Offbeat Destinations for Christmas Celebration in India
25th December is the sparkling day of the year on which we celebrate Christmas with sweets, gifts, decor and lots of fun. On occasion, all streets and malls get decked up, especially in metropolitan cities. These cities offer charming sceneries on Christmas eve, the tempting smell of cakes and candies, and a celebration that gets last with the welcome of New year.
Goa, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Pondicherry are some of the popular places in India to celebrate Christmas. But If you are looking for some offbeat places this Christmas that give you vibes of festivity but at the same time let you live in some peace out of the chaos of celebration. Here, we’ve curated that list for you.
According to distance and resources, you can reach these sites by rail, air, or road.
Quirky Destinations for Christmas Celebrations
Gulmarg
March to June is the most preferred season for tourists to visit Gulmarg, heaven on earth. But keep the faith; Gulmarg is a pleasant destination for Christmas celebration amid the white snow, chill days, and peace that can be the best gift you can give yourself on the Santa days. On the eve of 25th December and the new year, the city’s streets get decked, restaurants organise parties, and people just wait to experience the snowfall that makes them fall in love with the stunning beauty of Gulmarg.
How to Reach Gulmarg
The nearest railway station to Gulmarg is the Jammu Tawi railway station, around 260 kilometres. The railway station is well-connected to the major Indian cities. You can book a taxi/cab from the station and take a bus to Gulmarg. Although, if you are looking for an air trip to Gulmarg, you can take a flight to its nearest airport, Srinagar, which is 56 Km from Gulmarg. Here you can easily get a bus or taxi to reach Gulmarg.
Although, keep in mind that visiting Gulmarg in December is super cold and fun. So, you must carry warm dresses, musical instruments, a camera, and your favourite book with you on your trip.
Madurai
You must have read about this city in your history textbook; famous for Dravidian-style temples. But, do you know? Madurai is one of the top destinations to celebrate Christmas. Beautifully decorated churches in the city offer a peaceful prayer to Jesus Christ and celebrate the night by decorating Christmas trees, sharing their wishes to God, adoring the street’s beauty, shopping, and enjoying the festivities like carol singing, competitions, and cultural programmes.
How to Reach Madurai
From all the major cities, you can take a train upto Madurai Junction railway station or a flight to Madurai Airport to reach the city. You can take a taxi/cab/bus to explore the city.
Kasol
Nestled in the valley of Himalaya, Kasol, a small town in Kullu, asks you to visit this Christmas. The hamlet located on the bank of Parvati is so stunning that it will offer you a view that doesn’t only soothe your eyes but your soul. On Christmas, Kasol is decked up beautifully with Christmas trees and pops, and different venues organise Christmas parties with stunning music and cultural programmes. If you love to be in a place surrounded by mountains, forests, and snow, Kasol is a perfect destination.
How to Reach Kasol
The nearest airport to Kasol is Kullu Manali Airport, also known as Bhuntar Airport. The airport is 31 Km away from Kasol and well-connected to other major Indian cities. Although, if you are considering taking a rail ride to Kasol’s nearest railway station. You can take a train to Joginder Nagar railway station, and from there, you can head on a scenic road trip to Kasol.
Gangtok
If you think the celebration of Christmas is limited to the beach and snowy city. Then, northeast state Sikkim welcomes you. With snowy mountains, shining lakes, rivers, abundant natural beauty, and monasteries, the small state of Sikkim is the best place for a winter trip. On Christmas, you can plan a trip to its capital Gangtok and enjoy the city’s beautiful decorations on the eve. To celebrate Christmas night in Gangtok, you can also join the local parties in the city. Different venues throw Christmas parties with loads of food and drinks.
How to Reach Gangtok
New Jalpaiguri and Siliguri are the nearest railway stations to Gangtok. You can take a train upto here. Moreover, you can also take a flight to Bagdogra Airport of West Bengal, the nearest airport to Sikkim. Afterwards, you can take a taxi/cab to reach Gangtok and explore the beautiful Tsomgo Lake, Gurudongmar Lake, Yumthang Valley, Teesta River, Nathula Pass etc.
