Munnar is one of the most beautiful hill stations in India. Munnar hills are part of the Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The highest peak in South India, Anamalai, is in this range of hills.

Chinnakanal, Munnar.

About Munnar

Leonardo DiCaprio, the hero of the Titanic movie, came to these areas in the Idukki district and described it as a paradise on earth in April 2023.

The word Munnar means three rivers. Rivers Muthirapuzha, Nallathanni, and Kundala confluence at this serene hill station.

Colonial bungalows built during British rule in India are found here. It is also known for its rivulets and tea plantations.

Some of the tourist places in and around Munanr are listed below.

Eravikulam National Park

Eravikulam National Park is a nearby wildlife Sanctuary worth visiting. Rajamala (King of Hills) is inside Eravikulam National Park. Rajamala is around 15 kilometers from the town on your way to Anamudi.

Nilgiri tahr (Varayadu) in and around Anamudi
Nilgiri Tahr (Hemitragas Hylocres) at Munnar. Image Courtesy – Aju P. John

Anamudi is the highest peak in South India. Anamudi is located inside Eravikulam National Park. It is also home to many ‘Nilgiri tahr‘ (Hemitragas Hylocres), a rare mountain goat on the extinct list of animals.  Half of the world’s Nilgiri Tahr are in Rajamalai. You can see them roam around the steep hills, at very close proximity, on the roads inside Eravikulam National Park. The approximate number of Nilgiri tahrs in this area is 1300. Varayadu is the local name.

Neelakurinji Flowers (Strobilanthes Kunthianus)

Strobilanthes Kunthianus or Neelakurinji

Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes Kunthianus), a shrub that flowers once in 12 years, is there. The last major flowering started in August 2018 and ended in October 2018. Neelakurinji flowering areas were declared as Neelakurinji National Park by the state government in 2006.

It is known as ನೀಲಕುರಂಜಿ in Kannada, குறிஞ்சி in Tamil, നീലകുറിഞ്ഞി in Malayalam.

PowerHouse Waterfalls

PowerHouse Waterfalls originates from Sita Devi Kulam. It is believed that Sita, wife of Raman, the hero of the great Hindu epic Ramayana, used to bathe here in this lake. It is at Chinnakanal, around 21 kilometers from the city.

Mattupetty Dam

Mattupetty Dam, a nearby dam,  offers boating (speed boat, pedal boat) inside the dam waters. There is also an adventure park here. The majority of plantations in and around Munnar consist of Tea estates. Tata Tea Limited, one of the leading corporate groups in India, mostly owns these tea estates.

Kalvari Mount alias Calvari Mount

Kalvari Mount, also known as Calvary Mount, is approximately 2700 feet above sea level. It gives you an aerial view of the Idukki Reservoir and mountain peaks and forests.

Calvary Mount is near the 10th mile on the KATTAPPANA-IDUKKI route. It is at a distance of 13 kilometers from Cheruthoni town. There is an Entry fee of Rs. 20 for Adults and Rs 10 for Children.

For an amount of Rs 2500, five people can stay in the cottage there. There are two cottages here. To book the cottages, please get in touch at +91-9497535460. It is under the Kerala State Forest Department.

The flower garden is maintained by Kerala Forest Development Corporation Ltd (K.F.D.C.). It is near Munnar town. Also, Blossom Park near the old Munnar town is another beautiful tourist destination.

Some other tourist places in Munnar are listed below.

Top Station

Top Station, known for the picturesque view of the hills,  is around 30 kilometers from town on the Munnar-Kodaikanal road. The village Ellapatti, en route to the top station, is famous for vegetables like carrots, beans, cauliflower, cabbage, etc. You may buy these vegetables here.

Tourist places in and around Top Station

Meesapulimala

Meesapulimala is just opposite this village, and the view is excellent. It is a trekker’s paradice.

Echo Point

Echo Point is another tourist destination near Munnar, on your way to Top Station.   ‘

Anayirankal Dam and Boating

Anayirankal (means elephants come down) is another beautiful place where herds of wild elephants can be seen roaming around on the slopes of the mountain ranges.

Also, there is the Anayirankal Dam, which was built in the 1960s. There is an entry fee to be paid to enter the park near the dam. Speed boats and Pontoon boats are there for hire.

It is about 22 kilometers from Munnar. Chinnakanal is about seven kilometers away.

Sighting Elephent Heards at Anakulam

Anakulam village is famous for sighting elephants in large groups coming to the two tributaries of River Periyar to drink water at night. It is about 40 kilometers from Munnar. The area is human-inhabited and elephants do not create problems for the humans here. You can watch elephants closely. i.e. at a distance of hardly 50 meters.

There are a few cottages at Anakulam. Mankulam village is a nearby village approximately 10 kilometers away, where you get better-staying options. If you are planning to stay at Mankulam, make arrangements like a car to come to Anakulam at night and watch the elephant herds.

Kundala Dam (The First Arch Dam in Asia) and Kundala Lake

Kundala Dam is situated around 20 kilometers from Munnar town, on your way to Top Station. Boating facilities are available in this dam. Lake Kundala is on one side of the dam. It is the first arch dam in Asia. Aruvikkad Waterfall is situated near this dam.

