MUNNAR

History

The history of Munnar is quite interesting and takes us into the colonial era when the British used to rule this place. Scottish planters were the first ones to have discovered Munnar and the Duke of Wellington was the first notable personality to visit Munnar. The British developed this land for the purpose of tea plantations and as getaways from the oppressive heat of the cities. There are several prehistoric relics that point towards the existence of a Stone Age civilization in this region. Evidences point to the fact that written history began here only from the 10th century. In the 19th century, several villages of Anchanad, Kannan Thevar belonged to the local Rajah of Poojar.


Afterwards in the year 1895, Messrs Finlay Muir & Company purchased Munro’s land and Tata-Finlay Ltd. purchased it in the year 1976. Munnar in the present days is a perfect holiday destination and is famous for various adventure pursuits such as trekking, paragliding, rope climbing and mountaineering. The enchanting atmosphere and friendly people of this place are simply going to win your heart.
Munnar - Thekkady (110km) 4 hours

Area 557 sq kms

Altitude 1, 600 meters
Languages Malayalam, Tamil, English
STD Code 04865
Best Time to Visit September to May

Places to See in and around Munnar:

Breathing in the crisp, clear and unpolluted air, relaxing and eating are the added bonuses of going to Munnar. Getting around the mountains that surround Munnar is an experience one cannot miss, not in a million years.

1. Tata Tea Museum

Located 2 Km from Munnar Centre on the Nallathany Road.

Collection of old bits and pieces from the colonial era can be seen here. Demonstration of tea production. Information on machinaries, tea processing and tea tasting. Photography and Videography prohibited here.

Working Time: 10.00 AM - 4.00 PM.
Monday holiday
Ticket Fee: Rs 50 for adult, Rs 25 for child

2. CSI Church

A church built with stone in 1910. It has fine stained glass and brass plaques. Above all, a calm place to pray and meditate.

3. Devikulam is 7 Km away. Tourists are attracted to this lake town

4. Mattupetty is 14 Km away from Munnar. Mattupetty dam has an agriculture garden on its banks. Speed boat ride through the dam is also available.

5. Rajamalai (Eravikulam National Park) is situated 13 Km away from Munnar on Udumalpet road (SH17). Trekking here can perhaps give you a glimpse of Nilgiri Thar, the rarely seen mountain goat.

Working Time: 7.00AM to 6.00PM (September to May)
Ticket Charge: Rs 10 for adults, Rs 5 for children. Photography / Videography permitted for fee.

6. Top Station is 40 Km away from Munnar. From here you can get a spectacular view of the plains of Tamilnadu. Kundalai Dam is on the Munnar-Top Station road

7. Marayoor is about 40 Km away, where Sandalwood forest, Muniyaras (ancient caves) and water falls (Thoovanam) are located
8. Chinnar Wild Sanctuary is 60 Km away from Munnar on Udumalpet road (SH17). Elephants, deers, samba etc can be seen from the watch tower. The tall tower is about 200 meters distance from the check-post.
Entry fee: Rs 15 per person.
Visiting time: 07.00AM to 06.00PM

9. Blossom International Park at Munnar has an adventure track, 1000-feet long fountain, roller skates, underground mediation centre and a beautiful garden.

10. Anamudi, the highest peak of South India is close to Munnar and is a great place for adventurous trekking.

Munnar - Sight Seeing Options

Munnar is one of the most popular hill resorts of South India. In the vicinity of Munnar, there are several places of interest to the serious researcher, genuine naturalist and the wandering tourist.

Mattupetty (13 kms from Munnar) : The Indo-Swiss project, taking care of over 100 varieties of high yielding cattle is one of the largest of such ventures in India. The visitors are allowed into 3 of the 11 cattle sheds in the farm. The Mattupetty Lake and dam nearby is a popular picnic spot. The boating facilities, including speed launch and motorboats provided by the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) and the sight of the sprawling tea plantations, besides the farm, make this place a must-see destination to the Munnar tourist. A beautiful garden with over 250 varieties of roses, 64 varieties of dianthus, innumerable dahlias etc, is an added attraction.

Kundala (28 kms from Munnar) : The Sethuparvathy Dam constructed in 1946 as a part of Pallivasal Hydro Electric Project is a ravishing sight. The tranquillity of the place will never fade from the memory of the tourists to this spot. Cherry blossoms which appear twice a year and kurinji flowers which bloom once in twelve years colour dreams even years after you leave the place. Pedal boats and kashmiri shikaras are made available to the tourists to make the memories of their visit everlasting.

