Kerala Hill Stations: Despite having beautiful beaches, silky sand, aesthetic sea, captivating backwaters and dense wild this incredible place Kerala has its charm in hill stations too. The hill stations of Kerala are dense in vegetation and greenery and they are also the source of the famous spices. Some of the best hill stations of Kerala are:
- Munnar: Munnar is one of the famous Kerala Hill stations, Located at height of 1,600 meters above the sea level, this place is an ideal destination for peaceful vacation to the tourists. There are lots of attraction including lakes, dams, wild life sanctuaries and tea & spice plantation. Anamundi is the highest peak in south India and it is located at Munnar. Munnar actually means the ‘Three Rivers’ and derives its name from the three-mountain stream, Muthirapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala. The confluence of these rivers is at the heart of the town and they fulfill all the water requirements of the town. The Sita Devi Lake is good option for picnic. The water of the lake has minerals, which contains curative properties. Devikumal is another hill station and it is just 7 km away from here. Pallivasal (8 km), Chittirrapuram (10 km), Attukal (9 km), Nyayamakad (10 km), Mattupetty (13 km) are the other destinations around Munnar where you can visit.
- Plakkad: This nice place is also known as Palghat and it lies on the foothills of Western Ghats. Plakkad district is called “The Granary of Kerala” and it is situated on the border of Kerala where it touches the border of Tamilnadu. Plakkad is rich in natural beauty, dense forests, fertile valleys, long rivers, huge mountains, several streams and diverse flora & fauna which make this place a good attraction for the travelers. The places to visit around Plakkad are Thiruvalathoor (10 km), Dhoni (15 km) and Malampuzha Garden (10 km). Here you can enjoy the waterfall, wilds and tranquil hills.
- Ponmudi: 61 km away from Thiruvananthapuram, this beautiful and peaceful hill station is situated at an altitude of 1,000 meters above the sea level. This hill station attracts tourists because of its serene beauty, peaceful environment and bountiful nature. Ponmudi can be a good destination for those who wants some beautiful sightseeing and looking for peace. Here you can enjoy boat race that is held every year in the village of Aranmula in the month of August & September ad this race is also a part of Aranmula Temple festival.
- Vagamon Hills: This place is one of the most beautiful hills located in Kerala and it is engulfed by three hills. With beautiful flowers, cotton mist, breathtaking views, bluish brown hills and meadows can be enjoyable while reaching this beautiful and scenic place of Vagamon Hills. Apart from sightseeing this place also offers trekking on mountains, paragliding and rock climbing. Boat ride is quite a fun here and you can sit on the banks of lakes and enjoy the beautiful sunset and if lucky you can see wild animals too like elephants, deer and wild buffalos.
- Iduki: Iduki, which means narrow gorge is in Malayalam language, is known as the land of massive mountains, motley valleys and resplendent streams. The Idukki wildlife sanctuary is the prime attraction of this place that is spread over 70 sq km in the neighborhood of the Arched Dam. Idukki is famous for the diverse tourist attractions like hill ranges, mountain treks and wild life sanctuaries where you can find different types of animals like elephant, deer, bison and many more. Also, there are other beautiful places to visit around Idukki like Peermade, Thekkady and Munnar is just 70 km from here.