Munnar

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

Understand
Munnar is a beautiful hill station, and was a summer resort for the British during the British Raj.

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 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 - Madupetti, Nallathanni and Periavaru — 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, the local language), a blue flower which blooms only every 12 years, is found in this region. It last bloomed from August to October 2018. The Eravikulam National Park is the main Neelakurinji flowering area and the number of tourists allowed in the park during the blooming period was limited to 2,750 a day. Munnar also has the highest peak in South India, Anamudi, at 2,695 m.

Eravikulam National Park is one of the main tourist attractions, where you can find the endangered species of Nilgiri Tahr (mountain goat called "varayadu" in Malayalam). 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 m- 2,000 m above sea level.

Climate
The season between October and March (post-monsoon) is considered the best to visit Munnar. Take some warm clothes and rain coats along with you. The temperature ranges from 14 to 25 degrees during summer, and 7 to 17degrees in winter. The atmosphere remains cool and pleasant throughout the year.

Talk
Malayalam and Tamil are the main languages spoken here. Visitors often feel uncomfortable while talking with local people as they only talk in regional language. However, you can manage with English as people are highly educated here and they often communicate in English.

By plane
Cochin International Airport, also known as Nedumbassery Airport. It is approximately 125 km away from the Munnar by road. Taxi services are easily available from airport to Munnar that cost around ₹3000. Cochin International airport is nicely connected to metropolitan cities of India and some other cities abroad.

Madurai Airport is more than 175 km from Munnar (by National Highway 49) and second largest terminal in Tamil Nadu after Chennai airport. The airport has direct connectivity with major Indian cities like Hyderabad, New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai.

By train
The nearest railway station is Aluva, 110 km. Ernakulam is 130 km and Madurai is 135 km. Angamali Railway Station is another nearest rail-head to reach Munnar.

From all these railway stations, you can get direct regular buses to Munnar. First Bus starts at early morning 6AM and after that those are available at regular intervals. Apart from buses, you can easily get private taxis or cabs from all the railway stations. They charge around ₹150 per person if you opt for shared taxis.

By car

 * From Kochi: Munnar is 130 km (3.5 hr) from Kochi. The road is blind in some places and there are a lot of trucks and buses that seem to drive as if they own the road. Although the road is smooth (NH 49), it is narrow, twisty and curvy. Kothamangalam is on the way and is 80 km away from Munnar. Between Kothamangalam and next town "Adimali", you can experience a beautiful cool drive through a natural forest. Alongside, you can see many refreshing waterfalls. Once you reach Adimali, Munnar is just 30 kilometres away - but it will take almost an hour to reach. This is the last place where you can spot a decent restaurant before Munnar. Around 22 km from Adimali, you can start seeing the tea plantations on both sides of the road and a panoramic view of the western ghats. The view is extremely beautiful during the early mornings.
 * From Aluva: Aluva is nearly 110 km from Munnar. Just outside Aluva railway station you can hire a taxi for Munnar for ₹2000. There is a bus stand nearby as well which operates frequent buses to Munnar; ticket prices start from ₹70 per person.
 * From Madurai: Munnar is about 135 km from Madurai and 80 km from Theni. Madurai - Theni - Bodi - BodiMettu-Devikulam - Munnar route is the most scenic route by National Highway 49(Via Madurai-Cochin HighWay).
 * From Coimbatore: Munnar is about 160 km from Coimbatore and 120 km from Pollachi. Coimbatore - Pollachi - Udumalpet - Chinnar - Marayoor - Munnar route is the most scenic route and though it will take bit longer, it is generally considered worth the extra time spent.
 * From Kodaikanal: Kodaikanal is nearly 170 km from Munnar. Kodaikanal - Perumal Malai - Mayiladum Parai - Mooliyaru - Oothu - Falls View - Ganguvarpetty - Ghat Road - Periya Kulam - Theni - Bodi - Bodimettu - Devikulam - Munnar. This route is also scenic.

