The tea-and-spice town of Munnar is one of the compelling attractions of Kerala, and was voted the second best tourism destination in Asia after Tokyo by TripAdvisor’s 2010 Traveler’s Choice Destination Awards. This holiday town in the Western Ghats soars 6,000 feet above the languid backwaters of Kerala and is overwhelmingly green. All roads in Munnar either wind along high-altitude shola forests, rolling slopes of tea plantations or large stretches of spice plantations.
There are about 30 tea plantations in and around Munnar. Tea bushes are planted along the land’s natural contours, and when you wedge yourself amidst them for a photograph, you appear as a barely noticeable blip on a green background. Tea pickers in colourful clothes and baskets on their backs are barely visible amidst the sea of tea plants; each person plucks as much as 25-30 kilograms of tea leaves per day. Four kilograms of green leaf make 1 kilogram of black tea that goes into the making of your morning cup.
The spice plantations are less dense and more fruit laden. Over 12 varieties of spices – including ginger, garlic, cardamom, vanilla, pepper, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg – are cultivated in and around Munnar. Guided visits to these plantations are absolutely fascinating; it’s delightful to see the spices that you use everyday in their raw, natural form rather than bottled or packaged in plastic.
Whether it’s the tea and spice plantations, the lakes and waterfalls, the cattle breeding farms, or the sky-piercing Anamudi peak within the Eravikulam National Park, every part of Munnar accentuates its beauty. Munnar truly complements Kerala, a place that truly deserves its exalted title of ‘God’s Own Country’.
Tea gardens and spice plantations are sights that define Munnar. One does not have to go anywhere to see them since they are all over the place. Other specific attractions of Munnar are:
Eravikulam National Park
One of Kerala’s finest wildlife reserves, the Eravikulam National Park is spread over 97 kilometres of the Rajamalai Hills near Munnar. The vegetation in the park is a combination of grassland and shola forest. The park is home to Asian elephants, Bengal tigers, lion-tailed macaques, leopards, gaur, the endangered Nilgiri tahr, Atlas moth (the largest moth in the world) and other fauna. The kurinji or neelakurinji flowers bloom once every 12 years and turn the hills of Rajamalai blue.
Anamudi Peak (inside Eravikulam Park)
At 8,842 feet, this is the highest peak in the Western Ghats and in South India. Located in the southern region of Eravikulam National Park, Anamudi is covered with forests of bamboo, black-wood and teak, and offers excellent treks.
Atukkad Waterfalls
Located between Munnar and Pallivasal at an altitude of 5,578 feet above sea level, Atukkad is a panorama of waterfalls surrounded by scenic forests and tea plantations. Trekking through the shola forests around the dam or right through one of the waterfalls is a memorable experience.
Mattupetty Dam and Indo-Swiss Farm
14 km from Munnar, Mattupetty dam has a lovely lake with an agricultural garden on its banks. Speedboats are available on the lake for joyrides. Mattupetty is famous for the Indo-Swiss Dairy Farm, a joint venture between India and Switzerland, where over 100 breeds of cattle are reared.
Devikulam
Seven km from Munnar, Devikulam is an incredibly peaceful and beautiful place with continuous hills of tea plantations. The Sita Devi Lake with its mineral-rich waters and sylvan surroundings is a great picnic spot.
Nyayamakad Falls Located between Munnar and Rajamalai, the Nyayamakad Falls cascade from an altitude of 5,249 feet above sea level on a picture-perfect landscape. This is a great place for trekking as well as sightseeing.
Kundala Lake
23 km from Munnar, Kundala is the site of a dam and lake set amid lush jungle. You can hire a pedal boat and enjoy the beauty of this somewhat secluded lake.
Tata Tea Museum
A key landmark of Munnar, the Tata Tea Museum highlights interesting facts and figures about the growth and development of tea plantations in Munnar. The museum has old photographs, machinery, curios and artefacts that have been used in tea-making since ancient times. Items on display include the ‘Pelton Wheel’, used to generate power in earlier times, and the ancient rail engine of the Kundale Valley Light Railway, which was used to transport men and material to the plantations.
Blossom International Park
This park near Munnar has excellent flora and a 1,000-feet long fountain, skating track and underground meditation centre.
Excursions
Marayoor
The heady smell of sandalwood fills the air as you approach Marayoor, 40 kilometres from Munnar. Marayoor is an almost exotic destination with thick sandalwood forests, natural caves with ancient murals and relics from the Stone Age. There is a sandalwood factory of the forest department of Kerala and a children’s park in the shade of a gigantic banyan tree.
Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary
60 km from Munnar, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is a repository of medicinal plants and a huge diversity of fauna from the rare white bison to the grizzled giant squirrel, elephants, deer, sambar, Nilgiri tahr, etc.
Top Station
5,578 feet above sea level, Top Station is the highest point on the Munnar- Kodaikanal road and offers a spectacular view of the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu. Top Station is 32 km from Munnar.
Anayirangal
22 km from Munnar, Anayirangal is another lake and dam surrounded by splendid tea plantations and evergreen forests.
Trekking
Waterfall-Trekking, River-Trekking – Anamudi, Rajamalai, Atukkad, Meesapulimala, Kundala and Devikulam are just a few of the trekking sites in and around Munnar. The cool pleasant climate and the lush greenery make trekking a very inviting prospect in Munnar.
Rock Climbing
Munnar has a steep rock face of about 100 feet where rock climbing and rappelling are organised.
Horse riding
The idyllic paths of Munnar offer an excellent opportunity for horse-riding. Horses are available for hire around Mattupetty dam and other places.
Boating
Mattupetty, Sita Devi, Kundala, Anayirangal and other lakes offer excellent boating opportunities with pedal boats and speedboats.
The months between October and March have the most pleasant weather.
The Payippad festival is celebrated sometime during August-September for three days starting on Onam day. The famous snake boat processions are taken out on the first two days and competitive boat races take place on the third day.
The Eravikulam National Park is open only from September to May.
- Area: 26.2 sq km
- Altitude: 6,000 feet above sea level
- State: Kerala
- Distance from nearby towns/ cities: Thekkady (110 km), Cochin/ Kochi (130 km), Alleppey (180 km), Coimbatore (160 km), Kumarakom (200 km)
- Take away: Tea, coffee, strawberries, home-made chocolates, and spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, vanilla, pepper, ginger, garlic, nutmeg, etc
