More Indians are escaping screens and rediscovering silence, nature, and themselves one offline getaway at a time.
National Times Bureau, July 21, 2025 — Amid buzzing notifications, endless scrolls, and work emails that chase us even into our dreams, a quiet rebellion is brewing. A new tribe of urban Indians is trading WiFi for waterfalls, and blue light for bonfires, by signing up for digital detox retreats.
These aren’t just vacations they’re conscious pauses. The kind where phones are locked away, social media is off-limits, and conversations happen face-to-face under starlit skies, not in comment threads.
Nestled in places like the Sahyadris, the Aravallis, or Himalayan hideaways, detox retreats are offering something most modern travellers crave but rarely find: disconnection. Not from people, but from pressure. From the compulsive need to be available, responsive, productive, online.
Participants spend days meditating, forest bathing, journaling, or simply walking through quiet trails. Yoga at sunrise replaces doomscrolling. Meals are slow, organic, and savoured without cameras clicking first. Instead of bingeing on shows, guests often end their days with storytelling, singing, or silence.
Many retreats provide a structured experience phones are handed over at check-in and returned only at departure. There are no screens, no chargers in sight, and usually no network either. Surprisingly, it’s not frustrating. It’s freeing.
For many professionals and students alike, these retreats are a reaction to burnout. The 24/7 connected life has blurred the lines between work and rest, between real life and online existence. Even vacations often feel like content-creation opportunities rather than genuine rest. A digital detox, in contrast, is about reclaiming attention.
Mental health experts are noticing the difference. Just 3–5 days of tech-free living has been shown to lower anxiety, improve sleep, sharpen focus, and deepen relationships. People report feeling “lighter” and “more real” after returning from these getaways.
The trend is influencing the travel industry too. Boutique resorts are offering “no-WiFi” packages. Eco-homestays are advertising digital silence as a USP. Travel platforms are curating off-grid experiences no reception, no distractions, just presence.
Interestingly, most of those who try digital detox once end up craving it again. Many even adopt small changes after returning like no phones in bed, screen-free Sundays, or social media sabbaticals every few months.
In a world that’s constantly shouting for attention, stillness has become a radical luxury. And for those brave enough to unplug, life beyond the screen is proving to be refreshingly beautiful.
