A file photo of tourists at Honnammana Halla waterfalls at Baba Budangiri in Chikkamagaluru district of Karnataka.
| Photo Credit: File photo

After a dull monsoon in 2023, this time, rain has picked up in Karnataka, especially in the coastal region and Malenadu (Malnad) along the Western Ghats. Tourists, especially from Bengaluru, are heading to destinations in these regions to enjoy the rains.

Chikkamagaluru and Kodagu seem to be the destinations most favoured by tourists.

“If there is too much rain, then the tourists are a little scared of landslips. But otherwise, they are majorly going to Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Kabini and Mysuru. We are expecting bookings to go up further by Independence Day,” said a staff member at Arjun Tours and Travels in Shanthala Nagar. 

Karnataka Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) has seen a slight increase in the number of bookings to Madikeri (Kodagu district) and Jog Falls (Shivamogga district). “We are introducing a Wayanad package and are planning to launch our Gaganachukki and Barachukki Falls package,” said K. S. Sreenath, General Manager, Transport, KSTDC. 

Rather than going for traditional lodging options, tourists are now looking to stay in homestays and resorts on the outskirts, away from the buzz of cities.

“Be it in Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu or Mysuru, bookings have picked up in hotels and resorts on the outskirts. We are expecting this trend to continue in the coming months,” said K. Syama Raju, president, Karnataka Tourism Society. 

Tourists say that such accommodation options lets them enjoy the weather and live in the moment rather than stay in crowded areas.

Nikitha Kumar, a resident of Basavanagudi., said, “For our vacation in Mangaluru, we booked a resort that is very close to the beach, and was isolated. We stayed for three days and just watched the rain and tides of the sea instead of going into the city.”

Officials of the Tourism Department acknowledged that monsoon tourism has picked up this year. “We are seeing quite a bit of footfall in all hill stations and waterfalls in Uttara Kannada and Kodagu districts, and even at Gaganachukki, Barachukki and Hogenakkal falls,” said a senior official. 

With many accidents in tourist destinations in Maharashtra, the official offered a word of caution to tourists in Karnataka: “Wherever they go, they should behave responsibly. We have railings and police security near waterfalls. They should not cross them. When they go with families, they should enjoy the place instead of littering and drinking. In this season, the entire districts of Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru have become tourist destinations. Tourists should avoid creating chaos in remote areas.”