Visits since 1 Apr 2024
6,841,646
Visits since 1 Jan 2007 48,703,235
|
Come, let us breeze into a land where wonders await you from dawn to dusk. Perch atop one of the mist-clad hills before sunrise. Smell the fragrance of the feral flowers seducing your senses. Cuddle the clouds that conjure up an uncanny image in the misty air that encircle you. Hold on, whiff not the wonder is not so far. The golden rays of the sun paint the panorama like a chameleon silk in a magician hands. The magical lap of the immaculate nature unfurls gradually. The outer sketches of undulating greenery prop up little by little: the valleys, the hills and the woods. Cincturing the hills the streams gush into the valleys. Escape into the fabric of a dreamy world in Munnar and gather moments that are truly enchanting.
Situated about 1600 m above the sea level at the confluence of three mountain streams – Muthirapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala, the hill station, Munnar had been the summer resort of the erstwhile British kingdom. Virgin forests, savannah, rolling hills, scenic valleys, numerous streams, huge splashing waterfalls, sprawling tea plantations and winding walkways are all part of the great holiday experience on offer for a traveler to Munnar. Munnar has recently occupied the 60th place in the ‘Budget Travel Destinations’ around the globe in the Best Value Index Tourist Spot according to a survey by Trivago, an online travel meta search engine.
Located about 15 km from Munnar, the Eravikulam National Park is famous for its endangered inhabitant – the Nilgiri Tahr. Spread over an expanse of 97 sq. km., this park is also home to several species of rare butterflies, animals and birds. A great place for trekking, the park offers a magnificent view of the tea plantations and also of the rolling hills caressed by blankets of mists. Here, you can trek to Anamudi, the highest peak in south India after getting the permission from the Forest and Wildlife authorities at Eravikulam.
When the sprawling hills drape themselves in a blue blanket of Neelakurinji blooms, Munnar becomes a paradise on earth. Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana) flowers once in every twelve years and thousands of travelers visit Munnar during this time to watch the rolling hills and the seemingly endless valleys bathed in purplish blue.
Munnar has a legacy of its own when it comes to the origins and development of tea plantations. The Tea Museum here houses curios, photographs and machineries; all of which have a story to tell about the origins and development of tea plantations in Munnar. Top Station, which is about 32 km from Munnar is at an altitude of 1700 m above sea level. Travellers to Munnar make it a point to visit Top Station to enjoy the panoramic view it offers of the entire valley.
Situated at an altitude of 1700 m above sea level, Mattupetty is known for its storage masonry dam, the beautiful lake, lush green tea plantations, rolling grasslands and the Shola forests. Mattupetty is also ideal for trekking and is home to a variety of birds.
Near the town of Munnar is Chinnakanal and the waterfalls here, popularly known as Power House Waterfalls, cascade down a steep rock. The spot is enriched by the scenic view of the Western Ghat.
There are many other spots worth visiting in and around Munnar like Anayirangal, Pallivasal, Marayoor, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Neelakurinji National Park, Peerumedu, Pambadum Shola National Park ……and the list goes on.
Getting there:
Nearest railway stations: Theni (Tamil Nadu), about 60 km; Aluva about 110 km.
Nearest airports: Cochin International Airport, about 125 km; Madurai (Tamil Nadu), about 140 km.
