Munnar: The Quintessential Hill Station for Globetrotters
Located on the opulent Western Ghats, Munnar is one of the most beautiful, sought-after and magnificent tourist destinations in Kerala, and perhaps in India. This beautiful tourist spot is in the district of Idukki. Ornated with a plethora of lush green mountains, valleys and landscapes, waterfalls and breathtaking views of nature, along with a tranquil setting, Munnar is one of the few must-see and experience places in India. The views of the low-flowing clouds and mist clad environs give the place an otherworldly look and feel. Layers of tea gardens, wiggly mountain ranges and hazy peaks bring striking beauty and splendour to Munnar making it the best place to holiday with your loved ones and friends.
Munnar is also incredibly blessed with abundant natural beauty, soothing atmosphere and the exotic flora and fauna, which will often leave you gasping for breath while exploring Munnar.
Let us now see, what the options are to feel the grandeur of Munnar in all its essence.
Eravikulam National Park
Also known as Rajamalai, the park is one of the most prominent attractions of Munnar. Spanning over about 100 square kilometres, the Park is home to a myriad of diverse flora and fauna which can only see in this part of the world. Of all the inhabitants of the park, the most famous one is the endangered Nilgiri Tahr. For anyone visiting the park, it stores gobs of rare exotic varieties of butterflies, birds and animals.
Apart from being a haven for people loving wildlife, the park is also an anchorage for individuals who love adventure and thrills; trekking is a major attraction of the otherwise calm park. However, keep in mind that the trekking trail inside the park is not a guided one and is a walk through the park for about two to four kilometres. The views from the park are beyond anyone’s words; the unending valleys and hillocks that are blanketed in green and fondled by the mirage-like most are nothing less than jarring in the deepest sense of the word.
Travelers and people who love nature flock Munnar when it is time for the rare ‘Neelakurinji’ to bloom and cloak the entire mountain ranges in stunning purple. This rare flower, ‘Neelakurinji’ as called in the native tongue, blooms once every twelve years. As the flower is only endemic to the Western Ghats, it cannot see anywhere else.
Neelakurinji blanketed the mountains ranges of Munnar in purple flower beds from August through October in the year of 2006. The mountains ornated by nature by the exotic flower offered a celestial treat for everyone visited Munnar then. Munnar tourism is always in high demand during the times when Neelakurinji blossoms in all its pristine beauty. It is expecting that Neelakurinji will bloom and clad the misty mountain ranges of Munnar in purple again in the months of July through October 2018.
With the park being one of the prime attractions in Munnar, most Munnar tour packages include the same as an inevitable itinerary. And hence, it must be taken into consideration that the park closes from February through March, which is the breeding season for flora and fauna here.
Anamudi Peak
Anamudi peak is situated inside the Eravikulam National Park and is the tallest mountain in South India overlooking at the height of about 2700 meters; the peak offers breathtaking views of the Western Ghats in all its grandeur and magnificence. However, the entry to the peak can only be allowed with the permission of the Wildlife and Forest authorities in Eravikulam.
Tata Tea Museum
A tea museum is a great place where people can understand the history of the growth of tea plantations in Kerala through numerous photographs and curios, firsthand. The museum will take you on an unforgettable journey through time to help you understand, how the mountain ranges of Munnar, it’s befitting weather conditions and the people became instrumental in converting one of the best and most marvellous hill stations of the nation into the hotbed of the tea trade in Kerala. While the entry to the museum is available for a fee, you will undoubtedly welcome with a cup of cardamom tea, by which you will certainly be swept off.
The Blossom Park
If you are a family that looks for a calm, yet exciting place in Munnar to take some time off, the blossoming park is the best place to be. The park is situated adjacent to the hydroelectric project in Pallivasal, and hence, it offers plenty of scintillating beauty to look at across the dam.
Though you might have come here looking for some time off, the exciting rides on the dam will surely beckon you to jump into the exhilarating outing waiting for you. With activities such as boating, cycling and skating, you will have a great time at the park.
For those who want to enjoy the bliss of quieter times, there are the meditation caves and hammocks, which will give you options aplenty to lose yourself into the serene world you wanted, in the first place.
Pothamedu View Point
While you are exploring Munnar across its length and breadth, the single thought that how blessed this place is with such unmatched natural beauty is sure to pop into your mind time and again. And one of the words that will often linger in your mind will be ‘stunning’. From every angle Munnar just grabs your attention by its astonishing beauty; Pothamedu is not at all different from this fact, either.
The viewpoint will treat you with the green façades of the mountains engulfed in the hazel mist that flows across the valleys and the hills. The zigzag road that takes you to the view point itself offers plenty to enjoy during the drive.