Distances from Munnar to various cities:


 * Cochin - 130 km
 * Madurai - 135 km
 * Aluva - 110 km
 * Alleppey - 180 km
 * Kumarakom - 140 km
 * Thekkady - 106 km
 * Pollachi - 120 km
 * Coimbatore - 160 km
 * Thrissur -154.5 km

The road to Munnar is narrow with lots of bends and curves. Hire a taxi or a driver with local experience if you are not familiar with similar conditions

By bus
Munnar bus station is on the main street, Main Bazaar.


 * Kochi - Takes around 4 hours (departure from Ernakulam KSRTC bus stand at CP Ummer Road, ₹160). Buses leave several times a day.
 * Aluva - Nearest bus station to the Cochin International Airport. About 4 hrs uphill to Munnar, and 3-3.5 hrs downhill. Ticket price is around ₹70 one-way for a government-operated bus, up to ₹150 for a privately operated bus.

Note that most buses have boards in Malayalam and not English. At Aluva, there are no signs, schedules or dedicated bus bays for Munnar-bound buses; many of them briefly stop at Aluva en route from Kochi/ Ernakulam to Munnar. Check with a few locals every 15 minutes, or ask and hang around the bus info office, so they can point you to the right bus when it arrives.

There are also buses from Coimbatore and Pollachi.

Get around
Renting an auto-rickshaw to roam around the city costs ₹50 per hour. You can also rent a manual or automatic motorbike on a daily basis for ₹350/day.



See
Some of these sites are more popular for Indian tourists than Western tourists.

Mattuppetty Direction






Thekkady Direction

 * Signal Point is a view point from where the Munnar Valley can be seen. It is a nice relaxing place. This is otherwise called Cigarette Point, from the early days when junior managers of the plantation gathered to smoke there. From here one can see Chokarmudy Hill and Anamudy Hill.
 * Idly Hill View Point
 * Devikulam Sri Ayyappan Temple
 * Munnar Heritage Tour, Lockhart Tea Factory
 * Lockhart Tea Museum is a tourism destination which is giving a guided factory tour about orthodox tea manufacturing and can be visited their tea museum which briefs about the history of plantation.
 * Lockhart Tea Park
 * Chokarmudy Trekking
 * Thangaiah Cave
 * Lockhart Gap View Point
 * Periyakanel Water Falls
 * Anayirangal Dam / Boating Center

Coimbatore Direction

 * Marayoor - (Around 40 km from Munnar). It is the only place in Kerala with natural growth of sandalwood trees, natural caves with murals, and relics from late Stone Age civilisation. There is a sandalwood factory of the Forestry department of Kerala and a children's park extending across one hectare of land under the canopy of a single Banyan tree, all of which attract tourists in large numbers.
 * Marayoor - (Around 40 km from Munnar). It is the only place in Kerala with natural growth of sandalwood trees, natural caves with murals, and relics from late Stone Age civilisation. There is a sandalwood factory of the Forestry department of Kerala and a children's park extending across one hectare of land under the canopy of a single Banyan tree, all of which attract tourists in large numbers.
 * Marayoor - (Around 40 km from Munnar). It is the only place in Kerala with natural growth of sandalwood trees, natural caves with murals, and relics from late Stone Age civilisation. There is a sandalwood factory of the Forestry department of Kerala and a children's park extending across one hectare of land under the canopy of a single Banyan tree, all of which attract tourists in large numbers.
 * Marayoor - (Around 40 km from Munnar). It is the only place in Kerala with natural growth of sandalwood trees, natural caves with murals, and relics from late Stone Age civilisation. There is a sandalwood factory of the Forestry department of Kerala and a children's park extending across one hectare of land under the canopy of a single Banyan tree, all of which attract tourists in large numbers.
 * Marayoor - (Around 40 km from Munnar). It is the only place in Kerala with natural growth of sandalwood trees, natural caves with murals, and relics from late Stone Age civilisation. There is a sandalwood factory of the Forestry department of Kerala and a children's park extending across one hectare of land under the canopy of a single Banyan tree, all of which attract tourists in large numbers.

