Best Places in India to Visit During Monsoon Season

India is the country of amazing diversity, changing her face and features every season, yet it is during the monsoon that the landscapes of this country can become the most dramatic. The country turns a green living picture, with waterfalls roaring in the deep dales, rivers whistling back, forests lighting up with a thousand hues of green as the first drops of precipitation fall upon the dry soil. The beat of falling rain, the mountains with mist, and the smell of wet soil altogether make the spellbinding experience that visitors are eager to experience every year.

The monsoon magic of India has got a western view of Kerala and eastern hue in Uttarakhand, of royal lakes in Rajasthan and tropical escapes in Goa. To the photographer, the nature lover, and the lover of peace, this season is a once in a lifetime opportunity of seeing the country at its very best – alive, refreshed and irresistibly beautiful.

The following is a list of some of the most popular places to visit in India during the monsoon with their respective unique charms and experiences that cannot be forgotten.

1. Munnar, Kerala

Munnar lies hidden in the Western Ghats and is a hazy emerald haven during rains. The tea gardens are gleaming with rain-drops, and the hills rolling to and fro, appear to breathe under a veil of mist, which falls softly and faintly. Attukal and Lakkam waterfalls falling down rough cliffs in the midst of the green vegetation is a sight to behold. The aroma of fresh tea blends with petrichor during this season and that is why it is an ideal place to be on by couples and wanderers. You will not want to pass by drinking a cup of locally brewed tea whilst seeing clouds move slowly over the greener valleys.

2. Coorg, Karnataka

Coorg (or Kodagu), also known as the Scotchland of India, is a monsoon-dipped land with hazy coffee bushes, raving falls, and grassy hills. The Abbey Falls and the Iruppu Falls of the region are in full majesty also at this time of the year. Rain is sparkling on coffee leaves, cold wind is sweeping the smell of cardamom and pepper. Adventure tourists have the option to walk around the Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary and those in need of relaxation can have a relaxing time in a homestay amidst rolling plantations and remote thunder.

3. Udaipur, Rajasthan

The monsoon brings something romantic to the City of Lakes. Palaces in Udaipur shimmer like jewels on the calm Fateh Sagar and in Lake Pichola which is rain-filled. The City Palace and the Lake Palace seem like a dream when viewed through the gray skies, and even the Aravalli Hills around it take an unexpectedly green hue. The reduced number of tourists and a light drizzle to cool the heat in the desert makes Udaipur an idyllic location to enjoy the Rajasthani splendor with a lighter and more poetic flavor.

4. Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu

Kodaikanal is a hill station nestled in Palani Hills and which is revived by the monsoon with a new energy. The Silver Cascade Waterfall is roaring with all its strength, and the Kodaikanal Lake with its halo of mist-covered eucalyptus trees looks like the part of the fairytale. You can also take a Trek to Dolphin nose where you can see a panorama of the green valley below or you can just cycle around the lake as the raindrops drum a sweet tune on your umbrella. Kodaikanal is an ideal monsoon destination in South India with its cool and crisp air and smell of pine.

5. Cherrapunji, Meghalaya

The so-called wettest spot on the planet Cherrapunji (or Sohra) is a rainy miracle of waterfalls, cliffs adorned with clouds, and so on. The Khasi tribes of Mawlynnong have created the living root bridges, and these structures are the marvels of engineering by nature and they come alive during the rainy season. These include the powerful Nohkalikai and Dainthlenhurling waterfalls into the deep gullies, and the air is filled with mist and falls over the landscape like an ethereal beauty. The monsoon here is not anything as a season but it is a feeling that shapes the spirit of Meghalaya.

6. Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra

Mahabaleshwar is a popular hill station in Western Ghats that is fascinating at the time of rain. The strawberry fields are made green, and the tops of the hills are obscured with silvery haze. See the Lingmala Waterfall, a spectacular view amidst dense forest cover or go on a quiet boat ride over Venna Lake as rain-drops splash the surface. The perspectives of Arthur Seat and Elephant head point have the hypnotizing glimpses of mist-covered valleys. You also should not forget to have a plate of hot corn and hot chai at a roadside stall as you watch the drizzle.

7. Valley of Flowers, Uttarakhand

One of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Valley of Flowers in Himalayas comes alive during the monsoon period of July to September in a technicolor dream. The valley is covered with more than 500 species of alpine flowers including blue poppies and Himalayan orchids and this view is so surreal and other worldly. Hiking in this flowery estate amidst snowed mountains and hazy fields is a journey that stays with you long after you have left. It is the most beautiful masterpiece of nature in its glory.

8. Wayanad, Kerala

Wayanad is another treasure of the God Own Country, a serene mix of fine fog forests, spice plantations and ancient caves. Pookode Lake is reflected in the greenery during the monsoon and Chembra Peak Trek provides the spectacular scenery of rain-forests. Discover the antique Edakkal Caves along with its ancient sculptures or relax in an arboreal resort under the rhythmic sound of rain. The rugged nature and the abundance of culture makes Wayanad to be a destination that cannot be left out in the monsoon season.

9. Panchmarhi, Madhya Pradesh

Pachmarhi is so enchanted in the season of the monsoon that she becomes the Queen of Satpura. The waterfalls such as Bee Falls and Apsara Vihar fall with redoubled vigour and the forests in and around it shine under the rain. Jata Shankar Caves with their mythology are a mystical attraction with stalactites that drip. Created by the peaceful roads, cottage houses of the colonial period, and breathtaking sceneries, Pachmarhi is a secret monsoon treasure in Central India.

10. Goa

Goa is known to be a beach destination and night life with an entire new character during the monsoon. The snow crowds are reduced, the fields are green, and the water falls, such as Dudhsagar Falls, crash and crash along with mighty splendor. The countryside is stinking of damp soil and spices and the palm-fringed roads shine after every rainfall. It is when it will be possible to enjoy peaceful walks along the beach, yoga retreat, and even learn more about Portuguese culture without the often-rushing pace. The monsoon of Goa is serene, poignant and photo-escapistic.

In Conclusion

Monsoon in India is not a mere monsoon season but it is a festival of rebirth. It is when nature draws its brightest masterpiece, and asks you to relax, take deep breaths, and see what life is the most beautiful. Misty hills and royal lakes, valleys of wildflowers, everywhere the rain will find you, refreshing, reviving, reminding you that beauty so often blossoms in the storm.