Why Kerala is Among the Best Places to Visit During Monsoon

Known for its serene backwaters, breathtaking beaches and rich culture, Kerala is truly “God’s Own Country”. This beautiful state welcomed more than 1.5 crore domestic tourists and almost 11 lakh foreign tourists in 2018, according to data from Kerala Tourism.

Kerala is a magical place throughout the year. But there is something special about being here during the monsoon season. The Indian Railways has numerous trains from all parts of the country to Kerala. So, here are a few of the things that make this state one of the best places to visit during monsoon.

Onam Festival

If you visit Kerala during the monsoons, you get to enjoy the wonderful Onam festivities. Onam is a harvest festival and generally falls between late August and early September. Being one of southern India’s most important festivals, the joy and energy among the locals is palpable.

Here are some attractions that you just cannot miss:

• You love the Kerala cuisine. But, have you tasted Onasadya? This is a nine-course meal served on a banana leaf. The entire meal could have up to 30 dishes! So, make sure you’re famished before you visit Kerala restaurants serving this.
• You’ve watched the Vallamkali boat race on TV. But, it’s a completely exhilarating experience watching it live! Also known as snake boat race, it is one of the most entertaining events of the festival, in which more than 100 boatmen complete.
• So, elephants can be seen anywhere in the country. But, have you seen a majestic elephant procession? Elephants ornate with flowers and jewelry take rounds of Thrissur.

Best Time for Ayurveda

There’s one more thing that attracts domestic and international tourists to Kerala, apart from its cuisine and maybe even the nearby toddy shop or kallu shappu! That’s Ayurvedic messages and other treatments. Hotels sometimes include an Ayurvedic message with the room booking or at least have such a spa within its premises. According to the principles of Ayurveda, the best time for treatments is during the monsoon season. It’s because the weather is cool, moist, and free from dust during this time.

Great Discounts

Since monsoons are generally not considered a peak time for Kerala, hotels and airlines offer a load of attractive packages. You can get as much as 30% to 50% off on hotel rooms and smaller discounts at various restaurants in Kerala.

Natural Beauty at its Best

While this southern Indian state is beautiful throughout the year, it is particularly so during the monsoons. The lush, green land gets an emerald glow. From the cloudy mountains to pristine beaches, the area is lush with cinnamon, basil, pepper, coconut, turmeric, and banana.

You can enjoy the scenic beauty whether you’re trying the delicious Kerala cuisine at one of the restaurants or enjoying a drink at a toddy shop or kallu shappu.

You can also take a relaxing boat ride on the backwaters. You may see turtles, crabs and otters during this cruise while enjoying some delicious Kerala cuisine, like idiyappam, puttu and kadala curry, and appam with ishtu.

If you’d like to travel a little more, consider a trip across the first vertical lift Pamban Bridge of the Indian Railways.