Munnar Travel Blog – Tourist Places, Best Time To Visit.

If you do not know, we are talking about one of the popular holiday destinations in India here. So popular that you can watch it in Bollywood movies, on many Kerala postcards and in every Kerala travel blog out there.

It lies in the Idukki district of Kerala, in the Western Ghats at over 1500 metres above sea level. That being said, if you are looking for pleasant weather in Kerala Munnar is your best bet.

It is also often referred to as mini Kashmir of South India — because of the weather and beauty,

Munnar is also a popular honeymoon destination.

It is well connected by both National highways and state highways in Kerala.

Speaking of the distances, Munnar is less than 150km from Kochi on Kochi-Dhanushkodhi NH 49, less than 50 km from the town of Adimali, about 80 km from Udumalpettu, and just a little over 150 km from Coimbatore.

Of late, Munnar has also become a very popular tourist destination among the motorcycle community.

Is Munnar Too Crowded?

It is true one can find many tourists, but finding a peaceful corner is not impossible. It's only in the end that you cover the highly displayed experience of taking a boat ride in Mattupetty Dam or clicking selfies in Pothamedu View Point that you find Munnar crowded. But if you try to go off the beaten path—a small walk in a tea garden or a sunset point—you do not see it crowded then.

All that being said, Munnar is a crowded destination only for those who make it one.

It is the case with almost all tourist destinations in India—be it the backwaters of Alleppey or someplace more offbeat in Northeast.

Munnar Tourist Places:

A Visit to the Estates of Tea Of course, the very first thing that comes to your mind when one mentions Munnar is acres and acres of tea plantations. And visiting them is precisely what you should be doing when you are there.

You will find many beautiful tea estates or tea gardens in Munnar itself to explore. The hills will be adorned with their green colors, so spotting one won't be tough either.

Now, if you think of how many tea estates are in Munnar, let me tell you, it stays at an impressive count of 50+. Most of them function under Tata Group, and finding some privately owned tea state is not hard either.

Some of the major tea estates in Munnar are AVT Tea, Michael's Tea, Brooke Bond, Harrison Malayalam, etc.

Some of the tea estates also organize walking tours for visitors.

Many have a boutique shop, too, where you can buy freshly picked tea leaves as a souvenir.

Watch The Sunrise

Another thing you should be doing while you are there is enjoying the beautiful sunsets and sunrise. Because Kerala has hot tropical weather most people have the habit of waking up early. Having said that, by the time the sun peeks out of the horizon life in Munnar comes to full action.

There will be locals working in tea gardens and already opening shops.

The best time for photography in Munnar is sunrise or sunset. You will see the beautiful orange and blue shades of the sky, indicating romance—trust me, sunrises and sunsets are a thing to enjoy when you are here.

Pothamedu View Point has the best view of sunrise in Munnar. If it sounds too far from the hotel, ask the reception guy for more options.

Lakkam Waterfalls

Though it is one of the crowded places, it still makes for one of the preferred Munnar tourist places for many. It is, moreover, the only major waterfall.

To have the most fun, try to get there early in the morning.

You can take a bath if you want to or sit on the rocks nearby and enjoy the cool breeze that flows around in the area. Again, this place will be pretty crowded.

Eravikulum National Park

Another main attraction in Munnar is Eravikulam National Park. This is a must-visited place for wildlife photographers, with twenty-six species of mammals, including Nilgiri tahr, Sambar deer, Golden Jackal, and Leopard.

You will also find over 130 species of birds fluttering around and more than 100 species of butterflies.

Top View Station Point

The name itself suggests that it is one of the highest points in Munnar from where you can get some Instagram-perfect selfies, but since it's a popular place, it is always crowded.

So, instead of getting to the point and clicking pictures there, what you can instead do is find a not-so-popular spot around that has equally beautiful views. Have a small walk from the main spot, and I guarantee that you will get many such places.

Otherwise, go really early before sunrise, and you will find the place quite empty.

Walk Around

Stroll, enjoy the serenity, and do all that feels much better as compared to running after popular tourist places in Munnar. Slow down, walk around, and you shall enjoy the place a lot more than ticking off a bucket list.

In the mornings, I would get up very early and walk around Munnar. Locals are quite friendly, and really don't mind—especially if you are solo—even if you trespass through their tea garden without permission. So, stop reading every travel blog or guidebook mentioning the popular places to visit in Munnar and explore the place on your own.

Other Munnar tourist places include:

Anamudi

Echo Point

Tea Museum

Hanging Bridge

Tata Tea Garden

Mattupetty Dam

Chokramudi Peak

Lockhart Gap View

C.S.I Christ Church

Munnar Rose Garden

KFDC Floriculture Centre

Kolukkumalai Tea Estate

Carmelagiri Elephant Park

Kolukkumalai Tea Plantation

Dream Land Fun and Adventure

Sri Subramaniya Swamy Temple

Thirumeny Cultural Centre Munnar

Cinnamon Gardens Spices Plantation

The Blossom.

Bike Rental In Munnar

The shop is located in the main market, opposite the KSRTC bus stand. You can ask any person to show you the bus station.

One of the guys I was sharing my hostel dorm with (in the Lost Hostel) had his Royal Enfield 350 rented from Gokulam Bike Rental on a great deal. The best thing about that place is good customer service and properly serviced bikes.

The remaining places for bike hire would be from Munnar Bike Rental, Shalom Bikes, Sangeetha Bikes and Scooter, and the list goes on.