Goa

Goa is two holidays in one. The north — Baga, Anjuna, Vagator, Morjim — is beach shacks, flea markets, sunset forts and a nightlife that runs past midnight. The south — Palolem, Agonda, Cola — is quieter: crescent bays, coconut groves and cottages a few steps from the water.

In between sit the whitewashed churches of Old Goa, the spice farms of Ponda and, a monsoon-swollen train ride away, the Dudhsagar falls. Direct flights from every metro make it the simplest 3–5 night break in the country.

Best time: November to February — dry, breezy, 28 °C days. March–May is hot; June–September is monsoon (green, empty, half the price, most shacks shut).