Escape Delhi Smog This Diwali: Book A Micro-Cation To These 5 Gorgeous Beach Towns In India | Travel

By Pune Media On Oct 9, 2025

Escape Delhi Smog This Diwali: Book A Micro-Cation To These 5 Gorgeous Beach Towns In India

October in Delhi is a paradox. We are all geared up for festive lights but the sting of smoke has just become to itch our eyes and throat. The infamous Delhi Smog season is right around the corner, and it’ll only get worse post-Diwali. This is why travellers in the know are already booking their Diwali vacations and heading the opposite way: toward the coast. Here are five beach towns in India where you can unwind on Diwali and escape the crackers and the chaos.

Gokarna, Karnataka

If Goa feels too familiar, Gokarna is your coastal antidote. The town has a spiritual side that comes out in spades, as well as a vibe that is meant for slow travelling your way through Gokarna’s beaches like Om, Kudle, and Paradise, framed by cliffs and casuarina trees. You can spend mornings paddle-boarding, afternoons on cliff cafés, and evenings watching locals light diyas on the shore during Diwali. The best way to experience it all is to book one of the boutique cliffside cottages that dot the Kudle Beach for best sunrise views.

How to reach Gokarna: Fly to Goa’s Dabolim or Mopa Airport, then drive three hours south.

Varkala, Kerala

Perched dramatically over the Arabian Sea, Varkala is one of South India’s most photogenic beach towns and certainly its best surfing destination. This time of year, the air is crisp, the seafood fresh, and the sunsets legendary. Diwali long weekend in Varkala could mean a host of things: learning how to surf, cook sea food or just join a yoga class for a week. And there’s always toddy for Diwali evening celebrations.

How to reach Varkala: Fly to Trivandrum International Airport (about 45 minutes away).

Tarkarli, Maharashtra

For travellers who want their micro-cation with a touch of adventure, Tarkarli in Maharashtra is still a relatively lesser-known beach town you can pick. Located along the Konkan coast, it’s known for scuba diving, dolphin spotting, and unspoilt sands. The beach feels blissfully empty compared to Goa, and Diwali here is a quiet affair of diyas flickering on verandas and gentle waves under the moonlight. When you’re in Tarkarli, you HAVE to try the local Malvani cuisine, especially the spicy prawn curry. Pair it with a boat ride along the backwaters of Karli River.

How to reach Tarkarli: Fly to Goa or Ratnagiri, both about four hours by road.

Pondicherry

Pondi has long been a traveller-favourite for its incredible weather and bougainvillea-lined streets that give off Goa feels, without the crowds. The pastel villas and Auroville feel a world away from Delhi’s grey October. You can spend your Diwali long weekend cycling through the French Quarter, sipping coffee at Coromandel Café, or taking a dip at Serenity Beach. You should also keep an evening spare for a visit to the Matrimandir gardens.

How to reach Pondicherry: Fly to Chennai, then drive 3 hours south to Pondicherry.

Mandrem, North Goa

Yes, Goa makes the list but skip the party belt and head to Mandrem instead. Think boutique villas, boho cafés, and long, quiet walks on pale golden sand. Around Diwali, the entire state of Goa celebrates Naraka Chaturdashi and you can see effigies of Narakasura burnt across different pockets of the region. To make Diwali more relaxing, add a massage, a seafood thali, and a hammock, and you’ve found the perfect weekend antidote to Delhi’s pollution.

How to reach Mandrem: Fly directly from Delhi to Mopa Airport; Mandrem is about 45 minutes away.

Travel News – Find latest news and tips based on Indian and World travel including top 10 travel destination, tourism information, how to reach visit and more at Times Now.

_{Images are for reference only.Images and contents gathered automatic from google or 3rd party sources.All rights on the images and contents are with their legal original owners.}

_{Aggregated From –}

_{Source link}