Experience Best Holi Celebration In India At These 10 Iconic Places

Known as the cities where Radha and Krishna belonged, Mathura and Vrindavan celebrate Holi like no other, stretching across seven whole days, celebrating a different kind of Holi each day. Since they're situated about 30 minutes away from each other, you can experience Holi in both these cities in a truly traditional and magnificent way.

You can experience the Phoolon Wali Holi at the Banke Bihari Temple and witness the Widow's Holi at the Pagla Baba Ashram in Vrindavan. For the main Holi celebration with dry colours, you can head to Dwarkadheesh Temple in Mathura.

Holi Schedule: 7 March: Barsana Laddu Holi, 8 March: Barsana Lathmar Holi, 9 March: Nandgaon Holi, 10 March: Vrindavan Phoolwalon Ki Holi/Mathura Holi, 11 March: Gokul Holi, 13 March: Holika Dahan, 14 March: Dhulandi Holi

Where To Stay:  Shri Gopal Ji Dham (budgeted stay), Brijwasi Royal (mid-priced hotel) and Best Western (high-range stay). 

How To Reach There: The nearest railway station is Mathura Junction and the nearest airport is in Agra, which is 50 kilometres away from the main city. 

LBB Tip: The day after Holi, 30 kilometres away from Mathura is Baldeo where Huranga Holi is celebrated. 

Holi in Sangla is celebrated as a part of the Fagli festival in Himachal Pradesh. Located in the higher ranges of the Kinnaur district, Sangla Holi is one of the best Holi celebrations in India, which is a bucket-list-worthy affair. The locals dress traditionally,  and come together to celebrate the festival over two days. During the Holika Dahan, they dance around the pyre and sing Himachali folk songs. It's a super scenic and unique way to have one of the best Holi in India!

Where To Stay: Zostel Sangla (budgeted stay), Mount Kailash (mid-range stay) and Hotel Batseri (high-range stay). 

How To Reach There: The primary way to reach Sangla is by road, traveling from Shimla via a scenic drive through towns like Narkanda and Rampur. You can reach Shimla by bus, taxi or train as well. 

The city of lakes takes its Holi celebrations to the roads and does it spectacularly. Head here if you want to experience the charm of the Mewari culture, delicious Marwari sweets and one of the best celebrations of Holi in India, royalty ensured.

The celebrations begin at the City Palace with the Mewar Holika Dahan, where the royal family graces the event by lighting up the pyre. You'll find Rajasthani folk dancers performing the local dance 'Gair.'  It's quite a musical occasion, followed by a royal rally with horses, elephants and camels until Manek Chowk. The day is concluded with fireworks. On the day of Holi, the city lanes turn vibrant with locals and travellers playing with wet and dry colours, pichkaris and balloons.

Where To Stay: The Hosteller (budgeted stay), Brahma Niwas (mid-range stay) and Taj Lake Palace (high-range stay). 

How To Reach There: Reach Jaipur via flight, landing at the Jaipur International Airport or train, at the Jaipur Junction Railway Station. Trains from Jaipur to Udaipur take 7 hours. You can also reach Udaipur directly via trains by getting down at Udaipur City railway station and Rana Pratap Nagar railway station. 

Head to the Dev Bhoomi, Rishikesh, for a mix of holy and modern Holi celebrations. The Triveni Ghat (the confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna and the Saraswati) is where you can head to experience the grand Ganga aarti. On the day before Holi, Phoolon Ki Holi is celebrated with flower petals just after the aarti. At Laxman Chowk, the pyre is lit near the main Laxman Jhula market for the Holika Dahan. On the day of Holi, travellers and locals get together at Laxman Chowk to play with dry colours with a Bollywood DJ setup. The local families and hostels throw water balloons from their residences. It's a simple yet super joyful affair, quite easily one of the best holi festival in India. 

Where To Stay: Zostel Rishikesh (Tapovan) (budgeted stay), Hotel Ishan - A Riverside Retreat by Salvus (mid-range stay) and Aloha On The Ganges (high-range stay). 

How To Reach There: Fly to Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, which is the closest airport, located around 35 kilometres away from Rishikesh, then you can drive to the city. You can also take a train to Haridwar and then travel by road to Rishikesh. 

Holi in Shantiniketan of Bolpur town is very different than other cities. Here it is called Basanta Utsab, which means the celebration of spring. If you want to witness and play the most authentic traditions, then go to the Visva-Bharati University in the neighbourhood. Mostly dressed in shades of yellow, the locals host cultural programs coupled with the music of Rabindranath Tagore, followed by greeting each other with colours (abeer). This will be a very calm and pleasant way to celebrate Holi in the lap of nature.

