most uncomfortable and inconvenient travel sicknesses. And for travellers to India, no matter how many far-flung places you have visited or not visited before, there is always the looming question of how to avoid Delhi Belly.
The good news? It is possible to travel in India without getting sick. Delhi Belly can be avoided by taking care of yourself and being aware of the risks.
Here is everything you need to know – and some things you didn’t want to know – about keeping healthy and how to avoid Delhi Belly while traveling in India.
- About Delhi Belly
- Why don’t locals get sick?
- Some truths
- Our thoughts
- How to avoid Delhi Belly in India
12 Tips to avoid Delhi Belly - What to eat in India
- What NOT to eat
- Packing for India
- What to do if you do get sick in India
- More about India
Getting real. What exactly is Delhi Belly?
In the travel world, ‘Delhi Belly’ refers to Traveller’s Diarrhoea. It is a common illness that occurs when traveling to new places when you consume food or water infected with bacteria such as Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, and E-coli.
It is the most common illness that affects travellers and is known by many colourful names, such as Bali Belly, Montezuma’s Revenge, Food Poisoning, Gastro as well as Delhi Belly. This is a colloquialism for any number of forms of food-born illness (not just the potentially laxative effects of spicy food!).
A percentage of international travellers experience Delhi Belly, and it is especially common for visitors to India. It is usually not serious and doesn’t last long.
Symptoms of Delhi Belly include diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, bloating, abdominal cramps, and or fever.
HOWEVER, ALWAYS SEEK PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE IF SYMPTOMS WORSEN OR IF YOU ARE UNSURE OR CONCERNED.
Why do locals not get sick? How do they avoid Delhi Belly?
Locals have an added immunity because their digestive systems are immunised to the adverse effects of some micro-organisms, bacteria and chemical characteristics of the local conditions. This includes mainly the water, but also goes for the food and spices. And even the air!
Some truths. And dispelling a few myths.
I feel quite protective of India. It seems like an unfair supposition that as soon as you mention travel to India people have no qualms warning you, you’ll most certainly get Delhi Belly.
Yes, it is a common thing in India.
And yes, we have in the past had mild Delhi Belly in India ourselves. But it is not an automatic guarantee you will get sick the minute you arrive in India or even at all during your travels.
Now, with six trips to India under our belt and the proud satisfaction of returning all the travellers on our India Group Trips back to Delhi without getting sick, I feel we have some great advice and tips to share for how to avoid Delhi Belly.
12 Tips for how to avoid Delhi Belly and travel safely and confidently in India
Here is our best advice shared with much love for India on how to avoid Delhi Belly.
1. Do NOT drink tap water
Consumption of tap water in India, unfortunately, carries the risk of water borne diseases such as Dysentery and Typhoid or general Delhi Belly or travellers’ diarrhoea.
Much of the tap water in India is not filtered to the same standards of hygiene and sanitation that we are used to at home. It is possible (and likely) that even in hotels the water sourced from taps in India might contain contaminants that render it unsafe for human consumption.
Drinking bottled or filtered water is the only way to avoid Delhi Belly from unsafe water. If you have a filtration system on your drink bottle this is the ultimate in reducing your impact on the plastic problem in India. And if you are buying bottled water, check to ensure the lids are unopened before consuming.
- Tip: Brush your teeth using bottled or filtered water in case you inadvertently swallow some of the non-potable water.
2. Stay hydrated / How to avoid Delhi Belly
It’s always important in travel to stay hydrated. Being a new environment puts added stress on our bodies physically. Where at home we are fortunate to have access to unlimited clean drinking water, in India this comes with the added looming worry of getting sick by drinking unsafe water. And it isn’t a usual habit to constantly be thinking about buying the next bottle of water.
But the hot climate in much of India means it’s ever more important to stay well hydrated. Dehydration can lead to fatigue, headaches, and even heatstroke and more worryingly can make your digestive system vulnerable to tummy troubles.
- Tip: Make sure to keep well hydrated with safe and filtered drinking water.
3. Wash your hands meticulously. And sanitise, sanitise, sanitise.
Handwashing, particularly with soap and water, is one of the most effective ways to prevent the transmission of pathogens like bacteria and viruses from one person to another. And these days there many brands of hand-sanitiser (thanks Covid) that are cheap and effective too.
