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Ascend the winding roads of the Western Ghats in the Idukki district of Kerala to reach the ‘Kashmir of South India’, Munnar. With a pleasant climate all year around, beautiful lush green tea plantations, quiet roads, gurgling streams and friendly people, is it any wonder that it is such a popular honeymoon destination? Take long meandering walks with your loved one, sit by the streams and get immersed in the quiet stillness of the waters, push your endurance by climbing the slopes or just do what all tourists do – sightsee. Munnar tourism has something for everyone’s likes and no one ever leaves disappointed.
| Munnar Tourism: A Quick View of the state | |
| State | Kerala |
| Official Language | Malayalam, Tamil, English |
| Dial Code | 04865 |
| Population | 38,471 |
| Currency | Indian Rupee (INR) |
| Time Zone | UTC+05:30 (IST) |
| Area | 187 square kilometers |
Tea, anyone?: Munnar is dotted with tea plantations and there is no better way to spend an idyllic day than by just walking through these unending aromatic fields. Keep your camera ready as you never know when sunlight will fall perfectly on the tender leaves, or when you might spot a beautiful bird. The mist will swirl around you and create the perfect backdrop for amazing photographs. You can visit some of the century-old tea factories and learn the delicate art of tea making, while also picking up some of the finest blends in the world. The Tata Tea Museum is one such place that you must add to your itinerary.
The hills and waterfalls of the hill station will offer you plenty of opportunities to check your endurance and push your limits beyond what you normally would. Depending on your fitness and preferences you can choose from rock climbing, rappelling and paragliding. If you are looking for quiet, solitary activities you can go trekking or cycle along the meandering paths.
There is much of nature to see and enjoy. The majestic waterfalls, gurgling streams and placid lakes make for wonderful picnic spots to be enjoyed with your loved one. The echo point is a great place to profess your love for someone special and have it said back to you distinctly. Take the time to go up to Top Point, the highest spot on the Munnar-Kodaikanal Road. If you’ve managed to time it right you might see the rare Neelakurunji flowers that bloom just once in 12 years. Blossom International Park, Eravikulam National Park and Mattupetty Dam are other places to visit in Munnar.
Shopping in Munnar is a heady experience, literally. The place is teeming with spices and chocolates, coffee and tea, and aromatic massage oils that saturate the marketplace with their amazing perfumes. You can pick up fragrant teas at the private markets and shops, or head over the government-run establishments.
Once you have shopped for some of the finest teas, it is time to pick up souvenirs. The natural vegetation creates plenty of opportunities for leaves, bark, and other raw material that the local artists use to make various natural dyes. These dyes are then used to create block designs on fabrics and clothes like shawls, sarees, dress materials, scarves and more. Fill your bags with wooden craft items, t-shirts and other keepsakes that will remind you of your time at Munnar.
Most people believe that south Indian cuisine is dosas and idlis only. However, there is so much more, and there are delicious food preparations waiting for you when you visit Munnar. Kerala food is so diverse since it is influenced by the Portuguese, French, Syrian, Arab, and Hindu kitchens. Break off a piece of a soft and succulent appam, dip it in a stew, or any of the delicious curries like an egg curry, or the kerala prawn curry. Have the Malabar parotha with Kerala style beef fry or a chicken curry. Don’t miss the Kerala style fish because it will change your perception of what fish is supposed to taste like. Call for an order of the Nadan Kozhi Varuthathu (spicy chicken fry) on the side, liberally doused with garlic, onion, chilli, vinegar and coriander. End your meal with a sweet payasam.
Munnar, a hill station on the Western Ghats, finds itself perfectly located at the confluence of three mountain streams – Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala. A part of the Idukki district, it is a land-locked region and its most remarkable feature is the unending hills that roll away far into the distance. When you take a walk along its winding roads you will see lush tea plantations as far as the eyes can see, with gossamer veils of mist kissing the tops of the gardens. Munnar is at a height of 2600 meters above sea level, bestowing it with a pleasant climate that draws people to it all year through.
Click here to view Munnar on Google Map
Munnar welcomes visitors to its gentle hills throughout the year, making it one of the most popular holiday destinations for Indians as well as foreigners. The best time to visit it really when you feel like unwinding and allowing nature to take over from urban living.
Winter is undoubtedly the best time for tourism in Munnar. The weather from December to February is just perfect, with the minimum temperature going to 10o Celsius. The air is crisp and clean and adventure seekers will thrill at the many opportunities for rock climbing, trekking and rappelling that the hill station offers. Evenings and nights get chilly so do carry warm woollens along.
Munnar gets its summer from March to May, and the hill station is the perfect getaway from the hot plains. Explore Munnar as you stroll along the winding roads, stop to take photographs at the picturesque tea estates and slow down as the calmness of the place seeps in. You need to pack light cottons only for this vacation. Oh, do carry an umbrella as summers are prone to pleasant rain showers that bring the temperatures down even further.
The monsoon is a great time to plan your vacation as many tourists avoid the hill station due to the heavy rains. If you are looking for some quiet me-time, then June to September is when you should visit. The rain-washed region with its lush green foliage adds a whole new charm to Munnar. And surprises-surprises, you will also get amazing discounts on your hotel tariff. Keep an umbrella or raincoat handy every time you step out.
By Road: Munnar has excellent connectivity to most parts of India. You can drive down from the closest cities, or book a seat on the state-run or private buses that ply to and from Munnar.
By Rail: When you take the train, you can get down at Ernakulam or Aluva and then travel the rest of the distance by road. You will find cabs at these stations willing to drive you to Munnar. Ask them for Munnar famous places and strike up a deal with them for the rest of your vacation.
By Air: The nearest airport to Munnar is the Cochin International Airport. Other airports to land at are the Coimbatore and Madurai airports. You can travel by road from any of these ports and reach your destination in a matter of a few hours.
The earliest settlers of Munnar have been the Muthuvan tribal community that lived in these densely forested hills undisturbed for several decades. The land was unknown, undiscovered and untouched until the late 19th century when a few adventurous British officers decided to explore it. They met the locals and soon a mutually-beneficially trade was set up between the two groups.
John Daniel Munro was the first to spot the potential of the land and took permission from the royal family of Travancore Kingdom to develop it. Initially crops like coffee, cardamom, sisal and chinchona were grown but they was rapidly replaced by a flurry of tea plantations and in a flash the area was turned into independent estates, with various companies set up to manage them.
After Independence, the Tata Group entered the arena and took over the development of the land with an eye on tourism. Word spread of the land’s natural beauty, its flora and fauna, and soon people began visiting the area. Hotels and resorts were constructed and before you know it, Munnar was firmly entrenched in the tourist map of India.
Munnar tourism developed thanks to the British who saw the potential for the beautiful land. Plan a holiday today and get ready for a lifetime of memories.
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