With the arrival of winter holidays, eagerly awaiting travels and backpackers begin to search for warm weather destinations that can make them escape the cold climate.
Even though there are many other destinations in Asia that are coming up as favorites for travelers from Russia, America, and Europe, warm weather destinations in India still remain pretty high on the charts, especially for budget travelers looking to spend their winter holidays at warm destinations.
Whether it is the backwaters of Kerala or the offbeat place like Gokarna, India is noted to be a highly favored destination for travelers looking for hot places to visit in November, December, or even January till March.
Spend your winter vacations at these 25 Warm Weather Destinations in India
- Goa – Enjoy the thrilling water activities
- Chennai – Explore churches to temples
- Gokarna – Offbeat beach destination
- Gujarat – Discover the rich cultural heritage
- Andaman Islands – Enjoy the breezy winter weather
- Hampi – Witness the magnificent structures
- Hyderabad – Taste the mouthwatering biryani
- Kabini – Spot the rare wildlife
- Kochi – Visit the Queen of the Arabian Sea
- Kovalam – Spend time at the pristine beaches
- Lakshadweep – Enjoy a winter holiday in solitude
- Madurai – Visit the numerous ancient temple
- Bandipur National Park – Watch the wild in the natural habitat
- Mahabalipuram – Visit the age-old temples
- Mumbai – Head to the famous UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Mysore – Admire the Mysore Palace’s beauty
- Pondicherry – Wander through this French Heritage City
- Rann of Kutch – Visit the White Desert
- Varkala – Bathe in the natural springs
- Kanyakumari – Watch sunrise and sunset from the ocean
- Kumarakom – Ride through the pristine backwaters
- Badami – Explore the old caves
- Bekal – Enjoy the scenic beauty
- Pune – Get to know the Maharashtrian culture
- Alleppey – Stay in a houseboat for a night
Goa – Enjoy the thrilling water activities
A hard-to-miss destination in India for any beach enthusiast, Goa is a land of beautiful resorts, palm-fringed beaches, delightful culture, delicious cuisines, and all things fun.
The tropical climate, carnivals, and vibrant nightlife make Goa one of the top warm weather destinations in India. Goa was a former Portuguese colony, and that imperial influences could be seen in exotic Gothic churches, buildings, food, and culture.
There are plenty of opportunities for adventure and thrill all-round the year with all sorts of water sports, parasailing, dolphin viewing, and short-boat cruises where one can expect a lot of enjoyment.
So spend your day walking barefoot on the beach or tap your feet on the various Goan or Bollywood numbers; it will surely be a memorable, fun time-out.
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Chennai – Explore churches to temples
The capital of Tamil Nadu and one of the four major metropolitan cities, Chennai has monuments, structures of the British Raj, museums, and temples that are beautiful and admirable. In addition, the people of Chennai are welcoming and helpful to outsiders.
Around the old and traditional quarters of the city, restaurants, bars, boutiques, and clubs have come up trying to give a new shape to the city. On the other end, the British Fort of St George is worth visiting while Chennai’s popular eating and drinking jaunts could be found at Nungambakkam. T Nagar, Velachery, Guindy, and Alwarpet.
Also Read:
- Top 51 Things to do in Tamil Nadu
- 10 famous Temples in Tamil Nadu
- 50 Best Places to Visit in India in Winter
Gokarna – Offbeat beach destination
Gokarna offers a relaxed atmosphere for tourists to enjoy laid-back and quiet holidays close to the cool breeze of the seas. The beaches are relatively clean and the accommodation is in the thatched bamboo huts that abut the coastline.
Gokarna is also one of the important Hindu pilgrimage centers and there are old temples nearby the shore that lit up during important festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi and Mahashivratri.
Besides, there are lively markets and bazaars to explore nearby. Chill and soak in the calming effect of the waters by planning a holiday to this beautiful destination.
Yet another draw of this holy beach destination is Swaswara, one of the finest places for holistic healing in India and also one of the finest warm-weather destinations in India in November and December.
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Gujarat – Discover the rich cultural heritage
Gujarat is one of the best warm holiday destinations in India that has a wonderful charm. With different cultures, peoples, festivals, buildings, and monuments, it is a favorite tourist pick during the winter months.
One of the warm places to visit in December in India, Gujarat is home to famous landmarks, including the largest salt desert, The Rann of Kutch.
The capital center of Ahmedabad is a cosmopolitan hub with malls, shopping centers, historical and religious attractions, and museums. One can enjoy sightseeing, relish in local food or mix with the people, and explore the local arts.
In the concluding month of the year during the full moon, the Rann Mahotsav is also celebrated particularly in the Great Rann of Kutch, making it one of the best warm weather destinations in India in December and January.
