Where to celebrate New Year’s Eve 2023 in India
Tourists enjoying quaint market experience in Gulmarg (MIG photos/Aman Kanojiya)
Almost in every part of the world, it has become a tradition to welcome the New Year with a great deal of festivity and cheer. For those who like to travel, it is one of the best moments to step out and hit some of their preferred destinations. Over the years, for the Indian tourists as well, it had become a norm to seek out some exotic destination overseas to spend the moment with their loved ones.
However, as Covid-19 pandemic has severely limited options to travel outside India, at least without too many hassles of restrictions and dos and donts, many Indians are happier picking some domestic destinations where they would welcome 2023. For those who still may not have decided on their destination, here are some of the top picks from across India where welcoming the New Year is a memorable one.
Goa
St. Francis Xavier church, oldest church of Goa is a major tourist attraction (Photo: MIG)
Undoubtedly, Goa is the topmost choice for a New Year celebration. This pocket-sized beach paradise is most colourful and has a happy vibe during the days before New Year. Indeed, there seems to be an eternal party going on here and that’s the reason Goa is also known as the “party state” which offers plenty of lovely beaches with pleasant weather and a distinct culture attracts the party lovers. Every hotel, beach, famous pub, restaurant and club of Goa hosts a party that goes on till the wee hours of the morning. The mixture of nature’s beauty as one witnesses the last sunset of the year to the beachside fireworks that go on till late in the night, along delectable local cuisine, amazing music and the ambience makes every tourist feel that Goa is the best place to celebrate New Year Eve.
Kerala
Quiet Varkala beach in Kerala
Alongside Goa, another favourite state in the country for vacationers and specially during the winter holidays, is Kerala. To have a perfect New Year, the state offers a wide variety of options with different kinds of landscapes and settings, steeped in local culture and heritage that make the occasions something to remember for long.
While the beaches like Kovalam are very well known, the state also abounds with numerous hill stations that transport the travellers to another world. One such hill station is Wayanad in northern Kerala that offers majestic views of the Nilgiris and the Western Ghats. Wayanad has gained a lot of popularity and it’s also one of the best destinations to celebrate the New Year, amidst mist-covered mountains, spice plantations and also stretches of lush green valleys, making for a scenic view. Wayanad is a perfect place for a peace lover who wants to enjoy the New Year away from the load music and overcrowded places.
Another way to celebrate New Year Eve in Kerala is in a houseboat on the famed backwaters, that have become one of the biggest attractions of Kerala. There is an awesome treat for the tourist who visits the Cochin Carnival in Kochi or the burning of Papaanji, the gigantic Santa Claus takes place exactly at midnight and it is the major highlight of New Year celebration in Kerala.
Cochin Carnival is a fully complete visual delight for the tourist. Tourist can take part in the colourful procession as well as grandiose events. One can also dance away the night or enjoy night-long music concerts.
Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir
Gulmarg during winter season (MIG photos/Aman Kanojiya)
To indulge in some adventurous activities and to have a celebratory mood in a peaceful setting, Gulmarg is one of the best places to greet the New Year. It is a picturesque location which is deep in snow in December and offers some of the best skiing opportunities, not just in India, but indeed around the world. Gulmarg also has the highest ski lift in the world, climbing to over 3980 m.
Himachal Pradesh
The neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh is another place that attracts tourists on all special occasions, notably the winter vacations and the Chrismtas to New Year week. In Himachal, a number of places can be worth visiting, but here are a couple of them.
Manali is a beautiful township which is crowded with tourists throughout the year. Manali started to be known as a tourist’s paradise in the early 20th century and now it is one of the most popular destinations of India. Manali is famous for its cool climate and snowcapped mountains, where the tourists can have enjoy a bonfire in the freezing atmosphere. Around the New Year, tourists can also plan road trip with a narrow strip of motorable road carved out of a heap of snow, with fantastic views of the bright, white sheet that stretches to as far as the eye can see.
McLeodGanj is another place in Himachal Pradesh that has come to be known as a great place to celebrate the New Year, thanks to its unique mix of Indian and Tibetan cultures, thanks to the presence of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government in exile as well as a large Tibetan population. McLeodGanj is surrounded by cedar forests and is on the edge of the Himalayas. It offers several sightseeing places to view, cafes, spiritual centers and celebration in McLeodGanj near Dharamshala with a peaceful surrounding will be perfect.
Udaipur, Rajasthan
Lake Pichola in Udaipur
Udaipur, the city of lakes, is one of the best options to visit for the New Year. With a wide variety of hotels and resorts to suit every budget and every taste, Udaipur is a treat for those who want to celebrate their New Year in a royal vibe and to have the royal lifestyle. Lovely lakes add charm to the landscape as the soft desert sun keeps one warm in the days and nights are pleasantly chilly.
Delhi
The national capital, with its numerous pubs, bars and night clubs, also has a number of options for people looking to celebrate the New Year. The night clubs or prime locations such as Hauz Khas, Connaught Place or Khan Market offer innumerable settings to call in the New Year.
Bengaluru, Karnataka
The Silicon Valley of India or Bengaluru is yet another ideal location celebrate New Year where people can participate in lots of open concerts, pubs, cafes, entertainment centres. The city’s attraction becomes even more unique thanks to its large expatriate population that belongs to dozens of countries around the world. Moreover, the City of Gardens with its pleasant weather and immense greenery is a dream place for those looking to celebrate the occasion. Luxurious hotels, resorts where various party venues amaze the crowds, especially the youth and there is a wide variety of parties in the city throughout the night.
Puducherry
Lovely beaches with pleasant weather attracts the party lovers (Photo: MIG)
Someone looking add a touch of European or rather French flavour to their New Year celebrations should head to the southern city of Puducherry. With its French colonial heritage, numerous French restaurants as well as a thriving French cultural scene and several heritage buildings, Puducherry is another unique place to mark the occasion. From resort and pubs to beaches and club, the day is filled with energy and culture. Beaches are a main draw in Pondicherry, as they allow people to eyewitness the sunsets and throng the city beach. Throughout the night, there are fireworks and bonfires at the shoreline, as well as glitzy parties with load music that rings in the New Year.
