Best Time To Visit South India- Weather, Season and Tips

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The best time to visit South India, the tropical paradise of India, is between October and March. The weather in the winter is comfortably dry, windy, and less humid to explore the beaches, hills, backwaters, islands, lakes, and waterfalls of southern India. The cool breeze of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal gracing the southern states make it the perfect time to explore South India.

Bordered by the glorious Coromandel Coast in the east and the scenic Malabar Coast on the west, Southern India constitutes the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.

Their vivid culture, rich heritage, stunning historical attractions, and diverse landscapes like forests, lakes, waterfalls, backwaters, and the mighty Western Ghats bring an enormous influx of travelers to the country each year.

They make some of the best tourist destinations in India, provided you visit them in the right season with our customized South India tour packages.

Scroll down to see what each season offers.

Best time to visit South India – Winter

Graced by the cool winds of the ocean on both sides, the winter months in South India are an ideal time to explore Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh.

The dry season from October to March marks the peak season in South India with an average temperature ranging between 18°C to 30°C. Though hotels and transport options are pricey in the peak season, these months are the most comfortable for exploring the varying terrain of South India.

With warm days, cool nights, and dry, sweet winds, these months let wanderers make the most of their visit without having their plans ruined by icky humidity and constant showers.

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In addition, most of these months, especially December, are packed with fun-filled festivals like the Mahabalipuram Dance Festival, the Chennai Music Festival, Mysore Dasara, Diwali, Pongal, and Hampi Utsav. Make your bookings well in advance to avoid a peak season price hike!

Whether you wish to explore the diverse terrain of South India, indulge in some sunny beach time, or attend its many festivals, winter is undoubtedly the best time to visit South India.

Off-season in South India – Summer

April and May mark the short summer season in South India. The soaring temperatures range between 27°C and 38°C, crossing 40°C on rare occasions.

With intense humidity and blazing afternoons, it becomes too difficult to step out and explore. Even nights are a tad hot and humid during peak summer weeks in South India.

 

However, for many hardcore explorers, it is still the best time to visit South India for off-season perks like less crowd, heavy discounts and deals on hotel stays, cheaper flights, and budget-friendly adventure activities like trekking, wildlife safaris, scuba diving, and other watersports.

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In summer, most travelers step out to explore South India in the early hours of the morning or at night when the weather is mildly comfortable, beaches and tourist attractions are empty, and ticket counters have shorter queues.

Shoulder season in South India – Monsoon

June to September marks the monsoon season in South India when this tropical part of the country receives occasional spells of torrential rain and humidity levels soar!

While the temperature remains comfortably low between 20°C to 35°C and cool winds blow, the excess humidity, constant showers, and chances of landslides in hilly areas make it a tough time to explore South India.

Southern India experiences two monsoon seasons consecutively – the Southwest Monsoon and the Northeast Monsoon, wherein the latter is also accompanied by dark clouds and storms.

While it’s not a great time to visit the beaches, monsoon is the best time to visit South India for Ayurvedic treatments seeing as the rain and tropical humidity opens the body’s pores to fully absorb therapeutic oils.

Frequent showers also refresh and revive the vegetation and green landscapes of South India. In addition, there are fewer tourists around and bigger discounts on hotels and transport!

Best time to visit South India – An insider tip!

September-end to October is the most favorable time to visit South India when the monsoon showers subside and turn the green landscapes of this tropical corner into a refreshing tapestry of colors!

The days and nights are pleasantly cool for exploring these states and the prices of hotels and transport are still low when the peak season is only beginning.

At the end of the monsoon season in South India:

• Karnataka’s Bandipur National Park and beaches like Goa and Gokarna are covered in refreshed vegetation.
• Tamil Nadu’s scenic hills like Ooty and Kolukkumalai are brimming with replenished greenery and scented plantations of coffee and tea.
• Kerala’s Nilgiri Hills are bathed in resplendent shades of green and blue.
• And Andhra Pradesh’s Araku Valley and Ananthagiri hills transform into a beautiful tapestry of dewy flora and dreamy mist!

We hope this mini guide on the best time to visit South India helps you plan an awesome trip to India’s most enchanting tropical destinations. And if you have anything to add to the info provided, let us know in the comments below.