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.

Top Station (32 km from Munnar) : The sight of Tamilnadu state spread before you on the east and the distant sight of the Arabian sea on the west will remain etched in your memory once you stand at this point which is the highest on the Munnar-Kodaikanal road.

Power House Waterfalls (17 kms from Munnar) : There is a lovely waterfalls, which emanates from the legendary 'Sita Devi Kulam' near Devikulam, believed to have been the bathing place of 'Sita' wife of 'Rama' of Ramayana (the epic story that works even now as the cultural unifying foundation of several nationalities in South-east Asia). The visitors to the waterfalls believe that the medicinal and curing powers of the water will act as a natural massage and have curing properties.

Lock Heart Gap (13 km from Munnar) : The panoramic view of Bison valley and other sleepy little villages thousands of feet below, wrapped in mist most of the time, on one side and steep rocky slopes with abundant wild flowers on the other side make this stretch of Kochi-Madurai National Highway an unforgettable experience.

Anayirankal (27 kms from Munnar) : Sprawling tea gardens surrounded by evergreen forests on the slopes of high mountain ranges make the Anayirankal Lake and Dam a very popular picnic spot. Herds of elephants often visit the lake to quench their thirst giving the visitors a rare opportunity of seeing elephants in open place from safe vantage points.

Pallivasal (8 kms from Munnar) : The unparalleled beauty of nature and the astonishing heights of human achievements meet at the sight of the first hydro electric project of Kerala. A visit to this place will satiate the body and the mind and will be etched in the mind forever.

Attukad (9 kms from Munnar) : On the way from Munnar to Pallivasal, nestling amidst the misty mountains, is Attukad, an ideal place for long treks. Cascading waterfalls, rolling hills and wooded valleys enchant you and refuse to leave your memory for years to come.

Chithirapuram (10 kms from Munnar) : The middle ages charm of cottages bungalows and courts with the greenery all around captivate the visitor. Pallivasal Hydel-Power Project and scenic tea plantations are the crowd-pullers.

Meesapulimala (25 ms from Munnar) : The second highest peak in Kerala (2650 metres), offering a splendid view of Tamil Nadu spread out below, is reachable via 'Silent Valley', a picturesque tea plantation area. Idukki, Mattuppetty and Anayirankal reservoirs can be viewed from this spot on clear days.

Vagavarai (24 kms from Munnar) : The hill slopes (Varai) covered with well-kept tea gardens seasonally don bright red colours when the Vaga trees (Abhizzia Lebbek) bloom all over the place. Between Chattamunnar check post and the Tata tea factory at Vagavarai, hundreds of these trees bloom simultaneously making up an unforgettable sight for weeks. Vagavarai is famous for the first pepper and orange plantations in Kerala and is also home to the first mini hydel project of the state.

Rajamala (15 km from Munnar) : The Nilgiri tahr, a very rare type of mountain goat (Hemitragas bylocres) , on the verge of extinction. Half the world population of this rare goat is seen in and around Rajamala. The kurinji flowers blooming once in twelve years abound here. The combination of these two rare sights will make any visitor come again and again to this place.
Nyamakad (10 kms from Munnar) : On the way to Rajamala from Munnar is another paradise of woodlands and waterfalls. This is a popular picnic spot with perennial waterfalls and refreshing greenery.

Anamudi (15 kms from Munnar) : Rising to a height of 2695 metres, this is the highest mountain peak south of the Himalayas. For those who like mountaineering and related adventures and for the researchers in rare plants, this is one of the finest places to visit.

Eravikulam (17 km from Munnar) : A placid lake land-locked by the misty mountains, grass lands with fascinating tiny flowers, and some rare near-extinct animals are the star attractions on this world renowned national park. Anamudi, the highest peak in South India (2695 Mtrs) is a part of the park.

Pothamedu (6 kms from Munnar) : These hills, covered with 'patha grass' are breathtakingly beautiful and most suited for trekking and rock climbing. The vast tea gardens, coffee plantations and cardamom planted woodlands unfold before the climber a soul-filling sight he will never forget.

Marayoor (42 kms from Munnar) : The relics and remnants of a new stone-age culture (caves, paintings and under ground tunnels) and places connected with the legendary wanderings of 'Rama and Sita' (Ramayana) and the 'Pandavas' (the Mahabharata) make this place important historically archaeologically. The largest concentration of high-quality natural sandal wood trees and a sandal wood factory are the present day attractions.