Fortunately, most restaurants and eateries in India and South Asia have some kind of hand-washing station. This is partly due to efforts in sanitation but also because many cultures in South Asia eat with their hands.
In some cultures, it is common practice for the host to offer water and a towel for hand washing to the guest. And while eating with your hands, instead of licking finger’s part way through, it is polite to wait and wash your hands after the meal is finished.
I’m also going to add in here that sometimes I feel a little embarrassed whipping out a bottle of hand sanitiser in a restaurant. I worry it might offend the host that their space isn’t clean. But the reality is its more important to be hygienic and handwashing is one of the critical ways how to avoid Delhi Belly that we can control ourselves.
Don’t feel shy. Just do it.
- Tip: Soap and water is best. But if unavailable, hand sanitiser is just as good, sometimes better so ensure you always have some handy.
4. Eat fresh and hot food
Room temperature food can be a breeding ground for bacteria. It is always safer to eat food that is fresh and hot.
For example, we love trying Jalebi which is an Indian street food. But the best way to try it and to minimise risk and avoid Delhi Belly is to eat it when its literally hot and straight out of the oil. This way the temperature and standing time doesn’t get a chance to affect bacteria.
Choose restaurants where you can see the food being cooked and know it is fresh. Avoid buffets or restaurants where food has been sitting out for a long time.
- Tip: Eat fresh and hot food. Freshly made food is tastier and safer.
5. Eat at recommended restaurants and eateries
In general, restaurants have higher hygiene standards than street vendors. However, choosing a restaurant in India is sometimes a bit like searching for a needle in a haystack. With the huge population there is also a massive range of eating options and restaurants to cater for all budgets, tastes and culture.
It is handy to take tips or suggestions from other travellers and dine where they have recommended. Remember that people will be quick to also tell you if they had a bad experience somewhere!
6. If in doubt; go vegetarian / How to avoid Delhi Belly
This might ruffle a few feathers of meat-eating travellers. However, one of the ways how to avoid Delhi Belly on your travels is to reduce the risk in the first place. And unfortunately, for our carnivorous friends, meat is one of the common carriers of bacteria that causes traveller’s diarrhoea in the first place.
In our family, we are meat-eaters and pride ourselves on not having any dietary requirements or restrictions. But when in India (we’ve visited six times now and for months on end) we pretty much go vegetarian.
It just reduces one more of the risk factors to avoid Delhi Belly.
India has a wide variety of vegetarian and vegan food options. You can find ‘Veg’ (without meat) and ‘Pure Veg’ (without meat, eggs, onions, and garlic) meals at many restaurants.
- Tip: If in doubt, stay away from meat and go veg.
7. Choose street food wisely
We love street food in India! Seriously. But it’s just a given (sorry, India) that street food does come with heightened chance of lower sanitation and hygiene standards.
It’s wise to avoid raw, wet, cold and especially water-based food items. It’s safer to consume these at restaurants, where hygiene standards are higher. Instead, choose fried or roasted foods. These items are heated in very high temperatures, killing any bacteria that might be present.
Don’t worry if you see a food vendor toss in a half-cooked item into oil to fry it. In India, street food is usually made in bulk, and then fried when necessary. This is a good thing though and means the food will be served hot and (hopefully) having killed any bacteria.
- Tip: See below for a full list of recommend street foods to try safely. Don’t be afraid of the street food. Just choose carefully – and enjoy!
8. Consider curd or probiotics / How to avoid Delhi Belly
We are six trips on now, but one of the first things I noticed about food in India is how many of the meals are served with curd.
Curd is one of the natural probiotic foods in India. It is made by fermenting milk with lactic acid bacteria, which helps maintain a healthy balance of gut flora. And as a traveller this is advice too good to skip.
Albeit not everyone is a fan of classically natural, sour-tasting curd. But there are plenty of foods in India that will have probiotics in as well. Idli, Dosa, Paneer, Lassi (buttermilk) and Kefir all contain some level of probiotics.
- Tip: You can take probiotics before traveling to India to help maintain a healthy balance of bacteria in your digestive tract. Or do like the locals do and try to include curd and other natural probiotics in your India travel diet.
9. Don’t use plates or cups that are wet
Avoid using plates, cups or cutlery that are wet. This could be remnants of tap water and will have the same effect as drinking non-potable water.
