The arrival of the monsoon brings relief from the sweltering heat, especially in India. Rain necessitates a trip! Also, because most people plan vacations during the summer, the places are likely to be less chaotic and crowded. If you’re planning a vacation this season, be prepared for waterlogging, potholes, muddy walkways, non stop rain, thunder, and lightning. But don’t worry!! Here are some essential rainy-season travel tips. Follow the checklist below before heading to the destination to make your trip a little more enjoyable.
Thoroughly check your vehicle
A monsoon road trip necessitates special attention to your vehicle, from the tyres to the brakes, the wipers to a proper car cover. It is critical that the vehicle has been serviced and oiled sufficiently to allow it to travel long distances in the rain without any problems. Because monsoons are unpredictable, it’s a good idea to keep a few extra supplies in the car. Consider carrying wiper blades, fuses, and mud flaps to ensure you are always prepared.
Keep an eye on the weather forecast
This is one of the most important rainy-season travel tips. If you are going to be on the road while traveling, you should check the weather forecast before you leave. Make this a priority, especially if you are visiting a hilly area. During heavy rainfall, hilly areas are prone to mudslides or landslides, whereas low-lying areas flood. It is therefore prudent to monitor the news to avoid any disruptions to your business.
[Also Read: Savaari Curates – Your Ultimate Monsoon Playlist for Road Trips]
Travel with the best mobile network available
There are two types of travellers in the world: those who have excellent navigation skills and those who do not. But, thanks to Google Maps, which is user-friendly to the extreme, even the latter category is doing quite well. However, with the changing weather during the monsoon, the mobile network can go for a toss. This implies that you should travel with a strong cellular connection to navigate without difficulty. To be on the safe side, keep all personal and local emergency numbers handy.
Pick the right route
While the country has plenty to offer anyone who wants to hit the road during the monsoons, choosing a destination should be based on careful research. Avoid waterlogged, landslide-prone, and unraveled routes. Because of the unpredictability of the monsoon, check the weather forecast before venturing out. Knowing your destination inside and out will make your trip not only safer but also more enjoyable.
[Also Read: How to Indulge on your Road Trips]
Wear leather, rubber, or vinyl shoes
While wearing slippers in this weather may be tempting, try not to. These offer very little protection and grip if you happen to slip on the road now and then. You also don’t need to wear those huge rain boots, especially if you’re only going to the town or city. Rather, invest in leather boots, rubber and vinyl shoes, or any other waterproof pairs you may have on hand. Aside from being effective rain covers, you can easily find ones that match the rest of your outfit. If you don’t want to pack them for transit, just wear them.
Clothing that dries quickly
Whether you’re going on a short trekking trip or just a city tour, packing quick-dry clothing like shirts and tights is essential. These items are typically made of synthetic fabrics, which are also lighter to transport. When it rains, you can easily wear them without having to worry about them drying in time for your departure.
Keep a mosquito repellent on hand
This is one of the most important rainy-season travel tips. Mosquitoes enjoy the rainy season as much as we do, if not more. It’s the season when mosquitoes spread dangerous diseases like malaria and dengue fever. They move quickly, so don’t even consider killing them with your bare hands right away. You don’t want anything like that to happen on your journey. It is best to keep insect repellents in your luggage. Rather, use an effective mosquito repellent to keep yourself from being bitten. Never take the risk of thinking that a small bite won’t hurt you!
Carry power bank
A power bank is already an established useful item to bring on any trip. It keeps your camera phones and other handy devices well charged when you need them, hence saving you from unnecessary stopovers in cafes to use outlets. Depending on how intense the weather is, it’s also quite comforting to know that you can still use your phone for urgent purposes if blackouts do occur.
Pack smart
This is one of the most important rainy-season travel tips. Packing light is one of the best travel hacks in town, but during the monsoons, you may want to reconsider. Because of the constant rain, it is critical to bring enough clothes and shoes to ensure that your vacation is not ruined. A heavy-duty umbrella or raincoat, as well as a pair of rain boots, will come in handy once you arrive at your destination and decide to explore the surroundings in the rain. Other essentials include water-proof covers, silica gel for your electronics, power banks, absorbent towels, a hairdryer, mosquito repellants, and, of course, waterproof makeup!
Check what you eat
The rainy season is the worst time to eat street food because mosquitos and parasites frequently transmit infections that can contaminate food. Although you cannot carry food for the duration of your trip from home, you must be cautious when selecting a restaurant to eat at. Furthermore, during the monsoon season, people become less immune to diseases, so it is best to be extra cautious. Keep some food and snacks in the car at all times in case of an emergency or if you get stuck somewhere.
Hire a cab
Driving a car during rain is much trickier than doing so in any other weather. The car slips on the drizzly roads too, and the brakes sometimes fail to work. You need to drive very carefully when it is raining. Additionally, get your car serviced well before time so that it does not develop any unfortunate fault or gets stuck in stagnant water. The roads in India are not very reliable, so it is better to keep your car well maintained. Savaari always puts its clients’ safety first. Our fleet at Savaari consists of well-maintained cars, regular service & maintenance are done frequently, and each vehicle is thoroughly inspected and sanitized before use. We take all precautions by safety parameters.
Last Updated on January 23, 2024 by Swati Deol
