It's in most people's nature to hide away from storms. The majority of us don't like getting wet, so we hide away until the skies have stopped emptying and the ground beneath our feet is dry enough to step outside. Not everybody thinks like that, though. Some people can't get enough of the rain. In fact, they love it so much that they go looking for it. That's why there's such a thing as monsoon chasing vacations, in which people pack up their best wet-weather vacation clothes and head out to drench themselves in one of nature's most spectacular phenomenons. There's no better place to do that than India.
Even though storms can be destructive, something about them fascinates us. That's reflected in everything from disaster movies to storm-themed attractions at online slots websites like "Sumatran Storm," "Raging Storms," and "Riders of the Storm." The companies who make online slots think very carefully about the themes they use and only use what they think might persuade people to spend their money and take a spin on their reels. If storms can be successfully employed to draw people to play slot games, it means there are enough people out there with an interest in them to sustain them. It's no wonder that storm-chasing vacations exist, and what better storm-chasing vacation could there be than going to see a monsoon in action?
Here’s a kicker, though - despite what you might think, monsoons aren’t always wet. Sometimes they can be dry! The only way to truly understand what a monsoon looks and feels like is to get up close and personal with one, and these are the best places in India to do it.
Kerala
There was barely a tourism industry in Kerala at all until the local authorities decided to turn their seasonal monsoons into an attraction. These days you'll find tour operators offering specialist packages for monsoon visitors, and the majority of them will throw a traditional Indian Ayurvedic healing package into the bargain. The local people believe that monsoon season is the best time to enjoy such a treatment because the climate naturally opens up the pores of your body, making your skin more receptive and the treatment more effective. Kerala is where you'll find Periyar National Park - one of the very few national parks in India that remains open throughout the entire rainy season. The annual Onam festival takes place amid the rain, and there are snake boat races to watch and enjoy, too. You might even get the chance to take part if you're feeling brave! Please do exercise a little caution, though - the monsoons can become dangerous if they get out of hand.
Meghalaya
If it's rain you want, Meghalaya is where you'll find it. This remote part of India's northeast is the wettest place in the country. Some people even say it's the wettest place in the whole world! Nicknamed "The Place Above the Clouds," Meghalaya is packed full of outstanding natural attractions, including bridges made from living tree roots and the spectacular scenery of Cherrapunji. The Pnar tribe hold their three-day-long Beh Deinkhlam festival in the middle of monsoon season, and they're happy for visitors to come along and check it out! This might not be the best place to come if you're afraid of heights - but then again, if you're not afraid of monsoons, we imagine you're not really afraid of anything.
Kanyakumari
Why not combine monsoon chasing with an excellent beach holiday? If you don’t mind the beach being windswept and soaked for the duration of your stay, Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu is the place to go! This is the first place on the Indian mainland that will experience monsoons when the season begins. You get the privilege of watching the storms roll in from the ocean. Be warned, though - the monsoons that arrive here can be more than a little intense. Even in wet weather, the fact that Kanyakumari is at the very southern tip of India means conditions are always warm, and so you won’t stay wet for long once the rain stops falling. The best time to visit if you want to catch the very beginning of the season is late May.
Goa
There are a thousand reasons to visit Goa even if you aren't interested in monsoons. It's one of the most spiritual, bohemian places in the world, and it's visited by millions of people from all around the world every year. Because Goa is so popular, it charges high prices for hotel stays during the most popular times of the year, but the monsoon season isn't among those times for Goa, so you'll get all the benefits of visiting this incredible place without many of the associated costs! There's white water rafting on offer for the most adventurous tourists, although the wisdom of trying your hand at that during a monsoon is debatable. You might be better off doing something more sedate, like fishing or exploring the jungle on foot. Goa also has monsoon festivals (which you've probably realized are a recurring theme by now), and they're among the most spectacular in the country. If you're looking for "a good all-rounder" in terms of a monsoon chasing destination, Goa is probably your best bet.
The most important thing to remember about any potential storm-chasing trip is that while the sights are often incredible, you're placing yourself at the mercy of nature. Nobody knows how big a monsoon might get or what impact it might have on their location. That's why it's always important to check weather reports a week before you travel and ensure that you're not visiting during a time when the storms are likely to be at their worse. It's one thing to experience a heavy monsoon from a position of relative safety, but it's quite another to experience one that threatens to flood your hotel and wash away all your worldly possessions! So long as you're happy that you know the risks, though, India is open for monsoon business and would love to see you this rainy season.
