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Munnar - A Hill Station in God’s Own Country

by: Manish Chaudhary

Munnar is the most beautiful hill station situated at the confluence of three rivers namely Muthirappuzha, Nallathanni and Kundaly in Southern India. It is a picturesque hill resort located in God’s Own Country, Kerala. The place is full of natural beauty, lush green landscapes and tea estates. Munnar was once the summer getaway for British Rulers of South India. The dazzling western ghats of South India provide this place the scenic beauty for which it is famous across the nation. Today Munnar is one of the best honeymoon destination for newly weds, a place where they can spend sometime alone and away from the busy city life.

For some people it is a place where they can rejuvenate and relax for some days. They can breathe in fresh air, live in unpolluted environment and enjoy the scenic beauty of the place. Munnar is a hill station that attracts tourists from all over the world who want to spend some quality time in the pristine natural surroundings, amidst vast lush green tea plantations and breathing in the fresh aroma of spices.

General information:
Munnar is a hill station situated in Idduki district of Kerala. Kerala is a small state of the Indian sub-continent which is blessed with enormous natural beauty and may be that’s the reason for which it is referred to as “God’s Own Country”. The altitude of the hill station varies from 2,000 meters (6,562 ft) to 2,600 meters above sea level and is spread over an area of 557 km². The hill station is surrounded by vast forest area because of which it remains cold all year long.

Image credit: http://www.rollingrains.com/archives/A-Tea-Plantation-in-Munnar.jpg

Climate:
Munnar has a moderate climate all year long. It is relatively cold as compared to rest of the places in South India. In winters the temperature ranges from -10 degree Celsius to 0 degree Celsius and in summers it ranges from 8 degree Celsius to 16 degree Celsius. Best time to visit Munnar is between August to May. The people who love rains and water, for them monsoon is the best season to visit Munnar as various streams, waterfalls and rivulets come into action. The green tea estates look so fresh and beautiful post monsoon.

Image credit: http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/image/may08/munnar_matupatty.jpg

Getting in and around:
Because of the closeness to the famous destinations like Coimbatore, Madurai and Kochi (formerly known as Cochin), Munnar is easily accessible by Air, Rail and Road network.

By Air: the nearest airport is in Kochi which is about 130 Km away from Munnar. After reaching the airport a taxi or a car can be hired to reach Munnar. You can also opt for buses that commute between Kochi and Munnar.

By Rail: The nearest railway station to Munnar is in Kochi and Kochi is well connected to rest of the cities in India.

By Road : Drive to Munnar from Kochi is about 4 hours, from Madurai it is 6 hours and from Coimbatore it is 6 hours. Munnar is also accessible by road from most of the cities and town in Kerala.

Local Transport: The local transport includes Buses, Auto-rickshaws, Taxi and bicycles. You can hire bicycles to explore the city which is indeed a fun and exciting experience.

Image credit: http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/data/504/1760munnar4.JPG

Accommodation:
The hotels of Munnar are well equipped with the latest amenities and provide a comfortable stay. Being one of the prime tourist destinations in India Munnar treats its visitors with inevitable hospitality and provides them the par excellent service. You can choose the kind of accommodation depending on your budget. The available options are:

Five Star Hotels in Munnar

Club Mahindra Lakeview Resort

Four Star Hotels in Munnar

Best Western Fort

Three Star Hotels in Munnar

Sterling Day's Inn

Tall Trees

Edassery Eastend

Resorts in Munnar

Abad Copper Castle

Image credit: http://www.travelmadeeasy.in/munnar-royal.jpg

Places to See:
Eravikulam (Rajamalai) National Park:
About a drive of 45 min from the main city of Munnar you will find Eravikulam National Park which is home to Nilgiri Thar (a species of mountain goat) also known as Hemitragas Hylocres, which is an endangered animal. The national park is spread over 97 square kilometer land.

Image credit: http://www.keralagreenery.org/kerala-wildlife-squirell.jpg

Anamudi Peak:
The Anamudi peak lies inside the Eravikulam National park. It is the highest peak of south of Himalayas and stand tall at an elevation of 2695 meters. The peak is home to rare types of flora and fauna. It is also house to the Atlas Moth which is the largest moth in the world.

