Christmas and New Year 2026-27: Easy-Visa Trips from India

Published 2026-10-24 · 9 min read · By the Travlys visa team

Nine international trips you can still plan from India for Christmas and New Year 2026-27 without a long visa wait, with the current entry rule, flight time and December weather for each.

If you want an international break this Christmas and New Year without a long visa wait, Thailand, Malaysia, the Maldives and Mauritius need no visa arranged in advance for Indian tourists, and Sri Lanka's tourist ETA is free. Bali gives you a visa on arrival, Vietnam has a quick e-visa, and Dubai and Singapore need a visa that agents file in a few working days. Book flights now, because late December is peak season everywhere on this list.

At a glance: No advance visa: Thailand (30 days), Malaysia (30 days, scheme runs to 31 December 2026), Maldives (free visa on arrival), Mauritius (visit permit on arrival). Free online ETA: Sri Lanka (30 days). Visa on arrival or e-VOA: Bali, IDR 500,000. E-visa: Vietnam, USD 25 single entry. Visa before travel: Dubai and Singapore. Almost every country here also wants an online arrival card in the last few days before you land.

The 9 easiest trips for New Year 2026-27

Flight times below are approximate non-stop flying times on routes that operate. They vary by airline and season, so check your actual schedule.

1. Thailand: visa-free for 30 days

Entry: since 15 September 2026, Indian ordinary passport holders can visit Thailand visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism. The earlier 60-day exemption has ended. Fill the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card within three days before arrival. The Indian Embassy in Bangkok advises carrying at least THB 20,000 in cash per person, confirmed return tickets, hotel bookings and a passport valid for six months. For longer stays or other purposes, you need a Thai e-visa.

Flight time: about 4 to 4.5 hours to Bangkok from Delhi or Mumbai. December weather: the cool, dry season in Bangkok, Phuket and Krabi. Why go: easy beaches, big New Year's Eve parties and plenty of direct flights from Indian cities.

2. Malaysia: visa-free until 31 December 2026

Entry: Indians can enter Malaysia visa-free for up to 30 days. Malaysia's immigration department lists this exemption as valid until 31 December 2026. You need a passport valid for six months, a confirmed return ticket and a hotel booking, and you must submit the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card within three days before arrival. Indian travellers have been refused entry at Kuala Lumpur airport for weak proof of funds, accommodation or return travel, so carry all three. The Indian High Commission also warned on 22 September 2026 against using visa-free entry to look for work.

Malaysia and the 31 December date: As of 24 October 2026, no extension beyond 31 December 2026 has been announced. Malaysia has not said how a stay that starts in December and runs into January will be treated. The safest plan is to enter and leave by 31 December, or check the position before you book. If the exemption lapses, you will need a Malaysia eVISA for 2027 trips.

Flight time: about 5 to 5.5 hours to Kuala Lumpur. December weather: warm with showers on the west coast; the east coast islands are in their monsoon. Why go: Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi and Penang in one trip, with good food at every budget.

3. Sri Lanka: free tourist ETA

Entry: Indians are among 40 nationalities that get a free 30-day tourist ETA with double entry, under a scheme in force since 25 May 2026. It is free but not optional. Apply on the official site, eta.gov.lk, before you fly. Longer stays need an extension and a fee.

Flight time: about 2 to 2.5 hours from Mumbai, about 3.5 hours from Delhi. December weather: the dry season begins on the west and south coasts; the east coast is wet. Why go: a short flight to beaches, tea country around Nuwara Eliya and Kandy, and wildlife parks.

4. Bali, Indonesia: visa on arrival

Entry: a 30-day visa on arrival or e-VOA costs IDR 500,000 and can be extended once. Pay the separate IDR 150,000 Bali tourist levy and fill the free All Indonesia arrival card up to three days before you land. A proposed visa fee increase announced in August 2026 had not taken effect as of 24 October 2026.

Flight time: about 7 to 8 hours non-stop from Delhi; from Mumbai you usually connect through Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok. December weather: the wet season, warm with heavy showers. Why go: villas, rice terraces and temples, and it stays green and lively over the holidays.

5. Vietnam: quick e-visa

Entry: apply online for an e-visa on the official portal, evisa.gov.vn. Vietnam's fee schedule, renewed from 1 April 2026, lists USD 25 for a single-entry visa and USD 50 for multiple entry up to 90 days, and the e-visa allows stays of up to 90 days. Official processing is about three working days, but apply two to three weeks ahead in peak season. Use only the government site; many look-alike sites charge extra.

Flight time: about 4.5 to 5.5 hours to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. December weather: cool in Hanoi and the north, rain on parts of the central coast, warm and dry in the south and Phu Quoc. Why go: Ha Long Bay, Hoi An and the south in one country, at sensible prices.

