Cool Retreats: Hill Stations: Kerala

Attappady
Located 38 kms from Mannarkkad, the place consists of mostly hilly highland terrain, fed by the tributaries of the River Cauvery. An extensive mountain valley above the crest of the Ghat ranges with numerous rivulets of the Bhavani River, Attapady is inhabited mainly by tribes and some settlers from Tamil Nadu. A beautiful synthesis of mountains, rivers and forests, Attapaddy is of great interest to anthropologists, as this is the habitat of many tribes like the 'irolas' and 'mudugars'.

Devikulam
Located 16 kms from Munnar, this gorgeous hill station symbolizes nature in her pristine glory. The crisp and cool mountain air heavily laden with the fragrance of wild flowers and rare herbs is any nature lover's paradise.

Topstation
The idyllic hill station is located 32 kms from Munnar, on the Munnar-Kodaikanal Road. Perched at an altitude of 1700 m above sea level, it is the highest point on Munnar-Kodaikanal Road. The rare Neelakurinji (Strobilanthus), the flower that blooms once in 12 years, belongs to this region.

Munnar
This hill station, located at an altitude of 1600 m above sea level, was once the summer resort of the erstwhile British government in South India. Sprawling tea plantations, picture book towns, winding lanes and holiday facilities make this a popular resort town. Among the exotic flora found in the forests and grasslands is the 'Neelakurinji'.

Peerumedu
It is a small hill station, snuggled at an altitude of 914 m above sea level, on way to Thekkady. The famous plantation town takes its name from Peer Mohammad, a Sufi saint and close associates of the erstwhile royal family of Travancore.

Nelliyampathy
Located at a distance of 52 kms from Palakkad, the cool hills of Nelliampathy, nestling atop the Western Ghats, offer a breathtaking view of the misty mountains and enchanting valleys interspersed with sprawling tea, coffee, cardamom and orange plantations.

Pakshipatalam
It is located 7 kms north east of Thirunelli Temple in Brahma Giri Hills is a challenging tourist spot. A trekkers' paradise, this place is accessible only by trekking. Located at an altitude of 1740 m above sea level, this hill station offers great opportunities for bird watching. One has to trek 17 kms through the wild forests, to reach 'Pakshipathalam'

Ponmudi
The salubrious hill station of Ponmudi is at a distance of 61 kms from Thiruvananthapuram. Perched at an altitude of over 100 m above sea level on the Western Ghats, the shimmering green waters of the winding streams and verdant woods of Ponmudi do not spare anybody. Trekking is a passion with the visitors to Ponmudi, lying within easy driving distance from Thrivandrum.

Wayanad
The forests of Wayanad are a veritable treasure house of Flora & Fauna. Wildlife freely roams in the sanctuaries of Matthunga, Begur and Tholpetty. Home to stunning orchids, pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, rubber, bamboo and coffee, Wayanad has a surprise in store for you at every nook & corner. Tucked in the verdant tropical womb are the twin lakes of Vythiri & Lakkidi. 3 Km from Lakkidi is the Pookote Lake, covered in parts with lotus, a picture out of a fairy tale book. At 6,890 ft is Chembra Peak just 24 Km from Vythiri.

Silent Valley
One of the least disturbed forests of 'God's own country' the Silent Valley. It is popular that it is named so because it is devoid of the most common sound found in the Rain forests; The incessant chirping of cicadas. The local name of the forest is 'Sairandhri', another name of Draupadi, the wife of the Pandavas. Some believe its name is derived from the lion-tailed Macaque, whose scientific name is Macca Silenus. Due to its topographic isolation no human being has ever made it their home. Places to see around Silent Valley, Attapady (35 Km) -- a tribal settlement for the Irulas and Mudugars, Malleshwaram Peak -- worshipped as a Shivaling by the Tribals.

Malampuzha
Malampuzha Dam is in the foothills of the Western Ghats. It is known as the abode of Yakshi, because of the exquisite sculpture of Yakshi in the landscaped gardens of the irrigation dam at this popular picnic spot. The central attraction of this town is the unabashed yet enticing sculpture created in concrete by Kanai Kunhiraman, Kerala's best-known contemporary sculptor. Referred as the Vrindavan of Kerala, the place derives its name from the Malampuzha River a tributary of Bharatpuzha, the state's second largest river. The Rock Garden here, created by the fames re-cycling artist Nekchand, is particularly worth spending time. Also boating on the reservoir is another favourite sport.

Snake Park (Malampuzha)
Set up in 1984 by the state govt. the park houses several snakes like the Forsten's cat snake, the brown vine snake and of course the King Cobra, Indian rock python, kraits, the trinket snake and the rock pit viper, the wolf snake, and a variety of vipers like the saw scaled viper and Russel viper. There are various types of cobra like the common cobra, the monocled cobra, and the spectacled cobra. Also in the park are some varieties of water snakes, crocodiles and the American green iguana. Also in Malampuzha is the thread garden, a museum of a replica of nature, all made of thread.

Palakkad
Palakkad the rice bowl of Kerala is a gateway between Kerala & Tamil Nadu. The Palakkad Fort built by Hyder Ali of Mysore in 1776, is popularly called Tipu's fort. The once proud Granite fort of strong bastions & thick walls and a drawbridge, maybe crumbling with age, yet is worth a visit.