Beach Travel & Coastal India | May 2025 Issue Index

Welcome to Issue 73 of Travel Viewpoint, our May 2025 edition. May is the last full month of the beach season on much of India’s coast. The heat is high, schools are on holiday, and in a few weeks the monsoon will begin to roll in from the south-west, closing some beaches to swimming and boats to the islands. This issue is about making the most of these final weeks, and doing it with care for the sea and the communities who live beside it.

In this issue

Editor’s letter

Beach Travel & Coastal Experiences in India. Why we are heading for the coast this month, and why the sea deserves our respect as much as our admiration.

Where to go and what to do

How to Explore Beaches Responsibly in Summer 2025. Simple ways to leave a beach better than you found it.

Try Snorkeling, Kayaking, and Scuba Diving in India. Water adventures to try before the season closes.

Planning a Trip to Andaman, Lakshadweep or Diu. Comparing three very different island and coastal escapes.

Walk through Coastal Journeys Along the Eastern Seaboard. The Bay of Bengal coast, from temples to fishing villages.

Why May is the Best Time for a Budget Beach Holiday. How the shoulder season can save money.

Slow routes and short stays

The one route that explains the Konkan coast: Ratnagiri to Goa by the sea road. Creeks, ferries, sea forts and fishing villages on one slow drive.

Three days, not a checklist: Gokarna, slowly. A temple town and a string of coves, taken at walking pace.

Honest advice

What to skip on a first beach trip in India. Unsafe swims, rushed plans and other mistakes, and what to do instead.

A quieter place beside the famous one: Tarkarli and Devbagh beside Goa. A Konkan sand spit just north of Goa’s busiest beaches.

Food, stay, and how you actually move on India’s coast. Trains, ferries, homestays and fish thalis.

Before you go

The sea in May can look calm and still be dangerous. Swim only where it is permitted and where lifeguards are present, follow flag warnings, and keep an eye on the weather as the monsoon approaches. Check whether boat services and water sports are still operating before you plan around them, as many pause for the monsoon season. Carry a bottle, refuse single-use plastic and take your rubbish home.

Enjoy the coast.