India’s Independence Day and Parsi New Year may be over but this is just the start of the long weekend season, as Indian travelers begin planning their festive escapes in India and around the world.
In an interesting revelation, Agoda’s July accommodation search data offers a glimpse into the destinations capturing travelers’ attention for the upcoming long weekends including Rakshabandhan and Janmashtami. Based on accommodation searches made between May 1 and July 31 for stays during the respective long weekends, the data highlights a balanced mix of beach destinations, cultural hubs, hill retreats and nearby international cities, reflecting the growing preference for short yet diverse holiday experiences.
Rakshabandhan long weekend travel plans
For the Rakshabandhan long weekend, Goa, Mumbai and Puri emerged as the top three most searched domestic destinations on digital travel platform. Goa’s monsoon season offers a different side of the destination, with its hinterland turning lush and green and its waterfalls and countryside becoming part of the experience. Mumbai, meanwhile, offers a compact city break built around its food, culture and entertainment. Puri on the other hand brings together the spiritual significance of the Jagannath Temple with a long stretch of coastline, making it one of the few destinations where a pilgrimage and a beach holiday naturally coexist.
Beyond the top three, Ooty, Munnar, Lonavala and Varanasi also feature in the domestic top 15, spanning traveller interest across monsoon-friendly hill escapes and spiritual ghats.
For international travel, Singapore, Bali and Bangkok take the top three most-searched spots for the Rakshabandhan break. Singapore’s appeal lies in how easily a single trip can combine neighborhoods such as Little India, Chinatown and Kampong Gelam with attractions, gardens and its distinctive hawker culture. Bali offers more than a conventional beach break, with its temple-filled cultural landscape. Lastly, Bangkok brings together ornate temples, street-food culture and a distinctly energetic urban rhythm. Further down the top 15, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City and Tokyo are key Asian hotspots that offer different flavors of international travel, while London and Paris feature among the longer-haul options.
Janmashtami long weekend travel bucketlist
For the Janmashtami long weekend, Goa also takes the number one position based on accommodation searches, followed by Udaipur with its distinctive mix of elegant lakes and grand Mewar-era palaces. Mumbai once again features among the top three, offering a contrasting urban break. The wider domestic top 15 include destinations like Pondicherry, Chennai, Jaipur and Leh showing continued interest in coastal and heritage destinations alongside hill escapes. Leh in particular offers the most distinct experience in the list, with high-altitude Buddhist monasteries and stark Himalayan landscapes.
Internationally, Singapore, Dubai and Bali are the top three searched destinations for the Janmashtami break. Singapore and Bali continue to feature among the leading choices, while Dubai brings a different proposition, combining a highly urban holiday with access to desert experiences and adventures. The international top 15 also includes Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Phuket, the Maldives, Hong Kong, and Hanoi, highlighting the range of destinations that travelers are considering across Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean.
Gaurav Malik, country director, Indian Subcontinent & Indian Ocean Islands, Agoda, shares, “Festive long weekends continue to be an important opportunity for Indian travelers to take a break without extended time away from work. This year’s search patterns reflect a growing appetite for varied travel experiences, from beach holidays, cultural destinations and nature escapes within India to international city breaks across Asia and beyond.”
New travel survey reveals top searched destinations for festive long weekends
