Team HappyFares

Small metal or stone idols and murtis are generally allowed in both cabin and checked baggage on Indian flights and go through normal X-ray screening like any other item. Heavy or fragile pieces travel safer in checked baggage, well packed. If an idol genuinely qualifies as an antique under Indian law, it cannot leave the

Loy Krathong 2026 falls on Tuesday 24 November, the full moon night of the twelfth month in the Thai lunar calendar. Chiang Mai holds its own lantern festival, Yi Peng, around the same dates. Indian travellers can currently enter Thailand visa free for a limited stay under a scheme revised in September 2026, and can

Europe’s Christmas markets typically open between mid and late November 2026 and run through to Christmas Eve, with a few, like Vienna and Cologne, continuing into early January. Indian travellers need a Schengen visa, best applied for as soon as the six month advance window opens, and can fly direct with Air India or connect

The 2026 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix runs from Thursday 3 to Sunday 6 December at Yas Marina Circuit, closing out the Formula 1 season. Etihad, IndiGo and Air India Express fly direct from India to Abu Dhabi (AUH), while Dubai, about an hour’s drive away, works as a backup arrival point. Book flights and a

Dubai Shopping Festival typically runs for about five to six weeks spanning December into January, though official 2026-27 dates had not been confirmed at the time of writing; the most recent edition ran from 5 December 2025 to 11 January 2026. Most Indian travellers need a UAE visa arranged in advance, and on the way

Japan’s autumn colours sweep south from late September to early December 2026. Hokkaido peaks first in early to mid November, followed by Tokyo and Kyoto in late November to mid December. Indian travellers need a visa for Japan, either a traditional sticker visa or a short-term tourist eVisa, and can fly direct from Delhi or

Auli’s ski season generally runs from around January through March, with January usually bringing the best fresh snow. The nearest airport is Dehradun’s Jolly Grant (DED), followed by a long mountain drive of roughly eight to ten hours to Joshimath and on to Auli. The Joshimath-Auli ropeway has stayed closed since the 2023 land subsidence

The Chadar Trek follows the frozen Zanskar river near Leh, usually walked in January and February when the ice sheet is thick enough. It is tightly regulated: trekkers need a medical clearance, a wildlife permit, and a no-objection certificate arranged through a registered operator and the Ladakh administration. Leh’s winter flights run only in the

Gulmarg’s ski season typically runs from late December to early March, with the best snow usually between mid January and late February. Fly into Srinagar (SXR), about 50 km from Gulmarg. Winter flights there can be delayed or cancelled by snow and fog, so keep a buffer day. From Srinagar, taxis cover the hill road

The 57th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) runs from Friday, 20 November to Saturday, 28 November 2026, in Goa, with events centred on Panaji. Goa has two airports, Dabolim (GOI) near Vasco da Gama and Manohar International Airport at Mopa (GOX) in the north, both roughly 30 to 35 km from Panaji by road.