Munnar Review
Munnar is located in the Idukki district of Kerala. Munnar has been one of the popular hill stations in India. Munnar definitely contributes to the popularity of Kerala Tourism. People from all over the world visit Munnar for its charismatic beauty and cool weather. One finds a huge influence of British architecture throughout Munnar. It has been said that this place used to be a summer retreat for British during their rule here in the southern India. The result is the presence of huge colonial bungalows and remains of Royal path that remind of the glorious past.
Munnar is pleasant throughout the year but I believe its best in Monsoons, with such greenery and additional waterfalls. Rains definitely make this place more beautiful. But otherwise too Munnar enjoys a pleasant climate. Nights are cold and sometimes too chilly. Temperature drops making it colder. But during summers, the climate is pleasant. With green pastures, tea plantations, deep valleys and dense forests the place becomes quite scenic.
13 km from Munnar is Mattupetty, which is famous for its dairy farm, a specialized Indo – Swiss live stock project. Visitors are allowed from 9 am to 11 am and 2 pm to 3:30 pm. They charge a nominal fee of Rs.5 per head. Apart from that there is also a beautiful Muttapetty lake which is a famous picnic spot. The DTPC Idduki offers boating on this lake and one can hire speed motor boats here.
Pothamedu is an ideal place for walking. I wish we could have something like this in Mumbai for that lovely stroll around mountains with a breathtaking view of dense plantations, scenic mountains and deep valleys. So relaxing!
There are many places around Munnar which are ideal for trekking like the Lock Heart Gap and even the national park.
Rajmala is one beautiful place which is located 2695 m above sea level. Around 1300 to 1500 Nilgiri Tahr (rare mountain goat), which are on the verge of getting extinct live on this mountain. One can visit this goat in their natural habitat. They charge you Rs.10/- per person and children can visit this place free of charge. However foreigners are charged Rs.50/-. The visiting hours of Rajmala are 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. But visitors are not allowed to visit Rajmala during Monsoons, wonder why?
Also don't forget to visit the Tea Museum. The name does sound strange, but Tea Museum is an attempt to showcase some of the exquisite aspects related to the growth and plantation of tea. Also there are various photographs of various machinery new and old used in those days and present. The trip is quite educational and interesting. The Tea Museum is located in the Nalalthanni Estate of Tata Tea. One should definitely visit this place.
Few other places to visit when in Munnar are the Top Station (1700 m above sea level offering some panoramic view), Chinnakanal (power house waterfalls) and Chithirapuram (beautiful ancient cottages, playgrounds and bunglows).
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