7 Incredible Winter Road Trips in India Along the Beaches

How many of you like road trips? Whizzing past green forests, following serpentine trails across the mountains, traversing beside the gorgeous beaches, or gliding through the snowy paths. Isn't it thrilling as well as astounding? India has plenty of opportunities to witness such breathtaking road trips. With its unmatched flora and fauna, the winter road trips in India are a pleasure to experience. The weather is pleasant and comfortable, perfect for a fun-filled journey.

Though it is tough to select the best ones, yet still let me share the 7 best winter road trips in India which you may want to try out alongside the beaches. If you are adventurous and love driving, then you will surely enjoy the trips.

Mumbai-Goa-Gokarna

Mumbai, Goa, and Gokarna are three fascinating places in India, encompassed by nature's exotic wonders. The sandy golden beaches in each of these cities are alluring and welcome tourists from all over the world and even throughout the year. The road trip covering Mumbai to Goa is very common. But you must extend it up to Gokarna and can feel the difference. Bathing into the soothing breeze and freshness in the air and swaying with the winds blowing past the line of palm and coconut trees is an experience of a kind. The winters magnify the beauty of each of these places furthermore. Who will not love driving across this wonderful train; indeed one of the wonderful winter road trips in India. The total travel time is almost 15 hours, covering a distance of about 737 km.

Pune-Mahabaleshwar-Ganpatipule

If you want to feel the essence of the mystic views of Maharashtra, you can plan a road trip spanning the cities of Pune, Mahabaleshwar, and Ganpatipule. Dense green forests, pristine sandy beaches, and dazzling hillocks will entertain you throughout the journey. The winters at these places are quite soothing and relaxing, without the usual chill and coldness in the air. Do not forget to stop over and taste some of the local delicious dishes of Maharashtra. You can visit the temple at Mahabaleshwar as well. The journey mainly commences via the NH66 and NH48 highways, covering a distance of about 312 km in 8 hours. It is one of the exciting winter road trips in India.

kolkata-Chandipur-Puri

Spanning through the states of west bengal and Odisha, the Kolkata-Chandipur-Puri is one of the scenic winter road trips in India. Stopping by each of these places, you can easily plan a 3 to 4 days vacation. The journey is a drive along the shores of the Bay of Bengal, a feel of the calm and comforting breeze. You must not miss strolling along the beaches for some time. If you are staying overnight then sunrise and sunset are the best times to be at the sea beach. Also, do offer your prayers at the Lord Jagannath temple in Puri. The drive will be along the NH16 highway, travel time being almost 12 hours.

Kanyakumari-Rameshwaram-Dhanushkodi

If you want to embark on a drive to explore the serenity and pristine beauty of nature. Then the Kanyakumari-Rameshwaram-Dhanushkodi is one of the idyllic winter road trips in India. Not only the weather is calm and alluring, but nature is at its bounty best. You can start your journey after watching the vivid sunrise at Kanyakumari. The road circuit of Rameshwaram and Dhanushkodi will welcome you with its soothing atmosphere and captivating sandy beaches. The best is when you arrive at the destination at Dhanuskodi, with the Indian Ocean on one side and the Bay of Bengal on the other. The journey commences through the NH44 and NH32 highways and via the Dhanushkodi road, the travel time being 9 hours.

Kozhikode-Kochi-Alleppey-Varkala

Quaint coastal towns, stunning lagoons, superb golden sea beaches, and tranquil backwaters are the key attractions of the state of Kerala. Imagine driving alongside these superb natural beauties, divine indeed. That's exactly what you will feel as you drive along the Kozhikode-Kochi-Alleppey-Varkala circuit of Kerala. One of the fabulous winter road trips in India, adorned by lush greenery, scintillating beaches, and picturesque views. Do not miss watching the sunrise and the sunset at these places as the golden hue of the sun sparkles on the sea waters. The total travel distance is about 351 km and the time taken is 8 hours approximately.

Vishakhapatnam-Pulicat

Vishakhapatnam or Vizag is prominent for its spectacular beaches. There is a spectacular road trip for you to plan from Vizag to Pulicat. Pulicat is a small historic seashore town in the state of Tamil Nadu. The journey is long almost 778 km via NH16 highway with a total travelling time being 14 hours. The weather during the winters is absolutely entertaining and balmy. You can soothe your eyes with the scenic beauty around.

Bangalore-Mahabalipuram-Pichavaram

How about a road trip where you can experience the dense mangrove forests, and pleasant beaches along with historic monuments and religious places? I bet you will want to try out this amazing trip starting from Bangalore, passing across Mahabalipuram and ending at Pichavaram. Both the cities Mahabalipuram and Pichavaram are in the state of Tamil Nadu. You will love to watch the picturesque beaches coupled with artistic sculptures, images and monuments proclaiming the rich history of India. And in Pichavaram you will be ecstatic to observe the dense mangrove forests and the estuaries. The entire journey can be covered in 10 hours approximately, a total distance of about 523 km through NH48 and NH32 highways.

In the next edition, I will be back with more winter road trips in India. But it will be focused on the journeys across the snowy paths. So please stay tuned for the next series on road trips.