South India in July

MUKTi · Mar 20th, 2008, 20:41

Hi all, I spent 6 months backpacking south India several years back and now the opportunity to return has finally presented itself.

My fiancee and I are getting married the 5th of July. We'd really like to spend a week in the Maldives soaking up the sun and then head to Tamil Nadu (Madurai, ?), Kerala for adventure and possibly a few days in Goa and/or Karnatka/Andrha Pradesh for contrast.

If you can offer suggestions for sights to see/places to be or visit in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka or Andrha Pradesh we'd both be extremely grateful!

I have experience in Tamil Nadu and very little in Kerala, but please keep in mind this was 6 years ago and I was more interested in monastic lifestyles and enjoying the odd chillum. This time around I'd like to have some adventure (at every turn in India, I know) with my fiancee and hopefully she will fall in love with the India I have come to love.

Unfortunately, we have found out that the monsoon seasons begins in July so the main question I really need answered is whether our honeymoon will be ruined by winds and rain in southern India as well as in the Maldives if anyone is knoledgeable about the Maldives and the monsoon season.

I have read that the monsoon seasons doesn't increase the chance of rain in the south of India and that there it remains pretty steady year round. I would hate to put off a great opportunity to share India with the love of my life (ok, perhaps there are also some self-centered motivations behind the trip as well :P), but really don't want to ruin our honeymoon or her first visit in what will hopefully become many.

Sorry for the long post guys...whatever insights you can supply are appreciated greatly, cheers!

P.S. I realize 2 weeks ins't much to work with. I feel Kerala and Tamil Nadu (read at the least Madurai) are must sees. She is also obsessed with seeing the Taj Mahal..blah!

Any ideas or commentsin this regard, as always, are most welcomed!!!

machadinha · Mar 20th, 2008, 20:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by MUKTi

I have read that the monsoon seasons doesn't increase the chance of rain in the south of India and that there it remains pretty steady year round.

Not necessarily, that I'm aware of, no, but maybe others can give you the lowdown.

For a general overview of the weather, check also this whole thread: India climate chart . It links on to some monsoon charts as well. Maldives I can't tell you about, no idea.

Nick-H · Mar 20th, 2008, 21:28

Sorry, but you have been told wrong about the monsoon in the South ---or you were talking to someone from Chennai! Kerala, as you might imagine from its greenness, gets a whole heap of monsoon water dumped on it.

The monsoon starts in Kerala in the first week in June. It doesn't mean you won't see any sunshine, but it does mean that you might meet weather severe enough to be destructive and cause travel plans to have to change. You may also encounter genuine danger; there is an annual death count associated with the monsoon.

I think the South-West monsoon stays pretty much on the Western side of the mountains; Tamil Nadu should be a drier option. Last year we had unexpected rain in mid June; I don't remember if it was associated with the monsoon or some other weather system.

I haven't a clue about the Maldives: maybe the monsoon may have passed by the time you got there? Check out careful, though, rather than expecting deckchairs in the sun!

capt_mahajan · Mar 20th, 2008, 21:57

Maldives gets a lot of rain, almost throughout the year.

I would put the Southwest monsoon hitting Maldives from mid May onwards till September or later, and it can be torrential in the early months, though interspaced with bright sunshine.

Mar 20th, 2008, 20:41	#1
MUKTi Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Piacenza, Italy Posts: 10	South India in July Hi all, I spent 6 months backpacking south India several years back and now the opportunity to return has finally presented itself. My fiancee and I are getting married the 5th of July. We'd really like to spend a week in the Maldives soaking up the sun and then head to Tamil Nadu (Madurai, ?), Kerala for adventure and possibly a few days in Goa and/or Karnatka/Andrha Pradesh for contrast. If you can offer suggestions for sights to see/places to be or visit in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka or Andrha Pradesh we'd both be extremely grateful! I have experience in Tamil Nadu and very little in Kerala, but please keep in mind this was 6 years ago and I was more interested in monastic lifestyles and enjoying the odd chillum. This time around I'd like to have some adventure (at every turn in India, I know) with my fiancee and hopefully she will fall in love with the India I have come to love. Unfortunately, we have found out that the monsoon seasons begins in July so the main question I really need answered is whether our honeymoon will be ruined by winds and rain in southern India as well as in the Maldives if anyone is knoledgeable about the Maldives and the monsoon season. I have read that the monsoon seasons doesn't increase the chance of rain in the south of India and that there it remains pretty steady year round. I would hate to put off a great opportunity to share India with the love of my life (ok, perhaps there are also some self-centered motivations behind the trip as well :P), but really don't want to ruin our honeymoon or her first visit in what will hopefully become many. Sorry for the long post guys...whatever insights you can supply are appreciated greatly, cheers! P.S. I realize 2 weeks ins't much to work with. I feel Kerala and Tamil Nadu (read at the least Madurai) are must sees. She is also obsessed with seeing the Taj Mahal..blah! Any ideas or commentsin this regard, as always, are most welcomed!!!

Mar 20th, 2008, 21:28	#3
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 25,881	Sorry, but you have been told wrong about the monsoon in the South ---or you were talking to someone from Chennai! Kerala, as you might imagine from its greenness, gets a whole heap of monsoon water dumped on it. The monsoon starts in Kerala in the first week in June. It doesn't mean you won't see any sunshine, but it does mean that you might meet weather severe enough to be destructive and cause travel plans to have to change. You may also encounter genuine danger; there is an annual death count associated with the monsoon. I think the South-West monsoon stays pretty much on the Western side of the mountains; Tamil Nadu should be a drier option. Last year we had unexpected rain in mid June; I don't remember if it was associated with the monsoon or some other weather system. I haven't a clue about the Maldives: maybe the monsoon may have passed by the time you got there? Check out careful, though, rather than expecting deckchairs in the sun! __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

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Mar 20th, 2008, 21:57	#4
capt_mahajan (in charge of navel affairs) Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 9,758	Maldives gets a lot of rain, almost throughout the year. I would put the Southwest monsoon hitting Maldives from mid May onwards till September or later, and it can be torrential in the early months, though interspaced with bright sunshine.

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