Resorts Kerala, Jungle Resort, Island Resort

Resorts Munnar

One of Kerala’s foremost hill stations, Munnar became famous for its tea after 1877, when Englishman J.D. Munro acquired about 500sq.km of land here from the Poonjar Raja and turned it into tea plantations. Tea estates and tropical forests exist side by side here. Munnar town stands where the three rivers-Nallathani, Muthipuzha and Kundala – meet. The highest peak in south India, Anaimudi (2,695m) is located in the Eravikulam national Park in Munnar. Munnar can be reached in an easy four-hour drive from Cochin.

Top Station is highest point in Munnar at 1,700m above sea level, on the Munnar-Kodaikanal road, 32km from Munnar town. Top Station gets its name from a high ropeway that connected it to Middle and Lower Station in the valley. The exotic flower ‘Neelakurinji’ that blooms once in 12 years is found in this region.

Built in black basalt, the CSI Church stands on a hillock in Old Munnar town. It was sanctified in 1910, and has a beautiful bell tower and nave. A few British men and women and the wife of H.M. Knight, a general manager of a plantation here, was buried in the cemetery. The church was handed over to the CSI north Kerala diocese by the British in 1981. Fourteen rosewood pews that belonged to the original structure are still used in the church. Inside the church, you’ll also find brass plaques in memory of influential tea planters of the time.
Another famous church is the Mount Carmel Church, believed to be the first Roman Catholic Church in the Western hills. Built in 1898, it was used as a shelter during floods and landslides.

India’s only tea museum stands within a 100-year-old tea estate managed by the Kannan Devan Hills Produce Company. Here you can see old tea rollers, tea processing machine, a second-century burial urn, an engine wheel belonging to the early 20th century that belong to the Kundala Valley Railway and a Pelton wheel.

Marayoor is the only place in Kerala which has natural growth of sandalwood trees. The forest department runs a sandalwood factory here. Muniyaras, or ancient caves, are another attraction. Inside are wall paintings and sculptures relating to the New Stone Age Era. Only groups of tribals live in the caves. Marayoor is also visited for the Thoovanam waterfalls and Rajiv Gandhi National Park.