Taking a sip from the cup filled with hot, black tea while at the view point is a fulfilling moment for every person with the unswerving wanderlust in the heart.
Athukad Waterfall
One of the most attractive locations in Munnar, apart from the mist clad mountains and valleys, is the Athukad Waterfall amidst the rocky jungle. Tucked snugly between the mountains deep in the jungle is Athukad, which is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Munnar, cascading down from a breathtaking height making it the ideal place to go on certain exceptional watery adventures.
The fall can be seen from a sturdy bridge near to the waterfall for people who are afraid to go the distance as the bridge will make you sweat.
The Munnar Top Station
For the travellers who are aching to witness the glorious view of Munnar in all its grandeur and blinding beauty, there never is a better place in Munnar than the Top Station. Though located about 40 kilometres away from the Munnar town, the place is worth the time and effort you take to reach there. Once you are, all the discomfort the journey gave you will melt away as you will become coalesced with the eclectic beauty of the nature that surrounds you.
The best way to experience the Top Station in all its glory is to make the drive straight to the Top Station without any stoppages in between, though there are plenty of options to explore on the way. Munnar and especially the areas of Top Station receive rains frequently, and because of that, you really must be lucky to get to the Top Station. So, it recommends that you go straight up to the Top Station to enjoy the same before the rain stops you and while driving back, you can enjoy the other places; such as the tea garden, the dam sites and the views the snaky road offers.
Kundala Lake
Kundala Lake is another hotspot for couples that come on honeymoon packages to Munnar, and the pedal boating across the lake is one of the most exciting things to do while spending time here. The entry will permit only after taking admission ticket. The arch dam created here formed the lake, which is the first arch dam in Asia.
When ‘Neelakurinji’ blossoms, people flock the lake as it offers plenty of views of the mountain ranges that wear the purple flowers in all its alluring splendour. The lake is also a famous spot for travellers to browse through the shops to grab souvenirs and crafts that attract them.
If you are at the lake for the chills and thrills it can offer, it will never disappoint you; take a ride on the lake on a speed boat, and you will have all the adventure you need. The heavy wind that blows on your face while speed boating on the lake, will have you etching the ride into your heart as a cherished memory to relish later, for certain.
Mattupetty
Boasting of the beautiful dam and the lake, Mattupetty has located about 13 kilometres away from the town of Munnar at the height of 1700 meters from sea level. The boating over the Mattupetty Lake will surely bestow the visitors with plenty of options to enjoy the beautiful surroundings of the place such as beautiful hillocks and valleys.
The Marayoor Dolmens
Flawless, gorgeous, exploratory, exotic and sundry; Marayoor is the exemplary replica of Munnar abundant with waterfalls, sandal woods, bamboo forests, rocky peaks and rivers. The dolmens found in Marayoor are calculated to be from old Stone Age and are considered by the locals to be the dwellings of the Sadhus who had lived here. ‘Neelakurinji’ that blooms once in 12 years is another exceptional attraction of the place.
Lock Hart Gap
Visitors who are keen to add elements of adventure to their Munnar trip will find this place a heaven. The views from the site are as much enthralling as the adventure activities here are. Trekking around the Gap over the rough rocky surfaces of the mountains here is an adrenaline-pumping experience for sure. Mountaineering is another exciting event which will give you all the thrills and adventure you need.
Climbing the hills following the rough and pebbly paths that slowly entwine the mountain uphill amidst the soothing wind and mist will sure give you an experience of a lifetime. Even after you have long gone from the Lock Hart Gap, the slippery trails and rocks will give you goosebumps for sure.
The Cheeyappara and Valara waterfall
On the way to Munnar can see the Cheeyapara waterfalls cascading down just before Adimali. It is a magnificent waterfall that brushes the rocky cliff down over seven different steps. The breathtaking view of the fall from the adjacent road is sure an impressive one. Though being a seasonal waterfall, the waterfall is a great location to also go on trekking and is one of the friendly waterfalls in Munnar. As the waterfalls are adjacent to the main road, these can see when you drive from Cochin to Kovalam through Alleppey.
Meesappulimala
The sky-kissing and mist-clad landscapes of Meesappulimala are never about splendour views alone; they are also about unlimited adventure and excitement, as well. The process of trekking starts from the landscapes downhill and proceeds through the rugged trails that reach all the way uphill. The trekking will provide all the thrills, excitements and adventurous experience.
Once you are uphill, behold the most expansive views of the green clad tea gardens, and the views will surely soothe you with all the comfort you need to relax.
