The Labour Day long weekend is days away. Friday 1 May 2026 is a public holiday across India — May Day, Maharashtra Day in Mumbai, and Buddha Purnima all on the same date — giving most readers a built-in three-day break.
This guide is about where to go for that May Day weekend, and for the long weekends still left in 2026 from Kolkata, New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore. Search flights and compare hotels on Wego while the calendar is still open.
Remaining long weekends of 2026
These are the long weekends left in 2026 — between now and 31 December — built around the Department of Personnel and Training’s gazetted central holidays.
We’ve skipped Saturday and Sunday holidays because they don’t extend the weekend. That rules out Independence Day (Sat 15 Aug 2026) and Diwali (Sun 8 Nov 2026) for long-weekend planning, even though both remain public holidays.
| Date | Holiday | Day | Long weekend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 May | Buddha Purnima / May Day | Friday | 3-day (Fri–Sun) |
| 27 May | Bakrid (Eid al-Adha) | Wednesday | 5-day with Thu+Fri leave |
| 26 Jun | Muharram | Friday | 3-day (Fri–Sun) |
| 2 Oct | Gandhi Jayanti | Friday | 3-day (Fri–Sun) |
| 20 Oct | Dussehra | Tuesday | 4-day with Mon leave |
| 25 Dec | Christmas | Friday | 3-day (Fri–Sun) |
Two getaways for each city below — one quick win, one with a bigger payoff.
From Kolkata: Hill villages and terracotta heartland
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport sits within an hour’s flight of the Eastern Himalayas, and a short drive west drops you into Bengal’s terracotta and Tagore country. The off-beat Kolkata weekend menu is mountain village to the north, heritage town to the west.
Darjeeling or Gangtok
Best for: May Day (1 May), Muharram (26 Jun), Gandhi Jayanti (2 Oct).
Fly Kolkata to Bagdogra (IXB) — about a 1-hour flight — then drive 3 to 3.5 hours up to Darjeeling, or 4 to 4.5 hours to Gangtok. IndiGo, Air India, and Akasa run multiple daily frequencies.
- Darjeeling — toy train, Tiger Hill sunrise, Happy Valley tea estate; cool 10–18°C in May, monsoon-misty in June.
- Gangtok — MG Marg, Rumtek Monastery, Tsomgo Lake (permit required); roads can wash out in heavy monsoon, so check before booking June trips.
Browse hotels in Darjeeling or hotels in Gangtok.
Bishnupur or Shantiniketan
Best for: Gandhi Jayanti (2 Oct), Dussehra (20 Oct), Christmas (25 Dec) — both inland Bengal towns are at their best post-monsoon when the heat eases. Skip in May–June; both can cross 40°C.
Bishnupur sits about 200 km west of Kolkata in Bankura district — a 4 to 5-hour drive, or roughly 4 hours by train from Howrah. Shantiniketan is 165 km north, around 3 hours by road or 1h 30m on the Howrah–New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat (22301), which departs Howrah at 05:55 and stops at Bolpur Shantiniketan at 07:25, per Indian Railways.
- Bishnupur — Malla-era terracotta temples (Rasmancha, Jorbangla, Madanmohan), Bishnupur gharana classical music, Baluchari saree weavers’ workshops.
- Shantiniketan — Tagore’s Visva-Bharati campus, the Saturday Sonajhuri haat, Kala Bhavana art trails.
If you have the longer Bakrid 5-day window, combine both: Howrah → Bolpur (Shantiniketan) → Bishnupur → Howrah. Browse hotels in Bishnupur or hotels in Shantiniketan.
From New Delhi: Himalayan foothills and Rajasthan
Indira Gandhi International Airport connects to almost every domestic short-haul, and Delhi sits within driving distance of three hill states and the Rajasthan circuit.
Lansdowne or Mussoorie
Best for: May Day (1 May), Bakrid (27 May, 5-day with leave), Gandhi Jayanti (2 Oct), Dussehra (20 Oct), Christmas (25 Dec — pack heavy layers, Lansdowne can drop near freezing).
Lansdowne is a 6-hour drive from Delhi into the Pauri Garhwal hills, sitting at around 1,706 metres — a colonial cantonment town with no commercial strip, just pine forests, ancient churches, and walking trails. Mussoorie is the busier flagship hill station: 7 hours by road, or 50 minutes flying to Dehradun (DED) plus a 1h 15m drive uphill.
