Is monsoon season a good time to visit Kerala and is it safe?
Are you planning a visit to Kerala and worried about the strong monsoon here? Read this blog to learn more about the safety precautions you must take while visiting Kerala during the rainy season.
I live in Kerala and love the rains but only under the roof of my home. I usually don't plan a vacation or trip during the heavy rains for safety reasons as well as the mess created by the water everywhere. But a few weeks back, I went on a trip to Kumarakom along with 2 friends. This trip was special because it was during the peak of monsoon and a houseboat cruise through the backwaters of Kerala was an experience to remember for ever. That trip changed my perception about the best time to visit tourist destinations in Kerala.
This photo was captured on a houseboat cruise in Kumarakom, moments before the rain started pouring on us
If you are planning a trip to Kerala and if you are thinking which is the best time to visit Kerala, monsoon is it. Come to Kerala and enjoy the rains. Watch the rains from a houseboat in Kumarakom or Alappuzha. Or, book a room in one of the best resorts in Munnar and blend yourself with the nature. Why visit Kerala in monsoon?
Monsoon is at its peak in Kerala from the first week of June to last week of July. There could be occasional rains during August and September as well.
If your goal is to lay back and relax with the nature and have little plans for outdoor activities, then monsoon is the ideal time to visit Kerala.
There are several reasons to visit Kerala during monsoon.
1. Lush green trees every where.
The trees and meadows will be at its best during or just after the monsoon. You will see lush greenery everywhere.
2. Water falls
All the waterfalls in the state will be performing the best during monsoon with lot of water. In the hill stations like Munnar, numerous small waterfalls will appear that will not last long after the monsoon.
3. Less crowd and more privacy
Due to the perception that monsoon is not a good time to visit Kerala, many tourists avoid this season. Most of the tourist locations have very little crowd and you have a lot more privacy wherever you go.
4. Off season discounts and deals in hotels/resorts.
Monsoon is considered as off-season by most hotels and resorts. Due to lack of tourists, many hotels offer good deals. So, if you are tight on budget, monsoon is the best time to save some money on travel and stay.Is it safe to visit Kerala during monsoon
Some tourists have safety concerns on touring the backwaters and hillstations during monsoon. It's true that driving through the hillstations during heavy rains is a risky job. If you are visiting a hill station, make sure you hire a driver who is experienced in hilly areas. Also, I would suggest you stop the car when it is raining heavily and continue your journey only after the rain stops or reduces. 
Our bus had a miraculous escape from a face-to-face crash with a truck that was coming down the hill at a high speed in Munnar. The truck scratched the driver side corner of the bus and stopped after about 200 metres. The bus driver suddenly turned to escape from the accident and hit the left side of the bus on the mud on the left.
Fog: Sometimes you may experience fog in the hillstations which will make the visibility very poor. An experienced driver will be very helpful in such situations.
Beware of accidents: Roads could be slippery and driving through hill stations in could be really dangerous unless you know the road well.
Landslides: In many hillstations, land slides are common during monsoon. This may cause diversions and blocking the roads for traffic. Your entire trip may be affected by the traffic regulations during land slide.
Powercuts: Fallen trees may cause power interruptions in many areas and it may last for few days. Even though most hotels and resorts will have alternate power supply options, small hotels and homestays may just remain in dark during the powercut.
I went on a houseboat during monsoon in heavy rains. We checked with the boat driver whether it is safe to be on a houseboat during the rains. According to him, other than the mess created by the water, there is no risk for houseboats due to the rains. However, the heavy wind may cause trouble and the driver may fail to navigate the houseboat properly. In such cases, they will pull the boats to some canals where the wind will not cause any harm. Heavy wind is dangerous to the houseboats only when they are in the open lakes.
Monsoon tourism is gaining momentum in Kerala. Check the weather forecast in Kerala and plan your trips when it is raining to enjoy the rains here. Check out A Guide on what dresses to wear in Kerala: Information for tourists.
This is a very useful article. We had planned to skip Kerela during monsoons as monsoon seems to be the avoidable time for Kerala tourists. However, the visit was awesome. The exception being the roads are in bad condition.