There is no single best month for all of South India. The peninsula is warm year-round, but it is shaped by two monsoons that arrive on its two coasts at different times, and by hills that stay cool when the plains are hot. Understanding that pattern is the key to choosing where to go, and when.
The two monsoons
- South-west monsoon (June to September): it usually reaches Kerala around the start of June and brings heavy rain to Kerala, coastal Karnataka and the Western Ghats. Telangana and much of Andhra Pradesh also get most of their rain in these months.
- North-east monsoon (October to December): this is the main rainy season for Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and southern coastal Andhra Pradesh, which stay comparatively dry in summer.
- Cyclones: storms form over the Bay of Bengal, most often from October to December and sometimes in April and May. They mainly affect the east coast. Follow the India Meteorological Department’s warnings.
Season by season
- November to February: the most comfortable time across most of the region; ideal for temple towns, Hampi, Hyderabad and the beaches. Busy and pricier around Christmas and New Year.
- March to May: hot and humid on the plains, often very hot on the Deccan. A good time for the hills: Munnar, Kodagu, the Nilgiris and Kodaikanal.
- June to September: green and wet on the west coast, with fewer visitors and lower prices. Rough seas close many beaches. The east coast and Tamil Nadu are drier.
- October to December: the west coast clears and freshens, while Chennai, Puducherry and the Tamil Nadu coast get their heaviest rain.
Where to go when
- Kerala backwaters and coast: October to March; the backwaters stay open in the monsoon and look their greenest.
- Hill stations: September to May; avoid the peak monsoon months when landslides are possible. See Munnar and coffee country.
- Tamil Nadu and Puducherry: January to March is best, after the north-east monsoon and before the heat.
- Hampi and the Deccan: October to February, before the heat becomes intense.
- Hyderabad and Andhra Pradesh: October to February.
Festivals worth timing a trip around
- Pongal and Sankranti (mid-January): harvest festivals in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka.
- Chithirai in Madurai (usually April or May).
- Onam in Kerala (usually August or September) and the snake-boat races of the backwaters.
- Dasara in Mysuru and Bathukamma in Telangana (September or October).
Festival dates follow regional calendars and move each year, so check them before you book.
Sources and image credits
Facts that can change were checked on 30 October 2026:
- India Meteorological Department: forecasts, monsoon and cyclone warnings
- Wikipedia: Monsoon of South Asia
- Wikipedia: Climate of Tamil Nadu
Photography: Ravi Pinisetti via Unsplash (Unsplash License). A stock image of Munnar, not the author’s own.
Monsoon onset and cyclone tracks vary every year. Check IMD forecasts close to your travel dates.