- Tip: Wipe your plate or glass before using if it is wet. Use your own stainless steel straw or even bring your own travel cutlery.
10. Use your right hand for eating
This is technically more of a cultural tip. But it also makes sense as a traveller where cutlery is not always offered and if it is, it might not be clean.
It is traditional in India to eat with your hands. But especially in public, when eating in India, always use your right hand. Even if you’re a lefty, it is culturally polite to use your right hand for eating.
Indians consider the use of the left hand to be unclean and offensive. So while eating with your right hand, the left hand remains dry and is only used for drinking water or passing dishes.
This is also why hand-washing stations are common in restaurants, eateries and even homes might have a specific place for washing hands before and after a meal!
- Tip: Use your right hand for eating. But wash your hands first!
11. Eat what the locals eat / How to avoid Delhi Belly
This is a bit like the age-old saying of ‘When in Rome’. But in India and as far as tips for how to avoid Delhi Belly, this is a golden rule to remember.
People have been living in the varied environments and climates of India for thousands of years. And their diet in the different regions has evolved to suit the surroundings.
For example, in the desert a long way from the ocean it is unlikely that a menu offering fish or seafood is going to be fresh. Some vegetables that aren’t seasonal or grown in the desert could have sat in the arid climate for an ungodly length of time awaiting a tourist to order that one meal.
It is always wise to consider eating what the locals eat. The chances are they eat like that for a reason. Plus, if the place is crowded, there are higher chances of food being fresher, as the food there will constantly need to be cooked and restocked.
- Tip: Eat where the locals eat.
12. Ease yourself into it
Lastly, be gentle on yourself. Ease your way into trying spicy foods, curries and street foods that are different.
Even if your India itinerary stretches on for a month or longer; and especially if you are here for a short time. Take it slowly to start with and remember that it is ok to eat the odd packaged snack if you aren’t sure about something.
- Tip: Ease yourself into Indian cuisine. Don’t try everything new or spicy at once!
What to eat in India. What food is safe to avoid Delhi Belly?
In general, it is safe to eat most cooked items and specifically freshly cooked food.
Some street food that is ok (safer) to eat in India:
- Chai (boiled)
- Pakoras (fried)
- Jalebi (fried)
- Dosas (veg, fried)
- Cooked sauces (chutneys)
- Chapati, Naan and Paratha (cooked)
Tea, or chai, is okay to drink almost anywhere in India. Even if the tea stall doesn’t look outwardly the most hygienic, if there is a crowd, you can be sure that the tea will be good and fresh.
What to avoid in particular to prevent Delhi Belly in India
These are some of the red-flag foods in India for your best chance of how to avoid Delhi Belly.
- Tap water: Tap water in India is not potable.
- Ice: Often ice is homemade, and you have no idea of knowing whether the water source is safe or not.
- Cut fruits and salad: You do not know the kind of water that was used to wash fruits and vegetables, so it is best to avoid them.
- Sauces: Some sauces served with street food are topped up with water.
- Dairy-based foods: Dairy spoils quickly in the hot weather and isn’t safe to eat when cooled or re-frozen and left to warm again. If in doubt, choose a restaurant or bottled option.
- Cheese: It’s incredibly easy for the cheese to be contaminated with bacteria.
- Too much spicy food: Too much spicy food can act as a mild laxative, especially if you’re not used to it!
What to pack and carry with you to prevent Delhi Belly once in India
It is a good idea for travel anywhere in the world to carry a small medical kit with essentials to ensure you stay healthy. And I’m just adding in here that we aren’t medical professionals and obviously talk with your doctor before you travel.
But there are a few things I would recommend you pack to assist and avoid getting Delhi Belly and to get back on track if you do.
- Ibuprofen
- Paracetamol
- Loperamide (Imodium)
- Electrolyte solution (ORS)
- Hand sanitiser
- Anti-bacterial wet wipes
You can bring probiotics and electrolyte solution mix from home. Although you can easily find it in any of the pharmacies in India and it costs 10 – 20 INR (20 cents) for a sachet of electrolyte solution.
Now, I am not sure if this is great travel advice or not. But one thing that has definitely helped us and one of our fave tips for how to avoid Delhi Belly, is that we drink electrolyte and rehydration sachets as a precaution during our travel in India. If we ever feel slightly dehydrated or know we have a big travel day coming up we use the electrolyte mix to be as readily hydrated and ready for India as possible!
