Munnar is a little town that loves to add to its “virgin” mystery an enigmatic touch. Burrowing itself, it is nestled 1,650 meters above sea level in the heart of the nilgiris. The best way to reach Munnar is by private transport.
You could drive up from Coimbatore (170 km away) and Madurai (160 km) in Tamil Nadu or Cochin (135 KM) and Alwaye (100 km) in Kerala. The best hill- roads, I must add, are on the Coimbatore – Munnar road, with wildlife which you are likely to spot on your way up.
As you swing around on one of the numerous hairpin bends on the road to Munnar, the world around you seems to shimmer in shades of deep emerald, darkening richly as a sudden mist swirls into it or a brilliant streak of silver cleaves the emerald haven, as a shimmering waterfall catches the sun- rays and throws them back.
In the distance, you can see the tall, towering peaks of the Blue Mountains. Up the hills and in Munnar proper, you are in a classic tea – country. You can see a carpet of neatly trimmed rows of tea bushes, laid out with geometric precision, covering the hillsides.
But Munnar is not, as is the misconception, all tea. A 25 km drive up from Munnar town brings you to the Ernakulum wildlife sanctuary and the national park. The drive up can give you some of the most spectacular views of the nilgiris, of vast expanses of the tropical forests and thundering waterfalls.
Then, from the wild side of Munnar to its picturesque side, it is a 20 Km drive from town in the opposite direction to Mattupetty Dam. Mattupetty Dam is sorrounded by the forests on the mesmerizingly moving sheet of dam-water shrouded in mist.
A short drive away from the dam, there is a cattle breeding farm, a joint indo-Swiss venture. It is ideal for a relaxing stroll, amidst the healthy cows and bulls.
Other good tourist spots are the Devikulam Lake, with its entrancing scenary, and top station, 25 km away from Munnar town – a temperature region with delightful fruit and vegetable gardens.
For bird lovers, Munnar is the perfect spot, with it’s over 45 varieties of rare birds. And for serious anglers, there are 2 good trout fishing spots, for both of which permission to fish is to be obtained from the anglers association of Munnar.
Neelakurinjis
The once in 12 years flower called the Neelakurinjis is the pride of Munnar. It does not excite you, if you look at only one. What can excite you and make your heart skip several beats, is a sight of fields of wildly growing Neelakurinjis, glowing in soft shades of manure and pink in sunlight.
One feature that makes Munnar stand apart from the rest of the hill stations in other parts of India is its beauty remains pure and untouched. There are no hordes of camera toting tourists swarming around, except in the few weeks during the summer. And there are no petty shops and fast food stalls and raucous hawkers to mar its scenic spots.
Munnar is that perfect high range paradise where you can discover a deep chord with nature and communicate in your own way with that magic on the emerald valley of Munnar.
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