5 Weekend Breaks To Take With Your Girl Gang

Nothing beats a relaxing getaway with your gal pals. Only an all-girl trip can allow you to learn so much about your greatest friends while also allowing you to discover a new part of yourself. We've compiled a list of five destinations in India for a weekend girls' trip on any budget.

The French Trail In Pondicherry

Puducherry, with its blend of age-old French connection and the charms of Tamil Nadu, is an experience you will enjoy in a weekend break. It boasts beautiful beaches with smooth, white sand and colonial-style bungalows with free-falling bougainvillaea, delectable food (have you tried the Creole cuisine yet?), art galleries, and Instagrammable walls. While the mornings can be spent watching the sunrise, enjoying the architecture, and indulging in substantial meals, the evenings are ideal for strolls down the boulevard and beach therapy. Auroville is only a short drive away if you're looking for spiritual enlightenment. Here, you and your friends can attend yoga classes, become involved in community service, and meet people from many walks of life. Hire cycles and hit the promenade. Take a backwater ride and explore the mangroves. And don't forget to pick up handmade cheese from Auroville. 

Himalayan Grandeur In Gangtok

Sikkim's capital was once an important transit point for those travelling between Tibet and India. Today, it is the administrative and business hub of Sikkim and a town with a very cosmopolitan vibe offering dizzying views and a down-to-earth mix of old-school momo joints, hip cafes, and pubs. And it has one of the best live music scenes in India. Hang out with your buddies at Café Fiction (attached to Rachna Books in Development Area), which has excellent coffee and snacks. Upstairs is their bookstore, Rachna Books, which has won several awards and regularly hosts readings and live music sessions. In the evenings, you can visit the bustling MG Marg (and surrounding areas), which is packed with stores, restaurants, and cafes. Strains of live music can be heard floating out of the open windows of cafes and pubs here.

Sun And Sand In Tarkali

Head to Tarkarli, a small village in Malvan, Maharashtra, for beach vibes. Wake up in the morning to the sound of the sea, sip some tea on your hotel suite's balcony as you watch people bustle about on the beach, pitching water sports to eager tourists. Hit up the shacks for some genuinely delectable, lip-smacking Malvani cuisine prepared and sold by women. Not just beaches, Tarkarli also has backwaters where the Karli river meets the sea in Devbag. The Tarkarli beach is where you can indulge in water sports like scuba diving.

An Art Trail In Kalimpong

Kalimpong, roughly two hours drive from Bagdogra airport and the Siliguri transport hub has much to offer. It is gaining popularity as a cultural destination. Stay at one of the beautiful vintage hotels to discover the many mysteries of this lovely hill station. Take in the stunning views of the Himalayan snow peaks etched on the horizon, go for long walks on hilly roads, enjoy tranquil moments at hilltop monasteries, and learn about indigenous culture at the Lepcha Museum. Kalimpong has several hip cafes, including Café Kalimpong, with jaw-dropping views of the hills and town, a menu balancing global cuisine with local dishes, and a tiny library. Located on a hillside in the main Thana Dara square of Kalimpong, the Art Café founded by local residents Pravesh Chhetri and Yachna Rizalwhich promotes local artists, musicians and even hosts a number of events and gigs.

Traditional Handicrafts In Kutch

The landscape of Kutch (also spelled Kachchh) acts as a stark backdrop for some of the most vivid and colourful textiles in India. With a range of diverse yet syncretic communities, it is also one of the country's biggest hubs for crafts and textiles. You may drop in at some of the villages to see the women at work. Or visit artists’ welfare centres such as Kala Raksha Trust and Shrujan to learn more about the embroideries, and the people who make them, take a look at the museum displays, and buy some of the exquisite products, from dresses to wraps to bags, etc. The best part is that these organisations sustain local craft livelihoods and use local resources. If you are ever in the area, these are the places you must visit to experience the art of some of the most stunning examples of ancient textile traditions in the world.

The region is also known for its wildlife, including migratory birds in winter.