Again a summer is here in its full force. It feels like the heat is out to get us and we feel stressed all day. Munnar is the best vacation spot for this harsh summer heat.
1. Tea Estates Gardens
Open All Week
Timings : 09:00-17:00
Munnar has over 50 Tea Estates, most of them owned by the Tata group. Other tea estates are owned by Harrison Malayalam, AVT tea, Michael’s Tea, Brooke Bond etc, making it one of the biggest centers of tea trade in India.The business started here when 588 sq km of land was leased to a Scottish tea planter named JD Munro by the princely state of Travancore, and AH Sharp planted the first tea sapling. Rolling tea plantations make for some excellent photographs along your sightseeing trips, and you could visit the Tata Tea Museum to see photographs and machinery that are involved in the tea making process, and then you get to sample some tea for free at the plantation.
2. Echo Point
Open All Week
Timings : 06:00-18:00
Echo Point is located 13 km from Munnar and lies on the banks of a river. Known for its echoing phenomenon, the point is spectacular even if you are not here to hear the echo of your voice. The surrounding tea plantations and spice gardens add a velvety sheen to the vegetation and the ever-present mist makes the spot even more charming. If you are a nature enthusiast, look for the rare Neelakurinji that blooms here.
3. Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary
Open All Week
Timings : 09:00-17:00
Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is spread over 90 sq km and is significant for its floral, ecological, geomorphologic and cultural treasures. It is a thorny scrub forest with xerophytic species, and its habitats range from deciduous forests, dry thorn scrub, riparian forests, shoals and grasslands. There is a sandalwood forest nearby. With over 1000 species of flowering plants and many types of medicinal plants, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is home to endangered species like the Giant Grizzled Squirrel of India, as well as some large mammalian species. It is also very popular for eco-tourism activities organised by the Forest Department and the Ecodevelopment Committees of the tribal communities.
4. Thommankuthu Falls
Open All Week
Timings : 08:00-17:00
Thommankuthu Falls is a popular picnic spot located about 18km from the Thodupuzha town. The waterfalls is named after Kolumban, a tribal chieftain who was washed away in the water a long time ago. The waterfall drops from a height of 1500 m in seven cascades, with pools at every step. Trekking enthusiasts can walk 12 km up to the top of the mountain for some extraordinary views of the area. It is possible to camp overnight and go birdwatching in the area.
5. Pothamedu
Open All Week
Timings : 08:00-17:00
Pothamedu is about 3 km from Munnar on the NH 49. Located on a high cliff, the place offers panoramic views of the surrounding coffee, tea and cardamom plantations. Don’t go there early in the morning or in the late evening, because mist and fog may obscure your view at those times. Pothamedu also has excellent hiking and trekking opportunities.
6. Rose Garden
Open All Week
Timings : 08:00-17:00
The Rose Garden near Munnar is in Mattuppetty, 13 km from Munnar town and at a height of 1700 m above mean sea level. Like the name suggests, it has many different varieties and colors of roses, and a separate nursery here also sells some of these varieties. The garden is also good for hiking and bird watching. The time to visit the Rose Garden is the season when the shrubs are in bloom so you can see a riot of colours here.
7. Blossom International Park
Open All Week
Timings : 10:00-17:00
Blossom International Park is located near the Pallivasal hydroelectric project, about 3 km from Munnar. It is a beautiful garden with many varieties of flowering plants and shrubs. A lake inside allows for boating and water cycling, and the park has facilities for roller skating and cycling along paved pathways. It is common to see young lovers or solitary readers under the trees on an average day. There are tree houses, ropeways and swings here, making this a great destination to take the kids.
8. Anamudi Peak
Trekking
Open All Week
Timings : 06:00-17:00
Anamudi is a 2,695m high peak in Kerala and is the highest peak in South India. It is located in the Eravikulam National park and is the highest point in India outside the Himalayas. The area of Anamudi and the Eravikulam has one of the largest surviving populations of Asian Elephants, Gaurs and Nilgiri Tahrs, and has numerous other bird and animal species. The forest here is the source of a number of rivers in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. You can trek to the top of Anamudi peak with permission from the Eravikulam national Park authorities.
9. Mattupetty Dam
Open All Week
Timings : 08:00-17:00
The hill town of Mattupetty is best known for its dam and the lake it forms. The dam is a storage concrete gravity dam built to conserve water and generate power. Set amid tea gardens, the lake formed by the dam is good for speed boating, row boating, motor boating and pedal boating organized by the local tourism board. The reservoir is also known to be visited by the elephants around the area. Nearby, there is the Shola forest, where trekking is a preferred activity.
10. Lakkam Waterfalls
Open All Week
Timings : 08:00-17:00
Lakkam Waterfalls is a popular destination near Munnar on the way to Marayoor. It is set amid dense vegetation and the backdrop of misty mountains makes it look spectacular, especially after monsoon when it swells in volume. The neighbouring Vagavurai Valley is famous for its ‘Vaga’ trees, which paint the area a flaming red when the flowers are in bloom.
– Compiled by Megha Rajesh
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