Munnar, the Kashmir of Kerala!

India has a diverse landscape that boasts of hilly mountains, scenic beaches, historical palaces, forts, artistic temples, snowy hills and much more. Its varied cultural diversity, traditions and languages truly makes an 'Incredible India'.

Mattupetty dam: This dam is around 10-12 kms from Munnar. The green valleys, cool whether & the tranquillity of the place makes it a must visit for tourists. Just a few mins from there is a beautiful lake which offers boat rides. This dam is used to generate electricity in Munnar.

Kundala Dam & Lake: Another Dam similar to Mattupetty dam. In case boating interests you, you can take the boat rides which looks like the Shikara boats.

Eravikulam National Park: This is a Sanctuary of an endangered goat called 'Nilgiri Tahr'. The National Park is on a high altitude. Private cars are not allowed to go on top so tourists have to go in a bus managed by the government. According to some locals this is considered as the highest point of South India.

1) The park is closed in the start of the year, so plan your visit accordingly

2) After reaching the National Park one has to walk around 1-1.5 km up the hill. The view from the top is stunning and you will witness fog all around during monsoons. This a steep hill walk, therefore plan accordingly

Tea Museum and tea gardens: Famous for its Tea plantations and factories, the Tea museum showcases the origin of Tea plantations. It is quite enlightning to learn about its history and its evolution in Munnar. A short film is played for about half and hour followed by useful insights about green tea and its myths. Since it is a tea factory, visitors are briefed and shown the entire process of tea making.

1) After the visit try various types of tea as sample and make a choice which to buy

2) In case you want to buy tea, I would suggest to buy it from local market since the cost is higher here

From here on comes my favourite and entertaining piece of Munnar, experiencing the different art forms of Kerala.

Kathakali: This is a very unique dance form of Kerala wherein the performer is dressed very loudly with heavy make up and a tomb like turban narrating a story of Ramayana. Their expressions are very artistic with flexible eyebrow movements. It is simply amazing to watch them perform.

Kalaripayattu: This is a famous & traditional martial art of Kerala. The artists are uniquely flexible and perform using various weapons like swords, spears, shields etc. It is believed that this is the ancient form of martial art which has been adapted into karate, judo and kung-fo. It is a matter of pride to have these art from originating from India.

1) These shows are scheduled every day in the evening and each show is for an hour

2) On weekends and during holidays there is heavy rush, therefore it is advisable to book tickets in the morning and proceed for your sight seeing

Elephant ride: Your Kerala trip is incomplete if you miss taking the Elephant ride. The ride ranges for about 30-40 mins.

1)The ride has heavy rush during weekends. It is advisable to take this ride first thing in the morning.

2) A couple ride will cost around INR 700

Hotels & accommodations: This is yet another attraction of visiting Kerala. Kerala offers some breathtaking picturesque cottages, resorts and one of its kind tree houses as tourist accommodation. Tree house is a small house built up on a huge wide ancient tree. The experience of staying here is simply amazing and a must try.

Hope you found this blog helpful for planning a Munnar trip. To know more about Kerala visit www.wetraveler.com