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Andaman Islands – Enjoy the breezy winter weather
Andaman Group of Islands is yet another top warm weather destination in India. With a tropical climate, sun-kissed beaches, and lush forests, Andaman is a perfect holiday destination in India from November to March.
Radhanagar Beach on Havelock Island has been voted the Best Beach in Asia by Times Magazine. In addition, there is plenty of marine life which makes Andaman one of the best places for snorkeling in India.
When you are on Havelock Island, go snorkeling. Besides, Andaman has something for history buffs like the dreaded Cellular Jail or formerly called Kalapani (dark waters) in Port Blair.
It is where the Britishers exiled Indian freedom fighters when they ruled India. With monsoon still in offing, Andaman is one of the best warm-weather destinations in India in February.
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Hampi – Witness the magnificent structures
Inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Group of Monuments in Hampi is made up of many Hindu and Jain Temples, showcasing the brilliant architecture of the artisans of the Vijayanagara.
The backdrop of the beautiful and imposing Virupaksha temple forms a perfect sight. However, it’s difficult to explore Hampi in one day and visitors may need to spend a couple of days for a comprehensive experience and sightseeing.
Cool climes enabling the lengthy but gentle hours of sightseeing make Hampi one of the best warm weather destinations in India.
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Hyderabad – Taste the mouthwatering biryani
An intricate mesh of streets, narrow alleys, by-lanes, squares, noisy roads, tombs, temples, mosques, and palaces, Hyderabad is a place blazing with a wonderful, consummate charm characterizing a classical Deccani Muslim Culture. The city was the center of power for highly cultured dynasties of the Nizams since medieval times.
The most popular attractions however remain the famous Charminar and Hyderabad Biryani, which is cherished throughout the world.
The city though overcrowded, noisy, and polluted, still holds a unique appeal and draws thousands of tourists every year to its threshold to reveal its amazing character.
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Plan your memorable holiday with our Hyderabad Tour Packages
Kabini – Spot the rare wildlife
Once being a hunting ground for rulers of Mysore, Kabini National Park is an exotic reserve hosting tigers, Indian Bison, elephants, leopards, etc., and about 250 species of exquisite birds.
Established in 1955, the area was expanded into a national park. Later in 1999, it was converted into a Tiger Reserve Project for the protection of Tigers.
The site offers fantastic opportunities for indulging in adventure and fun. Tourists can enjoy trekking, safaris, and boat rides through the park and can view animals, birds, and other beasts in their natural habitat.
At Sundown, visitors can treat themselves to amazing delectable dishes from Indian, Chinese, and Continental menus in the comfortable and laid-back ambiance of the lodge to enjoy an indelible, memorable time.
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Kochi – Visit the Queen of the Arabian Sea
Kochi is an important seaport in India for about 600 years now. One of the best hot places to visit in India, this historic town in Kerala has rich impressions of the erstwhile and colonial times as well as being host to some exotic buildings and sites.
For the most part, it’s a sleepy, relaxing place, with beautiful homes and heritage accommodations for the delight of the guests.
It is also a nice venue to get introduced to and enjoy Keralan culture, its dishes, its flavors, sights, and smells.
Being also a center of Keralan Arts, Kochi is also said to best place to view the classical dance form of Kathakali and the world-famous, the indigenous martial art of Kalaripayattu.
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Kovalam – Spend time at the pristine beaches
Rich with alluring views of azure waters with sandy shores, Kovalam is one of the most popular beach resorts in Kerala. It was once a calm and quiet fishing town but rapidly developed into an important tourist spot in the 1970s. It is an exceptional place to delight in the culture of Kerala and its food.
The main tract of Kovalam called the Lighthouse beach has a number of affordable hotels and restaurants dotting its vicinity.
However, tourists hoping for a more peaceful ambiance may check out Samudra beach, lying just 2 km north and allowing better facilities and a cleaner beach, and may also enjoy the luxury of Ayurveda treatments a few more kilometers ahead of the beaches.
Also Read:
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Lakshadweep – Enjoy a winter holiday in solitude
Located at about 300 km from mainland Kerala, Lakshawadeep is one of the best warm weather destinations in India in November. It is a group of exotic, pristine, and amazingly beautiful islands lying in the Arabian Sea.
However, of the 36 islands that form the group, only 10 are habitable and due to the fragile ecology of the place, only a few of them are open for tourism.
Visitors can satisfy their adventure lust by taking on a number of activities such as snorkeling, scuba diving, windsurfing, canoeing, yachting, kayaking, water surfing as well as night voyages to expand their time to the maximum.
