Going to India in summer... Is it a very crazy idea?

Indizen

The hills refer to areas in the Himalayan states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, parts of West Bengal and Sikkim.
Famous hill stations are Srinagar and Gulmarg, Dehradun, Mussourie and Nainital, Shimla, Manali, Darjeeling and Gangtok.
Check out the forums on these states.

machadinha

... And then some hilly areas in the South as well, right? E.g., Western Ghats and such.

But may be more commonly used to refer to the (lower, or even higher) Himalayas yes. Ilolo, I think (but others may want to correct me) down south you'll find temperatures more even year round than up north, simply because it's closer to the equator. I believe this is more true of the west coast than the east coast, due to other climatic and geographic conditions (read Nick's reports on Chennai -- by all accounts it gets just as hot there). You'll still have the monsoon to contend with of course; some seem to really like it, some really don't...

A nice recent thread on it was Chasing the Monsoon.

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Nick-H

Chennai's temperature can hit the forties from mid-april to mid-june, nerver as much as Aishah's part of the world, but we get the humidity.

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ilolo

and what would you guys recommend if I decided to go in May somewhere to South maybe? it's not a monsoon season there yet, is it? or is it too hot? I'd love to go to a town which would have a nice beach (not necessarily of course) and a good dental clinic and stay there on my own for about 2 weeks or a month (I'm a young brave female ) while my boyfriend would be traveling somewhere else. or would it be better to go straight up to the north? it's just that I want to see south as well before the monsoon starts, so that would be a great opportunity.

sorry, I don't mean to be annoying with all those questions
let me know if I am

capt_mahajan

The monsoons don't set in till later. Earliest would be Kerala.

And it is hot. Many areas inland will be around 40, the coast a few degrees cooler, but sometimes pretty humid.

I am afraid I can't think of any cool place at that time which will have very good dentists

ilolo

then I guess I'll have to find something higher...
40 sounds not too bad when it's a rainy winter outside, but I know I'll feel different when I'm actually there in 40 degrees
but still I think I would cope with hot climate if there was a good dentist in town. it would be worth I believe.

machadinha

I was thinking you could hit Kerala first, then fly up north later to the mountains (or train, little fun though in the heat, unless you opt for AC, which is damn cold though I hear and confined for such a long ride, and cheap airfares are just marginally higher than the highest train class).

Take note that when the monsoon hits the mountains, you'll have to deal with landslides and consequent transport problems and so on there. I have no personal experience with this.

The monsoon will vary every year of course, but it should run from about early June - mid Oct. I believe, sweeping across the country from South-East to North-West and back in that process. See http://www.mapsofindia.com/maps/indi...estmonsoon.htm. The usual descriptions of it go something like it gets blistering hot in the months preceding it, with indeed hot winds and so on shortly before, or at least on the Deccan plateau; then at first it just gets hot and humid, with just the occasional shower; then it will finally cool down a little, as the rains settle in.

The humidity in tropical areas like Kerala (or Goa, I imagine) at that time you would have to be able to deal with yes, differs per person. The heat, ditto. I hear somewhere above upper 30C's it doesn't really matter if it goes up to upper 40's, it's just basically very hot. Again, I've no experience with such extreme temperatures, and it will differ per person. Friends of mine who were in India at that time would mostly live by night, taking it easy in the daytime. They quite liked the monsoon, as it cools things down, everything turns green, and there are few tourists around. But... to each their own. I'd try and avoid the inland in summer -- which isn't what they did though, traveling Varanasi and Rajasthan and such instead.

I've been through the southern winter monsoon (sort of following in its tracks, rather) and didn't mind it much, but I'm sure it can't compare, and it isn't so hot nor does it get quite as wet I imagine, and so on. Will interfere with travel plans sometimes, but if you have the time, it doesn't matter much.

One thing I hear is with such temps., be sure to keep your fluid intake up, as you may be losing a lot without even noticing it.

I agree good dentists would probably tend to concentrate in the metros or at least larger cities... none of them exactly "cool" places to be in in summer by all accounts, and in any sense of the word. Tempers may run short in the heat apparently, and with traffic and whatnot... well, you get the idea. In any case hoping to find an excellent dentist by the beach or in some mountain village may be asking a little much. (On that note: Realize that by all accounts, when the monsoon hits, there can be no question of swimming anymore, it becomes far too dangerous. Plus your typical beach shacks and so on will pack up for the season anyway, or so I hear, again I've not been through it, nor been to Goa and the likes.)

Chasing the Monsoon, apart from being the title of a thread above, is actually a classic book on the subject by Alexander Frater, you might want to read it.

Well, just some more thoughts. Good luck with it.

Shiver me Timbers

the vast majority of tourists in India spend the summer in Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh.

The root canal treatment I got in Delhi took 3 days, and cost about a fifth of what I would've paid here in Dublin.

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Aishah

June is fine in Mussoorie - accommodation is variable but Hotel Broadway gives travellers some good bargains. Superb dentist in walking distance from there! Dharamsala is a little hotter - my friend had excellent root canal and cap done at a dentist just a little out of Dharamsala, not far from Norbalingka. McLeod Ganj - there is a good clean dentist,but I don't know how specialized he is, accommodation cheaper there and rains not coming until after 21 June. Many dentists in Delhi - check out thread. YHA has accommodation for a single for 750 rupees including air conditioning. It will be hot going out to the dentist.

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machadinha

Yes, actually reading back now it looks like we're covering the same grounds twice here Just trying to think along with OP, and losing track of earlier posts in the process. Oh well, it happens.

suzi

Just a suggestion, but Bangalore is beautiful in June and July, temps around 28, 29 degrees, and world-class dentists. I am having orthodontic work done for less than 1/10 the US cost at one of the nicest (and probably most expensive) hospitals in Bangalore. Plus the city is very foreigner-friendly.

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Aishah

Suzi - that sounds quite a good idea for OP. Also accommodation could be cheaper - prices are hiked particularly in June up in mountains hill stations areas. She could have her dental work done there then on with the travel to cooler climes North if she wanted.

ilolo

thank you very much guys. I'll do a research on the towns that you have mentioned and try to decide which suits me the best.
I've been thinking about Bangalore a lot today. but it seems that people describe it as a very noisy city and polluted city. I wander if it's really that bad, because from what I see in pictures, it looks lovely. but I guess a good dentist is the most important reason to go there.

thanks again!

reneeautumn

bumping this thread to say all this advice is perfect for me, too. Thanks!

frangipanifiona

I've read interesting, conflicting views, then lost track of the various threads about travelling in Rajasthan in the summer heat, so thought I'd ask your advice:

A friend and I are heading from Mumbai to Jodphur to Udaipur and then hoping to go to Kanha, all between 6 - 18 May. Is it going to be too hot, even in the early mornings, to do anything?

I guess I've just got to decide in the end, which is a bit tricky sitting in very cool london, so thanks in advance for any advice!