Image credit: http://www.panoramio.com/photos/original/7765701.jpg

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary:
The Chinnar Wildlife Sactuary is spread over 90 square kilometer of land area and has a large number of animals and plants. It is one of the protected areas in the western ghats of Kerala because of the ecological, geomorphologic and cultural significance of the rich flora and fauna.

Image credit: http://www.hotelskerala.com/idukki/images/chinnar3.jpg

Mattupetty Dam:
The favorite picnic spot for the local population and also tourists. The dam is situated at a distance of 10 km away from the main city. Activities like horse riding, speed boating and paddle boating makes it a perfect place to spend a weekend evening with friends, family and kids.

Mattupetty Indo-Swiss Farm:
Mattupetti literally means Cattle village in Tamil. The village was once the refugee camp for the migrants that came from Tamil Nadu and started rearing cattle here. Because of the good climatic condition and abundance of fodder it soon it became a dairy farm.

Image credit: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/86/236099785_7ec325a3fc.jpg?v=0

Echo Point:
On the way to Top Station about 15 km away is the Echo point. The place consists of a small lake which is surrounded by hills. Any loud sound made near the lake is returned manifold by the surrounding hills. It is good place to spend sometime with friends and enjoy the echoes of friendship calls.

Image credit: http://www.oktatabyebye.com/picture-gallery-images-large/lgMunnar-photo-EchoPoint,Munnar161524453.jpg

Top Station:
Top Station is a place about 37 km away from Munnar towards the Kerala Tamilnadu border. The place provides a scenic view of the dazzling Western Ghats. The Top Station is the best tourist attraction in Munnar. The place is apt to enjoy the view of blue valley that flourishes with Neelakurunji plant (which has a violet color flower) once in every twelve years.

Kundala Lake:
The Lake is situated amidst of lush green thick forest. Boating in the lake is an exciting experience.

Image credit: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3408/3553493885_801d488bf7_b.jpg

Attukkal Waterfalls:
The Attukal Waterfalls are situated just 5 km away from Munnar. Located in the middle of the green jungle the place gives a scenic look.

Image credit: http://www.godsownplaces.com/file_images/attukal-waterfals.jpg

Salim Ali (Thattekkad) Bird Sanctuary:
The Sanctuary is located in between Ernakulam and Munnar. It is 20 km away from Kothamangalam and is home to birds like rose-billed rollers, parakeets, Ceylon frogmouths, Malabar gray hornbills and woodpeckers.

Image credit: http://www.worldbirders.com/vcms/images/1105.jpg

Marayoor:
The Marayoor is one of the Sandalwood jungles in Kerala. Here you will find natural caves, relics from Stone Age civilization and it is the only place with the natural growth of Sandalwood trees. The main attraction of the place is a canopy of a single banyan tree under which there is a Children’s Park that is spread over 1 hectare of land.

Image credit: http://www.tripinkerala.com/Idukkipic/Marayoor.jpg

Kolukkumalai Tea Estate:
It is a tea factory that is said to the highest in the world. The estate is situated at a height of 7130 ft above sea level.

Image credit: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3148/2736645569_e996d27184.jpg

Tata Tea Museum:
The tea Museum is located about 2 km away from Munnar on Nallathany road. The museum exhibits bits and pieces of artifacts from colonial era. Photography in the museum is strictly prohibited.

Image credit: http://www.panoramio.com/photos/original/19101555.jpg

Chithirapuram:
The place has an amazing old world charm and is situated about 10 km away from Munnar. The small town of Chithirapuram is famous across the world for its beautiful and lush green tea farms.

Image credit: http://tristarmunnar.com/admin/image_gallery/933efeaeec8b3f50d309de439646559d.jpg

Water falls:
You will find several waterfall on the way to any destination. These waterfalls are seasonal and can be seen only in monsoon and few of them post monsoon.

Image credit: http://wikitravel.org/upload/en/9/9f/Munnar_fall.jpg