How to use a long Diwali break for an international trip (without spending a fortune)
By Saanvi Iyer (Saanvi Iyer writes offbeat destination guides for Indian travellers — places that work in monsoon, shoulder-season picks, and the cities Indian first-time international travellers underrate. Based in Bangalore, perpetually mid-itinerary.) · Published · 11 min read
A long Diwali break — combining the 5-day festival window with adjacent weekends or a few days of earned leave — can give you 7–10 days for an international trip. Southeast Asia, Japan, Central Asia and short-haul Europe all work well in late October. The key is to fly out before Diwali demand peaks and return after Bhai Dooj prices drop.
TL;DR
The Diwali holiday window (typically late October to early November) can stretch to 7–10 days if you add a few days of earned leave to the 5-day festival. The best international destinations for this window are Southeast Asia, Japan (early autumn), Central Asia and short-haul Europe. To save on flights, fly out 2–3 days before Dhanteras (cheaper than the peak) and return 3–4 days after Bhai Dooj. Search live fares on FlightGPT across flexible dates.
How long is the Diwali break really?
Diwali is officially a 5-day festival — from Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj. Most government offices and a large chunk of the private sector take at least Diwali day itself as a public holiday. Many companies give 2–3 days around the festival. Schools typically give the full week.
For a working professional in India, a realistic Diwali break with 3–4 days of earned leave taken strategically can look like this:
- Fly out: Friday, 2–3 days before Dhanteras (or Thursday evening if you're keen).
- Return: the following Wednesday or Thursday, 3–4 days after Bhai Dooj.
- Total time away: 9–10 days, of which you've only used 3–4 days of leave.
That's a meaningful international trip. Depending on the year, when Diwali falls relative to the calendar, the break can be even longer or shorter. Worth mapping it out in advance for 2026 specifically — Diwali in 2026 falls on October 20, which means Dhanteras is October 18 and Bhai Dooj is October 22.
Which international destinations work for a 7–10 day Diwali trip?
Late October is an excellent time for travel across several regions. Here's what works:
- Southeast Asia — Thailand, Vietnam, Bali: All three are at or approaching their best season. Thailand's rainy season tapers off by late October; Bali has its dry season through October; Vietnam's south (Ho Chi Minh City) enters its dry season. A 7-day Thailand trip (Bangkok + Chiang Mai or Phuket) is very doable. Visa-on-arrival for Indians in Thailand, e-visa for Vietnam.
- Japan: Late October is when autumn foliage (koyo) moves through central Honshu — Kyoto, Nikko, Kamakura. It's one of Japan's most visually spectacular periods. Flights from India are more expensive in this window than summer, but Japan in koyo season is hard to argue with. Visa required; Japan's visa process for Indians is straightforward but takes 5–7 working days to process.
- Central Asia — Georgia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan: October is arguably the best time to visit all three. The summer heat is gone, the tourist rush is over, and the landscapes (Kazbegi in Georgia, the Sheki region in Azerbaijan, Samarkand in Uzbekistan) are in autumn colour. Flights from India to Tbilisi or Baku are not cheap but are manageable. Georgia is visa-free for Indians; Azerbaijan requires an e-visa. Uzbekistan has an e-visa as well.
- Short-haul Europe — Portugal, Greece, Balkans: Late October is shoulder season across Southern Europe. Portugal (Lisbon, Porto, Alentejo) is warm and well-priced in October. Greece is quieter but still pleasant. The Balkans (Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia) are beautiful in autumn and dramatically cheaper than in summer. Schengen visa required for most of these.
- Sri Lanka: If you just want a clean, short international trip with minimal hassle — no long visa process, 2–3 hour flight from most Indian metros — Sri Lanka in late October is very pleasant. The west and south coasts are drying out from their monsoon; the east coast is in its best season. ETA (electronic travel authorisation) for Indians is quick and inexpensive.
How to manage flights so you don't pay Diwali peak prices?
This is the crux of it. The Diwali flight surge applies primarily to flights into India — domestic routes to home cities, and NRI routes from the Gulf and UK. International outbound flights from India during Diwali are usually not subject to the same surge, because most of the demand is inbound.
That said, there are a few things to watch:
- Flying out from India is usually fine on price. Your Delhi–Bangkok or Mumbai–Tokyo flight on, say, October 17th (before Dhanteras) should be normally priced. The problem is flying back into India during or right after the festival — that's where prices spike if you're competing with the return traffic.
- Pick your return date carefully. Flying back into India on October 23rd or 24th (a day or two after Bhai Dooj) will be significantly cheaper than October 22nd (Bhai Dooj) or the morning of October 23rd. The price cliff drops quickly.
