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There are three longish weekends during this monsoon — June 23-25, August 12-15 and August 25-27 — when one can go for holidays. All these days include weekends clubbed with, either a bank holiday or a festival and of course, the Independence Day on August 15. And the best part: Costs for travelling will be 15-20 per cent lower than the peak seasons.
For those tired of the energy-sapping heat in Mumbai, Delhi and other cities, monsoons will be a good break. For travel enthusiasts, monsoon is the season to travel to scenic locales, enjoy waterfalls and also get their fill of activities like trekking, cycling, camping etc. Those looking to get away from the hectic pace of everyday life can look at resorts that offer special monsoon packages such as Ayurvedic massages, etc.
Why monsoon travel is popular: According to Neelu Singh, CEO and Director, Ezeego1, monsoon travel is primarily aimed at rejuvenation and relaxation which follows the hectic and exhausting long summer holidays. “Families generally keep it short for three to four days and make the most of discounts and off season offers thrown in by hotels and luxury resorts. While 70 per cent of our bookings consist of domestic destinations during monsoons, short haul destinations like South East Asia, Mauritius and Dubai still see decent bookings during this season,” she says.
Travellers can save approximately 10-15 per cent on the overall package in comparison to peak season rates, as both travel operators and airlines offer deals to offset their distressed inventory, points out Rajeev Kale, President and Country head-Leisure Travel, MICE-Thomas Cook. “We are seeing strong uptake for short getaways, extended weekend breaks; self-drive trips and outdoor-adventure trips with family and friends,” he says.
And there seems to be a good growth of over 15 per cent in sales in monsoon holiday packages over last year because prices are lower than summer and tour operators offer additional discounts too, says Amod Thatte – Head Product, Contracting & Innovation, SOTC Travel.
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Popular destinations and monsoon activities: Some of the activities popular in monsoon include trekking, camping, wellness getaways and night forest trails, says Karan Anand, head, relationships, Cox & Kings. “DINKs (Dual Income, no Kids) and youth form the majority who constitute at least 80 per cent of the travellers during this season,” he says.
Since monsoon travel is all about connecting with nature, tourists prefer activities like camping in dense forests, nature trailing, trekking, river rafting, bird watching, etc says Singh.
Some popular locales are Goa, Ooty, Kodaikanal, Kerala backwaters, the rainforest areas of Wynad, Coorg, Maldives and The Andamans, Uttarakhand, Manali, Shimla, Nainital, Corbett, Kashmir, Himalayan ranges. Some off-beat destinations include Chamba, Dharamshala and in the North; Orissa in the East, and Meghalaya and Sikkim in the North-east.
The preferred short haul international destinations are Singapore, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand, Bali; Dubai-Abu Dhabi and Mauritius.
Conditions to keep in mind
“Travellers looking at travelling to a particular property should book in time as these offers are exclusive and only for a limited time frame,” says Singh of Ezeego1. Since many of the sightseeing places could be shut during heavy rainfall, confirm from the hotel or the travel agency as to what kind of activities/sightseeing will be available during rains and indoors activities/ services offered by the hotels.
Though the opportunity for cost savings is one of the greatest advantages of travelling during the monsoon, travellers also need to take certain precautions, such as insurance. “We recommend purchasing travel insurance in case inclement weather disrupts your trip,” says Anand of Cox and Kings.
Travel insurance is also essential in case of natural calamities like landslides, turbulent weather, flooding, etc, which travellers must be prepared for in monsoon. “In case of flight cancellations and natural calamities, we work together with airline and ground partners to assist our customers with rebooking options or refunds,” says Kale of Thomas Cook.
Places to go, things to do
Ayurvedic treatments/Wellness packages: Weather in monsoon is conducive for traditional remedies.
Go to: Goa, Kerala and Rishikesh.
Trekking/Biking: Outdoor activities allow you to enjoy the scenic beauty
Go to: Sinhagad, Bhimashankar, Harishchandragad, Rajmachi and Raigad near Mumbai and Pune. Bedni Bugyal Trek, Beas Kund Trek, Bhrigu Lake Trek and Hampta Circle Trek near Delhi, The Weekend Cycle ride in Yercaud and Ladakh
For self-drive holidays: Driving with your family is more enjoyable in monsoon.
Go to: Bangalore – Mysore – Ooty, Assam- Guwahati - Kaziranga – Shillong; Near Delhli: Manali, Dharamshala, Mcleodganj and Mussoorie;
Near Mumbai/Pune: Igatpuri, Lonavla, Matheran, Mahableshwar
For enjoying scenic beauty: Just enjoy nature in all its glory during the monsoon
Go to: Beaches of Kovalam and Varkala, hill retreats of Munnar and Vagamon; backwaters of Kumarakom & Kuttanad, forests of Thekkady and the Silent Valley. Off beat destinations: Chamba, Dharamshala and in the North; Meghalaya, Sikkim
