2025 Honda Drive to Discover Experience - Driving in the Rain

Honda’s annual Drive to Discover program has always held a special place in my heart. Mostly because on this drive, there is no rigid agenda – it’s all about having fun, enjoying the roads, exploring the locales, and savouring the food over the few days that we’re out on the drive. I’ve been a part of many of these D2D drives in the past, and I was really looking forward to this one too, especially since it meant driving through parts of South India in my favourite season of the year – the monsoons.

Rainy Kerala

Starting a drive in the deep south of Kerala during the monsoons means there’s only one default weather setting – rain. And sure enough, it rained almost nonstop the whole time we were there. But here’s the thing – Honestly, I think Kerqala – and much of southern India – is at its most breathtaking during this season. Everything is lush and impossibly green, traffic isn’t half as chaotic, and the usual rush of tourists is conspicuously absent. All this means that you get to see and experience so much more of the surroundings than you would at any other time of the year.

Our drive began with a short sprint to Athirappilly, where we stopped at the local waterfall, roaring at full throttle, and a river in spate, thanks to the ongoing monsoon. After a brief stay there, we drove to the picturesque hill station of Munnar. The drive was quite pleasant but a bit busy, and the night we spent there was made all the better by the fantastic weather and outstanding hospitality.

Next, we set off for Kodaikanal, cruising along a newly built, wide stretch of tarmac that was nothing short of spectacular – a true delight to drive on, with breathtaking vistas all around. What you get here is a long-running view of tea gardens stretching out in every direction, and the monsoon weather is wonderfully moody, changing frequently. One minute, you are pulling over to take some pictures, surrounded by dense clouds with zero visibility, and a few minutes later, you find yourself looking at breathtaking vistas of tea gardens and hills. Of course, given the monsoon, you also get to witness countless natural waterfalls cascading down the slopes.

Chilly Kodaikanal & Culinary Joys

Our next stop was Kodaikanal, which turned out to be the coldest on our route – it was cold enough for us to need a bonfire to stay toasty during dinner. Now, one of the highlights of every D2D drive is the incredible food we get to sample along the way. And I must say that between a bevvy of southern cuisines and, especially, the various biryanis we dug into, we were thoroughly spoilt.

At the heart of it, with no pressure of a deadline, Honda’s D2D is all about slowing down, soaking it all in, enjoying their cars, and discovering how wonderfully relaxed an automotive experience can be. And you can bet I’ll be back for the next one when it happens!