A Trip to Munnar

Munnar is a typical hill station, and was the summer resort of the British. Tourists come here to see the vast tea plantations of the area. The town itself is typically Indian with the usual shops, guest houses and is really beautiful and traditional. It is a good place to stay to see the surrounding countryside. It is also a popular place for Indian honeymooners. Munnar is 1,600 m (5,400 ft) above sea level. It is pronounced "Moon-aar" short for "moonu aar" meaning 3 rivers. Three rivers - Madupetti, Nallathanni and Periavaru which 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.

Places to Visit:

Atukkad Waterfalls, A scenic waterfalls amidst hills and jungles. You can find a road leading to Atukkad Waterfalls on Kochi road (just about 5 km from Munnar). This road is very narrow and needs a lot of experience to drive on.

Chithirapuram is located at a distance of around 10 km from Munnar. 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 in the world.

Blossom Park, (1 km from Munnar).

Photo Point, (2 km from Munnar). It is a small place filled with woods and a small stream. Good location to take photos.

Mattupetti Dam, (10 km from Munnar), this popular picnic spot activities like boating and horse riding and is a great place to spend the day e specially if visiting with children. You could take the speed boat ride which is fantastic. It costs Rs 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.

Mattupetti Indo-Swiss Farm, Better known as Mattupetti (cattle village), Tamil migrant laborers had once upon a time 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 specialized 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.

Echo Point, (15 km from Munnar), on the way to top station from Munnar is 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.

Elephant Arrival Spot, (18 km from Munnar), here you can board an elephant for a ride. It costs approximately Rs 350 per person.

Travel by Bus:

Munnar bus station is located on the main street, Main Bazaar. Kochi - takes about 4 1/2 hr. Buses leave Kochi between 6AM-1PM. Aluva - Nearest bus station to the Cochin International Airport. Around 4 hr to Munnar. Ticket cost is around Rs 100-180 depending on the type of bus.

There are also buses from Bangalore, Coimbatore and Pollachi. Bus booking Bus form delhi to agra

Bus form Chennai to Bangalore is fairly easy nowadays on internet. If you plan early you’ll get budget tickets online. For online bus booking you can check different OTA’s website. Search best bus service, compare and buy cheap tickets.