Diwali detour: Head to these serene locations

Want to skip the crackers and the in-laws? Here are some of the best places you can escape to.

Kamshet (110 km)

Lush greenery, a network of streams and best of all, paragliding. This hill station is the best place for sports enthusiasts. But if you’d rather just have a less adrenaline pumping getaway, visit the ancient caves. We recommend the Karla caves, that dot the hill station.



Tarkarli (580 km)

Beauti ful beaches that would give any honeymoon destination a run for its money, the beach spot is a great place to relax. Scuba diving and snorkeling is popular here, and if you’re lucky, you may even get to see dolphins.



Ajanta & Ellora Caves (368 km)

One of UNESCO’s World Heritage Site, these caves showcase some of our country’s best rock architecture. A short drive from Mumbai (about 6 hours) — there are 34 caves at Ellora and 29 caves at Ajanta. The intricate work was all done by hand, hammer and chisel. The caves are open on public holidays too.