Getting everything ready…
The dates, a simple leave plan, and eight short trips from India you can book now without queuing for a visa.
Short answer: Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday 8 November. Take Monday 9 and Tuesday 10 November off and you get four days, Saturday 7 to Tuesday 10; add Friday 6 November for five. With only a few weeks to go, pick a place with no visa queue: Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Mauritius, Bhutan, Nepal, or Kerala at home.
Dates and entry rules checked on 7 Oct 2026.
Diwali is late this year. Because it lands on a Sunday, there is no automatic long weekend for central government offices, and state holidays for Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj vary. That makes leave planning the first job, and a short-haul trip with a simple entry process the safest choice for a festival week when flights and hotels fill early.
| Day | Festival |
|---|---|
| Fri 6 Nov | Dhanteras |
| Sat 7 Nov | Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) |
| Sun 8 Nov | Diwali, Lakshmi Puja |
| Mon 9 Nov to Wed 11 Nov | Govardhan Puja, Bali Pratipada and Bhai Dooj, dates vary by state |
Diwali is a gazetted holiday on the central government list; in 2026 it falls on a Sunday. Bank and state holidays around it differ by state, so check your state list and your employer's calendar.
Friday evening to Sunday 8 November. Enough for Kerala, or Kathmandu if you fly out Friday night.
Saturday 7 to Tuesday 10 November, taking Monday and Tuesday off. Fits a 3-night trip to Thailand, Sri Lanka or Malaysia.
Friday 6 to Tuesday 10 November. Room for the Maldives, Mauritius or Bhutan at an easier pace.
If your state or bank gives 9, 10 or 11 November as a holiday, you need fewer leave days.
Each entry rule below was checked against the official source on 7 Oct 2026. Holiday packages are priced on request: pick one, ask for a quote, and a NxVoy consultant confirms availability and the final price before you pay.
Entry: Visa-exempt for 30 days for Indian tourists since 15 Sep 2026 (Royal Thai Embassy, New Delhi). Fill the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card online within the 3 days before you land.
Why go: Short flights from several Indian cities, beaches in Krabi, food and shopping in Bangkok.
Entry: Free tourist ETA for Indians since 25 May 2026, valid 30 days with double entry. Apply online at eta.gov.lk before you fly.
Why go: Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, tea estates around Nuwara Eliya, and a short hop from Chennai or Bengaluru.
Entry: Visa-exempt for Indian citizens until 31 Dec 2026 (Immigration Department of Malaysia). Complete the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card before arrival.
Why go: Islands and cable cars in Langkawi, city and food in Kuala Lumpur.
Entry: Free 30-day tourist visa on arrival with a confirmed booking at a registered property and a return ticket. Submit the free IMUGA traveller declaration within 96 hours before arrival (Maldives Immigration).
Why go: A short flight to resort islands; good for a couple's Diwali break.
Entry: No visa for Indians. You need an entry permit, shown with an Indian passport or voter ID, and pay a Sustainable Development Fee of ₹1,200 per person per night (₹600 for children aged 6 to 11) (bhutan.travel).
Why go: Monasteries, mountain air and an easy cultural trip in early November.
Entry: No visa for Indian citizens under the India-Nepal treaty. Carry your original passport or voter ID; for flights, a passport is the safest choice.
Why go: Temples and old squares in the Kathmandu valley, with Tihar celebrations at the same time as Diwali.
Entry: Indian passport holders do not need a visa in advance; the stay is granted on arrival. Carry a return ticket, hotel booking and proof of funds.
Why go: Beaches and lagoons, and a large Indian-origin community that celebrates Diwali too.
Entry: A domestic trip: no visa, no arrival card.
Why go: Munnar's tea hills and the Alleppey backwaters, with early-winter weather.
Bali is also quick: Indians can buy an electronic visa on arrival online (IDR 500,000) and pay Bali's tourist levy (IDR 150,000). It is a paid visa rather than visa-free, so it is not in the list above. For the full list of visa-free and visa-on-arrival countries, see visa-free countries for Indians.
Browse holiday packages, choose one for your dates and request a quote. A NxVoy consultant confirms flights, hotels and the final price with you before any payment. Want ideas first? Ask Shasa, NxVoy's AI travel assistant, for a 4-day plan from your city.
NxVoy is an IATA accredited travel agent and a DPIIT recognised startup, recognised by India's Ministry of Tourism through NIDHI.
Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) is on Sunday 8 November 2026. Dhanteras falls on Friday 6 November and Naraka Chaturdashi on Saturday 7 November, with Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj following between 9 and 11 November depending on your state's calendar.
Diwali is a gazetted central government holiday, but in 2026 it falls on a Sunday, so it does not add a weekday off on its own. Some states and banks give a holiday on 9, 10 or 11 November. Taking Monday 9 and Tuesday 10 November as leave gives you four days, Saturday to Tuesday.
As of 7 Oct 2026: Thailand (30 days visa-exempt, plus an online arrival card), Malaysia (visa-exempt until 31 Dec 2026), Sri Lanka (free online ETA), the Maldives (free visa on arrival), Mauritius (no visa in advance), Bhutan (entry permit and a daily fee) and Nepal (no visa). Rules change, so check again just before you travel.
You can pick a package and request a quote online. A NxVoy consultant then confirms availability, flights and the final price with you before you pay, which matters in a busy festival week.
Sources, checked 7 Oct 2026: DoPT central government holiday list 2026 as published, Royal Thai Embassy New Delhi, tdac.immigration.go.th, eta.gov.lk, Immigration Department of Malaysia, Maldives Immigration, bhutan.travel, and the Indonesia e-visa site.
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