One of the questions that is often asked by travelers to Kerala is about Best Time to Visit Kerala. Kerala has three tourist seasons. Peak Season which ranges from September to March, Off Season in Kerala which is from April to May and Monsoon Season from June to August . Each season in Kerala is unique making it an ideal destination for tourists who are coming for different kinds of travel experiences in each of these seasons and Best Time to Visit Kerala varies based on why you are visiting Kerala.
Kerala is blessed with a pleasing and enjoyable climate throughout the year across all the seasons and months. Peak Season in Kerala from September to March is the best season to visit Kerala for holidays. In these months the weather is warm and comfortable, but not hot. Summer Season from March to May, is hot but not humid, as it is near the tropics. Monsoon season between June and August is the best time to visit Kerala for Ayurveda treatments. The wet and cold climate in monsoon weather is ideal and Best time to Visit Kerala for Ayurveda treatments and rejuvenation programmes.
Best Season to visit Kerala – Weather and Climate
There are three distinct seasons in Kerala and all these seasons are suitable for visit based on why you are visiting Kerala:
- Peak Season from September to March when the climate is cool and comfortable and the best time to visit for a holiday in Kerala
- Off season in Kerala which is the hot, humid summer season from April to May.
- Monsoon Season from June to August suitable for Ayurveda with rains intermittently
Kerala is actually a very rainy state, which no doubt contributes to its lush greenery. Rain is commonly received during nine months of the year there and monsoons in Kerala starts from June.
Kerala serves as a welcoming haven for tourists in search of culture, backwaters and seaside respite. As with any destination, determining the good time to travel to Kerala depends on a wide variety of factors, including the personal preferences of individual visitors. For Eg- Most families find that the best time to visit Kerala is from September to March which is the peak season in Kerala while people who are looking for ayurvedic treatments prefer monsoon season from June to August , the best time at which the weather is cool and comfortable for ayurveda treatment .
ALSO SEE Best time to visit backwaters of Kerala
Peak Season in Kerala- September to March
Peak Season starts just after the monsoon in September and goes on till March just when the summer is starting and is considered to be the best season to visit Kerala.At this time of the year perfect weather and sunny skies are at its mild, pleasantest best providing a great salubrious climate for guests visiting Kerala to enjoy their time in a Kerala Tour covering beaches, hill stations and backwaters.
Some of the best destinations in Kerala to visit in Peak season include Munnar , Thekkady, Kovalam, Alleppey and Kumarakom. Most of the best resorts in Kerala are sold out in this season especially the week on Xmas and New Year and it would be better to block the rooms in advance if you are planning to visit Kerala in this season .However be prepared to shell out higher amounts for accommodation, round trips, nights out and other events. Some special days like Xmas eve and New Year’s eve has additional mandatory charges in most resorts. Everything happens in Kerala at this time of the year letting visitors to enjoy a wide array of special events and activities during their Kerala Holiday.
Popular Events & Activities in Kerala during Peak season are Cochin Carnival(January), Kumarakom Boat Race (September – October), Aranmula Boat Race(September), Indira Gandhi Boat Race(December), Athachamayam (August- September), Onam (September) and Chembai Music Festival (November)
Off Season in Kerala – April to May
The summer months bring a slower pace, humid weather, fewer crowds, and lower hotel rates in Kerala Tourism. In addition to high temperatures during the summer, you should also expect rain daily (though often just a quick evening shower). The hottest time of year is between March and May a great time to visit if you can stand 30 degree plus temperatures. Around late April/early May there is normally a sudden – and, for the locals at least, welcome – increase in precipitation. From May until September the weather typically sees strong daytime sunshine, until late afternoon thunderstorms roll in – a kind of pre-mini-monsoon season. Popular Hill Stations in Kerala like Munnar and Wayanad is popular in off season.
Summer is a good season to visit Kerala especially if you feel like braving the heat, plan your travel from April through May and enjoy a less congested, less expensive travel experience. If you land up in Munnar or Thekkady you could spend sweltering, sultry but non humid days and enjoy a perfect budget holiday or a great weekend getaway in Kerala.
The heat will probably keep you off the beaches and you may find yourself engaged in peaceful siestas in the afternoons, but expect heavy off-season discounts as far as accommodation and sightseeing, dinner and drinks are concerned in your are looking for spending days in Kerala. Besides beaches, options like a visit to wildlife sanctuaries and spice plantations could offer slight respite from the heat and animals do come out in summer to have water providing ample opportunities for sightseeing. Evenings are pleasant and comfortable but not humid.
Popular Events & Activities in Kerala during Off season are Guruvayoor Utsavam (February-March) , Aluva Sivarathri (February-March), Vishu (April), Easter (March- April and Edathuva Perunnal (April-May)
Monsoon or Kerala Ayurveda Season- June to August
Kerala has intense and hot summers and the onset of the monsoons in June comes as a relief for local people after the hot, dry months of early summer, bringing welcome rain and lower temperatures and this is the Best Time to Visit Kerala for Ayurveda Treatments.
In the book The God of Small Things here is how ARUNDHATI ROY describes the onset of Monsoons in Kerala”But by early June the southwest monsoon breaks and there are three months of wind and water with short spells of sharp, glittering sunshine that thrilled children snatch to play with. The countryside turns an immodest green. Boundaries blur as tapioca fences take root and bloom. Brick walls turn mossgreen. Pepper vines snake up electric poles. Wild creepers burst through laterite banks and spill across the flooded roads. Boats ply in the bazaars. And small fish appear in the puddles that fill the PWD potholes on the highways. ”
Kerala can be at its most beautiful at this time of year, with verdant tea gardens in hill stations like Munnar and the vivid green of newly sprouting rice in place of the bare red earth and parched vegetation of the dry season in rice in backwater of alleppey .Monsoon is the best season for Ayurvedic treatments and renowned Kerala Ayurveda Packages and the awareness about the the charms of a wet Kerala is still not well known. If you plan to travel to Kerala during monsoons, carry lot of extra clothes as laundry may not dry well.
Ayurveda Treatments(June- August) , Nehru Trophy Boat Race(August, Kottiyoor Utsavam(June- July and Champakkulam Boat Race(June- July)
Weather & Climate in Kerala
Kerala is known as Gods Own Country because of the comfortable weather in all months of year. Here are the details of Average monthly Weather Climate & rainfall in Kerala that can give an idea about the best time to go to Kerala and weather in Kerala
The Arabian Sea, all along the Kerala coastline, looks wild and choppy, and swimming is out, with rainstorms ravaging the beaches. It’s just about the best season for a quiet rural holiday in the interiors. Explore ecotourism, spice plantations and other lesser-known remote options to make the most of this time. Cloudy skies and heavy rain, however, are a powerful deterrent to most visitors. Rainfall is at its peak in Kerala in July and it can go up to 90cm (36in) of rain in a single month.
Traveling within India generally becomes more difficult during the rainy season and Kerala is no exception. Road, rail and air travel schedules are prone to disruption and beaches are off limits because of strong winds and high tides at this time of the year. However you should visit Kerala if you plan to enjoy monsoons and wants to watch the onset of monsoons in Indian subcontinent simply because rooms are cheaper, climate is comfortable , and the sun isn’t nearly as intense.
Weather in Kerala this week
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