Tuesday, June 24, 2014

10 places to experience Monsoon in India!

Come june, it is time for monsoon in India. Entering peninsular India, rains soak the parched lands of the country in three months. It is the time for celebration of rejuvenation. A time, when Green becomes the colour of the season. Waterfalls gurgles down at their glorious best. When clouds kiss the hills.

We love rains. We have a done some memorable drives in the Western ghats and Himalayas during monsoon. We were thinking about listing the places where one can experience monsoon at its best.

Here is our list.

Cherrapunji

Yes, it has to be Cherra. Monsoon and Cherra are made for each other. This is the time when it pours. Relentlessly. Standing in the mist filled valley, you wait for those wow moments when you get a glimpse of waterfalls falling gracefully from tabletop hills. You will fall in love with this place.


For more details on Cherrapunji please check out this post in this blog.

Cherrapunji - Where wet is beautiful!

Mandu

When it rains, Mandu comes alive. The ruins in the high plateaus of Malwa region in Central India turns romantically beautiful in rains. It is a pleasure to watch rain drops falling over the Mandu valley from Roopmati pavillion. Get mesmerised to see Jahaj Mahal floating in the lake full of water.


Travel Tips - Mandu can be easily reached from Indore which has lot of stay options and well connected with other parts of the country by Air, Rail or Road. If you want to stay in Mandu, you have lot of stay options by Madhya Pradesh Tourism.

For an offbeat stay option, check out this lovely palace hotel in Dhar. We loved it. Check for more details in this post here in this blog.

Jhira Bagh Palace Hotel

For a pictorial tour of Mandu, please click on this post on this blog

Romantic Ruins of Mandu

Ziro

Have you heard of this place? Probably not. Poorna always keep talking about his many visits to this place while serving in Army in Arunachal and he swears by its beauty. Ziro is stunning during and after rains. This huge valley in Arunachal pradesh looks like a green carpet. The rice bowl of Arunachal Pradesh famed for its Bamboo is the place to be when it rains.


Travel Tips - Ziro is well connected by road to their towns of Arunachal Pradesh. Stay options are limited. Plan a minimum of two days to explore.

Udaipur

Can we say anything about this place which is not written already? This "Jewel of Aravali" is surrounded by greenery. When it rains and Lake Pichola gets filled, it is the time to go for a lazy boat ride. When you are not on the lake then go for a drive in the Aravalis. The green vistas are soothing for the eyes. Drive up to Sajjangarh fort to be one with the clouds!


Travel Tips - Udaipur is well connected to other parts of the country by air, train and bus. There are stay options to suit all budgets. Plan a minimum of two days to explore. Plan Kumbalgarh and Ranakpur as a day trip. It is beautiful in rains.

Konkan

The region of Konkan on west Coast is a fascinating place. Blessed with greenery, lovely beaches and forts atop hills, it is a riot of green in Monsoon. Trek to the forts for a commanding view of the green vistas. Go for a boat rides in the backwaters. Just be alone on the pristine beaches watching the sky thick with clouds.


Travel tips - Make Ratnagiri as the base to explore Konkan. It is well connected with other parts of country by rail and bus. The nearest airport is at Goa. There are good stay options in the city. Another option is to stay in Konkan Homestays to explore the region.

Chhattisgarh

The verdant valleys of Chattisgarh come alive in Monsoon. This is the time to savour the vistas of Asia's Niagara falls - Chitrakoot falls. Don't worry if you are not able to do caving. But enjoy the green vistas and numerous waterfalls in their full glory.


Travel tips - Make Jagdalpur as the base to explore. For more details on exploring Chhattisgarh, please check out posts in " Chhattisgarh Chronicles" series in this blog here.

Chhattisgarh Chronicles

Malabar

We did not want to write about Kochi or Kumarakom or Munnar. It is Malabar in Kerala which is still not exploited. Cruise on the quaint backwaters of Cannanore, experience your own "Tuhire" ( Remember the soulful song by Hariharan in the movie "Bombay") moment in Bekal fort or  watch the clouds pass by you on the beaches of Cannanore and Calicut or walk on the lovely sea front of Mahe.


Travel tips - Make Cannanore or Calicut as the base to explore Malabar. Calicut has a airport. Both towns are well connected by rail and bus. Adequate stay options are available in both cities.

Malnad

Yes, we are partial to Malnad, the western ghat region in the state of Karnataka. If you want to experience relentless spattering of rain drops, you have to come here. Whether it is the rolling hills of Coorg or mighty peaks of Chikmagalur or meadows of Sakleshpur or the lovely vistas around Tirthahalli, rain in Malnad is a true celebration. All you need to do is to take out your car, switch on some music and go on a drive in the rains. you will not regret it. We have done it.


Travel Tips - The region of Malnad is well connected by bus. Convenient airports are Bangalore and Mangalore. Chikmagalur, Shimoga and Sakleshpur are connected by rail. Nearest railhead for Madikeri is Mysore. All places - Chikmagalur, Madikeri, Sakleshpur, Tirthahalli, Shimoga - are well connected by bus.


Not many visit this enchanting part of Karnataka. A land blessed with myriad waterfalls, thick forests, Uttara Kannada is known needs to be savoured during rains. Spot a Malabar pied hornbill in Dandeli or savour the sight of beautiful Magod waterfall. Go there to enjoy a peaceful monsoon holiday.
Like Malabar, Uttara Kannada is not much commercialised.


Travel tips - Make Dandeli or Sirsi as the base to explore Uttara Kannada. both towns are well connected by buses. Nearest railhead and airport is at Hubli.

If you are planning a road trip to Uttara Kannada, you should look this post on this blog here

Driving Holidays from Bangalore 6 - Enchanting Uttara Kannada

Goa

We had to give it to Goa. It is peaceful when it rains in Goa. There are no tourists. No crowds. No shacks. You have beaches all by yourself. The countryside is rich and green. If you dont want to spend time on the beach, pick up a bicycle and explore rural side. If you don't want to pedal your way then put on your hiking shoes and go for a trek on the railway track to Dudhsagar falls.


Travel tips - Goa is well connected by air, rail and bus to other parts of the country. Stay options suiting all budgets are available.

For details on Railway track trek to Dudhsagar, please click here

Dudhsagar Falls - A monsoon trek on railway track!

For offbeat activities in Goa, you may look at this post in this blog here.

12 things to do in Goa you haven't done before!

There are other gem of places we would love you to explore as well. They are Valley of Flowers in Himalayas, Pachmarhi in Madhya Pradesh, North East India, Valparai in Tamil Nadu, Wayanad in Kerala.

And of course, Kashmir when all tourists are gone and everything is quiet!

So where are you going this monsoon? Which is your favourite monsoon destination?

Photo Courtesy - Cannanore Backwaters - Sri Cholan
                            Ziro - Sri Rajkumar

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