Republic Day long weekend 2026: From Goa to Thailand, here’s where Indians are travelling to Full list

The Republic Day holiday that falls on Monday has led to a sharp increase in long weekend travel this year, according to a report by MakeMyTrip, as Indian travelers look to maximize time by starting their trips early.

Bookings rose from January 23 (Friday) and peaked on January 24 (Saturday), underscoring the impact of demand for calendar-based travel compared to last year, when January 26 fell on a Sunday.

The results are based on MakeMyTrip booking data for travel between January 23 and 26, 2026, compared to the same period in 2025, and indicate a strong preference for nearby leisure destinations even as international travel continues to gain momentum.

Goa holds its crown, and Pondicherry makes the top five

Goa retained its position as India’s most popular domestic leisure destination in 2026, continuing its dominance from last year, a MakeMyTrip report showed. Jaipur and Udaipur followed closely behind, swapping places compared to 2025, while Manali remained the favourite. Pondicherry has emerged as a new entrant in the top five this year, replacing Munnar.

The top local entertainment destinations in 2026 are:

• By air
• Jaipur
• Udaipur
• Manali
• Pondicherry

Spiritual travel is seeing a strong pull

In addition to recreational trips, spiritual travel witnessed strong demand during the extended weekend. The report noted that the following destinations saw increased interest, reflecting a parallel trend in religious travel during national holidays.

• Puri
• Varanasi
• Amritsar
• Ayodhya
• Eugene
• Dwarka
• Udupi
• Tirupati

Thailand leads outbound travel, and Vietnam is booming

Internationally, Thailand has emerged as the preferred destination for the Republic Day long weekend in 2026, overtaking the United Arab Emirates, which has fallen to second place. Vietnam emerged as the biggest mover, rising from 10th place in 2025 to become the third most booked international destination this year. Malaysia and Singapore completed the top five.

According to MakeMyTrip data, Vietnam’s rise highlights the growing preference for visa-friendly destinations with direct air connections, a theme that continues to shape overseas travel choices.

Metro wise directions emphasize near bias

Booking patterns from major metro cities have reinforced the preference for destinations within easy flying distance. From Delhi, Dubai, Bangkok and Phuket dominated the international bookings, while Goa, Jaipur and the hill stations led the domestic flights.

Travelers from Mumbai preferred Dubai and Bangkok abroad, and Goa and Lonavala closer to home. Bengaluru saw Bangkok and Dubai topping the international selections, while Goa, Mysore and Coorg topped the domestic selections. Chennai travelers turned to Bangkok and Dubai internationally, with Goa and Auroville emerging domestically. From Kolkata, Bangkok topped the international flights, while Mandarmani and Digha topped the domestic bookings.

Holiday packages reflect broader trends

Vacation package bookings followed similar patterns. Kerala, Andaman and Goa topped the domestic holiday packages, followed by Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. Internationally, Thailand led the demand for group travel, followed by Vietnam, Cambodia, the United Arab Emirates, the Maldives and Indonesia.

Commenting on these trends, Rajesh Magu, Co-Founder and Group CEO, MakeMyTrip, said: “Appetite for weekend travel remains strong, with the extended Republic Day weekend presenting an opportunity to travel.”