An extra leave squeezed between the weekend and back-to-back holidays for Dol and Holi and there you have a five-day break - enough to steal a vacation to some place nearby.
Dol and Holi fall on March 7 (Tuesday) and March 8 (Wednesday) this year. Many are taking a leave on March 6 (Monday) to make it a five-day break and get away.
Travel operators said the demand for hotels and resorts at popular tourist spots has skyrocketed.
Beaches high on the agenda
Mandarmani Shutterstock
“Most people had started planning and booking way back in mid-January. Mandarmani, Digha, Talsari and Bakhali are among the most popular destinations,” said Saurav Roy, an executive of a travel agency.
In south Bengal, tourist spots in Bankura, Purulia and Birbhum are also high in demand. “Most people will board trains on Friday evening and reach their destinations the same night so that they can start celebrations from Saturday,” said Samiran Aich, manager of a leading travel agency in West Bengal. He also said this is the ideal time to visit south Bengal because of the scenic beauty, especially when the palash blooms.
Rasmancha in Bishnupur, Bankura Shutterstock
Off to foreign lands
International destinations like Thailand and Vietnam are calling, too. “It’s an ideal time for trips to several south Asian countries. It takes a few hours to reach Thailand and Vietnam and a number of people have applied for visas to these destinations,” said Anil Punjabi, chairman eastern region, Travel Agents’ Federation of India.
Thailand Shutterstock
Resorts for a relaxing break
Sudhes Poddar, president of the Hotel & Restaurant Association of Eastern India, said Raichak and Vedic Village are also high on the holidayers’ list.
Aich said tourists are looking for a decent place to enjoy the Holi celebrations. “A guarded property like a resort is usually an ideal place to have fun with friends and family and most tourists are opting for the same,” said Aich, adding that many resorts are arranging special events for Holi and Dol.
Not many takers for north Bengal
The chill that refuses to go away has been a deterrent for north Bengal vacations. “We are getting good responses for Siliguri, but very few queries for Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Sikkim,” said Sandipan Addya, a North Bengal-based travel agent.