Other places to visit



 * Kalvarimount, Situated at a distance of 5 km from Idukki, it is one of the famous hill stations and one can see the view of the reservoir from Idukki to Ayyappancovil.
 * Kolukkumalai Tea Estate, At a height of about 2,175 m (7,130 ft), this orthodox tea factory lays claim to being one of the highest in the world. The view of the Western Ghats is absolutely enchanting.
 * Waterfalls, Check out several natural waterfalls on the way to Munnar. They provide an excellent place for photography.
 * Waterfalls, Check out several natural waterfalls on the way to Munnar. They provide an excellent place for photography.
 * Waterfalls, Check out several natural waterfalls on the way to Munnar. They provide an excellent place for photography.

Do

 * Boating, There are several places to go out for boating in Munnar. One can choose among paddle boats and speed boats to Kashmiri-Shikara. Young couples who travel to Munnar should not miss out on the beautiful 'Kashmiri-Shikara' boat ride. It is one of the most romantic experiences.
 * The Christ Church, in Old Munnar. The exteriors have worn out with time though the charming interiors still have a very nice ambiance. It was consecrated way back in 1910 and still has 14 original rows of pews. The first Catholic Church in the High Ranges was Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Church.
 * The High Range Club has a charming colonial style. The club house is built of wicker and teak and is the social hub for the tea planters of the region. Members enjoy lounging in the bar over Planter's Punch followed by a good meal, a game of billiards or reading a book in the library.
 * The High Range Club has a charming colonial style. The club house is built of wicker and teak and is the social hub for the tea planters of the region. Members enjoy lounging in the bar over Planter's Punch followed by a good meal, a game of billiards or reading a book in the library.
 * The High Range Club has a charming colonial style. The club house is built of wicker and teak and is the social hub for the tea planters of the region. Members enjoy lounging in the bar over Planter's Punch followed by a good meal, a game of billiards or reading a book in the library.


 * Munnar Supply Association (MSA), Set up in 1900, this is another nostalgic landmark worth visiting in Munnar. It is the oldest department store in the area and has been re-inventing itself to stay relevant and popular. The store was run by tea planters, who still manage its affairs. The MSA is a red brick, red tiled building with gables, buttresses and a porch and is now a heritage site.
 * Rock Climbing and Rappelling, Munnar has a steep rock face about 30 m (100 ft).
 * Walk in the Clouds, Trek to your heart's content while the clouds slowly descend upon you.
 * Walk in the Clouds, Trek to your heart's content while the clouds slowly descend upon you.

Buy
The best things to buy are tea, coffee, spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and pepper and definitely home made chocolates.





Eat
Kerala is famous for Fish Curry. For snacks, one should try local spicy cashew nut, chilly bhaji with hot tea as they are a traditional snack and makes good combination in cold weather.


 * Bamboo Hut, G.H. Road. Wide range of food for reasonable prices, although service can be a bit slow. Also, the place usually has Western music (from Bob Dylan to electronic chill-out sound).
 * Non-veg food, Eating non-vegetarian food in Kerala is perceived as a pain due to cooking in coconut oil etc. But this is not the case in Munnar's ""Guru's Restaurant"" which cooks delicious tandoori chicken and all things North Indian. Recommended for all those who miss their north-Indian cuisine and cannot put up with idlyappam and all those items.
 * Saravana Bhavan, Right at the heart of town and one of the most inexpensive places to eat. The service here is quick and the food is absolutely delicious. You might have to share your table with others. This place provides South Indian dishes, served on a banana leaf.
 * Saravana Bhavan, Right at the heart of town and one of the most inexpensive places to eat. The service here is quick and the food is absolutely delicious. You might have to share your table with others. This place provides South Indian dishes, served on a banana leaf.

Munnar has some amazing street food (try the Gobi noodles), so if you are after a cheap and delicious meal check the area around the bus stand in Munnar (not the KSRTC bus stand in Old Munnar).



Drink
Fresh tea, coffee and milk is available at most places. Hard and soft drink are also available at fair number of shops.

Packed grapes and mixed fruit juice is also available at few places.



