The Best Places to Visit in India in October
October in India is a month of festivities and a fairly large number of travel opportunities, given the Indian holiday calendar. If you are looking to take advantage of any of these and plan a quick domestic trip, but are not sure where to go, read on! Here is our go-to list of the best places to visit in India in October.
Havelock Island
Stroll on the beautiful beaches of Andaman
Recently renamed officially to Swaraj Dweep, Havelock Island in the Andaman and Nicobar group of islands is the quintessential beach paradise. One cannot but help be enchanted by the clear turquoise waters, tree-lined beaches with soft golden sands, and the canopy of rainforest covering large parts of Havelock. Catch the famed sunset at Radhanagar Beach, go for a stroll at Kalapathar Beach, take a scuba-diving lesson, or try a round of snorkelling at Elephant Beach. With the end of the monsoon bringing balmy weather, Havelock Island is definitely one of the best places to visit in India in October.
How to reach: Havelock Island can be reached by ferry from Port Blair, the nearest airport.
Shillong
The capital of Meghalaya state, Shillong is a beautiful and green hill station that will appeal to travellers who enjoy offbeat and adventurous travel, as well as being out in nature. Apart from Shillong’s own attractions like Umiam Lake, Don Bosco Centre and Ward’s Lake, the town is a great base to explore neighbouring Cherrapunji and Dawki. The wonderful photo-ops and amazing weather at this time make Shillong top our list of the best places to visit in India in October. Spend a couple of days exploring Meghalaya’s unique natural beauty, from the waterfalls of Cherrapunji and the caves and Living Root Bridges of Mawsmai to Mawlynnong, the cleanest village in Asia. Shillong is so ethereally beautiful, you’ll be planning a second trip even before you leave!
How to reach: Shillong has a small airport with a few flight connections; Guwahati airport (2.5 hours drive away) is much better connected and a better bet.
Kumbhalgarh
Speaking of the best places to visit in India in October, one cannot miss mentioning Rajasthan. October is a great time to visit Kumbhalgarh (about 100km north of Udaipur), best known for its 15th-century hilltop Fort, the second-largest in Rajasthan. Within the Fort, you will find a number of palaces and over 300 Hindu and Jain temples. The 36km-long wall of this impregnable Fort is known to be the second-longest wall in the world, next only to the Great Wall of China. Apart from the Kumbhalgarh Fort, which is a World Heritage Site and also famous for being the birthplace of Rana Pratap, visitors to Kumbhalgarh can also enjoy leopard safaris in the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary.
How to reach: You can reach Kumbhalgarh by road in 3 hours from Udaipur, the closest airport.