Hello Internet!
My plan is now to travel to India in mid-July to visit friends there for a couple of weeks before traveling onwards. I know that there are monsoons and winter in most countries in this area that time of the year, but it's my only option to travel. Bad idea?
Plan: India-Vietnam-Cambodia-Bali
Any other suggestions? I would like to go to Australia and NZ, but I think that will have to wait until it's summer there. No way I'm packing winter-clothes in my backpack 
Yes, a bad time to go to Asia where you can have heavy rain, day after day. Not the time to go somewhere like Bali, which is why you can get some very cheap flights then.
However Australia from around Brisbane northwards often has reasonable weather that time of year though there can be some cold days.
Really, Europe and America is best that time of year though expensive because of school holidays.
Bali and java are the best place in Asia.
It's the best time to travel North of Vietnam now. Weather is cool, not rainy. And now also is flower season of some trees which grow in mountainous North of Viet.
Include Boracay Island in the Philippines on your itinerary, lots of things to do there and i'm pretty sure you'll enjoy the scenery of soft powdery white sand & blue waters of the beach. You can search for some accommodation that would suit your budget. It's pretty near Vietnam & Indonesia. Cheers!
visit west sumatera in indonesia...its not very touristist place but have beautiful scenery. just check my galery.
Its a best time to travel to Vietnam. Weather is col not heavy rainfall but awesum nature. You will surely enjoy the beauty of the nature.