Ooty
A small, beautiful resort town in Tamil Nadu, Ooty is known for tea plantations. It is a fascinating destination for adventure, wanderlust, and picnics. On the Christmas holiday, Ooty gets stunning. The city transforms into a place where each corner celebrates the birthday of Jesus Christ. Moreover, the foggy, cloudy, and chill weather lets you peacefully enjoy Ooty’s breathtaking view on Christmas.
How to Reach Ooty
You can take a train to Udagamandalam railway station, also known as Ooty railway station, to reach Ooty directly. Besides, the nearest airport is Coimbatore International Airport, where you can take a cab/taxi to Ooty.
Lansdowne
‘Home of the Garhwal Rifles’, Lansdowne is a bizarre hill station in Uttarakhand. It is quiet, charming, and full of greenery, beautiful scenery, and lakes. The small historical city has many churches that represent the colonial era. The churches are vested at the high altitude. On Christmas, all the churches get decorated so beautifully. From the Churches, you can witness a view that you will celebrate for life.
How to Reach Lansdowne
To reach Lansdowne by rail, you can take a train to its nearest railhead, Kotdwar railway station, which is 40 km from the town. From there you can take a bus or cab service. Besides, you can take a flight to the nearest airport Dehradun to Lansdowne.
Shillong
The capital of Meghalaya, Shillong, is a picture-perfect destination for Christmas. It is a place where you can enjoy lush greenery, music, and beautiful scenery. On Christmas, ‘the city of clouds’ fills with the same zeal as you can witness in Ayodhya on Diwali. In Shillong, each house gets decorated beautifully, and people sit together and enjoy carol singing, food and wine. Being in Shillong on Christmas, you can visit churches, camp at night, and join the local night parties to make your Christmas merry.
How to Reach Shillong
There is no direct rail or air connectivity to Shillong. The nearest airport to Shillong is Umroi, a domestic airport that links the hill station with Kolkata and other major cities. Besides, the nearest railhead to Shillong is Guwahati. Here, you can easily get a cab/taxi to reach Shillong.
Kovalam
If you are someone looking for an alternative to Goa to celebrate Christmas, Kovalam is a perfect seashore destination. It is a small coastal town in Kerala, famous for its pristine beaches, clean air and water away from the city of chaos and pollution. On Christmas, you can taste Kovalam cuisine and enjoy the world-famous “Toddy”, a sweet indigenous palm wine.
How to Reach Kovalam
Trivandrum central is the nearest railway station to Kovalam. From there, you can reach Kovalam. Apart, if you want an air trip to Kovalam, you can take a flight to Trivandrum Airport and take a taxi/cab to reach Kovalam.
Coorg
Coorg is a popular tourist gateway. You can enjoy your Christmas and new year holidays by taking a walk in coffee plantations and witnessing breathtaking views and lush greenery. During the carnival festival, the beautiful location decked up so beautifully. It is a must-visit place on Christmas because of its peaceful surroundings, natural beauty, and charming weather.
How to Reach Coorg
Coorg has no railway station. Mysore is the nearest railhead to Coorg. You can take a train or a flight to the nearest airport in Mangalore.
Kolad
A small village town in Raigad, Maharashtra, Kolad is a paradise for nature lovers, vested on the bank of the Kundalika river. The picturesque place offers numerous activities to enjoy on Santa days, such as camping, rafting, bonfire etc. On Christmas, you can visit churches, offer prayers to Jesus Christ, and celebrate his birthday.
How to Reach Kolad
Lonavala railway station is the nearest railhead to Kolad. However, you can reach Kolad via Mumbai. First, reach Mumbai by flight or rail and then take a taxi or cab to move to Kolad.
So, when you know where and how you can travel on Christmas. What are you waiting for? Plan your trip in advance.
Why is Christmas Celebrated?
Christmas is a celebration of the birth anniversary of Jesus Christ, Son of God. On this day, people worldwide offer prayers to Jesus, who is believed to have died for the community’s well-being. On this day, mass service is organised at almost every Church. People decorate Christmas trees with pops and enthusiasm.
How Can I Celebrate Christmas?
You can visit Church, join a local party, plan a trip to a well-known location or the offbeat places for Christmas mentioned above to celebrate Christmas. To plan a trip to these locations, you can take the help of the RailMitra rail enquiry app to check trains for Christmas destinations, the PNR status of your IRCTC ticket, view the train live running status and many more.
Moreover, with this app, you can also order food in train and enjoy your rail journey.