Xmas/New Years ideas?

Hi

I have yet to finalize our itinerary, but I think my husband and I will be in the South (along the West Coast) during Xmas and New Year and I was wondering which areas would be good to check out?

We'll visit Goa but prefer to avoid it during the peak times after researching it. We're not looking for huge parties/thoughtless crowds/drugs/booze, but would like to be somewhere with a festive attitude. Any good places for art/music-related events or festivals around that time? Including traditional classical (and devotional) Indian music festivals. Or even just which city/town would be a nice upbeat place for a young couple (and maybe a friend who'll be joining us!) to enjoy over the holiday season? It'd be nice to spend the time in a new culture experiencing something totally different to the parties we can find everywhere else, especially our own countries...

If there's some really good suggestions that aren't on the west coast but relatively close by train, please feel free to tell us where to go! What are your plans for Xmas and New Years?

Hi violetfriday,

Some ideas: Gokarna (good for beach as well as yoga); Hampi (amazing ruins, yoga in plenty also); Varkala beach in Kerala.

If any of these appeal, after you read around the forums, maybe people will give you more details.

If you are interested in theyyam dance celebrations, January in North Kerala is the time to be there.

If you want Indian Classical Music then mid-December to mid-January in Chennai (East coast) is the place to be for the Music Festival held at that time. Plus a dance festival in Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu, from 25th December to 25th January.

All of Yam's ideas are great.

Just one point though, don't be so quick to rule out Goa. There's lots to it, lots more than some people realise and as it's a largely Christian state they also make Christmas feel quite special.

There's lots of quiet parts like Mandrem, Palolem (slightly busier), Benaulim etc.

I spent Xmas 2008 in Goa and, in my opinion, it's the best place to stay. Other than that, I would also highly recommend Mararikulam in Kerala if you want to get away from it all (look online at a beach symphoney - expensive - but worth EVERY penny and more).

NB

theyyamdancer, wow thank you so much for your suggestions! Every one of them seems great!! We honestly only really wanting to go to Goa for the beach but the other two beach spots you mention look SO much more perfect! I don't know much about them but I thought they were too far to travel to, but a quick look online shows me Gokarna is close to Goa and Varkala is only about 4 hours away from Cochin, which is a place we want to check out anyway. If you didn't suggest this, I would have thought Goa would be my best/closest option for beaches...now I'm rethinking spending much time there at all! Hampi is also on the plan, but I didn't know about the yoga there - excellent! Thank you!

Theyyam looks like something we would definitely want to experience, so I'll read more about that too! Hopefully we will see it before leaving in the first week of January. I'd like to go to Chennai but at the moment I'm not sure if we will have time. We're traveling by train (maximum one flight if it can't be avoided) and hoping to see more of each place before moving on. Is there a possibility to hear some live classical music on the West coast in this time? Which places are best to look out for regarding this? Before Xmas, we'll be further North (Delhi, Haridwar, Varanasi, various places in Rajasthan) so perhaps we'll catch something there. Thanks again for absolutely terrific suggestions! Definitely inspired some changes in our itinerary!

NomadicBoo, I hear ya - don't knock it until you've tried it We want to see Goa just to experience it, but the party crowds turn us off that's why we'll work around them hehe. Wow that place Beach Symphony looks nice, but WAY over our budgets - maybe in a few years! Thanks for the suggestions though. Benalium looks really nice from the photos I just saw so I will write that down as a place to visit for sure!

violetfriday,

I am happy if some of the ideas I posted are helpful.

If you want to know more about theyyam, take a look at this very informative report:

Malabar: Theyyams and beyond

For information on classical music, ask IndiaMiker Nick.

Wow thank you SO much theyyamdancer - the post you linked to looks great!! Bookmarked it - will make for some great reading later, especially since I think I'll be taking quite a similar route too, so this has an added benefit of helping me plan the journey! I'm very grateful for all your help and suggestions! You rock

Hey, you are most welcome!