High in the misty Nilgiris is a tea-growing town that is still free from the ravages of the tourist hordes. Mohini Bhatnagar takes you on a tour of Munnar.

Lush green foliage, sprawling tea gardens, picture-book towns, pristine valleys and mountains, exotic flowers and plants, unbelievable wildlife in its wild sanctuaries, cardamom plantations, thundering waterfalls, sylvan rivers and lakes. All this accompanied by cool bracing air filled with the aroma of spices; that characterises Munnar, in God's own country, Kerala.

Travellers weary of witnessing the ruin and degradation of hill stations like Ooty, Kodaikanal, Darjeeling, Manali, Simla, Mussoorie, Nainital and Darjeeling will delight in pristine Munnar - it represents hope, as the marauding tourist hordes have not still descended on this still unspoiled town, situated at the confluence of five roads and three rivers.

Munnar is basically tea country. Tea estates stretching ad infinitum, interspersed with processing factories at intervals. In addition, there is the natural greenery and scenic beauty, resulting in a riot of verdant green grandeur, for miles and miles in all directions. Sitting on the confluence of three mountain streams - Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala - this was once the summer resort of the erstwhile British government in southern India.

Getting there
Munnar is accessible from Bangalore, Chennai and Cochin by road. The nearest railway station and airport is at Cochin, which is four hours away by road.

Weather
Located at an altitude of 1,600 metres to 1,800 metres (5,250 to 6,000 feet) above sea level, Munnar's summer temperatures vary between 22.5 ºC to 37.5 ºC, with winter temperatures falling below 15 ºC. It is usually sunny in the mornings, an ideal time to go on excursions, most within a distance of 20 to 25 km around the town. Afternoons are usually rainy and are ideally spent snuggling cozily indoors, catching up on reading, playing indoor games or lazily watching the rain, sipping a steaming hot cup of tea. The peak tourist reason is from August to March, but Munnar is worth a visit till mid-June, after which only those who love the rain should make the journey.

Plant life
Among the exotic flora found in the forests and grasslands here is the Neelakkurinji, a blue flower that blooms only once every twelve years. The Neelakkurinji is next expected to bloom in 2006. Apart from this, there is a wide variety of birds and insects, making it a veritable paradise for bird watchers and entomologists.

Munnar also has the highest peak in India outside the Himalayas - Anaimudi - which towers over 2,700 metres (9,000 feet) and is an ideal excursion for campers and trekkers. Munnar itself may be a small, undistinguished town, but it is surrounded by spots that are overflowing with natural beauty.

Excursions
Five roads lead out of Munnar in different directions along each of which there are spots that would interest tourists. The Mattupetty lake and dam (13km from Munnar) is on the road that leads to Kodaikanal, at a height of 1,700m. With its crystal clear water, the Mattupetty lake is basically a rainwater reservoir. Take a motor boat ride; DTPC Idukki provides boating facilities in the lake.

Mattupetty is also surrounded by verdant meadows, which are the grazing grounds for an Indo-Swiss livestock project, with over 100 varieties of high-yielding cattle being bred. One can visit some of the cattle sheds at the farm to see how the cattle are reared. One can also visit the Kundala lake, set amidst the Kundala tea plantation.

Another attractive spot about 7km from Munnar is Devikulam, with its velvet lawns, exotic flora and fauna and the Sita Devi lake, which is said to contain mineral water and is ideal for trout fishing.

The Eravikulam National Park is located 15km from Munnar and is home to the Nilgiri Tahr or mountain goat. Half the world's population of Tahr lives in this park. Over 1,300 Niligiri Tahrs live in Rajamala, it is estimated. The park is spread out over 97sq km of mountainous terrain, situated in the Devikulam taluka. Tahr can be spotted on the steep hillsides that border the 2 km- to 3 km-long trekking track inside the park. Avoid visiting the park during the monsoon, as not many Tahrs can be seen during the rains. The park is divided into three regions - the core area, the buffer area and the tourism area, where visitors are allowed.

Trekkers are allowed to go on foot to Anaimudi (2,695m), the highest peak in the Nilgiri mountains, located in the southern region of the park, which consists of rolling grasslands and high level sholas (evergreen forests), and was originally established to protect the Nilgiri tahr. It was notified as a sanctuary in 1975. In view of its ecological, floral, geo-morphological and zoological significance, it was declared a national park in 1978.

Echo Point is located 15km from Munnar, and gets its name from the natural echo one can hear at the point. It is on the way to Top Station from Munnar.

Top Station is a high vantage point on the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border, located 22km from Munnar. From here, one can see the plains of Tamil Nadu spread out for miles and miles in the distance.

Pallivasal, 8km from Munnar, is the location of the first hydroelectric project in Kerala. Marayoor, located 40km from Munnar, has a number of sandalwood trees.

Attukal, 9km from Munnar on the way to Kochi, has a plethora of waterfalls and rolling hills. It is also ideal for long treks.

Kundala, 20km from Munnar, is a picturesque town on the way to Top Station. The Kundala artificial dam and the Aruvikkad waterfall, both near Kundala, are also worth a visit.

The Power House Waterfalls, 18km from Munnar on the way to Thekkady, cascade down a steep rock 2,000 m above sea level. The spot also offers a view of the scenic western mountain ranges and is an ideal place for a break on the way to the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary in Thekkady.

The Malankara Reservoir, 6km from Thodupuzha on the Thodupuzha-Moolavattom road, is an artificial lake accessible by road. The reservoir is ideal for boating and fishing

Munnar shows you that Kerala is much more than just backwaters and beaches. It is as much about rolling meadows, mist-shrouded hillsides and deliciously cold evenings. A visit to Munnar will make your experience of Kerala complete.