There are several wonderful places to visit in Munnar so tourists will be spoilt for choice when visiting this scenic hill station.
Munnar is a perfect destination for adventure enthusiasts, couples, and wildlife and nature lovers. Munnar poses breathtaking scenery amidst the thriving green tea plantations with the combination of valleys, streams, cliffs, bubbling brooks, exotic wildlife and clear trout streams making it an irresistible place to visit. There are several wonderful places to visit in Munnar so tourists will be spoilt for choice when visiting this scenic hill station.
Once known as the High Range of Travancore, today Munnar is the commercial centre of some of the world’s highest tea-growing estates. The most important plantation in the High Ranges today belongs to Tata Tea, which oversees almost every public facility in the vicinity. While there are several places to visit in Munnar, the most popular attraction here is the Tea Museum. Learn from the best how to make tea and watch the process of tea-making unfold before your eyes.
Wildlife tourists will be overjoyed to find two wildlife parks within close reach of Munnar. Travel to the nearby Eravikulam National Park for a glimpse of the endangered but semi-tame Nilgiri thar, a variety of ibex, while further to the north are the forests and deeply etched ravines of magnificent but rarely visited Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary.
Most Munnar tourist places are located a few kilometres from Munnar and are best reached on a day trip. It is advisable to hire a private car for the day and choose a route. The most popular route is northeast of Munnar culminating at Top Station. This route takes you through several Munnar attractions including Mattupetty Dam, Echo Point and finally Top Station.
Located in the High Ranges of the Western Ghats, it should come as no surprise that there are several waterfalls in the vicinity of Munnar town. While they are best seen after the monsoon months of June, July and August, the Attukal Waterfalls are beautiful all year round.
As you travel around Munnar, you will notice that the scented cool air is filled with the aroma of spices. Several spice and sandalwood plantations dot the areas around Munnar and none is more popular than the Marayoor Sandal Reserve north of Munnar on the way to Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary.
Last but definitely not the least, shopping is one of the top things to do in Munnar. Tea leaves are high on the list for any tourist visiting Munnar, as are spices and sandalwood. The quality and prices are some of the best you will find in India.
Below is a list of the best places to visit in Munnar.
1. Tea Museum Munnar
[singlepic id=1088 w=720 h=560 float=center]Munnar is very famous for its endless tea plantations and what better way to learn about this industry than to visit the Tea Museum Munnar located around 1.5 km north of town. This is about as close as you’ll get to a working tea factory around Munnar. It has a heap of artifacts, curios and photographs to help conjure something of the lives of the men who opened up the High Ranges to tea.
2. Top Station Munnar
[singlepic id=1074 w=720 h=560 float=center]Located 32 km from Munnar on the Tamil Nadu border, Top Station Munnar is a tourist destination in the Kannan Devan Hills of Tamil Nadu. Sitting at an altitude of 1,700m, Top Station has some of the highest tea estates in India. It is an idyllic spot with panoramic views over the Tamil Nadu plains and the edge of the majestic Western Ghats.
3. Eravikulam National Park
[singlepic id=1050 w=720 h=560 float=center]At the base of the Anaimudi Mountain, 16 km from Munnar, Eravikulam National Park is home to the endangered Nilgiri tahr. Its conservation program has resulted in the park now supporting the largest population of the species in the world. The national park stands out for the stark beauty of its rolling grasslands and sholas.
4. Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary
[singlepic id=1109 w=720 h=560 float=center]Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is a popular tourist destination in the Western Ghats because it is unique with its floral, ecological, geomorphologic and cultural significance. Rich in wildlife, the mixed deciduous forests here are ideal for trekking. Here you can spot herds of elephants, gaur, wild bison, sambar, macaques and the occasional leopard and tiger.
5. Echo Point Munnar
[singlepic id=1066 w=720 h=560 float=center]Echo Point Munnar gets its name from the natural echo phenomenon that occurs here. You can choose to scream and hear your voice resonate far and wide or you can choose a silent, contemplative hike up the mountains and enjoy the panoramic views of the luscious green hills and valleys around you.
6. Mattupetty Dam Munnar
[singlepic id=1083 w=720 h=560 float=center]Cradled by the undulating plantation hills of Munnar and not far away from the Anamudi peak, the area around Mattupetty Dam offers many fascinating sights for tourists. Created by the dam, Mattupetty Lake is a perfect spot for boating and picnics. The Indo-Swiss Livestock Project is another popular attraction in the vicinity.
7. Marayoor Sandal Reserve
[singlepic id=1079 w=720 h=560 float=center]The enchanting tourist destination of Marayoor offers diversity in every aspect. Apart from the Dolmenoid cists in Muniyara, Marayoor is famous for its natural sandalwood forests and pre-historic rock paintings. It is also the only place in Kerala that has a natural growth of sandalwood trees.
8. Attukal Waterfalls Munnar
[singlepic id=1103 w=720 h=560 float=center]Located about 9 km from the centre of Munnar town, Attukal Waterfalls is best visited after the monsoon months (June to August) to see it in all its glory. Surrounded by verdant rolling hills, the area is truly picturesque and makes a great spot for trekking and nature hikes.
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