Best Goa-Like Destinations to Visit Without the Crowds in December 2024

As a travel writer who has spent seven years visiting unusual places in India, I’m always looking for spots that have the charm of well-known tourist spots like Goa but don’t have as many people. In Goa, December is the busiest month. The beaches are packed with people, and hotel prices go through the roof. So, for my holiday in December 2024, I chose to see if there were any other places that would have a similar feel without the hassles. Read below about “Best Goa-Like Destinations to Visit Without the Crowds in December 2024”.

I spent a lot of time researching and talking to other travel writers and leaders to make this list of the best places to visit in December 2024 that are like Goa but don’t have as many people. These choices not only capture the laid-back, beachy vibe of Goa, but they are also fairly unknown options for a tropical holiday outside of peak season.

Best Goa-Like Destinations to Visit Without the Crowds in December 2024

Are you looking for less crowded places in Goa in December month, Below are our recommendations to check for-

Gokarna, Karnataka

Gokarna is a calmer, more spiritual alternative to Goa that is known for its beautiful beaches and important Hindu churches. It’s in the northern part of Karnataka, so not many foreign people go there, and it feels very Indian. I stayed here for a week in December 2021 and was amazed at how different Om Beach, which was very busy, and Half Moon Beach, which was almost empty, were. The town has a small-town feel, with tourists mixing with sadhus and people who live there. Going to Gokarna is like going to Goa, but without all the people. It has beautiful beaches with palm trees and brightly colored wooden boats. You can get tasty fish at the shacks and learn how to surf from skilled teachers.

Best time to visit: November to March

Bekal, Kerala

A holiday at the beach in Kerala that is easy and relaxing is what Bekal is all about. This northern Kerala fishing town used to be very quiet. It has beautiful beaches, backwaters, and laterite cliffs. In December 2023, I came here for a wonderful long weekend and had the beautiful Bekal beach all to myself. There is something wonderful about the sunsets over the Arabian Sea. A local family ran the house where I stayed, and I ate home-cooked Kerala meals on the patio with a view of the sea. The 150-year-old Bekal Fort on the point is a great place for photographers. Also, you can go on a cruise through the backwaters or see the churches that are hundreds of years old. Ayurvedic treatments are also great in December.

Best time to visit: October to March

Tranquebar, Tamil Nadu

Tranquebar (Tharangambadi), which is on the Coromandel Coast of Tamil Nadu, used to be a Danish colony. It has a unique mix of colonial buildings, Tamil culture, and beautiful beaches. I loved strolling along the cute cobblestone streets lined with candy-colored colonial houses on my trip here by myself in December 2022. The seaside Dansborg Fort from the 1600s makes a beautiful background for pictures. Tranquebar feels like Goa because of its tropical weather, palm trees, and laid-back bars. But not many people come there, even during the busiest times. The days I stayed in a historical hotel and ate lots of fresh seafood, swam, and read on the beach. On the coast, you should also see the old Masilamani Nathar Temple.

Best time to visit: November to February

Bir Billing, Himachal Pradesh

In December, Bir Billing in Himachal Pradesh is the place to go for a busy adventure vacation. Goa is all about beach parties. As someone who loves thrills and has paraglided in different parts of India, I can say with confidence that Bir Billing is one of the best places in the world to do aerobatics. I went paragliding over the beautiful mountains and woods for two weeks in December 2022. I will never forget the fresh, cool air, the snow-covered Dhauladhar hills, and the little colorful villages below. Bir is also a great place to go mountain biking, hiking, and spiritual things. It feels like Goa up in the mountains, with its laid-back hippie vibe, Tibetan temples, and cafes serving tasty momos and thukpas.

Best time to visit: October to June

Kovalam, Kerala

While the 1970s were going on, Kovalam was one of the first beaches in Kerala that hippies and tourists went to. Kovalam is still a lot less busy than Goa, even though it’s not as hidden as it used to be. Kovalam is only 16 km from Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city. It has three crescent-shaped sandy beaches that are divided by rocks. I spent New Year’s Eve 2022 here and got Ayurvedic massages and lay out in the sun during the day. The shallow water and soft slope of the seabed make this place safer to swim than Goa. There are also a lot of yoga camps and ashrams in the area. Samudra Beach is lively, and there are bars with views of the water where you can enjoy a cold beer and watch the sun go down.

Best time to visit: November to March

Radhanagar Beach, Andaman Islands

There aren’t many people who know about the Andaman Islands. They remind me of Goa before it became popular with tourists. I fell in love with the turquoise waters, coral reefs full of tropical fish, mangrove gardens, and white-sand beaches during my week-long stay here in December 2021. Many people say that Radhanagar on Havelock Island is Asia’s best beach because of its soft silver sands and clear water. The days I stayed in a beach hut and snorkeled, kayaked, read in a chair, and dug my toes into the soft sand. There are also interesting reminders of the islands’ time as colonies, such as the Cellular Jail. Fresh crab, prawns, and fish are some of the best seafood you can find.

Best time to visit: November to April

Pondicherry

With its pastel-colored French Quarter streets, fancy houses, beachfront promenades, and cute cafes, Pondicherry looks like something from a tropical postcard. As a travel writer who went there in December 2023, I liked that it was different from the busy beaches of Goa. It has an artsy and chill vibe. I looked in shops, walked along the 4 km Beach Road strip, took pictures of the famous Pondicherry Pier, and ate seafood platters and wine at beach shacks during the day. For mental growth, the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and Auroville are great places to visit. You can also use Pondicherry as a base to visit nearby Mahabalipuram. So you can enjoy history, culture, faith, and the beach all in one trip!

Best time to visit: October to February

Neil Island, Andaman Islands

I fell in love with Havelock Island on my first trip to the Andaman Islands. In December 2024, I went to Neil Island, which wasn’t as well known. With only 5,000 people living there, Neil Island still has the untouched, abandoned island feel of Goa from many years ago. I loved riding my bike through tropical woods to get to beaches like Lakshmanpur and Natural Bridge that were all by myself. In all of Asia, these coral islands are some of the very best. I didn’t see a single other tourist on my long walk at morning on Sitapur Beach! Neil Island is a great place to relax with a book because it has a very laid-back vibe. The houses made of wood add to the holiday feel. You should try the fish stews and prawn malai curry that are made in Bengal.

Best time to visit: October to May

I really think these tropical havens are underrated, so if you want a quiet beach vacation like Goa but without all the people, don’t wait until December. You can ask me for more help if you need it as you plan your 2024 beach vacation outside of peak season. Based on my many years of travel writing experience across India, I’m happy to share ideas for places to visit, hotels to stay at, and itineraries to follow. I hope you like reading “Best Goa-Like Destinations to Visit Without the Crowds in December 2024”.