Holi 2025 Travel: Top 5 Destinations In India To Make The Most Of Your Long Weekend | Culture News
Vibrant colours, enthusiastic celebrations, loads of thandai and sweet, rain dance, DJ parties or simply get-together with friends and family – Holi is all this and more! However, Holi is also the time to satisfy your travel bug, esepecially if it’s a long weekend like this year. Holi 2025 is on March 14, a Friday.
Travel search engine Skyscanner’s Travel Trends 2025 report found that 91% of Indian travellers believe that vacations help them unwind and recharge. Skyscanner data shows that 13 March and 15 March are currently the most popular dates Indians are travelling on. If you are looking for last-minute inspiration, here are the top 5 destinations as per the travel search engine that you can explore.
1. Vrindavan & Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
Want to celebrate Holi in the most spectacular way possible? The twin cities of Vrindavan and Mathura are the places to be! Here, Holi is celebrated as a multi-day spectacle, steeped in history, devotion, and an explosion of colour. From Barsana’s ‘Lathmar Holi,’ where women playfully chase men with sticks, to ‘Phoolon wali Holi’ at the Banke Bihari Temple, where petals replace coloured powder, every ritual carries a story centuries in the making.
As per Skyscanner data, there is a 353% surge in searches for flights to the nearest airport, Agra, for March 12, compared to the same day in February. Even more striking, searches for March 11 alone spiked 417% as compared to the previous day.
2. Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Holi in Varanasi is a dream come true. So it should not surprise anyone that Varanasi ranks second among the most searched destinations for travel between 12th and 18th March*. If you are planning a trip to the city, here’s a pro tip from Skyscanner: Aim for a flight that lands late the night before or early on Holi morning for the ultimate experience. From watching the sunrise over the Ganges, experiencing the main Holi festivities at the Dashashwamedh Ghat and Kashi Vishwanath Temple, witnessing the evening Ganga Aarti – Varanasi is nothing but magic.
Also Read: Holi 2025: Auspicious Colours For Each Zodiac Sign – Include THESE Shades In Your Celebrations
3. Goa
When it comes to travel, Goa is never out of favour. Ranked No. 4 among the most searched destinations during the Holi weekend, it is clear that Goa is more than a summer escape — it’s a festive hotspot. Dance your way through beachside parties or explore its famous forts and churches in the golden morning light. You can experience Holi at temples in Ponda or Vasco to add a local twist to your celebrations.
4. Kolkata, West Bengal
The City Of Joy will welcome you with open arms as you celebrate ‘Dol Jatra’ with its residents. Ranked among the top Holi getaways, Kolkata brings its own artistic flair to the festival. Splash colours on the streets of College Street, enjoy Park Street’s Holi parties that offer the perfect mix of revelry and relaxation, and gorge on some delish desserts – malpua, thandai, and sandesh. If you want to travel out of town, head to Shantiniketan, which is around 190 km from Kolkata. The streets of Shantiniketan come alive with Basanta Utsav, a mesmerising display of Rabindranath Tagore’s legacy, where people dressed in vibrant yellows sing, dance, and welcome spring in the most poetic way possible.
5. Mumbai, Maharashtra
Think Bollywood beats and colour-soaked streets, and Mumbai comes to mind. India’s financial capital definitely knows how to celebrate in style, with high-energy parties, foot-thumping music, and a truly infectious festival spirit. While you can savour the classic Mumbai Holi vibes at Juhu Beach and Chowpatty – crowds and colours are aplenty here with the Arabian Sea adding to the magic – if you love to party, then don’t miss out on the city’s legendary Bollywood-style Holi parties. Indulge in puran poli, thandai, and jalebis from the city’s famous street stalls.