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Plan your memorable holiday with our Lakshadweep Tour Packages
Madurai – Visit the numerous ancient temple
Madurai was a great flourishing city in olden times and was the center of tremendous cultural effervescence. It was the capital of the Hindu Pandayan dynasty.
Their great rulers constructed the majestic and famous Meenakshi Amman Temple, which is arguably the greatest man-made structure ever and remains to be the central highlight of the city.
The city also hosts numerous festivals and celebrations and attracts an annually growing number of visitors.
Madurai has different names such as “The City of Junctions”, “The City of Jasmine, and “The Temple City”.
Madurai is the second largest city in Tamil Nadu and is well-connected by roads, rail, and air. Thus access and travel to this city are never far off for a discerning traveler.
Bandipur National Park – Watch the wild in the natural habitat
Forming a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Bandipur National Park is spread over a huge area of 880 sq. km and hosts over 100 species of animals.
Bandipur was once the private wildlife reserve of Maharajas of Mysore before being converted into a protected area.
There is an impressive assembly of different species like tiger, elephant, Indian Bison, sambar, sloth bear, mongoose, wild dog, and langur.
The park organizes a bus safari for a nominal price, however, sightings of the tiger are not guaranteed. For children, there are elephant rides, which they thoroughly enjoy.
It is one of the famous destinations for national and international tourists and footfall here is pretty good in numbers. Bandipur is considered one of the finest sanctuaries for wildlife in South India.
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Mahabalipuram – Visit the age-old temples
Mahabalipuram is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is a complex of fascinating temples, cave sanctuaries, fine sculptures, and open-air reliefs.
Constructed between 630 and 728 BC, these amazing structures are located at the site of a harbor from where various South Indian Kings based in Kanchipuram used to trade with the other kingdoms of South-East Asia.
Besides these stunning monuments, structures in and around Mahabalipuram are worth seeing. Located at about a two-hour drive from Chennai, tourists can hop on to any coastal bus or hire a moped to wander around.
Plan your memorable holiday with our Mahabalipuram Tour Packages
Mumbai – Head to the famous UNESCO World Heritage Sites
For all its crowd, hustle, and traffic, Mumbai has an undefined charm that could only be understood by being there.
The city is India’s financial powerhouse, the center of widely acclaimed, though little eccentric Bollywood movies, a fashion hub, and a business hotspot.
Apart from this, the city has some stunning buildings and landmarks. Moving through its narrow streets and alleys, a bite of vada pav and missal pav is never far away. For all the things that make the city tick, this is an experience that is singular.
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Mysore – Admire the Mysore Palace’s beauty
Mysore or Mysuru, as it has been recently named, is a city of charms and one of the most famous warm destinations in South India. The city abounds with some of the most elegant, pre-independence buildings that take you to a different setting and time.
The highlight of the city is of course the world-famous Mysore Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Mysore is quickly becoming an important center of yoga and there is an international center of yoga here that attracts thousands of tourists every year.
Pondicherry – Wander through this French Heritage City
Pondicherry or Puducherry is a town of considerable appeal. It was the capital of French imperialism in India and one can see that heritage visible everywhere with streets, buildings, neighborhoods, and alleys.
The town boasts a number of elegant structures including churches, public buildings, and townhouses, among which the Aurobindo Ashram and its sister building in Auroville draws a number of tourists from all over the world.
There is a new part of the town that has more Tamil influence than otherwise and is generally more chaotic and noisy. Enjoy in its idyllic, old-world like a charm by spending some peaceful time in this alluring location.
Plan your memorable holiday with our Pondicherry Tour Packages
Rann of Kutch – Visit the White Desert
The Rann of Kutch or The Great Rann is one of the best warm-weather destinations in India in December. The Rann remains hard, barren, and dried for most of the part of the year, that is, during the dry season.
However, during monsoons, its vast landscape gets completely submerged under both sea and fresh river water. Winters, at Rann though are chilling, but it’s during this time that it transforms completely into a white desert whose majestic beauty comes out during full moon days when it appears truly heavenly.
The area around Kutch is dotted with a number of villages, sustained in its arid and barren environment. Nevertheless, the locals produce some of India’s finest handicrafts in India with exquisite embroidery and mirror work which are amazing attractions for tourists descending here.
Plan your memorable holiday with our Runn of Kutch Tour Packages
Varkala – Bathe in the natural springs
Running parallel across the high laterite walls of the cliffs, Varkala is a beautiful, panoramic beach destination. Being relatively much cleaner, it has blue azure waters that look amazing. The beach hardly has any sporting activity, and mostly it’s quiet, serene, and very relaxing.
Varkala is also has a religious significance for Hindus and site for some rituals for which people as far as Thiruvanthapuram arrive here.
Otherwise, the array of seaside restaurants, shops, stall,s and hotels makes it quite a tourist spot for national and international travelers.
