Munnar

Some of these site would be more popular to Indian tourists than to Western tourists.

Near Munnar Town

Atukkad Waterfalls

A scenic waterfalls amidst hills and jungles. You can find a road leading to Atukkad Waterfalls on Kochi road just about 5 km from Munnar. This road is very narrow and needs a lot of experience to drive on.

Chithirapuram

is located at a distance of around 10 km from Munnar. Chithirapuram has old playgrounds and courts, bungalows and sleepy little cottages which all give this place an old world charm. This town is also famous for its tea plantations in the world.

Blossom Park

also known as Hydel Park, 1 km from Munnar.

Pothamedu View Point

Towards Mattuppetty

Floriculture Centre

run by the Kerala Forest Development Corporation. An extremely well-kept garden with a large variety of flowers and some herbal/ foliage plants, all against the backdrop of the tea plantations. Definitely worth a visit.

Photo Point

2 km from Munnar. It is a small place filled with woods and a small stream. Good location to take photos.

Mattupetti Dam

10 km from Munnar, this popular picnic spot activities like boating and horse riding and is a great place to spend the day e specially if visiting with children. You could take the speed boat ride which is fantastic. It costs Rs 300 if you have to hire a boat for you alone. The ride is for 15 min. The maximum capacity is 5 persons and you could save some money if you are a group of 4-5.

Mattupetti Indo-Swiss Farm

Better known as Mattupetti cattle village, Tamil migrant labourers had once upon a time reared cattle here. The cool climate and abundance of fodder made it the ideal location for the Indo-Swiss dairy farm. Established in 1961, the Kerala Livestock Development Board KLDB manages this highly specialised dairy farm. The dairy farm is a unique one of its kind with more than 100 varieties of high-yielding cattle being reared. Tourists are not allowed to enter the farm.

Echo Point

15 km from Munnar, on the way to top station from Munnar is a small lake set amidst rolling hills. Every loud call made from a spot on the lake embankment is returned manifold by the echo from the surrounding hills. Young tourists throng to this place to listen to the echoes of their friendship calls.

Elephant Arrival Spot

18 km from Munnar, Here you can board an elephant for a ride. It costs approximately Rs 350 per person.

Kundala Lake

23 km from Munnar. This lake is very beautiful amidst lush jungles. Hiring a pedal boat and exploring the lake and its surroundings is an awesome experience. Except at the place you hired the boat, don't expect to find humans around the lake as it is surrounded by scenic jungles and hills. Unless you know how to row a boat, prefer a pedal boat, each trip lasts around 30 min and will be closed at 4:30PM

Top Station

(http://www.keralatourism....). 37 km from Munnar on the Kerala and Tamil Nadu border. Great views of the Western Ghats. Top station is the "top"-tourist attraction. This place gives a real 'above the clouds' experience. Regular buses go to Top Station 1 hr from Munnar. A jeep costs Rs 400. The area is known for the Neelakurunji plant, which flowers only once every 12 years. The flower is violet.

Towards Marayoor

Tata Tea Museum

also known as the KDHP Tea Museum, Around 2 km on the Nallathany road, from Munnar. A must-see. Tourists can see a collection of odd bits from the colonial era. Photography is allowed on payment of Rs. 20; videography is strictly prohibited here. A very interesting 30-minute film is screened, and visitors are then taken around the factory to understand how tea is processed. This museum remains open from 10AM-4PM every day, closed on Mon. There is a Rs. 75 ticket fee for adults; lower for children.

Naimakkadu Water Falls

Eravikulam (Rajamalai) National Park

(http://www.eravikulam.org/) 45 min from Munnar. See Nilgiri Thar Hemitragas hylocres - an endangered species of mountain goats, rolling grasslands and sholas, spread over 97² km in the Rajamalai hills, rare flora and fauna, Atlas moth largest in the world, lion-tailed macaque, leopards, tigers, The Kurichi or Neelakurinji Flowers turn the hills of Rajamalai blue every 12 years. The next bloom will be in 2018. One can actually debate if going to the high peak just to see some goats is worth all the effort or not. However, the walk along the park is very romantic and has some breath taking view. Please be aware that this park remains closed every year around February-March due to the breeding program of the Nilgiri Thar. Before visiting Munnar please check if the park is open or not. Tickets can be bought from the counter for INR 55 per adult. Please be warned that if you do not reach the counter before 8:30 AM, the queue can get so long that it may take a couple of hours to get the tickets. The visit to the park is arranged by buses. While coming back after the visit, you'd again have to wait in queue. The entire process of buying tickets, visiting park and coming back may take 4-5 hours.

Anamudi Peak inside Eravikulam National Park

The highest peak 2,695 m south of the Himalayas, towers over the sanctuary in majestic pride. The slopes of the hills abound in all kinds of rare flora and fauna. The Atlas moth, the largest of its kind in the world, is a unique inhabitant of the park. Other rare species of fauna found here are the Nilgiri Langur, the lion-tailed macaque, leopards, tigers. An ideal place for trekking, facilities are provided here and tourists are allowed to go on foot up to 2 kms from Anamudi. Going up to the peak is no longer permissible unless you have special permissions from forest department.

Lakkam Water Falls

24 km from Munnar. A small waterfall.

Marayoor

Around 40 km from Munnar. It is the only place in Kerala with natural growth of sandalwood trees, natural caves with murals, and relics from late Stone Age civilisation. There is a sandalwood factory of the Forestry department of Kerala and a children's park extending across one hectare of land under the canopy of a single Banyan tree, all of which attract tourists in large numbers.

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary

(http://www.prd.kerala.gov...) wildlife sanctuary is in the Wester Ghats of Kerala. This wildlife sanctuary has a large number of plants and animals. This wildlife sanctuary is spread in around 90² km of area. This sanctuary is one of the protected areas in the western ghats because of the significance of its flora, geomorphologic features, ecology and local cultural.

Other places to visit:

Salim Ali (Thattekkad) Bird Sanctuary

(http://www.prd.kerala.gov...). There are woodpeckers, Malabar gray hornbills, Ceylon frogmouths, parakeets, and rose-billed rollers. This sanctuary is located 20 km from Kothamangalam on the road between Ernakulam and Munnar. There are basic and mid-range hotels in Kothamangalam and an Inspection Bungalow in Boothathankettu. You can take a boat cruise from Boothathankettu to Thattekkad. Admission foreigners: Rs 40, Indian Rs 10.

Kolukkumalai Tea Estate

At a height of about 2,175 m 7,130 ft, this orthodox tea factory lays claim to being one of the highest in the world. The view of the Western Ghats is absolutely enchanting.

Waterfalls

Check out several natural waterfalls on the way to Munnar. They provide an excellent place for photography.