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Town in Kerala, India
Photo: Bimal K C from Cochin, India, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Munnar is a hill station in the Indian state of Kerala. Tourists come here to see the vast tea plantations of the area. This town and the surrounding region usually offer the most pleasant temperatures in Kerala. Munnar is also a popular place for Indian honeymooners.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
In this cultural centre you can see the local art of Kathakali, which is a drama showcasing thick face make up and face gestures. Also, there are Kalarippayattu performances, which is an ancient Martial Art that was used to train soldiers already before the Common Era started.
A scenic waterfall amidst hills and jungles.
Also known as Hydel Park
Chithirapuram has old playgrounds and courts, bungalows and sleepy little cottages which all give this place an old world charm. This town is also famous for its tea plantations.
A small village 1 km away from headworks dam. Coffee and Cardamom plantation are sights to behold.
Run by the Kerala Forest Development Corporation. A well-kept garden with a large variety of flowers and some herbal/ foliage plants, all against the backdrop of the tea plantations. Nice for taking pictures with pretty flowers.
This lake is very beautiful amidst lush jungles. Hiring a pedal boat and exploring the lake and its surroundings is an awesome experience. Except at the place you hired the boat, don't expect to find humans around the lake as it is surrounded by scenic jungles and hills. Unless you know how to row a boat, prefer a pedal boat, each trip lasts around 30 min and will be closed at 4:30PM
This popular picnic spot offers activities like boating and horse riding and is a great place to spend the day, especially if visiting with children. You could take the speed boat ride which is fantastic. It costs ₹300 if you have to hire a boat for you alone. The ride is for 15 min. The maximum capacity is 5 persons and you could save some money if you are a group of 4-5.
also known as Mattupetty cattle village
Once upon a time, Tamil migrant labourers reared cattle here. The cool climate and abundance of fodder made it the ideal location for the Indo-Swiss dairy farm. Established in 1961, the Kerala Livestock Development Board (KLDB) manages this highly specialised dairy farm. The dairy farm is a unique one of its kind with more than 100 varieties of high-yielding cattle being reared. Tourists are not allowed to enter the farm.
A small lake set amidst rolling hills. Every loud call made from a spot on the lake embankment is returned manifold by the echo from the surrounding hills. Young tourists throng to this place to listen to the echoes of their friendship calls.
It is a small place filled with woods and a small stream. Good location to take photos.
Great views of the Western Ghats. Top station is the "top"-tourist attraction. This place gives a real 'above the clouds' experience. Regular buses go from Munnar (1h). A jeep costs ₹400. The area is known for the Neelakurunji plant, which flowers only once every 12 years. The flower is violet.
The highest peak (2,695 m) south of the Himalayas, towers over the sanctuary in majestic pride. The slopes of the hills abound in all kinds of rare flora and fauna. The Atlas moth, the largest of its kind in the world, is a unique inhabitant of the park. Other rare species of fauna found here are the Nilgiri Langur, the lion-tailed macaque, leopards, tigers. An ideal place for trekking, facilities are provided here and tourists are allowed to go on foot up to 2 km from Anamudi. Going up to the peak is no longer permissible unless you have special permissions from forest department.
Chinnar wildlife sanctuary is in the Western Ghats of Kerala. This wildlife sanctuary has a large number of plants and animals. This wildlife sanctuary is spread in around 90² km of area. This sanctuary is one of the protected areas in the western ghats because of the significance of its flora, geomorphologic features, ecology and local cultural.
45 min from Munnar
See Nilgiri Thar (Hemitragas hylocres) - an endangered species of mountain goats, rolling grasslands and sholas, spread over 97² km in the Rajamalai hills, rare flora and fauna, Atlas moth (largest in the world), lion-tailed macaque, leopards, tigers, The Kurichi or Neelakurinji Flowers turn the hills of Rajamalai blue every 12 years. The next bloom will be in 2018. One can actually debate if going to the high peak just to see some goats is worth all the effort or not. However, the walk along the park is very romantic and has some breath taking view. Please be aware that this park remains closed every year around February–March due to the breeding program of the Nilgiri Thar. Before visiting Munnar please check if the park is open or not. Tickets can be bought from the counter or online. Please be warned that if you do not reach the counter before 8:30AM, the queue can get so long that it may take a couple of hours to get the tickets. The visit to the park is arranged by buses. While coming back after the visit, you'd again have to wait in queue. The entire process of buying tickets, visiting park and coming back may take 4-5 hours.
(24 km from Munnar). A small waterfall.
formerly Tata Tea Museum
Tourists can see a collection of odd bits from the colonial era. A very enthusiastic 30-minute film is screened, and visitors are then taken around the factory to understand how tea is processed. If you are not a tea connoisseur you can skip visiting this museum.
Poopara
Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary
There are woodpeckers, Malabar gray hornbills, Ceylon frogmouths, parakeets, and rose-billed rollers. This sanctuary is located 20 km from Kothamangalam on the road between Ernakulam and Munnar. There are basic and mid-range hotels in Kothamangalam and an Inspection Bungalow in Boothathankettu. You can take a boat cruise from Boothathankettu to Thattekkad. Admission foreigners: ₹40, Indian ₹10.
Take one of the many tour operators (such as Great Think Adventures) in Munnar and share a jeep with 4-6 other people to go to the Elephant Salt Ponds in Anakkulam. The drive is 1,5 hours, and your waiting time is only limited by your patience. Usually, one or more elephants come to the pool in the stream to drink - because they like the salty flavour of the minerals in the ground. But there's no guarantee you will actually see an elephant. Tourists and elephants are separated by a big meadow and some concrete steps or steel cables, so that the animals can go about their business undisturbed. Little stalls serve chai, snacks and even food.