- Lansdowne — Tip-in-Top viewpoint, Bhulla Tal lake, St. Mary’s Church, Tarkeshwar Mahadev temple as a half-day side trip.
- Mussoorie — Camel’s Back Road, Kempty Falls, Landour bakeries; busiest in May–June, so book hotels first.
Jaipur or Udaipur
Best for: Gandhi Jayanti (2 Oct), Dussehra (20 Oct), Christmas (25 Dec).
The Vande Bharat Express (20977/20978) connects Delhi Cantt and Jaipur in roughly 3h 40m, with the southbound 20978 leaving Delhi Cantt at 18:28 and reaching Jaipur by 22:05; the return 20977 leaves Jaipur at 07:47 and arrives Delhi Cantt by 11:30 — handy for a Sunday-evening return, per Indian Railways. Udaipur is a 1h 15m flight or an overnight train.
| Destination | From DEL | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Jaipur | ~3h 40m by train, ~55m flight | Forts, bazaars, food |
| Udaipur | ~1h 15m flight | Lakes, palaces, slow weekends |
Jaipur if it’s your first Rajasthan trip; Udaipur if you’ve done the bigger forts and want a quieter weekend. Search flights to Jaipur and flights to Udaipur.
From Mumbai: Western Ghats and the Konkan coast
Maharashtra has enough hill stations and quiet coastline to fill most of these long weekends. The May Day stretch is the immediate window, and the Konkan villages south of Mumbai stay the most overlooked alternative to Goa.
Lonavala or Mahabaleshwar
Best for: May Day (1 May, monsoon-friendly Lonavala), Muharram (26 Jun, peak monsoon), Gandhi Jayanti (2 Oct), Christmas (25 Dec).
Lonavala is the quick fix — about 85 km from Mumbai, under two hours by car or local train from CSMT and Dadar. Mahabaleshwar is the bigger payoff at around 213 km, roughly 5 hours by road, and properly hill-station in feel.
- Lonavala — monsoon-friendly with waterfalls peaking July–September; easy to combine with Karjat or Khandala.
- Mahabaleshwar — best November–February for cool weather and strawberry season; built for a Saturday-to-Monday window.
Search hotels in Lonavala or hotels in Mahabaleshwar.
Velas or Diveagar
Best for: Gandhi Jayanti (2 Oct), Dussehra (20 Oct), Christmas (25 Dec) — Konkan coast is at its best post-monsoon. Olive Ridley turtle hatching at Velas peaks Feb–April, so the May–June window is mostly hot beach.
Velas is a Ratnagiri district village about 220 km south of Mumbai — roughly 5h 30m by road, with Bankot Fort 5 km away. Diveagar is the closer alternative: around 170 km and a 4-hour drive, with a long quiet beach and the Suvarna Ganesh temple.
- Velas — homestays through the SNM Sahyadri Nisarga Mitra conservation collective, Olive Ridley nesting beach, walking trails to Bankot Fort, Harihareshwar temple across the Savitri estuary.
- Diveagar — coconut palm beach, low-rise homestays, easy add-on to Shrivardhan and Harihareshwar; better for travelers who want a shorter drive.
Browse hotels in Ratnagiri or hotels in Diveagar; Velas itself runs almost entirely on village homestays — book direct through the SNM network.
From Bangalore: Coffee, the Coromandel, and a hidden canyon
Kempegowda International Airport is well connected, but Bangalore’s best long-weekend stories are the drives — coffee plantations to the west, the French coast to the east, a Grand Canyon analogue across the Andhra border to the north.
Coorg or Wayanad
Best for: May Day (1 May), Muharram (26 Jun, monsoon-magic), Dussehra (20 Oct).
Coorg is about a 5 to 6-hour drive southwest of Bangalore through the Western Ghats, into Karnataka’s coffee belt. Wayanad is a 6 to 7-hour drive across the Kerala border, with thicker forest and more wildlife.
- Coorg — plantation stays, Abbey Falls, Raja’s Seat sunset; cool through the year, lush in monsoon.
