Munnar rated as Asia's best destination

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Munnar, the picturesque hill station in Idukki, has been rated as the second best Asian tourism destination after Tokyo by TripAdvisor, a popular travel guide and research website.

"Millions of travellers rely on TripAdvisor for travel inspiration. So we are thrilled and humbled that Munnar has been honoured by travellers this year," said V Venu, secretary, Kerala Tourism.

Munnar has won TripAdvisor's 2010 Traveller's Choice Destination award, which is determined by a combination of travellers' comments, unbiased reviews and overall popularity of the destination.

"With 15 million registered members, more than 34 million monthly visitors, and 30 million traveller reviews and opinions, TripAdvisor is no doubt the world's most popular and largest travel community. So we are delighted and thrilled to learn that Munnar has been rated so well," said M Sivasankar, director, Kerala Tourism.

Munnar's mountains, pristine valleys, sprawling tea plantations, and cool air have long been a favourite of Indian and foreign tourists.

In recent years, this beautiful hill station has been attracting adventure tourists. They are enamoured of the area's stunning topography, which is ideal for paragliding, trekking and rock climbing.

Nature lovers usually make a beeline for the Eravikulam National Park, which is home to colourful wildlife, including the endangered Nilgiri Tahr (ibex), ruddy mongoose and 120 bird species.

Eight other Indian destinations -- Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Manali, Hampi, Goa, Udaipur, Gangtok, Bangalore and Dharamsala -- also figure in the top 25 Asian destinations list.

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Munnar is located at the Idukki district of Kerala State in South India. Munnar's mesmerising greenery, mountain scenery, calmness and cool refreshing air attracts honeymooners and tourists throughout the year. It is a weekend hideout location for domestic tourists during summer season. Foreign travellers likes watching the natural beauty of Kerala while the journey from Thekkady to Munnar.

Munnar is at the confluence of three rivers. In Tamil, the word 'munnu' means "three" and 'aar' means "river". Hence "Munnar" is a shortened version of 'Munnu Aar'. The 3 mountain streams joining together here are Madurapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala.



Munnar is a commercial centre with one of the world's best tea estates. There are about 30 tea plantations in and around Munnar. Among these, majority of the plantations are owned by Tata Group's Kannan Devan Tea Estate. A visit to Munnar can witness the nurturing of tea in plantation to the process of manufacturing and packing.



The tea estates, hills, lakes and forests inside Munnar area exposes it's beauty. The tea plants covered Munnar hills makes the feeling of seeing a wide green carpet.

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Munnar - How to Reach




Local transportation in and around Munnar is easily available. You may opt for Taxis, auto rickshaws, bicycles or buses for commuting in Munnar. Hired cycles are a popular way of exploring the hill resort. There are several buses run by the state transport corporation that offer a guided tour of places in and around Munnar.

The airport at Cochin/Kochi caters to the air transportation to Munnar. It is the nearest airport at a distance of 130 km from Munnar. The railway station nearest to Munnar also happens to be that of Cochin-Kochi. The excellent road network links the hill resort of Munnar with the other important places of Kerala. It is well connected with places in Tamil Nadu also like Madurai and Coimbatore.

Munnar - Best Time to Visit

The hill resort of Munnar, experiences cool weather all through the year. In the summer months you will need to carry some light woolens for protection against the chill. Whereas in winters, you should be, completely covered in woolens. The temperature drops down to as low as five degree Celsius. Thus you may visit Munnar anytime of the year besides the monsoons that last from June to September.

Munnar - Where to Stay

The hill resort of Munnar has several hotels, resorts and lodges that cater to the needs of the tourists. In fact there are options available that suit every budget of the tourists visiting the hill resort of Munnar.

Good food is also easily available in Munnar. There are several eateries and restaurants that offer delicious and hygienic food at reasonable rates. You may take your pick of the cuisines from South Indian, North Indian and the Continental dishes.