Munnar

Munnar is a beautiful hill station, and was the summer resort of the British. Tourists come here to see the vast tea plantations of the area. The town itself is typically Indian with the usual shops, guest houses and is really beautiful and traditional. It is a good place to stay to see the surrounding countryside. It is also a popular place for Indian honeymooners.

The town is divided into two parts, Old Munnar, where the tourist information office is, and Munnar, where the bus station and most guest houses are located.

The region in and around Munnar varies in height from 1,500 m (4,921 ft) to 2,695 m (8,842 ft) above mean sea level. It is pronounced “Moon-aar” short for “moonu aar” meaning 3 rivers. Three rivers – Mattupetti, Nallathanni and Periavaru which flow through this town, but join some distance away from Munnar.

Munnar is famous for its tea plantations, many of them started by the British. The “Kannan Devan” brand of Tea from the Tata is cultivated and processed here.

The strobilanthus (“Neelakurinji” in Malayalam and Tamil, the local language), a blue flower which blooms only every 12 years, is found in this region. It bloomed last in December 2006. Munnar also has the highest peak in South India, Anamudi, at 2,695 m.

Eravikulam national park is one of the main tourist attraction, where you can find the endangered species of Nilgiri Tahr (mountain goat called “varayadu” in Malayalam and Tamil). A trek to Rajamala (“King of hills” in Malayalam), in the morning is sure to spot a few friendly mountain goats. You can also find Gaur, Langur, Lion-tailed macaque, and Elephants depending on the season and time of travel. The altitude is 1,600-1.800 m above sea level. Temperature ranges from a minimum of 0⁰C to a maximum of 28⁰C. Warm clothes and rain gear is recommended. The tourist season is from Aug-Mar.

Getting There:

Nearest airport: Madurai (Tamil Nadu), about 140 km away Cochin International Airport, about 190 km away

Nearest railway station: Theni (Tamil Nadu), about 60 km away, Changanacherry, about 93 km away