Munnar - Kerala

Information and tips on visiting Munnar based on our recent visit

Munnar is a remarkable hill station in the Indian state of Kerala. Munnar is famous for its picturesque natural beauty. The main highlights are the inspiring surroundings, lush green tea gardens, dazzling lakes, thick forests and friendly people.

Munnar is located in the eastern part of Kerala and is situated at 1600 meters above sea level, near Anaimudi, the highest peak in India south of the Himalayas. Munnar is surrounded by many beautiful tea plantations. Munnar is described as breathtakingly beautiful, a haven of peace and serenity.

Here tourists can enjoy the many natural winding lanes, trekking, mountain climbing, para gliding and many more leisure activities. Munnar was once the summer resort of the colonial British government in Southern India.

Places to visit - Things to do in Munnar.

Popular tourist places in Munnar are:

• Mattupetty
• Pothen-Medu

Mattupetty

Mattupetty is situated approximately 14 kilometers from Munnar at a height of 1700meters, popular for its highly specialized dairy farm known as the Indo Swiss Livestock Project. Over a 100 varieties of high -yielding cattle are reared here. Visitors are permitted to tour 3 of the 11 cattle sheds.

30 pm. The Mattupetty Lake and dam is an excellent picnic spot and is just a short distance from the farm.

Pothen-Medu

Pothen-Medu is situated approximately 6 km from Munnar. It offers an excellent views of tea, coffee and cardamom plantations in Munnar. The rolling hills, the blossoming mountain sides and the breathtaking scenario here are ideal for trekking and long mountain walks.

Devikulam

Devikulam is a elegant town, sixteen kilometers southwest of Munnar. Sita Devi Lake with its mineral waters and scenic surroundings is located here. The famous Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is located at a distance of 50 km from Devikulam. The Thoovanam Falls is also a popular attraction.

Rajamala

The main attraction here is the Rajamala Wildlife Sanctuary which is located 15 kms from Munnar. This sanctuary is the natural habitat of Nilgiri Tahr (mountain goat). Half the world population of the rare mountain goat is said to be concentrated in this region.

Attukal

Attukal Is an ideal place for trekking. Attukal offers its visitors a panorama of waterfalls and picturesque natural beauty. Attukal is about 9 kilometers from Munnar.

Cheeyappara

Cheeyappara is a famous waterfall near Munnar. There are some good hotels and rest houses available around this area.

Eravikulam National Park

Eravikulam National Park is located about 16 kilometers from Munnar. For information on this park please visit our Kerala wildlife page.

Kundala dam

Kundala dam Is approximately 20 Km from Munnar town. This is relatively a small dam which has an arch shape. Except during the hot summer months water is almost filled to the brink. There is a narrow single road lane above the dam from where visitors can get a panoramic view of the area. The trees surrounding the water gives a greenish tinge to the water. Boating facility is also available in the reservoir.

Shopping in Munnar

Munnar's shopping is small-town-hill-station scale, and the worthwhile things to buy all come back to the same thing: what the surrounding plantations grow.

What to buy

• Tea — the obvious take-home. Munnar's tea gardens, historically operated by Tata-owned Tata Global Beverages / Kanan Devan Hills Plantations (KDHP) and the older Harrison Malayalam estates, produce black teas and some speciality green and white teas. The Tata Tea Museum shop in Nallathanni and KDHP retail outlets are the reliable sources.
• Cardamom, black pepper and other spices — the hills between Munnar and Thekkady/Kumily are prime spice-growing country. Whole green cardamom and black pepper from the high ranges are excellent value and fresh.
• Homemade chocolate — the small chocolatier shops around Munnar town are a local speciality. Plain dark, milk, nut, fruit-filled and flavoured varieties. Pick shops with visible turnover; chocolate in this climate does not like to sit.
• Honey — Munnar and Devikulam produce clear wild-flower honeys.
• Eucalyptus oil — widely sold at roadside stalls; buy from a proper outlet with a batch number and check it is actually eucalyptus (genuine oil has a sharp menthol-pine smell and is clear, not coloured).
• Handloom scarves and shawls — locally woven cotton and wool-blend scarves.

