Quick answer
October to March is the best time to visit Kerala. The backwaters are calm, the hills around Munnar are cool and green, and beaches like Varkala are swimmable. December and January are the busiest and priciest months. The monsoon (June to September) suits Ayurveda treatments and budget travellers, and August brings Onam and the snake-boat races.
Month-by-month at a glance
- Jan31°Best
- Feb32°Best
- Mar33°Good
- Apr33°Fair
- May32°Fair
- Jun29°Avoid
- Jul29°Fair
- Aug29°Good
- Sep30°Good
- Oct30°Good
- Nov31°Best
- Dec31°Best
Kerala weather, crowds and what to expect
| Month | High / Low | Rain | Crowds | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryBest | 31° / 23° | 20 mm | high | Dry and sunny; peak houseboat demand. |
| FebruaryBest | 32° / 24° | 30 mm | medium | Clear skies, lower rates than January. |
| MarchGood | 33° / 25° | 45 mm | medium | Warmer and humid; still mostly dry. |
| AprilFair | 33° / 26° | 120 mm | low | Hot and sticky; pre-monsoon storms; Vishu mid-month. |
| MayFair | 32° / 26° | 280 mm | medium | Humid coast; hill stations busy with summer holidays. |
| JuneAvoid | 29° / 24° | 680 mm | low | Monsoon onset; heaviest, most disruptive rain. |
| JulyFair | 29° / 24° | 580 mm | low | Karkidakam Ayurveda season; very low rates. |
| AugustGood | 29° / 24° | 380 mm | medium | Rain eases; Onam and snake-boat races. |
| SeptemberGood | 30° / 24° | 280 mm | medium | Green and fresh; Onam in some years. |
| OctoberGood | 30° / 24° | 330 mm | medium | Evening thunderstorms; good value. |
| NovemberBest | 31° / 24° | 180 mm | medium | Season opens; calm backwaters. |
| DecemberBest | 31° / 23° | 40 mm | high | Christmas–New Year rates peak. |
Long-term monthly averages. Individual years vary — check a forecast in the week before you travel.
Festivals and events in Kerala
Chingam month, late August to mid-September
Onam
Harvest festival with sadya feasts, pookalam flower carpets and boat races; Thiruvonam was on 26 August in 2026.
A Saturday in August (2026: 22 August)
Nehru Trophy Boat Race
Snake-boat race on Punnamada Lake, Alappuzha; buy stand tickets in advance.
April–May (Medam month)
Thrissur Pooram
Caparisoned elephants and fireworks at Vadakkunnathan Temple; enormous crowds.
November to May
Theyyam season
Ritual performances in village shrines across Kannur and Kasaragod in north Kerala.
February–March
Attukal Pongala
Lakhs of women cook offerings on the streets of Thiruvananthapuram; the city effectively closes.
When is the best time to visit Kerala?
October to March. After the south-west monsoon withdraws in late September, the state dries out steadily. By November the backwaters are calm, the hills are clear in the mornings and the beaches are swimmable. December and January are peak months, with Kochi and Alleppey hotels running full and houseboat rates at their highest.
Kerala gets two monsoons. The south-west monsoon (June–September) is the big one. The north-east monsoon brings thunderstorms in October and November, mostly in the late afternoon, which rarely spoil a trip.
What is Kerala like in each season?
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Peak | Dec–Jan | Dry, 31°C on the coast, 10–12°C nights in Munnar, highest prices |
| Pleasant | Oct–Nov, Feb–Mar | Good weather, better rates |
| Hot | Apr–May | Humid coast; hills full of summer-holiday families |
| Monsoon | Jun–Sep | Heavy rain, lush, cheapest; Ayurveda season |
Is the monsoon a good time to visit Kerala?
It depends on the trip. July is the Malayalam month of Karkidakam, traditionally the season for Ayurveda, and many centres run 7–14 day programmes then. Houseboats still sail and rates fall sharply. But landslides occasionally close hill roads to Munnar and Wayanad, beaches are unsafe, and you will spend some afternoons waiting out downpours. We usually suggest monsoon Kerala for repeat visitors, not first-timers.
Which festivals are worth timing a trip for?
Onam falls in the month of Chingam, between late August and mid-September; Thiruvonam was on 26 August in 2026. The Nehru Trophy snake-boat race on Punnamada Lake is usually held on a Saturday in August, and was on 22 August in 2026. Thrissur Pooram in April–May is one of India's biggest temple festivals.
If you're combining Munnar and the backwaters, February is the sweet spot: clear skies, no peak-season surcharge and cool nights in the hills.
Check budgets in our Kerala trip cost guide and the top things to do in Kerala. For the hills, see the best time to visit Munnar; for houseboats, the best time to visit Alleppey.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best month to visit Kerala?
Is Kerala worth visiting in the monsoon?
When is the Nehru Trophy Boat Race held?
Is Kerala crowded in December?
How we checked this page
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Written and fact-checked by the Elitech Travels editorial desk in New Delhi, drawing on our consultants' day-to-day booking work and the official sources below. Rules, fares and fees change — always confirm anything critical with the issuing authority before you travel. Our editorial policy.