Mid-range

 *  The Siena Village, Chinnakkanal, (20 km from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar).
 *  The Siena Village, Chinnakkanal, (20 km from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar).
 *  The Siena Village, Chinnakkanal, (20 km from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar).
 *  The Siena Village, Chinnakkanal, (20 km from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar).
 *  The Siena Village, Chinnakkanal, (20 km from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar).
 *  The Siena Village, Chinnakkanal, (20 km from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar).
 *  The Siena Village, Chinnakkanal, (20 km from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar).
 *  The Siena Village, Chinnakkanal, (20 km from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar).
 *  The Siena Village, Chinnakkanal, (20 km from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar).
 *  The Siena Village, Chinnakkanal, (20 km from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar).
 *  The Siena Village, Chinnakkanal, (20 km from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar).
 *  The Siena Village, Chinnakkanal, (20 km from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar).
 *  The Siena Village, Chinnakkanal, (20 km from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar).
 *  The Siena Village, Chinnakkanal, (20 km from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar).
 *  The Siena Village, Chinnakkanal, (20 km from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar).
 *  The Siena Village, Chinnakkanal, (20 km from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar).
 *  The Siena Village, Chinnakkanal, (20 km from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar).

Splurge

 *  Club Mahindra Lakeview Resort, Chinnakkanal. (20 km from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar),.
 * Mountain Club, Chinnakkanal (20 km from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar)
 *  Siena Village, Chinnakkanal (20 km from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar)
 *  Club Mahindra Lakeview Resort, Chinnakkanal. (20 km from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar),.
 * Mountain Club, Chinnakkanal (20 km from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar)
 *  Siena Village, Chinnakkanal (20 km from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar)
 * Mountain Club, Chinnakkanal (20 km from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar)
 *  Siena Village, Chinnakkanal (20 km from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar)
 *  Siena Village, Chinnakkanal (20 km from Munnar Town on the way to Thekkady/Periyar)

Stay safe
Hill stations tend to get dark rather early, so be sure to carry a torch or flashlight.

Though Munnar is safe compared to other big cities, it doesn’t mean that mishaps and accidents don’t occur. Visitors should look after their personal belongings, as theft may occur sometimes.

If you are participating in some outdoor activities, injuries or accidents may happen. In order to avoid any hospital expenses, make sure to cover yourself with adequate travel insurance.

The roads in Munnar are bit risky and accidents may occur frequently. Sometimes, even experienced drivers struggle to ride on these roads. So, if you are novice driver, don't drive on these roads. Also, if you are descending Munnar, make sure that you start early. Otherwise, the misty fog will blind your drive. It is safe to start back by 4 o'clock from Top Station.

Go next

 * Coimbatore - Being the industrial city of Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore is often called as a Manchester of Southern India. Headquarters of many reputed and big companies are located here.
 * Eravikulam National Park - It is spread over the area of 97 km2 and situated along the crest of Western Ghats in ranges of Idukki district, Kerala. Eravikulam National Park holds the highly dense population of Nilgiri Tahr.
 * Kodaikanal Munnar - Devikulam - Bodimettu - Bodi - Theni - Periya Kulam - Ghat Road - Ganguvarpetty - Falls View - Oothu - Mooliyaru - Machoor - Mayiladum Parai - Perumal Malai - Kodaikanal - approx 170 km.
 * Kovalam - Hawa beach, Kovalam Bech, Light house beach and Samudra Beach are what make Kovalam an amazing place. It is also popular for Ayurvedic massage and possesses multiple yoga resorts.
 * Madurai - Located on the bank of Vaigai River, Madurai is temple town of India. The town has mythological history and cultural heritage to be passed on for coming generations.
 * Mattupetty - Mattupetty houses plenty of fascinating places to relish. Apart from rolling grasslands and lush green tea plantations, Shola forest of Mattupetty is habitat of range of birds. It is also an ideal spot for trekking.
 * Palani - It hosts the temple of lord Kartikeya which is visited by over 7 million devotees every year. Today, Palani is a major pilgrim centre in South India after Sabarimalai and Tirupathy.
 * Pollachi - It is nearest town to the very famous ‘Indira Gandhi National Park’. Coconuts are exported to all over India from this small town and hence it is known as ‘Coconut City’.
 * Thekkady - Well known as a tiger reserve, Thekkady is one of the famous tourist attractions in Kerala. Visitors from different corners of India come here to get a rare view of Tiger.