- Wayanad — Edakkal Caves, Banasura Sagar Dam, Chembra Peak trek; check Kerala Forest Department alerts during monsoon for landslide closures.
Browse hotels in Coorg or hotels in Wayanad.
Pondicherry or Gandikota
Best for: Gandhi Jayanti (2 Oct), Dussehra (20 Oct), Christmas (25 Dec) — both work best Oct–Feb. Gandikota crosses 40°C in May–June, so skip the early-summer windows.
Pondicherry is a 6 to 7-hour drive east — French Quarter cafes, Promenade Beach, Auroville. Gandikota is around 6 hours northeast across the Andhra Pradesh border, where the Penna river cuts a dramatic gorge through the Erramalai range — locally called India’s Grand Canyon.
- Pondicherry — heritage stays in the French Quarter, scooter rides to Auroville, beach evenings at Paradise or Serenity.
- Gandikota — 16th-century Madhavaraya Temple inside the cliffside fort, sunset over the canyon rim, Belum Caves (India’s second-longest cave system) as a 90-minute add-on.
Browse hotels in Pondicherry or hotels in Kadapa (the nearest city to Gandikota); the AP Tourism Haritha Resort is the on-site option at the canyon.
Long weekend planning tips
- Book 4–6 weeks ahead. Last-minute fares to Bagdogra, Dehradun, and Udaipur often double on long weekends.
- Cap travel at 5 hours door-to-door. Anything longer eats your trip.
- Match the destination to the season. Hills (Lansdowne, Mussoorie, Darjeeling, Coorg, Mahabaleshwar) shine in May and post-monsoon; the Konkan coast, Bishnupur, Gandikota, and Rajasthan are best November–February; skip inland plains in May–June, when temperatures cross 40°C.
- Carry-on only. No bag drop, no carousel wait.
- Check forest and weather advisories. Wayanad, Coorg, and stretches of the Northeast see landslide closures during heavy monsoon — state forest department updates are the source of truth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the next long weekend in India in 2026?
Friday 1 May 2026 — Buddha Purnima and May Day (with Maharashtra Day in Mumbai) all fall together, giving a 3-day weekend across the country.
Why are Independence Day and Diwali not in this list?
Both are gazetted holidays in 2026, but Independence Day (15 Aug) is a Saturday and Diwali (8 Nov) is a Sunday — they don’t extend the weekend by themselves.
How far in advance should I book?
Four to six weeks ahead for flights and Vande Bharat trains during peak long weekends. Hotels in Coorg, Darjeeling, Lansdowne, and Udaipur fill up first; Velas village homestays book out for the turtle festival window months in advance.
Train, flight, or drive — what’s the fastest way?
Most weekend reach from Mumbai is best by road — Velas, Diveagar, Lonavala, and Mahabaleshwar all sit within a 5h 30m drive. From Delhi, the 20977/20978 Vande Bharat reaches Jaipur in 3h 40m; flying to Dehradun is the fastest route to Lansdowne or Mussoorie at around 50 minutes.
Which long weekend is best for hill stations?
May Day (1 May) and Gandhi Jayanti (2 Oct) are the sweet spots — pre-monsoon and post-monsoon weather both favor Darjeeling, Lansdowne, Mussoorie, Coorg, and Mahabaleshwar. Christmas works for the cold-weather crowd, but rooms book out faster.
Sources
- DoPT — Central Government Holidays 2026 (PDF)
- National Portal of India — Holiday Calendar
- Time and Date — India Holidays 2026
- Indian Railways — Official Portal
- IRCTC — Train Booking
- Indian Rail Information — 22229 Vande Bharat Schedule
- Incredible India — Ministry of Tourism
- Kerala Forest Department — Wayanad Advisories
- West Bengal Tourism — Bishnupur and Shantiniketan
- Uttarakhand Tourism — Lansdowne
- Maharashtra Tourism — Velas Beach
- SNM Sahyadri Nisarga Mitra — Velas Turtle Festival
- Andhra Pradesh Tourism — Gandikota
Disclaimer: Wego strives to ensure all information presented in this article is accurate and up to date at the time of publication. Travel policies, prices, visa requirements, and conditions can change rapidly. We strongly recommend verifying critical details with official sources before making travel decisions. Wego does not accept liability for any inaccuracies, oversights, or changes that may occur after publication.
