The scenic beauty of Munnar more than justifies why Kerala is called the God’s own country. One of the most popular holiday destinations in India, Munnar offers a sight of unending expanse of tea gardens, the aroma of spice in the air and exotic species of flora and fauna. Here, one could see the process of tea making, starting from picking tea leaves to the packaging of the same. Munnar is believed to have derived from the Malayalam words Muunu (three) and aaru (river), referring to the town's strategic location at the confluence of the Muthirappuzha, Chanduvarai and Kundali rivers. Munnar is also known for the Neelakurinji plant which blooms once in 12 years and covers the entire valley in blue.

	Munnar Valley View
	Image By Flickr User rakeshr Used under Creative Commons Attribution License

During the British rule of India, Munnar was developed for tea plantation. At that time, most of the people around the area were employed as laborers for plantations. In the early stages of development, only Tamilians and a small number of Malayalis inhabited Munnar. From the late 1890's till 1921, tea was transported down from Top Station by 24 inch railway and ropeway to Munnar for transhipment throughout the World

• Walk in the Clouds
• Rock Climbing and Rappelling
• Ayurvedic Treatments
• Trekking
• Buying tea, coffee and spices

	Munnar Tea Plantation
	Image By Wikipedia User Guruprasad Rane Image is in Public Domain

The region in and around Munnar varies in height from 1,600 meters (5,249.3 ft) to 1,800 meters (5,905.5 ft) above sea level. Munnar enjoys a salubrious climate. The weather ranges between 0 °C (32 °F) and +10 °C (50 °F) in winter and +15 °C (59 °F) and +25 °C (77 °F) in summer. The tourist season is from August to May. However, even the monsoon is lovely with many streams and rivulets in the area.

The Indian Rupee is the official currency of Cochin. Currency can be exchanged at the currency change counters at the Banks in Munnar or at the Airport. Credit and debit cards are accepted in only bigger shops and major hotels. There are 2 ATMs of the Federal Bank and State Bank of Travancore.  

No permit is required to travel to Cochin other than a visa for India.

By Air –The Madurai Airport and Cochin International Airports are two airports near Munnar with the Cochin  International Airport being the nearest. It is about 130 kms away from the town. Cochin International Airport is well connected to many of the major cities worldwide, handling both domestic and international flights.
There are flights to and from Colombo, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Sharjah, Jeddah, Muscat, Kuwait, Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Bangalore.

By Train – : Cochin Railway station is the  nearest railway station, which is connected to all the major cities in India. Some of the express trains for this route are Kerala Express, Nizamuddin Eranakulam Express, Trivandrum-Chennai Amil and Trivandrum Rajdhani Express. The other railway stations near Munnar are Theni, Kottayam, Madurai , Thiruvanathapuram and Changanassery.

By road: Munnar is well connected by road. Munnar is 135 kms from Erunakulam, 110 kms away from Thekkady, 300 kms away from Thiruvananthapuram and 150 kms from Coimbatore.  There are a lot of Private and Government buses plying to Munnar from various places in Kerala at regular intervals. It is the cheapest option of travelling to Munnar. Regular bus services to Tamil Nadu (towns like Theni, Kumbam, Madurai and Coimbatore) are operated by Tamil Nadu and Kerala Governments.

Sanctuaries:

• Kurinjimala Sanctuary
• Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary 
• Manjampatti valley
• Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary
• Eravikulam National Park
• Anamudi Shola National Park
• Pampadum Shola National Park
• Palani Hills National Park.

Pothamadu (6 kms from Munnar) - Pothamadu offers an excellent view of the tea, coffee and cardamom plantations in Munnar. The rolling hills, the lush mountain and the breathtaking scenery here makes it ideal for trekking and long mountain walks

Devikulam (7 kms from Munnar) – Adorned with the lush green lawns , this is an ideal place to experience the rare mountain air. The Sita Devi Lake nearby where one can try your hands at trout fishing.

Lock Heart Gap (13 kms from Munnar) – The spot gives a perfect view of the widespread valley though the misty clouds. It is also a good option for trekking.

Pallivasal (8 kms from Munnar) - This is the venue of the first Hydro electric Project in Kerala and a place of immense scenic beauty

Attukal (9 kms from Munnar) - A panorama of waterfalls and rolling hills, Attukal, located between Munnar and Pallivasal, is a feast for the eyes. The place is also ideal for long treaks.

Nyayamakad(10 kms 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.

	Matupetty Dam, Munnar
	Image By Flickr User dhruvaraj Used under Creative Commons Attribution License

Rajamala (15 kms from Munnar) - This is the natural habitat of the Nilgiri tahr, mountain goat, a species which is fast becoming extinct. The Nilgiri tahrs can be scene here in small herds.

Echo Point (15 kms from Munnar) - This scenic place gets its name from the natural echo phenomenon here. Echo Point is on the way to Top Station from Munnar.

Eravikulam National Park (15 km from Munnar) – The park is home to the Nilgiri tahr. The Anamudi peak (2695m) which is the highest peak in South India is located in the southern region of the park.

Power House waterfalls (18 kms from Munnar) - This waterfall on the way to Thekkady from Munnar cascades down a steep rock, 2000m above sea level. The spot is enriched with the scenic western mountain ranges and is an ideal place for a break on the way to the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary in Thekkady.

Kundala (20 kms from Munnar) - Kundala is a picturesque town on the way to Top Stations. The Golf Course which belongs to Tata Tea Ltd. is located here. Here, one could also see the Kundala artificial dam. 

Adventure
Hiking and biking: If you are looking for some adventure , then you can check out the Adventure tours that the Kerala Tourism Department organizes. One can hike or bike through the Peruyar Sanctuary and then Periyar, one can cycle to Munnar exploring the tea and cardamom plantations on the way  
While in Munnar, you can also look forward to Paragliding. So not only get the thrill of Paragliding but get a spectacular overview of the town as well. 
Rock Climbing and Rappelling . You can make your holiday more adventurous by venturing out for rock climbing or rappelling as the rock faces of Munnar are ideal for both. You could contact the Adventure Tourism Promoters at Munnar for details.

Where To Eat:

For all those who swear by Seafood, this is the place to be. Besides the Kerala specialty seafood, try some exotic fish curries, coconut based curries, beef curry and parathas to please your taste buds.

Where To Stay:

Being a major tourist spot, Munnar has plenty of accommodation options. Major hotels in Munnar have apdopted a style blending  tradition and modernity.  Most of the hotels in Munnar offer you a breathtaking view of the lush greens.

The best time to plan a trip to Kerala would be the festive period of Kerala to see the city in it’s full splendour. If it is serenity and tranquility that you are looking for during your holiday, head to Munnar without a second thought!