Munnar - Serenity Thy Language. Review on Munnar

Munnar – Serenity thy language.

If there is a paradise on earth  - Munnar,  yes Munnar is the one, tranquil and serene. I did visit Munnar with my family and the trip in fact was an out of the world experience.  Munnar is situated at the confluence of three mountain streams - Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala. 1600 m above sea level, this hill station was once the summer resort of the erstwhile British Government in South India.

Sprawling tea plantations which spreads like an enticing green carpet, picture-book towns, winding roads, holiday facilities  and adorable places make this a popular resort town. Among the exotic flora found in the forests and grasslands  is the Neelakurinji which last bloomed during 2006 and there was a steady stream of visitors to witness this rare spectacle whereupon the verdant hills of Rajamalai was transformed into an azure  landscape.

I started from my native place at Kollam  at around 6 am and after traveling 240 kms reached this magical place by around 11.45.

The route to be followed is  Kollam – Kayamkulam – Mavelikara – Mannar – Thiruvalla(you can deviate from Kavumbhagom and reach Changanassery without touching  Thiruvalla town) – Kottayam – Pala – again deviate through Oonukal_ Adimali and then Munnar.

The roads through out are top condition roads and so are also the high range roads.  Once you reach Munnar  try to settle in for a decent accommodation and we in fact stayed at SN Lodge Munnar. The stay was pleasant  and so were the rooms, most importantly they do have a full fledged Restaurant in their premises.

The Lodge is adjacent to the road and barely 1 kms from Munnar Town. The climate during April – May is pleasant and not in the extremes, but a pullover and an umbrella would be more than handy.

Some important places to visit in this paradise are following along with their distance from Munnar.

Pothamadu(6 km from Munnar)   . Devikulam(7 km from Munnar)  . Pallivasal (8 km from Munnar) This is the venue of the first Hydro electric Project in Kerala and a place of immense scenic beauty.Attukal(9 km from Munnar) A panorama of waterfalls and rolling hills, Attukal, located between Munnar and Pallivasal, is a feast for the eyes.  Nyayamakad(10km from Munnar) Located between Munnar and Rajamala, Nyayamakad is a land of breathtaking waterfalls. The waters cascade down a hill from a height of about 1600 metres. The enchanting surroundings make an excellent picnic spot and trekking point.Chithirapuram(10 km from Munnar) With its sleepy little cottages, bungalows, old playgrounds and courts, Chithirapuram still exudes an old-world charm. Home of the Pallivasal Hydel Power Project, this hill town is also famous for its picturesque tea plantations. Mattupetty(13 km from Munnar)  .Lock Heart Gap(13km from Munnar): This is an ideal place for adventure tourism and trekking. The fresh mountain air, the mistclad hills and panoramic view make it worthy of visit. Be careful, the roads are very narrow and not that maintained, the place sure will blow you away and the one who is in the drivers seat has to concentrate hard on his driving. Echo Point(12 km from Munnar) This scenic place gets its name from the natural echo phenomenon here. Echo Point is on the way to Top Stations from Munnar. Mattupetty dam en route. You can cry yourselves hoarse and the echo is bound to reverberate the whole mountains. Eravikulam National Park & Rajamalai(15 km from Munnar) The 97 sq. km. park is situated in the Devikulam taluk and is home to the Nilgiri tahr. The Anamudi peak(2695m) is located in the southern region of the park. Rajamala (15km from Munnar): This is the natural habitat of the Nilgiri tahr. Half the world population of the rare mountain goat(Hemitragas bylocres) which is fast becoming extinct, is now found here.  . Fortunately we did see a lot of them. You have to park your vehicle in the base station and board a paid forest department bus. They drop you at the hills and then you have to walk 1 kms to actually reach the destination, but worth it.

This trip has rejuvenated me by a great extent   and at least my worries did take a back seat during and after this trip. This experience of a life time has really brought myself and family closer to nature as there is nothing to see byt nature at its eloquent best. I can keep on waxing platitutes to any extent of this Heaven on earth - Munnar.

Aslo a foot note, I drove my Wagonr for this trip, it performed great, handling was superb, acccelaration stunning and braking sure. Comfort: OOOH Boy cozy as ever. I love my wagonr - my second home

NB. My family consists of me, wife and 2 kids aged 3 and 9 years

Places of stay with Phone numbers and also rates are  mentioned in this link. Please select Munnar.

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Hope you liked my review and comments are welcome.Regards/ Thomas Alexander