Where to shop

• Tata Tea Museum (KDHP) shop, Nallathanni — reliable single-source tea and a very worthwhile tour.
• KDHP retail outlets in Munnar town — fixed prices, traceable sourcing.
• Munnar main bazaar and MG Road — spice shops, chocolate shops, clothing.
• Plantation-direct — a handful of estates sell at their own gates; hotels can usually arrange a visit.
• Kumily/Thekkady spice market — about 3 hours away, on the way to Periyar; the spice market there is a classic stop and is generally fresher and cheaper than in Munnar town.

Shopping tips

• Tea — prefer vacuum-packed or sealed tins for travel home. Humidity in Kerala kills loose tea in a few weeks.
• Spices — buy whole rather than ground where possible; green cardamom pods and whole black pepper keep much longer than ground.
• "Tourist-price" spice shops — the shops attached to plantation tours often mark prices up substantially. KDHP outlets, Oushadhi (state-run) shops and the Kumily market are better value.
• Chocolate — check the date; it does not last indefinitely, especially if it has fresh nuts or fruit in it.
• Oils — buy from licensed outlets with proper labels. Roadside "100% pure" anything in unlabelled bottles is rarely either.

Tips for visitors

• Best time to visit:
  • October to March — the main season: clear skies, crisp mornings, easy visibility over the tea estates.
  • April to May — hot in the plains but still pleasant in Munnar. This is also when the Neelakurinji flower blooms — a mass blooming of blue Strobilanthes kunthiana that covers the hillsides once every 12 years. The last major bloom was in 2018; the next is expected in 2030.
  • June to September — the south-west monsoon. Dramatic mists and waterfalls, but heavy rain, leeches on forest walks and landslide risk on the ghat roads.
• Altitude and climate — Munnar sits at about 1,600 metres. It is cool year-round, with frequent mist and cloud; pack a light jacket, even in April. Mornings are often misty; views usually clear by mid-morning.
• Landslides and road closures — the ghat roads into Munnar (from Cochin and from Madurai) are landslide-prone in monsoon. Check the latest advisory before driving in June–September and build buffer time into any tight connections.
• Getting there — Cochin (COK) is the nearest major airport; driving time is typically 3.5 to 4 hours (130 km) on the scenic hill road. From Madurai in Tamil Nadu, it is about 4–5 hours via Theni.
• Length of stay — most visitors do a 2–3 night stay. That is enough for Eravikulam, Mattupetty, the Tea Museum, Top Station and a half-day trek, without feeling rushed.
• Eravikulam National Park — home of the Nilgiri Tahr and one of Munnar's main attractions. Book tickets online in advance on the Kerala Forest Department portal; walk-up tickets are limited and can sell out during peak season. The park is closed for calving season, usually in February–March.
• Getting around — the town itself is small and walkable; a hired car and driver for the day is the easiest way to cover Mattupetty, Kundala Dam, Top Station, Echo Point and the tea estates. Auto-rickshaws handle short runs. App taxis do not work reliably in Munnar.
• Common gotchas — overpriced tea at tourist-trap shops attached to plantation stops, "Nilgiri Tahr safari" touts near Eravikulam who cannot actually get you a better ticket, and unauthorised "spice plantation tours" that are just gift-shop commissions. Book park entries and safaris through official channels.
• Etiquette — Kerala is generally relaxed, but dress modestly at temples and shrines and keep voice levels down on tea-estate trails and in the Eravikulam grazing areas.

SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT MUNNAR

• Tourist Season : August to March
• Munnar: has the highest peak in South India, - Anaimudi, which towers over 2695 Meters.
• Location: Idukki District on the high ranges of the Western Ghats Altitude 5000-8000 ft above sea level.
• Area: 26.2 sq. km.
• Temperature 0°C - 30° C (Summer : 15.2°C - 25.8°C Winter : 0°C - 10° C)
• Best time to visit: September to May.
• Languages spoken: English, Malayalam, Tamil and Hindi.