Monsoon is the best season to experience the nature and explore gorgeous waterfalls around India. After the burning heat of summer, the rains bring much needed relief to the human life and also the nature. The hills and mountains get carpeted with lush greenery, the lakes overflow with sparkling water, the waterfall sceneries become heavenly to make you fall in love with Incredible India.
If you are one of those who don’t mind getting a wee bit wet, then these amazing places to visit in monsoon in India are perfect for sipping a hot coffee and enjoying the hot pakodas:
1) Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir : The cold desert of India is a must visit place in summers and monsoons as the roads are clear for travel in these seasons unlike in winters. The place mesmerizes you by its numerous mountain passes, sparkling lakes with crystal clear water surrounded by snow covered mighty mountains.
How to Reach : 12 hours (1262 km) from Delhi via road. The nearest railway station is Jammu Tawi. The nearest airport is in Leh.
2) Lonavala, Maharashtra : Lonavala and Khandala hill station are must visit place during the monsoon in Maharashtra. Places of interest around Lonavla and Khandala include Rajmachi Point,Valvan Dam,Duke’s Nose, Bhushi Dam and Lohagad Fort.
How to Reach : It’s 1 hour 45 minutes (83.6 km) from Mumbai & 1 hour 26 minutes (67.1 km) from Pune by road. Lonavala has its own railway station & almost all the trains running on this route, halt here.
3) Darjeeling, West Bengal : The lure of the misty Darjeeling Mountains look magnificent during rains. The Darjeeling roads surrounded by tea gardens provides once in a lifetime experience. If you are going on a family trip nothing can be better than booking a family home stay at a tea estate.The emerald green expanses, the rising mist and walking through the clouds experience, have the power to rejuvenate your soul.
How to Reach: The nearest railway station in Darjeeling is at New Jalpaiguri (62 kilometres from the main town) which connects major Indian cities like Kolkata, Delhi, Guwahati, Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore, Bhubaneshwar and Cochin. Or take a flight to Kolkata.
4) Munnar, Kerala: The magical season of monsoon is one of the reasons to visit Kerala when all water bodies, reservoyers and waterfalls are filled. Munnar has a mystic charm during the wet season and offers a great time to for a quiet vacation.
How to Reach: 3 hours 40 minutes(130.1 km) via road from Cochin if you take the NH49. The nearest railway station are Aluva and Ernakulam which are the major cities in Kerala. The nearest airport are Cochin at 110 km and Madhurai international airport which is 140 km away.
5) Lahaul-Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh: Also known as “Little Tibet” this place is untouched by man and hence retains its mystical and mesmerising beauty. There’s truly magic in the air of Spiti that is sure to make you fall in love with this place. Spiti is one of the best offbeat places to visit in monsoon in India (for the real bravehearts).
How to Reach : The nearest railway station is in Shimla. The nearest airport is the Kullu airport at Kullu.
6) Goa : Goa will be amongst the best places to visit in rainy season in India.The land of beaches is surely worth a visit during monsoons to enjoy sand, drizzle and picturesque sceneries. It’s the perfect place to get soaked in the rains and enjoy some truly delicious Goan delicacies.
How to Reach : Goa is well connected by roads and a Mumbai to Goa road trip is worth everything in monsoons. Goa is well connected to other cities with Madgaon & Vasco-Da-Gama stations and Goa international airport in Dabolim.
7) Coorg, Karnataka: Coorg also known as Kodagu welcomes the monsoon season in from June to September. Kodagu is a popular getaway during the monsoon and an ideal destination to visit during rest of the seasons.
How to Reach : 5 hours (~270.4 km) from Bangalore via road if you are planning to go on a road trip. The nearest airports are Mysore at 120 km, Mangalore which is 135 km far and Bangalore at 260 km. Coorg doesn’t have a station by itself but the nearest railway stations are Mysore, Mangalore and Hassan.
8) Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu : Kodaikanal is the popular tourist destination in Tamil Nadu and most famous hill station in South India. Places of interest in Kodaikanal include several scenic natural attractions, artificial lakes and popular romantic destination for newlyweds.
How to Reach: The nearest airports are Madurai which is 135 km away, Coimbatore which is 170 km away and Trichy at 200 km. It is about 9 hours (~450 km) from Bangalore via road. The nearest railway stations to Kodaikanal are Palani Station at 64 km.
9) Shillong, Meghalaya: The monsoons arrive in Shillong in June month and rains almost until the end of October. Tourist sites in and around the city of Shillong include Elephant Falls, Shillong Peak,Sweet Falls, Cheerapunjee and Mawsynram are the wettest place on Earth.
How to Reach: By Train – The closest railway station from Shillong is in Guwahati. It’s about 100 kilometres away and you can easily take a taxi from there. The Guwahati railway station is connected to New Delhi and other major cities across the country.
10) Pondicherry: Pondicherry receives rainfall in the months of November through January, The northeast monsoon sets in during the middle of October. Pondicherry gets heavy to light rainfall every year and one of least famous place in India for backwaters tourism.
How to Reach: The nearest rail station from Pondicherry is Villupuram, which is about 35 kilometres away from the town. Or you could fly down to Chennai and go for a road trip to Pondicheery, it takes about 2 hours.