Munnar, Kerala

         Munnar, a hill station on the Western Ghats has lakes, reservoirs, forests and tea estates. It is called the Nature-Lovers's Paradise. It stands at the confluence of three rivers - the Muthirappuzh, Nallathanni and Kundala. Moonu in tamil means "three" and aar "river". It is a major center of Kerala's tea industry.  Anaimudi (2694 m), the highest peak in the southern India, is nearby.  Munnar is a hill station situated at an altitude of 1600 m above sea level.  It is surrounded by 30 tea gardens and forest that is still rich in wildlife. The hills surrounding Munnar are home for one of the world's rarest mountain goats, Nilgiri tahr. The tropical forests are inhabited by elephants, tigers, deer and gaur bison. The majority of residents speak Tamil, but English is also commonly used. If one seek a sense of peace, it's here in Munnar. One could also travel Cochin-Munnar-Thekkady, a journey through extensive tea and cardamom plantations, ending at the gateway of the Periyar National Park.

Climate It receives heavy rain during the months of June to September.

Accomodation 

• Government Guest House
  Kerala Tourism Development Corporation.
  

• Hotel The residency
  Tel: 30247.

• Raj Bhawan or Devicolam Guest House
  Devicolam.

• JN Lodge
  tel: 30212

• Muir Cottage
  KDH Club

• tel: 30252

How to reach there: Munnar is 192 km from Alappuzha, 130 km from Ernakulam, 424 km from Kanyakumari, 372 km from Kollam, 142 km from Kottayam, 318 km from Kovalam, 289 km from Kozhikode, 302 km from Thiruvananthapuram, 146 km from Thrissur, 226 km from Palakkad, 224 km from Cochin, 117 km from Thekaddy.

Road: Munnar area has no nearby rail stations. KSRTC run a daily bus service to and from Kochi (6 hours) 130 km away. There are also private buses to Kochi. Buses go to Munnar from the towns in the area and from Kumily. It's a three hour drive from Kochi and 4 hours from Coimbatore or Madurai in Tamil Nadu. Up-to-date bus time tables are on sale at the Cochin bus station. The four and a half hour journey takes one through typical Kerala countryside - paddy fields, palm groves, banana plantations and row of low, tiled houses. There is also a mountain road which links Minnar with Kodaikanal only 92 kms to the east. This road is extremely beautiful and lonely. There are a few buses on local routes and taxis and jeeps are available on hire in the main bazaar.

What to see

Protestant Church: It was built in 1911. The hillside cementery above it was established long before the church itself. The first person to be buried there was Mrs Eleanor Knight, aged 24, who came to Munnar from Sri Lanka in 1894. It was her last wish to be buried here.

Christ Church: is set on a hill immediately above the road in the centre of town.  It is nor very impressive on its outside but inside it is a charming small church.  It has many memorial plaques on the wall. 

Mount Carmel: is a Roman Catholic Church which was founded in 1898.

The Kundale Tea Plantation : An area surrounding a lovely lake that offers some of the most stunning views of the region.
 

Tea Gardens: It can be visited to see the process of tea production.  You can watch tea pickers at work and how tea is processed.

What to shop

Kannan Devan Tea is a known speciality of the area and hence makes a good buy for tourists.

Tourist Info

• Govt. of India Tourist Office,
  Airport Counter,
  Thiruvananthapuram.
  Tel:- (0471)-501498

• Department of Tourism,
  Govt.of Kerala,
  Park View, Thiruvananthapuram.
  Tel :- 61132

• Tourist Information Centre,
  Airport, Thiruvananthapuram.
  Tel :- 451085 (National) & 452298 (International)

• Central Bus Station,
  Thampanoor, Thiruvananthapuram.
  Tel :- 67224

• Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC)
  (Central Reservation),
  Mascot Square, Thiruvananthapuram.
  Tel :- 438976.

• Tourist Reception Centre (KTDC). Tel :- 330031.

round the City

Mattupatty and Top Station: Mattupatty Lake is about 13 km from Munnar and is created by the small hydro-electric dam. It has the Indo-Swiss dairy farm and govt. rest house.  It is flanked by hill hills and woods.  The road winds on through the highest tea estates in India to Top Station, about 41 km from Munnar.  Top station is an idyllic spot, with superb views over the Tamil Nadu plains and the Tamil Nadu plains and the edge of the Western Ghats. 

Eravikulam-Rajmalai National Park: is 16 km away and was set up to protect the endangered Nilgiri Tahr.  It is sure-footed wild goats which live in herds on the steep black rocky slopes of the Anaimudi mountain - which is the highest peak in South India at 2,694 metres.  There are also elephants, sambars, gaurs, macaque and also tiger and leopard. Visitors have a reasonable chance of seeing the tahr by driving out towards Rajamallay Tea Estate to the north of Munnar  There are superb walks and the scenery is magnificent. 

Devikulum: Devikulam is at a height of about 1800 metres above sea level. It is 16 km southwest of Munnar. A perfect picture of fairy-tale enchantment. The old wive's tale has it that once Sita Devi, the holy consort of Lord Rama, came down to frolic in the lake and the place came to be spoken about as 'Devikulam' (meaning the lake of the goddess), ever since. It is a centre of tea plantations. Velvet lawn, rare fauna and flora and the cool mountain air make Devikulam a nature lover's retreat. There is a Government Guest House and the reservation authority is the Secretary, general Administration Department, Secretariat, Thiruvananthapuram.

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