- International connecting hubs can be pricier. If your international flight routes through Dubai, Doha or Singapore and that hub is also heavily used for India traffic during Diwali, capacity can tighten. Emirates via Dubai on Bhai Dooj might be expensive even for an outbound-from-Dubai perspective. Check the full routing.
Use FlightGPT to search with a flexible date range — it can show you fares across an entire week at once, so you can spot that the October 24th return is ₹8,000 cheaper than October 22nd without clicking through each date manually.
What does a Diwali international trip actually cost?
Very rough estimates per person for a 7–9 day trip from India during the Diwali window — fares change constantly, so always verify on FlightGPT:
| Destination | Return flight (per person) | Daily hotel (mid-range) | Budget per person (7 nights) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangkok (Thailand) | ₹18,000–30,000 | ₹4,000–8,000 | ₹60,000–1,00,000 |
| Bali (Indonesia) | ₹22,000–38,000 | ₹4,500–9,000 | ₹65,000–1,10,000 |
| Tokyo (Japan) | ₹45,000–75,000 | ₹8,000–15,000 | ₹1,20,000–2,00,000 |
| Tbilisi (Georgia) | ₹28,000–45,000 | ₹3,500–7,000 | ₹65,000–1,10,000 |
| Lisbon (Portugal) | ₹55,000–85,000 | ₹7,000–12,000 | ₹1,20,000–2,00,000 |
| Colombo (Sri Lanka) | ₹12,000–20,000 | ₹3,000–6,000 | ₹40,000–75,000 |
Fares and fees change — check the live price before you book. These are illustrative ranges, not guarantees. Japan and Portugal at the higher ends require a bigger budget but are genuinely rewarding in October.
What about the LRS and forex angle?
Any international trip involves spending foreign currency, and there are a few Indian-specific things worth knowing:
- The RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) allows Indian residents to remit up to USD 2,50,000 per financial year for personal travel and other permitted purposes. For a typical 7–10 day trip, you're nowhere near this limit.
- The 20% Tax Collected at Source (TCS) on LRS remittances above ₹7 lakh applies to forex purchases and international credit card spends. For most single trips, you'll be under this threshold. If you're taking multiple international trips in a financial year, keep track — the TCS is claimable against your income tax liability, but requires filing properly.
- Paying for international flights with an Indian credit card that charges a foreign transaction fee (typically 2–3.5%) adds cost on a big booking. A zero-markup travel card (Niyo Global, Scapia, or the IDFC FIRST WOW card) saves meaningfully when you're buying international flight tickets or paying for hotels abroad.
Bottom line
A long Diwali break for an international trip works best when you fly out 2–3 days before the festival peak and return 3–4 days after. Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka are the most accessible and affordable; Japan and Europe take more planning and budget but the timing is excellent for both. Book flights early — ideally 3–4 months ahead — and use flexible-date search to find the cheapest outbound and return dates in your window.
If you're also considering Dussehra for travel, read Diwali vs Dussehra travel — which saves more? and why Diwali return flights cost more. Search live fares across airlines on FlightGPT — free, no login, just type your route. Fares and fees change — check the live price before you book.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Diwali holiday break in India?
The festival itself is 5 days (Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj). With a few days of earned leave, most working professionals can build a 7–10 day break. School holidays are typically the full week around Diwali.
Which are the best international destinations for a Diwali holiday from India?
Thailand, Bali, Vietnam, Sri Lanka (accessible and affordable), Japan in autumn foliage season, Georgia and Azerbaijan in October, and Southern European cities like Lisbon and Athens. All work well in late October weather-wise.
Are international flights cheaper during Diwali?
Outbound flights from India during Diwali are usually normally priced — it's the inbound (flying back to India) that spikes. The key is picking your return date carefully — flying back 2–3 days after Bhai Dooj saves significantly versus the peak return dates.
Do I need a visa for an international Diwali trip?
Depends on your destination. Thailand offers visa-on-arrival for Indians. Sri Lanka has a quick ETA. Georgia is visa-free. Vietnam, Bali (Indonesia), Japan, and Europe require an advance visa or e-visa — factor in processing time when planning a Diwali trip.
What is TCS on international travel bookings for Indian travellers?
As of 2026, a 20% TCS applies to LRS remittances (including international travel spend via credit/debit cards) above ₹7 lakh per financial year. For a single Diwali trip, most travellers stay well under this threshold. The TCS is claimable back against your income tax liability when you file your ITR.