When to go — Kerala & South

The Kerala & South region is best visited from November to March during the dry post-monsoon season. Climate is perfect: 22-32 °C on coast and plains, 12-25 °C at Munnar altitude (bring warm jacket for mornings), tolerable humidity (60-75%), generally clear sky, warm sea (27-28 °C) and calm. This is high tourist season — premium Alleppey houseboats and Kovalam/Varkala beach resorts to book 2-3 months ahead for December-January.

December-January: absolute peak (Christmas, New Year, European school holidays), maximum rates (+50-100%). November and February-March offer better compromise: nearly identical climate, more moderate crowd, intermediate rates. The Theyyam festival (ritual-spectacle of trance with colossal masks and elaborate costumes) in North Kerala (Kannur, Kasaragod) mainly takes place November to February.

The hot season (April-May) is exhausting on the plains — Kochi and Alleppey reach 32-36 °C with 80-90% humidity, the atmosphere is stifling. Munnar stays pleasant (18-25 °C). The Thrissur Pooram festival (April-May) draws Indian pageantry lovers with its caparisoned elephant parades.

The monsoon (June-September) is paradoxically a niche tourist season in Kerala. It's the traditional Ayurvedic season — according to Ayurvedic medicine, skin pores are more open in monsoon, oils penetrate better, detox cures are more effective. The Boat Races — Nehru Trophy Boat Race on Punnamada Lake at Alleppey (2nd Saturday of August) — features 30 m chundan vallam (snake boats) with 100 rowers. The Onam festival (August-September, 10 days), Kerala's largest celebration, brings sadya (28-dish banquet on banana leaf), pukkalam (floral mandalas), parades. But rains are intense (300-500 mm/month in June-July).