Traveling in the Monsoon Season

CEBU, Philippines —  If you think there’s nothing good about traveling during monsoon season, you’re wrong. There are a few advantages in planning a trip to coincide with the local monsoons.

The Upsides

Off-peak prices and capacity. Booking a hotel is a breeze during the rainy season. Hotel rates and airfare can go down by as much as 60 percent of peak season rates, because the dry-season crush has fled with the onset of the rains. And getting around on local transportation can be easier and less crowded.

Cooler weather. The monsoon season comes on the tail of the hottest months of the year – the afternoon showers in the first two months of the rainy season are such a cooling relief, although the high all-day humidity can still be stifling.

More scenic sites.  Places like Cambodia’s Angkor temples benefit from the increased rains: the canals are topped up, and the lush greenery makes the stone templework feel more alive.

The Downsides

Traveling during the monsoon season also has its downsides. The rainy season increases risks for travelers in more ways than one, and so one must be careful.

Greater health hazards. A number of diseases particular to the rainy season can strike down even the healthiest tourist. Mosquito bites spread dengue fever; feces-ridden runoff can contaminate the groundwater, spreading cholera, hepatitis, leptospirosis and food poisoning.

Riskier travel. If one has gotten past those washed-out roads and cancelled flights to get to his or her destination, the dangerous rip tides at the beach resort or the flash flood at the riverside stop just might be risky.

Reduced travel options. The roads are prone to flooding and flights are prone to cancellation due to inclement weather. Some ferries and bus operations cease altogether, and not a few hotels and budget inns close down as the tourist tide dries up.

Dos-and-Don’ts of Monsoon Season Travel

One may still enjoy the benefits of travel during the monsoon season – and very few of the downsides – with proper preparation for the trip. The following dos-and-don’ts can help:

Monitor the situation. Before heading to a particular location, one shall check the local weather there to ensure a safe trip. Most Southeast Asian countries now have online resources that let travelers check in on the local climate from anywhere.

It also helps to keep one’s ear open for English-language TV or radio forecasts in the destination; the Asian feeds of CNN, BBC or other news cable channels can provide up-to-date weather reports.

Pack carefully. Traveling during typhoon season carries with it particular dangers; so one shall make sure his baggage reflects the risk he faces. Moisture and humidity? Bring plastic bags and other waterproof containers for documents and clothes; put silica gel packs in your handbags. Mosquitoes? Bring DEET along. Electricity outages? Bring extra batteries and a flashlight.

Prepare for mosquito season. More rains mean more pools of standing water, where mosquitoes can breed. Cases of mosquito-borne diseases like malaria and dengue fever proliferate throughout the monsoon season. Put DEET (or any other mosquito repellent) in your travel toolkit; even better, research on how to prevent mosquito bites.

Avoid wading in flood waters. Cities like Manila, Jakarta and Bangkok are often overwhelmed by flooding during the monsoon season. Don’t wade into the overflow, if possible. If unavoidable, take a long scrubby shower as soon as you get out of the floods.

Aside from possible waterborne diseases, another reason for avoiding the flooded streets is that the cloudy waters obscure hidden traps like open manholes. It’s not uncommon for an unsuspecting wader to just disappear, never to be seen again.

Avoid raw vegetables. Fecal-to-oral diseases like cholera spread like crazy in the monsoon season. So this is a good time to leave the raw veg aside. (The Vietnamese, who love their raw herbs and vegetables in their pho and other dishes, has had experienced a serious cholera epidemic a few years back.)

Allow plenty of waiting time in your travel itinerary. This is the monsoon season, where buses and planes can be canceled without further notice. Arrange your itinerary with some allowance for delays – ask your airline or bus about their policies for scheduled changes, cancellations and refunds, and make sure you have a fall-back accommodation just in case you’re forced to stay an extra day. (www.tripsavvy.com)