Long Weekends of 2016

A New Year means new possibilities, new opportunities and new hopes of long weekends. The last one is surely the most important. Everyone prays for a national holiday to fall on a Friday or Monday so that they can plan a weekend trip.

You must be already flipping though the calendar to try and see whether the dates are kind this year or not. Fret not, we’ve decided to make life easy for you. Here is a complete list of weekend holidays you’ll get in 2016.

What more, we’ve already highlighted the days you’ll have to take a leave to enjoy that extra long weekend.

Pack your bags. You can thank us later!

• Take Leave: 25th January
• What to Do: January means peak winters in India. Go skiing, have snowball fights or enjoy the picturesque snow-capped peaks.
• Places to Visit: Any Hill Stations

• Take a Leave: 23rd March
• What to Do: March is the best time to travel, really. Clouds vanish, snow melts and flowers bloom. Holi adds a dash of colour, and adds to the festive spirit in the air.
• Places to Visit: Mathura, Vrindavan or Rajasthan to join the famous Holi celebrations. Coorg blooms with white Coffee flowers, and Mahabaleshwar celebrates Mapro Strawberry Festival.

• Take a Leave: 14th April
• What to Do: Summers are in, and you have two awesome options. Go watch Tigers and Rhinos at the several National Parks across the country, or enjoy the tranquil and cool hills.
• Places to Visit: Jim Corbett National Park, Bandhavgarh National Park, Ranthambore National Park, and Kanha National Park for Wildlife. Awesome hill Stations are too many to name, really.

• Take a Leave: 26th August
• What to Do: Come Monsoons, and the hills come alive with fresh vegetation. You can witness this natural beauty unfold. Just stay away from some that are risky due to their landslides. Cities like Munnar and Alibaug also look exceptionally beautiful.
• Places to Visit: Hill stations include the stunning landscapes of Lonavala, Kodaikanal and Kashmir. If you enjoy greenery, then Munnar, Udaipur and Alibaug are the top picks.

• What to Do: Dance your heart away at Mumbai’s most amazing Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations. The spirit of festivities is unmistakable here. You’ve to be there to believe it. Head to Ladakh or Kovalam if you crave adventure.
• Places to Visit: Mumbai for Ganesh Chaturthi. Khandala, Kovalam, Ladakh, and Rajasthan for post Monsoon fun.

• Take a Leave: 10th October
• What to Do: October is the best time to visit almost any part of the country. The weather is moderate and the temperature pleasant at most places. Do whatever you ever wanted.
• Places to Visit: Rishikesh, Wayanad, Mysore for Dussehra and Kolkata for Durga Puja celebrations.

• What to Do: November is known for its clear blue skies, and a hint of cold in the air that’s awesome. You can visit anywhere from the mountains to the seas, and have fun.
• Places to Visit: Varanasi, Rajasthan, Goa and Pushkar for its Camel Fair are a handful of options.

• Take a Leave: 12th December
• What to Do: This is the time to visit the hottest places in the country. Alternatively, head to the hill stations to enjoy snowfall.
• Places to Visit: Rajasthan is great. Kashmir, Manali and Shimla for snowfall.

*Months with no holidays didn’t make it to the list.