Yellapetty Tent Camp or Yellapetty Camping site

Yellapetty Tent Camp is one of the best private tent camps near Munnar. It is situated around six to seven kilometers from the Yellapatty Post office. Yellapatty Post office is on the Munnar – Top Station Road. They offer trekking to nearby beautiful hills covered with mists. You can witness both sunrise and sunset from here.

The entry fee is Rs 1499 per person as of December 1st, 2023. Check-in time is 3:00 P.M. and Check-out time is 11:30 A.M. on the next day. Evening snacks with Tea, Dinner, and Breakfast. are included in the package. An overnight stay with a campfire at the tent is also part of the package. You can reach them at the telephone number +91-85338-12266 or contact@universaladventures.in.

Pallivasal Hydro-Electric Power Project

Pallivasal, Kerala State’s First Hydro-Electric Power Project, is at around 10 kilometers distance from the town. Sethuparvathy Dam, part of the Pallivasal Hydroelectric Project, is another tourist destination where boating facilities are available. Iduky Dam, the largest and oldest arch dam in India and the third-largest in the World is around a 1.5-hour drive from this town. Munnar is one of the best Kerala tourism destinations.

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary near Kumaly Town is around 3 hours drive from Munnar. This wildlife sanctuary offers boating facilities inside the lake. You can see many wild animals during this boat safari. During the summer season, one can see hoards of elephants drinking water. Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is one of its kind among the wildlife sanctuaries in India,  offering boat safari deep inside the forests, which allows one to have a close look at the beasts of the jungle.

How Do I Go to Munnar in Kerala?

Madurai airport is the nearest airport at around 160 kilometers from this hill station. Cochin International Airport, at Nedumbrassery near Cochin (Kochi), is another nearby airport. Munnar is around 4 hours drive from Cochin.

Theni railway station is the nearest railway station at around 75 kilometers distance. Angamaly railway station is around 100 plus kilometers away. Kottayam Railway station is at a distance of around 145 kilometers. It takes around a 3-hour drive from this beautiful hill station town to reach Kottayam.

Roads connect Munnar to Kottayam, Ernakulam, and Thekkady in Kerala. Bus services also establish good connections to cities in Tamil Nadu, such as Kambam, Theni, Dindigul, etc.

Which are the Best Munnar Hotels and Munnar Resorts?

The tourism department of the Kerala Government, KTDC, runs Tea County, a notable hotel. Eastend is another good hotel in the center of the town, offering 4-star facilities at affordable rates. Club Mahindra Resort is one of the best Munnar resorts, having a large property at a vantage point in Munnar. Ayur County Mountain Resort is at Chinnakanal, Munnar.

Carmelia Haven is another good resort; it is an Eco-friendly resort in the middle of cardamom, pepper, and tea estates.  It is one of its kind in the state. Carmelia Haven is at Vandanmedu, around 68 kilometers from Munnar on the Munnar- (Kumuly) road.  Kumily is around 23 kilometers from this resort. Apart from regular rooms, Carmelia Haven has a treetop house and an underground house (cave house).

Cloud Farm is a much sought-after campsite near the Top station.

Mar Thoma Retreat Center (under Malankara Mar Thomas Syrian Church) also has rooms for rent. Contact numbers are +91 4865 208399/ 232289/ 232290/ 232285.

The Baker family built Ashley Bungalow, a heritage property, in 1868. It is located two kilometers away from Kuttikanam Town. Baker also made the Bird Sanctuary at Kumarakom and constructed a beautiful Bungalow near the sanctuary, now a heritage hotel run by the Taj group.

Overnight Stay on AC KSRTC Volvo Bus

Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has an A/C sleeper bus for night stay at Munnar town. This AC Volvo bus is parked in the KSRTC bus station in Munnar town. KSRTC SWIFT Ltd operates this service/

You need to pay an amount of Rupees 220 per person per night. You are free to use the WIFI and toilet facilities free of cost if you are paying the above-mentioned amount. Ladies and Gentlemen’s toilets are there. A pillow and blanket are available for an extra charge of Rupees 50 or so. Please check the rates with authorities as they change frequently.

There are two temporary staff to clean the bus and toilets. They also assist with buying food from nearby restaurants, carrying the luggage, etc, for those who stay on the bus.

You can book the KSRTC bus stay on the following numbers; +91-4865-230-201 (Munnar bus stand landline), +91-94473-31036, +91-94469-29036, and +91-98950-86324.

WhatsApp number of KSRTC SWIFT Ltd is  9497722205. Email id is info.swift@kerala.gov.in. Landline number of KSRTC Swift corporate office is +91-471-2465000.

North Indian Restaurants at Munnar

As a lot of north Indian tourists visit Munnar, I would like to mention a couple of restaurants serving north Indian food.

Sree Mahaveer Jain Restaurant (near Sterling Resorts) and Purohit Restaurant  (Tea County Road, Ikka Nagar)  are good North Indian restaurants in Munnar.