Kanyakumari – Watch sunrise and sunset from the ocean
Kanyakumari is actually the spot where the vast landmass of India ends. The site has some tourist and religious significance and most people throng here to see the marvelous sight of the end of the Indian subcontinent and the place where three large water masses of the Arabian Sea, The Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean meet.
Besides, there is a temple dedicated to the local goddess, Devi Kanyakumari, and Vivekananda Rock Memorial, where Swami Vivekananda is believed to have attained enlightenment. The views of sunrise and sunsets from here under clear skies are simply fascinating.
Plan your memorable holiday with our Kanyakumari Tour Packages
Kumarakom – Ride through the pristine backwaters
Kumarakom is a cool, serene backwater village, located about 16 km west of Kottayam and situated at the shore of the expansive Vembanad Lake. Tourists can explore impressive panoramic sights through houseboats, traversing through some of the open and less crowded canals.
Besides, Kumarakom has a famous bird sanctuary in addition to comfortable and pleasant accommodation options where travelers can spend some lazy moments.
Plan your memorable holiday with our Kumarakom Tour Packages
Badami – Explore the old caves
Famous for its amazing rock-cut cave temples, Badami, the erstwhile capital of the mighty Chaulakyan Empire from 543 AD to 757 AD. It expands vastly into the gorge between the two red sandstone hills., which are adorned with an ancient fort complex.
Besides, there are a number of cave temples on the southern hill while the northern hill has other structural temples.
Tourists can base Badami as a stopover for excursions into nearby towns of Aihole and Pattadakal to see other beautiful Chaluakyan remains. There is also an artificial lake, said to be from the 5th century where travelers can hop and spend some time.
Bekal – Enjoy the scenic beauty
The site located in Kerala’s North is home to some of the stunning, isolated, white sand beaches. However, due to construction, it is rapidly transforming into a crowded, picnic-like spot.
Nevertheless, the views surrounding the area are simply arresting. The Bekal fort, lying just ahead of the shore is a wonderful laterite structure constructed between 1665 and 1660 and has a small Hindu Temple.
The corresponding beach is a long stretch of sand where local families descend on holidays and weekends to enjoy some cool air and get entertained with fun attractions.
There is a Kappil beach, located about 6 km North of Bekal that has a more isolated and calming ambiance. Accommodation-wise, Bekal has a couple of five-star hotels while for budget travelers, there is a host of average-quality hotels and rental spots which are placed between the nearby sites of Kanhangad and Kasargod.
Pune – Get to know the Maharashtrian culture
Pune is an energetic, emerging educational, spiritual, and commercial hub that is developing fast into India’s smart city. Pune was felicitated initially by the Great Shivaji who transformed it into the capital of the Marathas.
In 1817, the British took its possession and made it into the monsoon capital of the Bombay Presidency. Thus, its changeover into a modern metropolis notwithstanding, the city has some remarkable icons, for instance, the majestic Sinhgarh Fort that captures the imagination of that historical era.
Moreover, it is also the center of the famous Osho Ashram and Yoga center of BKS Iyengar, which lies just outside the city.
The city located at an altitude of 598m has cool and dry weather, thus it could be a good place to break away from the cold weather and spend some peaceful, relaxing moments of your holidays.
Alleppey – Stay in a houseboat for a night
Labeled by some as the “Venice of the East”, Alappuzha or Alleppey is one of the best warm-weather destinations in March. It is a tiny, congenial backwater region with a vast network of waterways, canals, streams, and channels.
With a chain of about a thousand houseboats, this little town mostly serves as an evening stopover for tourists en route to the backwaters.
Alleppey is the very famous annual Nehru Trophy Snake boat race which calls for huge arrangements and takes place in long, highly decorated boats, manufactured in the form of a snake.
The event takes place in the warm weather of mid-august and usually draws a large number of crowds from in and around Alleppey.
Now that you have the list of the best warm-weather destinations in India, plan a trip to one of the above-mentioned places with our fully-equipped packages. Tag along with your loved ones and spend a relaxing week at these warm places in India.
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Mayank Chawla
Born in New Delhi, India, Mayank grew up admiring, perceiving and then embracing the vastly complex, colorful and paradoxical nature of the Indian Society, which further led him to accommodate and appreciate the tremendous diversity of world. This admiration brought him to travel writing to share his thoughts and personal experiences with readers and travel enthusiasts at large to make them enjoy the wonderful beauty of the world as he sees it.
Hey, I am so glad to read your thoughts because I really enjoyed reading this. The way you explain your travel experience is truly awesome.
Hey Priya
Thanks for your kind words and info. Keep on following our blogs for more such informative posts in the future!
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