Tea Museum
Make this your first stop, to see how the leaf is picked and processed. Munnar sits at about 1,600 m, and the slopes around it are covered in clipped tea bushes.
2 to 3 daysHow long to stay
Budget to luxuryRough cost
Couples, Families, Friends, SoloWho it suits
KeralaSouth India
Is this for you?
After the dry heat of Delhi or Rajasthan, Munnar is your cool, green change. You come to walk through tea country, breathe cooler air and look for wildlife. It works for couples, families, friends and solo travellers alike. There's no single monument here, so if you want one, or a winding road puts you off, skip it.
When to go
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Go in the coloured months. The black ones are best avoided.
What to do
Eravikulam National Park
Go early to look for the Nilgiri tahr, a wild mountain goat found in only a few places, close to Anamudi, South India's highest peak at about 2,700 m. It closes yearly for roughly February and March, so check first.
Mattupetty
A lake area a short drive from town, popular for a relaxed morning after the park.
Top Station
A high viewpoint with long views over the hills. Keep it for your last stop before you leave.
What to eat
Munnar runs on tea and simple town restaurants. You'll eat well enough in the bazaar, but nothing here is worth a detour, so pack a good appetite for the walks instead.
Kerala chai
Tea boiled with milk, ginger and cardamom. Have one up here among the plantations it comes from.
Vegetarian
Porotta and beef
Flaky layered flatbread with a spiced beef curry. A Kerala favourite at Munnar's bazaar restaurants.
Puttu and kadala
Steamed rice flour and coconut cakes with black chickpea curry. The Munnar breakfast, and it can be spicy.
Vegetarian
Where to go
Rapsy RestaurantMain Bazaar
Porotta, beef curry and biryani in a fast, busy town restaurant.
Cheap eatsSaravana BhavanMG Road
Dosas, crisp rice pancakes. Not part of the famous chain, despite the name.
Cheap eats, vegetarian
Getting there
Come by road, because there's no train to Munnar. From Kochi it's about 130 km, 3 hours 50 minutes to 5 hours on a winding road. Don't expect it in under 2 hours. If you get carsick, take medicine before you leave. From Madurai it's 150 to 165 km, about 3 to 4.5 hours.
Where to stay
Chinnakanal A valley area outside the main town, with views over the hills. You're further from the shops.
Old Munnar The cheapest base, close to the bus stand and the shops, so it suits you if you've come without a car. You give up the views.
Pothamedu A short way out of town, with views over the valley, if you'd pay more for what's out the window.
Worth knowing
Rules
Many Hindu temples in Kerala do not admit non-Hindus, and a state rule is described as a blanket bar. In January 2026 the Kerala High Court asked the state to reconsider that rule but did not strike it down. Plan to see temples from outside only. Do not plan to go inside the Guruvayur or Padmanabhaswamy temples, which are the best known. Whether you are turned away is the temple's decision, and we do not suggest any declaration of faith to get in.
Opening
Check dates before planning Eravikulam National Park in February or March. It closes roughly then each year while the Nilgiri tahr, a wild goat, give birth (2026 plan: 1 February to 31 March).