Where To Stay: Chaiti Eco Homestay (budgeted stay), Santiniketan Residency and The Creek (mid-range stay). 

How To Reach There: Reach Kolkata and from Kolkata's Howrah Station, travel in a train to Bolpur Shantiniketan railway station. 

Pushkar is where you need to head if you are looking for a Holi celebration that takes the entire city into its energetic gambit. Picture streets of locals, dancing and smearing each other with colours as more colours rain each moment. The live DJ and rain of colours is not the only highlight for Holi in Pushkar. Annually, they also host the Pushkar Music Festival where you can pick your choice of colours and lounge by the pool or swim into colour while a musician takes the stage and spins the mood of the evening with each song. 

Where To Stay: Zostel Pushkar (budgeted stay), Nature Retreat Resort (mid-range stay), Lalit International Boutique Hotel (high-range stay). 

How To Reach There: You can reach Pushkar by taking a cab or bus from Udaipur, which will take you 4 hours. Combine both cities for one of the best Holi celebrations in India!

Holi in Anandpur Sahib is Hola Mohalla! This three-day sikh festival was started by Guru Gobind Singh in 1680 and is a different kind of Holi experience you should have. The festival is celebrated with martial arts performances by the sikhs, while kirtan and poetry are also listened and recited. People are treated to Langars at Gurudwaras and the festival ends with a military-style procession near Takht Kesgarh Sahib. The entire festival is a bid to hone the values of courage and bravery, as shown by the Tenth Guru, who defended the Sikhs against the threats of the Mughal Empire and the Hill Kings.

Where To Stay: Kathuria Hotel (budgeted stay), Hotel Heritage Lodge (mid-range stay), Hotel Temple View Inn (high-range stay). 

How To Reach There: The nearest railway station is Anandpur Sahib Railway Station and the nearest airport is Chandigarh International Airport from where you can take a cab to the city. 

In South India, Holi becomes Ukulli in Konkani, Manjal Kuli in Malayalam, Kamudha in Telangana, Kamadhana in Karnataka and Kaman Padigai in Tamil Nadu. One of the most underrated destinations to celebrate Holi in India, Hampi in the Vijayanagara district welcomes Holi with a flurry of flowers, colours and aesthetically decorated temples. The Konkani temple of Gosripuram celebrates Holi as Manjal Kuli (yellow shower) and is a flurry of colours in the ruins of Hampi, that are later washed off in the river. 

Where To Stay: Murali Guesthouse Hampi (budgeted stay), Wanderlust Hampi (mid-range stay), Hyatt Place Hampi (high-range stay). 

How To Reach There: The nearest airport is Hubli while the nearest railway station is Hospet junction. You can take a car from both to reach the city. 

Goa is a party haven and if you haven't experienced Holi in Goa, then you are missing out! Different parts of Goa celebrate this in a different way, with different names and unique parties. There's the Tandav Holi in Calangute, Colorland Party in Anjuna, Rangholic in Ponda, and the Jungle Calling Party in Vagator. The uniting rule is simple: get coloured; no wonder Goa does Holi the perfectly fun way! 

Holi in Goa is not just parties though. Drumbeats and enactments of mythology take over as performances by various troops, parades, and cultural drama shows are performed. In Panaji, Holi is the Shigmotsav Samiti that parades around the place carrying large God effigies.

Where To Stay: Our Goa guide has got your stay queries sorted!

How To Reach There: Goa has two airports to land at: Dabolim and Manohar International Airport (in North Goa). You can also land at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai and drive to Goa. 

In Manipur, the festival of Holi coincides with their Yaoshang. It is an annual festival marked with both musical and dance performances. Holika Dahan is done here with hay and twigs followed by the folk dance of Thabal Chongba. Donned in yellow and white, Manipuri folks celebrate Raasaganga Holi Utsav during this period, where they greet each other with an affectionate brush of colours and head to the Krishna temple in a large procession to conclude their festivities. Did we mention, they also dance around a bonfire on the beats of drums and eat together as a community? 

Where To Stay: Manipur House (budgeted stay), Hearth Of Imphal (mid-range stay), Classic Grande (high-range stay). 

How To Reach: The nearest airport is Imphal, around 8 kilometers away from the city. 

1. Try your best to only use organic colours. 

2. Make your bookings in advance to all the above mentioned places to avoid last minute hassle. 

3. Avoid smearing colours on animals. 

4. Be mindful, while celebrating in huge crowds. 

5. Prioritise skincare, both before and after Holi. Our guide can help you with it. 

6. Stay hydrated and keep a bottle of water handy. 

7. Keep any valuable items safe at your home or hotel room rather than having it on your person. 

8. Be mindful of boundaries and consent and don't smear colours on everyone.