Christmas is the most celebrated festival in the world. It is an occasion for fun, celebrations, and the perfect time to enjoy your time with your family and friends. When it comes to this festival in India, people often relate it to the metro cities where the celebrations are in full swing. but there also are places in the country that are equally wonderful and more joyful to spend your time in. Here are the top 5 places to visit in India during Christmas by Bus.
Goa
With a majority Christian population, Goa has over 400 churches that come alive on Christmas Eve. The beaches across the state also play their role in the celebrations. Although Goa is better known as a New year destination, the celebrations start with Christmas. The Immaculate Conception Church and The Basilica of Bom Jesus are the main churches famous for Christmas Eve mass. You can enjoy wonderful food, drinks, and late-night parties. You can reach here by bus from the main cities in all the neighbouring states such as Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Tirupati, etc., and other towns as well.
Lansdowne
The hill station in Uttarakhand is ideal for a snowy white Christmas. The chilly weather here will welcome you to enjoy the snow, at times. During snow, the place will be nothing short of ethereal with snow-capped mountains and buildings. While the main place for Christmas here will be the St. Mary Church, you can also visit the other places such as Tip N Top viewpoint for a panoramic view, or the mesmerising Bhulla Lake. To reach here by bus, you need to take a bus from Delhi, Faridabad, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, etc. to Kotdwara. From there, you can take a taxi or minibus to reach the hill station.
Manali
Manali is the destination for a dreamy Christmas with added adventure. A perfect place for a white Christmas, Manali will be one of the most crowded places during this period. The Solang Valley will welcome you with its white carpet. You can go paragliding over the mountain and take in the breathtaking view. The local market will be ready for Christmas shopping. If you are lucky, you can enjoy both the snow and shopping. It is easy to reach Manali by bus as there are hundreds of daily buses available from Delhi, Ambala, Chandigarh, Karnal, Panipat, etc. You may choose the economical HPTDC, HTDC, and other volvo bus from Delhi to Manali on redBus to experience the most luxurious private buses to reach here.
Pondicherry
Pondicherry used to be the French Capital of India. The city’s culture is hugely influenced by the French and there are several churches here. All of them will be decorated and see huge crowds during Christmas. Not only are the churches but also the Promenade beach and other clubs around the city come alive during this holiday season. It will be a wonderful place to enjoy the holidays if you want a warmer place. The city will have its most tolerable temperature during this time. Make sure to visit the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, The Church of Our Lady of Angels, the Church of the Assumption, the Church of Our Lady of Good Health, The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, or The Church of Our Lady of Lourdes for the Midnight Mass. You can travel by bus from Chennai, Bangalore, Coimbatore, etc for a more economical or adventurous trip.
Hyderabad
People do not often relate Hyderabad to Christmas. But the city is an ideal location for laid-back Christmas celebrations. If you simply want to spend your time with your family or attend a Midnight mass, you have the options such as Wesley Church in Ramkote or the St Mary’s Basilica in Secunderabad. The malls in the city will be decorated well for the occasion where you can enjoy hearty meals, go shopping, etc. Several hotels here will have special parties where you can get an entry as well. Travel by train, flight or bus from the neighbouring cities or states. Plenty of bus options are available from Bangalore, Panjim, Pune, Mumbai, Ongole, Vijayawada, etc to Hyderabad.
- Raipur to Hyderabad Bus
- Warangal to Hyderabad Bus
- Ananthapur to Hyderabad Bus
- Srikakulam to Hyderabad Bus
Conclusion
A bus trip during Christmas will be a wonderful option for couples. There are multiple pit stops on the way, no matter which route you choose. The public transport system in most cities is incredible with an online booking facility for almost all RTCs. Buses offer the best chance to explore more places in the country that celebrate Christmas with the same enthusiasm as any other metro city. You can get on the interstate and intercity buses to reach the main cities and towns and later the local buses for more remote areas such as hill stations, small villages, etc.
You can also directly login to the redBus website or download the redBus app to print or download the ticket on your own before your journey begins.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas.