8 Best Places to Visit in Munnar: The Tea Capital of Kerala
Munnar, a popular hill station in Kerala, is a charming place to visit, explore, and enjoy its lush natural beauty. Munnar, which means “three rivers” in Malayalam, is located at the meeting point of Muthirapuzha, Nallathanni, and Kundala mountain streams.
The hill station, which is roughly 1600 meters above sea level, used to be the British Government’s summer retreat during the colonial era. In Munnar town, the English country villas serve as stark reminders of the colonial past.
Travelers visiting Munnar can enjoy a superb vacation experience that includes virgin forests, savannahs, undulating hills, picturesque valleys, lots of streams, great splashy waterfalls, and winding walks. Neelakurinji, a rare plant that blooms just once every twelve years, is another reason to visit Munnar. If you are planning to visit Munnar, here are eight places you should never miss:
- Tata Tea Museum – Munnar’s Pinnacle of Tea Heritage
In 2005, Tata Tea opened a Tea Museum with pictures and machinery that traced the history of tea in the region. Though its official name is Tata Tea Museum, it is also known as Kannan Devan Hills Plantation (KDHP) Tea Museum or Nalluthanni Estate.
The museum makes sure that visitors recognize the legacy of people who toiled hard to guarantee the tea plantations kept going for this long. Along with learning about the creation of Kerala black tea varieties, tourists and tea enthusiasts can witness multiple stages of the tea processing, such as crush, tear, and curl. Here, one can sample some of the world’s rarest tea varieties.
- Mattupetty Dam – Munnar’s Aquatic Gem
The Mattupetty Dam is a gravity-storage concrete dam that generates hydroelectric power in the region. Built in the late 1940s in the Idukki district, it is reportedly the first of its kind in the entire state of Kerala.
It is also a popular picnic spot in Munnar, surrounded by verdant tea plantations. Asiatic elephant sightings are well-known from Mattupetty Dam. Spectacular views of a number of wild animals and birds are also possible. There’s also a lovely hiking route that leads to nearby forests. Motor boating activities are also available in the dam.
- Pothamedu View Point – Get Spectacular Overlook of Hills
The Pothamedu View Point, which is 4.5 kilometers from Munnar, offers a stunning view of the surrounding valleys and is surrounded by lush greenery, cardamom, tea, coffee plantations, and other natural beauty.
The Pothamedu View Point offers hiking and trekking options for adventure sports enthusiasts. If the sky is clear, it is also possible to see the Idukki Arch Dam, which is located 60 kilometers from Pothamedu View Point. It takes around twenty minutes to walk along this stunning spot close to Idukki, and the experience is divine, serene, and calm.
- Top Station – The Celestial Submit
Situated approximately 40 kilometers from the city center at the highest point in Munnar, Top Station provides breathtaking views of the Western Ghats and is a highly suggested tourist destination.
From this vantage point, tourists can take in breathtaking views of Munnar’s rivers, rolling fields, and cloudy mountains. To really take in such views, plan your visit for a day with clear skies and little fog. Traveling to Top Station is enjoyable despite the long trip, as it offers views of picturesque tea gardens and two impressive dams along the route.
- Cheeyappara Waterfalls – The Harmonious Delight of Munnar
One of the most popular tourist spots in Munnar, Cheeyappara Waterfalls, is also widely recognized as a top hiking destination in the area. The seven-step, seven-stage Cheeyappara Falls is situated in the direction of Munnar, after Neriamangalam and before Adimali.
From the road, about the second step from the bottom, one can get an amazing view of the falls. Worth visiting is Valara Falls, which is a waterfall close to Cheeyappara, surrounded by luxuriant natural greenery. It’s a nice place to pause and enjoy a cup of hot tea before heading back to Munnar.
- Marayoor Dolmens – Munnar’s Ancient Mysteries
Marayoor is an exquisite, remote, daring, varied, and breathtaking area featuring rivers, waterfalls, rocky hills, bamboo forests, sandalwood trees, cave temples, and murals. Marayoor’s Dolmens have a long history that goes all the way back to the Stone Age. Three rock slabs were used for the sides of these structures, while a fourth slab was used as a roof on top.
Also, dolmens with five rock slabs exist, with the fifth slab forming a front wall with an opening that serves as an entrance. Neelakurinji flowers, another amazing sight specific to this area, are located here in Marayoor. They only bloom once every twelve years. If you are interested in learning more about prehistoric architecture, this location is highly significant historically.
- Eravikulam National Park – A Rare View of Munnar’s Pristine Wilderness
Eravikulam National Park is one of Munnar’s protected locations. The primary mission of the park is to safeguard the critically endangered Nilgiri Tahr, which inhabits its native habitat and is in danger of going extinct.
As one of Munnar’s most popular tourist spots, the Park is home to a wide variety of plants and animals. Tourists are not allowed to venture further into the Rajamala territory, so you must strictly stay within the territory. Herds of Nilgiri Tahr roam freely at Rajamala.
- Attukad Waterfalls – Munnar’s Natural Elegance
A popular tourist destination in Munnar, Attukad Waterfalls offers breathtaking views of a waterfall surrounded by hills and trees. The journey leading to the waterfalls is incredibly amazing, and they are situated in a scenic location halfway between Munnar and Pallivasal.
It is possible to see the falls by driving your car over a little bridge. A modest tea shop/viewpoint near the falls allows visitors to access the falls and get a close-up view of the falls while sipping hot cardamom tea.
Parting Thoughts
Munnar has something for everyone, whether you’re an adventure seeker, a newlywed couple, or a family with friends or children. With breathtaking topography that is perfect for rock climbing, trekking, and many other adventure sports, it is a growing adventure tourist destination in Kerala.
Munnar is also a terrific place to go for a romantic photo opportunity with your significant other in the heart of tea gardens. With its hairpin curves, it’s perfect for those who love a bit of thrill.