October in Auroville is the start of the season but nothing like the dry crisp version Tamil Nadu's interior gets. The northeast monsoon arrives around October 15, and 200-250mm of rain falls across 10-12 days, often as 1-2 hour evening downpours. Daytime 25-31C, humidity 80 percent. The township re-opens fully — Visitor Centre, Solar Kitchen, all four major guesthouses, the bakery network — and Matrimandir concentration runs with the cleanest air-quality of the year. Cycle paths between the gardens and Solar Kitchen turn muddy after each rain; the 1km walk to the Matrimandir inner gate from the Park of Unity carpark gets tactical. Township rates sit 30-35 percent below December peak. Pack a poncho rather than an umbrella — the rains are usually short and the wind makes umbrellas useless.

Why October scores 6.0/10