Aranya Doloi
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Isn’t celebrating New Year sort of becoming monotonous? I mean, going to the same clubs to attend the same parties with the same people year after year- the feeling of déjà vu is hard to escape. But as you’re gearing up to celebrate the pending year once again, what about coming out of your comfort zone and heading out to a different place to celebrate New Year.
Friends, family or your better half, whoever you’re planning to celebrate, this list of places in India to celebrate New Year will give it the grand start it truly deserves.
#1 Goa
Nightclub parties, cheap booze, beach shacks and grand dances on lit-up streets, and some of the country’s best music events have landed Goa among the top New Year destinations in India. If that’s not your kind, Goa also offers peaceful and intimate revelries and is blessed with a rich biodiversity. Add the luxurious hotels, the umpteen food choices and the sea cruise to your list and you have the best places to welcome 2019.
#2 Udaipur
The shimmering Lake Pichola, the purple ridges of the wooded Aravalli Hills stretching in all directions – Udaipur has a romance of setting unmatched in Rajasthan and probably in all India. If you’re welcoming the New Year here, there’s lot in store for you including the tranquility of boat rides on the lake, the bustling and colourful ancient bazaars, lively arts scene and some lovely countryside to explore.
#3 Kochi
This coastal town witnesses loads of year end action on the beach with music concerts and open-air parties. But you’ll get the best vibe of New Year at the Cochin Carnival which starts in the last week of December and goes on till the first day of the New Year. Be a part of this throwback to the New Year revelry started by the Portuguese and welcome the 2019 with much fun and fiesta.
#4 McLeodganj
If you want to welcome the New Year peacefully amidst nature, McLeodganj is your go-to place. The incredible beauty of nature, the food cafes, the unique Tibetan culture and the mini treks (if you’re up for it) make this small town an ideal place to celebrate the upcoming year. If your stars are aligned, you might also witness some bits of snowfall.
#5 Puducherry
French up your New Year with baguettes cops in kepis, locals speaking in fluent French and of course the beachfront cafes serving croissant au beurre and croque monsieur. Hire a bicycle and take leisurely rides through the coconut tree-laden roads. You can kick start 2019 with a spiritual journey to the multinational experimental township – Auroville.
#6 Havelock
Dive deep into the ocean to a truly quiet, completely silent place to meditate on what 2019 has in store for you. You’ll witness the bluest waters and the most dazzling white sand beaches in Havelock Island in Andaman. You can start the year also by sea kayaking through mangroves or taking a boat ride amidst the beautiful coral reefs.
#7 Auli
Bring in a cosy New Year sitting by a fireside with a brandy-infused hot punch or a cup of cocoa in the winter wonderland of Auli, Uttarakhand. Ski on the snow-covered slopes while treating yourself to the panoramic view of the Himalayan peaks. You can also go exploring haunted places or take a dip in one of the hot springs.
#8 Munnar
You’ll be engulfed in a sea of a thousand shades of green in Munnar. Welcome the New Year amidst rolling hills covered by a sculptural carpet of tea plantations. Even the mountain scenery is magnificent and you’re often up above the clouds as you watch veils of mist clinging below the mountain tops. Stay at one of the many planters’ bungalows and you’ll experience all of these at their best.
#9 Shillong
What could be better than welcoming the New Year at the rock capital of India. The city provides you with a bunch of different events to choose your New Year bash. It’ll also be fun to drive out of the city a little away and pitch some tents in one of the sprawling meadows or visit the area around the Sacred Forest and have your own intimate festivities.
#10 Ooty
If you’ve well passed the party era and want some peaceful and quiet evenings as you enter 2019, Ooty promises you that. Spend your days engaging in farm activities like tending the horses, picking vegetables and waiting meditatively for a catch at a fish pond. End your day with a crackling bonfire and a peaceful meal and there goes the much-needed vacation you were yearning for.