Experience the natural beauty of Munnar by riding a bicycle through beautiful paths of Munnar and pass through a tea state called Madupatty, around 14 km from Munnar.
Here you can board an elephant for a ride.
Munnar Elephant Safari
The elephant safari takes you through the misty forests, deep valleys and the rugged hill paths of the Munnar forests. One hour package, half day and one day tours. Features are, elephant bath, elephant shower, elephant feeding, timber dragging demonstrations and displays of elephant commands and communication.
Holistic health retreat in midst of the tea valleys of Munnar. Open year round, they teach a holistic lifestyle with traditional form of yoga and organic dining.
Organized by Forest Checkpost at Perumala, two kilometers from Kanthalloor town (56 km from Munnar via Marayur). This forest is 7.5 km² in area and protects many tigers, leopards, elephants and bison.
This place does a great value buffet breakfast of cornflakes, toast, omelet plus Indian breakfast food for ₹95.
Multi cuisine restaurant at 2075 m (6,800 ft) above sea level and possibly the highest altitude restaurant in Kerala. If coming from Top station, turn right at 19 mile. Road is bad so make sure you have a suitably robust vehicle or inform them and they will pick you up. The journey is worth it. Please inform them early if you are going there for only for food.
All provisions available at reasonable prices.
Gujarati and Marwari meals.
Bombay, Jain, Gujarati, Rajasthani, Punjabi and South Indian food. Good Gujarati, unlimited Thali at ₹85.
Provides authentic North-Indian food with style ranging from Gujarati to Punjabi and delicious rotis. Meals start from ₹105/-. Only vegetarian food served. The downside to the place is cleanliness at the tables. Mahaveer has a branch near Purohit restaurant; this one is larger and cleaner.
Kaivalyam retreat has a 100% pure vegetarian restaurant which serves organic and healthy yogic food. As it is a yoga retreat more emphasis is given to food quality and hygiene. Serves North Indian, South Indian and a few continental dishes. Their desserts are good. Set in the midst of cardamom and pepper plantation.
It is famous for their fish fry.
Upscale and standard cottages away from all the disturbences of the city. Camp fire and inbound trekking can be arranged.
A set of cute cottages nestling against the backdrop of mountain ranges cut off from the hubbubs of hospital life. Eight Lands Holidays offers you stands unique and aloof among the other such establishments in and around Munnar.
Can be negotiated further down to ₹700-800 in peak season and lower in off season.
Nice rooms, very friendly and helpful staff with surprisingly good cheap food. Double rooms may be negotiated down to ₹300 during the low season. Feels more like a bed and breakfast than your average guest-house.
Good location with nice views. Nearby to many restaurants. Tea and coffee is available. Kerala Tourism Department approved.
Very scenic with roof top restaurant.
23 guest rooms and suites. A special suite is available for families with picturesque vistas of the Blue hills. Each of the 23 intimate rooms is individually designed. The décor is focused on being naturally bright and airy. Luxe touches of aquatic blue contrast the exposed white walls of the new rooms. King-size beds. Each room comes with extra lounge space. The ground level rooms have extended patios and those on the first & second floors have private balconies, giving views of the Hills.
If you are travelling in your own vehicle then this may be a good choice. You need to drive 2 km off road to reach the resort, which is fun. However if you are new to driving, leave your car at the entrance and ask the owner to pick you up from there. Pack your food in town as the choice of food at resort is limited.
Away from the busy city life. Valley view from Abad Copper Castle is the point of attraction.
The highest resort in Munnar. Views from the valley view room are breathtaking. Excellent breakfast. Road to Deshadan is very narrow and requires an experienced driver to drive a car to the top.
10 km from Munnar
Greenspaces is neither a resort nor a hotel; it is a small guest-house/plantation-stay/homestead amid a cardamom plantation, about 10 km away from Munnar. It is one of the Kerala state tourism department approved stays.
Organic living and dining with yoga
Has a restaurant, but food is made to order.
Offers independent estate bungalows and rooms. Has a restaurant and conference hall. Enjoy a stroll through a Cardamom Plantation, visit the stream. Offers campfire facilities
Cheap, clean, courteous staff at a hill slope with a view. Multi cuisine restaurant providing breakfast and dinner however food is only made to order. Hot water 24 hr, TV in all rooms, Trekking and travel assistance, laundry. A doctor is on-call, parking spaces and driver accommodation are provided
Around ₹2,500.
Colonial-style four-star hotel, flanked by tea plantations and stunning view of valleys and waterfall. Multi-cuisine restaurant specialized in continental cuisine and the typical Indian cuisines like Gujarati, Malwani, Awadi, Rajastani, Punjabi and Jain cuisines. Coffee shop, health club, conference room with discotheque, board room, curio shop.
MTCR by Green Earth Hotels
An all villa premium family resort.
The resort is at Chinnakanal, 18 km away. It has 142 rooms and suites.
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Ayurvedic centre, cardamom plantation visit, fishing, trekking, camp fire, multi-cuisine restaurant and coffee shop, children's play area & activity room, credit card facility, travel desk, site seeing trip 24 hr hot & cold water, STD direct dialling, cable TV in all rooms, pick up and drop off, conference hall, doctor on call.
Blanket Munnar
Luxury resort with great hospitality near the Attukad waterfalls.
Abbas & Co is wholesaler but also sells to visitors. Really good price for tea, green tea, coffee, cashew - nuts, home made chocolates, spices, aloe vera gel.
Several varieties of tea fresh from factory.
Outlet selling certified organic products. They also offer guided tours across a tea plantation between 8:00 and 18:00 for ₹400.
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.
By bus
Note that most buses have boards in Malayalam language and not English.
By car
Distances from Munnar to various cities:
There are KSRTC buses and public buses offered by private operators as well as auto rickshaws. The drivers also call it Tuktuk here.
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