Season guide · Kerala · India
Kerala in the north-east monsoon
October–November: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Prasanth Prakash, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Afternoon thunderstorms that fade through November as the main season begins. Expect highs up to 31°C (88°F) and lows around 24°C (75°F), with about 24 rainy days across October–November. November is among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- October–November
- Temperatures
- 24°C (75°F) to 31°C (88°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 24
- Sea
- 28°C (82°F) to 28°C (82°F)
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in the north-east monsoon
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October | 30°C (86°F) | 24°C (75°F) | 15 | 11.9 h | 3/5 |
| November | 31°C (88°F) | 24°C (75°F) | 9 | 11.6 h | 4/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 31°C (88°F) against a yearly 31°C (88°F), and 24 of the year's roughly 135 rainy days fall in these 2 months. Crowds rate 4/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.
What's on in the north-east monsoon
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- November: Theyyam season begins in northern Kerala (roughly November)
Good choices for the north-east monsoon
Experience · Fort Kochi
Kathakali performance
Arrive an hour early to watch the performers apply their make-up, which is as fascinating as the show.
- Time needed
- 2 hours including make-up
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- After dark
- Art
- Kids
- Rainy day
Museum · Thiruvananthapuram
Napier Museum
A 19th-century museum in Kerala's Indo-Saracenic style, with a striped brick façade, holding bronzes, temple carvings, jewellery and a temple chariot.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Rainy day
- Art
- Architecture
- Kids
Museum · Ernakulam
Kerala Folklore Museum
It is in Thevara, south of central Ernakulam; combine it with a ferry ride to Fort Kochi.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Experience · Kovalam
Ayurveda treatment
Kerala is the heartland of Ayurveda, India's traditional medicine, with oil massages such as abhyanga and shirodhara and longer residential treatment programmes.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours, or courses of 1–3 weeks
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Couples
- Rainy day
Palace · Mattancherry
Mattancherry Palace
Take your time in the bedchamber with the Ramayana murals; photography is not permitted inside.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Day trips in the north-east monsoon
- Thrissur (About 1.5–2 hours by train or car) — Kerala's cultural capital centres on the Vadakkunnathan Temple and its huge circular ground, the Thekkinkadu Maidan, where the Thrissur Pooram festival takes place.
- Ponmudi (About 2 hours by car from Thiruvananthapuram) — A small hill station in the Western Ghats reached by a road of 22 hairpin bends, with tea gardens, forest streams and cool viewpoints over the plains.
What to pack
- Light, breathable clothes, a sun hat and high-factor sunscreen
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is the north-east monsoon a good time to visit Kerala?
Yes: November is among the best months. Afternoon thunderstorms that fade through November as the main season begins.
+What is the weather like in Kerala in the north-east monsoon?
Highs of up to 31°C (88°F) and lows around 24°C (75°F), with about 24 rainy days over the season.