It may also be worth getting a prescription for an appropriate antibiotic just in case. Delhi Belly and travellers’ diarrhoea is usually a bacterial issue, and sometimes an antibiotic is prescribed for the quickest relief or if symptoms don’t subside in 48 hours.
Don’t panic if you can’t find Loperamide at home before your trip. Indian pharmacies are seriously well stocked, and common diarrhoea and fever-related medicines are cheap (especially by international standards) and readily available as over-the-counter drugs at pharmacies all over the country.
- Tip: Talk to your doctor before you travel.
The debate of packaging and plastic and trying to avoid Delhi Belly
For me, it is always part of an internal debate that never goes away when suggesting to others they eat packaged snacks if in doubt about food safety in India.
Obviously, India already has serious challenges with environmental concerns for plastic and pollution. And it doesn’t feel good getting a tiny, non-recyclable packaged snack or juice box knowing we are contributing to the problem.
There are ways of choosing foods that contribute less to this issue. For example, as a family it makes more sense to choose a large packet of something and share it, as opposed to small, non-recyclable and individually packaged items.
Generally, the larger restaurants use reusable food ware. This is simply because many street food stalls don’t have the facilities to wash anything.
However, one great side of street food is that sometimes you find a gem and it’s served the old, or traditional way, on a leaf or reused newspaper. This is always a winner, and it feels both better for the environment and more of a great cultural experience of food in India.
What to do if you do get sick
If you do get sick with Delhi Belly while in India, it is very important to keep hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids.
If you have diarrhoea or vomiting, it makes sense to take an electrolyte replacement fluid. These are available at every pharmacy in India and cost 10 – 20 INR (less than 20 cents) for an Oral Rehydration Sachet (known as ‘ORS’) that you can make up instantly with 1L of drinking water.
Most of the time the diarrhoea is unfortunately (but thankfully) the body’s immune system responds naturally and flushing out the sickness. Patience is needed. Delhi Belly doesn’t always strike at times of convenience. (Though is there ever a convenient time to get sick traveling in India?).
Seek advice for medication if you need it. Loperamide (Imodium) is in layman’s term a type of ‘stopper’ and in this case can be helpful if you need to travel.
Otherwise, stay hydrated and rest. When you feel comfortable eating, opt for plain hot foods like white rice or naan or if you can find them, try a banana. I know in theory fried foods are not ideal, but we always seek plain, salted crisps to get some kind food down when all else seems unfathomable.
- Be patient: If you get sick, it will pass. Trust your body. And if you are worried, please seek medical advice.
As well as avoiding Delhi Belly while traveling in India
There are other health factors to be aware of when traveling to India. (As if taking precautions for how to avoid Delhi Belly aren’t enough!). Diseases spread by mosquitoes such as Dengue Fever and Malaria may also be a risk.
Don’t let this put you off travel to India! Travel in India is amazing and unlike anywhere else in the world.
Talk to your medical professional about any vaccinations or precautions you need to be otherwise aware of.
Our last tip? Trust your gut.
Don’t get too hung up on the potential for getting sick in India or spend your days worrying about how to avoid Delhi Belly. At the end of the day, it is a possibility.
But many people travel to India – millions every year – and there are steps you can take and things to do to help avoid Delhi Belly and have a great time!
India is incredible.
Read more about travel in North India
- Ultimate 1 Week Golden Triangle Itinerary: Two Options.
- 5 North India Itinerary Options.
- 10 Day Rajasthan India Itinerary.
- 10 Day Punjab India to Pakistan Itinerary.
- Epic 3 Week India Rajasthan Itinerary.
- 5 Days in Kerala, South India.
- Ultimate 3 Week India Itinerary.
- 2-Day Detailed Varanasi Itinerary.
- The Perfect One Day in Delhi Itinerary.
About travel planning for India and beyond
These are other websites we use for planning and booking travel.
- Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation and it’s easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally.
- 12GoAsia – Book trains anywhere in Asia through 12Go.
- Skyscanner– This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.
- GetYourGuide– Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world including everything from walking tours, to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
- SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy it short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country.
- World Nomads – Travel insurance tailored for longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home). Make sure you have travel insurance first and then use our tips to avoid getting Delhi Belly in India!