When the country is submerged in a torrential downpour, caused by the summer monsoons, the beautiful state of Kerala is known to thrive during this season.
While most of the country comes at a near standstill, Kerala experiences sun rays between rainfall sessions; thereby, balancing out the cold, damp weather. This creates an exquisite sight of sparkling raindrops against lush palm trees, which is rather rare in India.
In this article, we talk about the main reasons you should visit Kerala during the monsoons and the Must Visit Tourist Places as well.
Top reasons you should visit Kerala during the monsoons
Celebrate Onam
Celebrating Onam in Kerala is one of the highlights of the monsoon season. It’s the harvest festival and is one of the essential occasions in the state. Once you visit Kerala during Onam season, you will witness beautiful folk dances like Kathakali and Mohini Attam, along with Kalaripayattu. You will also see elephants decorated with flowers, traditional games, and a feast of delicious local food. The celebration is known to last for ten days and ends with Thiru Onam.
The Best time for Ayurveda treatments
People from all over the globe visit Kerala, especially for Ayurveda treatments and Kerala Massage. The ancient traditions of Ayurveda state that the best time to undergo its procedures is during the monsoons. This is because the weather is moist, fresh, and dust-free. Therefore, it opens the pores of the skin, making the therapy quite effective. The cold monsoon weather is also beneficial during the post-treatment period because it allows your body to recover in peace.
Scenic Waterfalls
Waterfalls come alive during the rains, and this is the best time to see them in their full glory. If you ever make time to visit a waterfall in Kerala, ensure that you take in the gorgeous scenic beauty. Athirapally is a famous waterfall that is located 27 km from Thrissur, and it is an utterly beautiful spot during the rains.
Backwaters
Whether you want to go for an extended break or a short one, a holiday in Kerala is incomplete without a stay on a houseboat at the infamous backwaters. You can hire a traditional houseboat and float down the backwaters that stretch out to 900 km.
While onboard, you will spot many aquatic creatures like otters and turtles. Backwater houseboats are perfect for avid bird watchers because they will spot many different species of beautiful birds. The rains add to the beauty and enhance the greenery surrounding the water, resulting in picture-perfect scenery.
Now that you know the top reasons you should visit Kerala during the monsoons, here are the Must Visit Tourist Places in Kerala:
Ashtamudi Lake
The beautiful Ashtamudi lake offers the perfect monsoon getaway to the backwaters of Kerala. The lake covers more than a quarter of Kollam and Sashthamkotta, Kerala’s largest freshwater lake. The lush greenery surrounding the peaceful blue water of the lake is a beautiful sight to behold.
It is the entry point to the famous backwaters of Kerala, which gets more livelier during monsoon with houseboats and cruises. The pristine ambiance of Ashtamudi lake coupled with the chirping of the birds, delicious local food, ayurvedic massages, and the rainfall, makes the overall experience even more mesmerizing.
Thekkady
Thekkady offers a balance of a laid back and adventurous holiday experience in monsoon. The spectacular landscape, natural diversity, and cold monsoon weather make Thekkady one of the top tourist places to visit in Kerala.
The biggest attraction here is the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary with different species of flora and fauna. If you plan to spend your monsoon holidays in one of the local homestays, you will quickly get a glimpse of the elephants by the Periyar lake or discover exotic birds chirping outside your window.
Alleppey
Alleppey is indeed called the “Venice of the East“. The surreal beauty of this place located at the backwaters of Kerala, and it attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world. The green palm groves, quaint villages, lagoons, beaches, and stretches of paddy fields will charm you instantly. Alleppey is rich in flora and fauna along with diverse marine life. During monsoon, Alleppey beach is the best place to unwind and relax with family and friends. There are many temples, museums, and churches near the backwaters, which you can explore as well.
Athirapally falls
Nothing is as satisfying as watching streams of crystal clear water gushing down a natural waterfall. As mentioned before, the picturesque and soul-satisfying Athirapally lands another best spot for your monsoon getaway. This is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Kerala and located 33 km east of Chalakuddy in Thrissur District. You can opt to trek at the bottom of the waterfall or sit on the large rocks and enjoy the breathtaking scenario.
Palakkad
Palakkad is famous for its acres of rice fields, mighty mountains, serene rivers, and lush forests. During monsoon, the natural charm of this stunning place intensifies, making it a fantastic monsoon getaway. The Malampuzha dam, the Malampuzha gardens, Palakkad Fort and the Yakshi statue, are some of the local attractions that you cannot miss in Palakkad.