Why Honeymoon in Munnar
Munnar offers a side of India most visitors never picture: green, cool and quiet. The tea estates run across the hills in every direction. Walking through them on narrow footpaths with a local guide is one of the most peaceful things you can do in the country.
It also breaks up a hot itinerary. Even in April and May, when the plains swelter, Munnar stays mild. Couples coming from Rajasthan or the coast often find it a welcome change of pace.
The stays are a big part of the appeal. Several hotels occupy old planters' bungalows or modern cottages on working spice and tea estates, with views across the valley from the bed. Days start with tea on a veranda and end with dinner by a fire. Between those, there is enough to do without filling every hour.
When to Go
September to March is the best period. After the monsoon, the hills are bright green and waterfalls are full. December and January bring cool, clear days in the 60s and 70s Fahrenheit with chilly nights, sometimes close to freezing at the higher estates.
April and May are warmer but still comfortable. This is when many Indian families visit to escape the heat. Expect crowds at the main viewpoints and higher rates on weekends.
The southwest monsoon arrives in June and brings very heavy rain through August. Views can disappear in cloud for days and landslides occasionally close roads. Some couples love the mist and the low prices, but it is not the time for hikes.
Note that Eravikulam National Park usually closes for about two months starting in February for the Nilgiri tahr calving season, reopening around April.
Where to Stay
Most of the best stays are outside town, which is crowded and has little charm. Look for hotels set on estates in the surrounding valleys.
Windermere Estate, a plantation retreat a few miles from town, has cottages and villas set among cardamom and coffee with long valley views. Blanket Hotel near the Attukad waterfalls has rooms facing the falls and a spa. Several smaller homestays and boutique hotels in areas such as Chithirapuram and Pallivasal offer good value with mountain views.
For a more remote stay, Suryanelli and the Chinnakanal area to the east put you closer to Kolukkumalai and the high tea estates. The drive is longer but the setting is quieter.
When booking, ask about heating and hot water, since nights can be cold in winter. Rooms with a fireplace or a heater are worth the extra.
Romantic Things to Do
Take a guided walk through the tea estates. A good guide will explain how the leaves are plucked and processed before leading you along quiet paths with no other visitors.
Book a sunrise jeep ride to Kolukkumalai, one of the highest tea estates in the world. The road is rough and the ride takes about an hour from Suryanelli, but watching the sun rise over the clouds is worth the early start.
Visit Eravikulam National Park, when open, to see the Nilgiri tahr, a rare mountain goat, on the grassy slopes below Anamudi, the highest peak in South India.
At Top Station, near the Tamil Nadu border, views drop into the valleys far below. The KDHP Tea Museum shows how tea is made and ends with a tasting. Pick up homemade chocolate and cardamom in town.
Getting There and Around
The nearest airport is Cochin International (COK), about 70 miles from Munnar. The road climbs through forests and plantations with many curves. The drive takes around four hours. Motion sickness is common, so take something before you set out and ask your driver to stop at viewpoints along the way. Avoid arriving after dark.
Most couples combine Munnar with the backwaters. Kumarakom and Alappuzha are about four to five hours away by road. Thekkady, home to Periyar Tiger Reserve, is about three hours to the south and can be added between them.
In Munnar itself, a car with driver is the best way to get around since sights are spread out and roads are narrow. Hotels can arrange jeeps for the rougher estate tracks. Don't plan to drive yourselves.
Food and Drink
Meals in Munnar mix Kerala and Tamil cooking. Expect fluffy appams, idiyappam (string hoppers) with coconut-based stews, crisp dosas and banana-leaf lunches of rice with several vegetable curries. Local dishes often feature cardamom, black pepper and other spices grown in the surrounding hills.
Most estate hotels have their own kitchens and serve set menus with home-style Kerala food. Ask for a dinner of local dishes if they lean toward generic buffets.
Tea is the star. Try fresh-brewed tea at the KDHP Tea Museum or at small estate shops, then pick up loose-leaf tea to take home. Homemade chocolate, sold in small shops around town, is a Munnar tradition, along with spices such as cardamom, cinnamon and pepper.
Alcohol is available at licensed hotels, though choices can be limited. Bring a bottle of wine if you want one with dinner.
Honeymoon Tips
- Pack layers. Mornings and evenings are cool and even cold in December and January.
- Choose a hotel outside town for views and quiet. Town itself is busy and traffic-heavy.
- Check whether Eravikulam is open during your dates, since it closes for the calving season.
- Neelakurinji, a shrub that turns the hills purple, blooms only once every 12 years. The next mass flowering is expected around 2030.
- Book a guided tea walk for your first morning, when you are fresh and the light is soft.
- Leave time for nothing. Munnar is best enjoyed slowly, with tea on a terrace and a long nap.
