Monsoon Magic – Places to visit this rainy season

June 7, 2009

News from west coast of Kerala and Karnatataka tells me that the monsoons have arrived in full swing. The sky remained cloudy most of the day when I was in Hassan last Sunday. It poured for more than two hours on my way back that night, clearly signalling the beginning of monsoons.

I am, of course making my monsoon travel plans, and thinking of place I want to visit this season. If you are thinking in similar lines, here is a list of places to consider.

	Chikmaglur. Visit the hills of Bababudangiri, Mullayyanagiri and Kemmanngundi the remain covered in mist for three months. See Ayyanakere, a large lake just outside the town at the base of the tallest hill in Karnataka. Feel the wet weather of Malnad region, see its foggy hills, gushing streams the green vistas. Chikmaglur travelogue.
	Jog Falls. India’s tallest waterfall is best seen in the monsoon. Fog and rains play with the views of the waterfall, making it disappear and re-appear every few minutes. The waterfall is reduced to a trickle for most of the year, but if there are some good rains, return to its glory in the monsoons. Jog Falls travelogue.
	Monsoons in Coorg. When I called up a home-stay at Coorg in the middle of monsoons two years ago, the hosts politely said that it is not a good season. It was raining heavily. But it rains that we wanted to see. Two days drinking coffee, eating heavy and delicious food and sitting in the the balcony with a book watching the rains come down. One of those things called perfect holiday! Coorg in monsoon travelogue.
	Ladakh. Ladakh is a monsoon destination for wrong reasons – it doesn’t rain there while most of India is wet. The arid mountain regions of Ladakh are a unique landscape not seen anywhere else in India. Friendly people, thousand year old Buddhist monasteries, highland pastures, amazing scenery,.. There is lot to see and do in Ladakh, I spent two months there last season and came back wanting for more. I have just begin a long travelogue on Ladakh.
	Cherrapunjee or Sohra. It was once the place that held the world record for highest annual precipitation. The record was taken away by another place not far away, but the charm remains. Like Coorg, this is another place where you go to see the rains. Cherrapunjee travelogue.
	Shivanasasmudra. The twin waterfalls, probably largest in the region in terms of volume of water that goes through them, gain strength with the progress of the monsoons. Shivanasamudra images and information.
	Lahaul and Spiti. A neighbour of Ladakh. This is another area where it doesn’t rain when rest of India is witnessing monsoons. The region has some of the most beautiful mountain ranges that India can boast of. Lahaul and Spiti Travelogue.