The sumptuous south of India is one of those places that shines at any time of year. The warm, sunny months of September to February are all about beach-hopping in Goa, adventures in the tropical backwaters of Kerala and hiking through the lush coffee plantations of Karnataka. The cooler, wetter months of March to August, for their part, are perfect for those keen to take advantage of the slower-paced low-season, with temple-hopping, cycling through old colonial towns and even taking part in local festivities that celebrate the arrival of the rainy season (unlike here in the UK, the rain is something to be celebrated in Southern India!). So while, yes, the best time to visit southern India is arguably during the autumn and winter, we’re here to tell you that any time of year can call for an exotic Indian adventure.
Spring
For Local Festivities and Wildlife Watching
Despite having topsy-turvy, slightly-confusing seasons (i.e. summer is winter and winter is summer), southern India still shares that sense of springtime rejuvenation and renewal with its cousins to the north. March, April and May see the southern states erupt into a fascinating flurry of activity with a number of local festivities. There is the ancient Shigmo festival in Goa, which once celebrated the homecoming of warriors, but today is all about grand processions, folk dances and traditional music; it is also Tamil New Year during the spring, which is another great time for local festivities. The spring months are hot, sunny and humid, with average daily temperatures climbing to around 40°C in May and around seven hours of sunshine per day, making it a great time to soak in some vitamin-rich sun on the paradisiacal beaches of Goa and Kerala before the monsoon erupts in early June. We can recommend some of our favourite beaches on the Arabian coastline, where you can enjoy everything from beachside yoga and meditation to cycle tours of old colonial towns. And finally, the hotter spring months are considered the best time to view elephants in the sweeping national parks of Kerala and Karnataka, as this is when they spend most of their time at the waterfront.
Summer
For Tranquil Travel and Traditional Wellness
The summer months of June, July and August are traditionally the months to avoid Southern India due to the heavy rains of the monsoon season. That said, if you’re a pluviophile (lover of rain - yes, it’s a word) or someone just hell-bent on visiting southern India at this time, then the good news is that there are still plenty of upsides to visiting in the summer months. The first and foremost is that it’s the off season, which means that when the sun does poke out, you can enjoy the luscious sites of the south without the usual crowds. That means peaceful palm-tree lined beaches in Goa, tranquil temple-hopping in Tamil Nadu and relaxing retreats in Kerala. And speaking of retreats, Indian legend has it that the monsoon season is the best time for traditional wellness therapies, as your body is able to fully absorb therapeutic treatments. We can arrange for you to stay in a beautiful beachside retreat in Kerala, where you can learn the principles of transcendental meditation in between plenty of indulgent treatments. But for those still keen to experience a tad of that infamous Indian chaos, then you’ll be happy to hear that the rain is actually a cause for celebration in Goa – the late-June Sao Joao Festival sees locals take to the streets in their finest floral wreath tiaras before enjoying a ceremonial dip into wells, rivers and any other body of water in honour of the rain.
Autumn
For Hiking in Lush Green Landscapes
And then, almost as quickly as it arrived, the monsoon disappears, leaving in its wake lush, green landscapes perfect for hiking in. So for anyone who likes to discover new pastures with hiking poles to hand, this is certainly the best time to visit Southern India. The steamy foothills of the Western Ghats – a mountain range running parallel to India’s southwestern coast – is an emerald oasis at this time, with a dizzying range of flora in full bloom. We can arrange for you to enjoy plenty of adventures in the wilderness, including a guided walk around a local spice plantation in Kerala, where you can admire clove, cardamon and vanilla plants; or a stay in a luxurious hotel in the heart of 30 acres of rolling green hills, coffee plantations and walking trails in Karnataka. The warmer, drier weather also ushers in a period perfect for discovering some of southern India’s finest cities - some of our favourites include the former French colonial city of Pondicherry, the bustling spice port of Cochin and the ancient regal city of Mysore. No matter which city takes your fancy, we can arrange to make your experience that much more memorable with interesting tours with private local guides, visits out to nearby temples and stays in authentic – but always luxurious – accommodations.
Winter
For Beach-Hopping and Plenty of Sun
We thought we’d go out with a bang with the absolute best time to visit Southern India: the winter. This will doubtless be music to the ears of travellers cooped up in the Northern Hemisphere dreaming of a sunny winter getaway. The months of December, January and February are blessed with remarkably good stats when it comes to weather – temperatures hover around a balmy 25°C and there are around seven hours of sunshine per day. Not bad, right? The beaches of southern India easily make our roundup of the best in India and are - as you can probably guess - seriously beautiful at this time. For those after a slightly different kind of aquatic adventure, this is also a great time to head out to the idyllic backwaters of Kerala for an active adventure in the sun. We can arrange for you to learn ancient fishing techniques with locals, drift down emerald waters on a traditional boat or simply kick-back and relax in one of our favourite lakeside properties. And to top it all off, the magical Festivity of Lights, Diwali, kicks off in November and sees locals celebrate the victory of light over darkness (and good over evil) by lighting hundreds of lanterns.