6. Dubai, UAE: e-visa before you fly

Entry: most Indians need a UAE visit visa arranged before travel, issued electronically. Travlys files Dubai visas from ₹2,500. If you hold a valid US visa or green card, a UK or EU visa or residence permit, or a residence permit from Japan, South Korea, Australia, Canada, Singapore or New Zealand, the UAE's immigration authority offers you a 60-day visa on arrival for AED 350 in total. Either way, your passport must be valid for at least six months.

Flight time: about 3 hours from Mumbai, about 3.5 to 4 hours from Delhi. December weather: warm days and cool evenings, the best time of year. Why go: the New Year's Eve fireworks at Burj Khalifa, desert safaris and Abu Dhabi as a day trip.

7. Singapore: e-visa through an authorised agent

Entry: Indians need a Singapore visa before travel, submitted through an authorised visa agent. The Singapore High Commission in New Delhi says processing usually takes three to five working days, and the visa processing fee is INR 2,100 plus the agent's service fee. Travlys files Singapore visas from ₹2,950. Also submit the free SG Arrival Card within three days before arrival, including the arrival day.

Flight time: about 5.5 hours from Delhi or Mumbai. December weather: hot, humid and rainy, the wettest part of the year. Why go: Christmas lights on Orchard Road, Sentosa, Gardens by the Bay and an easy city for children and older parents.

8. Mauritius: no visa needed in advance

Entry: Indian tourists do not need a visa arranged in advance; a visit permit is given at immigration on arrival, and Mauritius does not charge for visas. Mauritius' Passport and Immigration Office asks every visitor for a passport valid beyond the stay, a return ticket, enough funds and a confirmed hotel booking. The officer at the airport decides the length of stay.

Flight time: about 6 hours non-stop from Mumbai. December weather: hot, humid summer, and cyclone season runs through these months. Why go: beach resorts, catamaran trips and a relaxed pace, with many vegetarian and Indian food options.

9. Maldives: free visa on arrival

Entry: tourists get a free 30-day tourist visa on arrival with no pre-approval. Fill the free IMUGA traveller declaration within 96 hours before arrival on imuga.immigration.gov.mv. Carry a confirmed resort or hotel booking, a return ticket and proof of funds. Issue is at the immigration officer's discretion.

Flight time: about 2.5 to 3 hours from Mumbai, about 4 hours from Delhi. December weather: the start of the dry season, with calmer seas. Why go: a short flight to one-island resorts, snorkelling and reef trips. Resorts fill up and get expensive over New Year.

When to book for Christmas and New Year

• Flights: late December to early January is peak season on every route here, and fares tend to rise as seats fill. If you have not booked yet, book now rather than waiting for a sale.
• Visas: file Dubai, Singapore and Vietnam visas at least two to three weeks before travel. Embassies and processing centres slow down over public holidays.
• Free ETAs and e-VOAs: apply for Sri Lanka's ETA as soon as your flights are fixed. Indonesia's e-VOA must be used within 90 days of issue, so you can apply for a late-December trip now.
• Arrival cards: these open only a few days before arrival. Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore allow three days, and the Maldives allows 96 hours. Set a reminder.
• Hotels and resorts: some resorts in the Maldives, Bali and Phuket set minimum stays or compulsory gala dinners over New Year. Check the terms before you pay for flights.

Comparison at a glance

• Thailand: visa-free 30 days | about 4 to 4.5 hours | cool and dry | TDAC and THB 20,000 cash per person.
• Malaysia: visa-free 30 days until 31 December 2026 | about 5 to 5.5 hours | showers on the west coast | MDAC, return ticket and hotel booking.
• Sri Lanka: free ETA, 30 days | about 2 to 3.5 hours | dry on the west and south coasts | apply on eta.gov.lk.
• Bali: visa on arrival, IDR 500,000 | about 7 to 8 hours from Delhi | wet season | IDR 150,000 levy and All Indonesia card.
• Vietnam: e-visa from USD 25 | about 4.5 to 5.5 hours | cool north, dry south | apply two to three weeks ahead.
• Dubai: e-visa before travel | about 3 to 4 hours | warm days, cool nights | visa on arrival only with qualifying visas or residence permits.
• Singapore: e-visa through an agent | about 5.5 hours | wet season | SG Arrival Card.
• Mauritius: visit permit on arrival | about 6 hours from Mumbai | hot summer, cyclone season | hotel booking and return ticket.
• Maldives: free visa on arrival | about 2.5 to 4 hours | dry season begins | IMUGA declaration.

How Travlys helps

Travlys files visas for Dubai from ₹2,500, Singapore from ₹2,950, Thailand from ₹1,950 and Malaysia from ₹999, and we check your documents before anything is submitted. For Bali and Sri Lanka we build complete holiday packages with hotels and private transfers. We have filed 5,000+ visas with a 98% approval rate. Message us on WhatsApp at +91 82009 18967 with your dates and we will tell you what you need.

Last checked: We checked these rules on 24 October 2026 against the sources listed below. Entry rules can change at short notice, especially Malaysia's after 31 December 2026, so confirm with the official site before you travel.