Munnar

Munnar, a hill station at 1,600 meters in Kerala's Western Ghats, is a landscape of rolling tea plantations that carpet the hills in every shade of green. The former summer retreat of the British Raj, it remains one of South India's most beautiful and refreshing escapes from the tropical heat.

The Eravikulam National Park is home to the endangered Nilgiri Tahr mountain goat and the spectacular Neelakurinji flowers that bloom en masse only once every 12 years, turning entire hillsides blue-purple. Tea museum tours, spice garden visits, and treks through the shola grasslands and cloud forests of the Ghats offer a unique mountain experience.

September to March is ideal. October-February is peak season with clear skies and cool weather. March-May is warm but manageable. The monsoon (June-August) brings lush greenery but heavy rain and leeches on trails.