2018 is the year of long weekends, 15 to be exact! Here's the complete list

2018 is already looking like a good year. With 15 long weekends, yes you read that right, this year has the maximum number of extended weekends in the past decade (*happy dance*).

And, if you plan well in advance (with a little help from the boss), you could well convert a few of them into week-long holidays.

Here's the list, and how to make the most of it:

January
The first month of the year comes with two long weekends, so that don't miss the end-of-the-year holiday season too much.

Soak in some literature in the Pink city and leave behind all you work woes at the Jaipur Lit Festival that is on from 24th to 28th January. Now, isn't that the ideal way to spend your long weekend?

- 20th (Saturday), 21st (Sunday), 22nd (Basant Panchami)
- 26th (Republic Day), 27th (Saturday), 28th (Sunday)

P.S.: Add a hot air balloon ride to your Jaipur itinerary, and waking up that early will never have felt better.

February


Laze by the beach in Goa. (Image: Thinkstock)

If crowds aren't your thing, make the most of the long weekend in February to plan a holiday. The New Year and January holidays often leave this month relatively free from domestic tourists.

Plus for Goa fans, it's the perfect time to visit the coastal state. It's not as crowded as December, and yet the weather is perfect to laze around with a mimosa. And, of course, there is the famed carnival too!

- 10th (Saturday), 11th (Sunday), 12th (Take a day of leave), 13th (Maha Shivratri)

March


City Palace, Udaipur. (Image: Thinkstock)

End the financial year in a royal manner in Udaipur. Plus Holi in Udaipur is always a good idea. The Mewar royal family carries out a procession from the royal residence to the Manek Chowk, City Palace. One of the major festivals in Rajasthan, Holi celebrations stretch for two days in the City of Lakes with the Holika Dahan being observed at the City Palace.

- 2nd (Holi), 3rd (Saturday), 4th (Sunday)
- 29th (Mahavir Jayanti), 30th (Good Friday), 31st (Saturday), April 1 (Easter Sunday)

April


The tulip garden in Kashmir. (Image: Thinkstock)

If you missed out on starting this month with a holiday (it was after all the end of the financial year), there's another long weekend waiting for you. The start of summer is the perfect time to explore the beauty of Kashmir. The weather is just about right, and it is also time for the Tulip Festival. And trust us, experiencing more than a million tulips blooming in Asia's largest tulip garden will definitely be worth it.

- 28th (Saturday), 29 (Sunday), 30 (Buddha Purnima), May 1 (Labour Day)

June
Seems like May will have to be a dull month without any extra holidays, but with June comes another reason to celebrate. It's the end of Ramadan, and time to gorge on the delightful Eid treats.

With the delicious fragrance of Sheer Khurma, biryani and kebabs, the festival of joy, Eid is the ideal time to explore Hyderabad. The city of Nizams serves the famous Haleem only during this holy month. Charminar comes to life as people gather to offer prayers, and the road around it becomes a shopaholic's heaven.

- 15th (Eid ul' Fitr),16th (Saturday),17th (Sunday)

August


Munnar, Kerala. (Image: Thinkstock)

Who wants to sit in a cubicle when you could be sipping on a hot cup of tea as you look at the rain pour over the hills! So make the most of the long weekends, yes, there are 2 to pick from, and head to Kerala. You'll get off-season rates, the stunning backwaters or the gorgeous views of Munnar to yourself, and the chance to soak it all in without any rush.

- 15th (Independence Day), 16th (Take a day off), 17th (Parsi New Year), 18th (Saturday), 19th (Sunday)
- 22nd (Eid-ul-adha), 23rd (Thursday), 24th (Onam), 25th (Saturday), 26th (Sunday)

Pro tip: You can also add a visit to Athirapally falls (Thrissur district) on your itinerary. Remember the majestic waterfalls in the 'Bahubali'? This will be your chance to witness them in reality.

September
If you're one for traditional celebrations, head to Mathura and Vrindavan for the Janmashtami weekend, or spend Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai. And if crowded places aren't your thing, you can always check-in for a luxe staycation.

- 1st (Saturday), 2nd (Sunday), 3rd (Janmashtami)
- 13th (Ganesh Chaturthi),14th (Take a leave),15th (Saturday), 16th (Sunday)
- 29th (Saturday) 30th (Sunday), October 1 (Take a leave), October 2 (Gandhi Jayanti)

October
There isn't a better time to experience the colours of Bengal in their complete fervour. Plan a trip to West Bengal on this long weekend, (and while you will have to brave the crowds) the pandal-hopping, bhog and elaborate statues of Goddess Durga will make it worth it.

- 18th (Ram Navami), 19th (Dussehra), 20th (Saturday), 21st (Sunday)

November
Yes, it might seem a little distant right now, but can you imagine how epic November will be if you can actually manage to pull this off. Which is why, you need to plan in advance for this 9-day break. Also, your entire team will not be able to get an off at the same time, so as they say, the early bird catches the worm. Start now and it will indeed be a very happy Diwali!

- 3rd (Saturday), 4th (Sunday), 5th (Dhanteras), 6th (Take off), 7th (Diwali), 8th (Laxmi Puja), 9th (Bhai dooj), 10th (Saturday), 11th (Sunday).

December


London is always a good idea. (Image: Thinkstock)

Christmas officially means vacation time. And no one does the holiday season better than London. While a long weekend may not be sufficient to plan a trip to the UK, if you save enough leave through the year, avail them around this time and take off.

- 22nd (Saturday), 23rd (Sunday), 24th (Monday) 25th (Christmas)