SOUTH INDIA TOURISM: KANTHALLOOR THE LAND OF FRUITS | TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN KANTHALLOR | PARADISE FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS

Kanthaloor is a village it is lying in the eastern side of the Western Ghats near to Marayur, kerala And it is famous for its wide variety of crops which is not seen on the other parts of kerala, which includes varieties of tropical crops. Situated at a height of 5000 ft above sea level, it provides the cool climate for the natural farming of fruits like Apple, Orange, Strawberry, Blackberry, Plums, Gooseberry, Egg fruits, peach, Sugarcane, passion fruits. etc.Vegetables and spices like cauliflower, cabbage, carrot, beans, potato, and garlic grow here a plenty. It is also known for terrace farming. Hill sides are carved out into a series of wide steps, enough to cultivate crop.

kanthallor town

passion fruits

It is a virtually a rain shadow village. A paradise for photographers and nature lovers, Kanthalloor and its surrounding environs are especially spectacular just after the rains. One can enjoy the beauty of dense fog in early morning and evening, sublime mist and clouds during this season
With its sprawling tea estates, rolling hills, waterfalls, picture - postcard hamlets, Kanthalloor has the makings of an idyllic holiday destination. Nestled in the eastern side of the charming Western Ghats, in Idukki district of Kerala State, it is 180 kms from Ernakulam, 60 kms from Udumalpettai, 14 km from Marayoor and 57 kms from Munnar. It is on the border of Kerala and Tamilnadu placed between Udamalpet and Munnar.
Unlike Munnar, Kanthaloor is untouched by commercial tourism and still not explored by many travelers. Due to this reason, visitors can enjoy its real natural beauty.

The salubrious climate and the picturesque landscapes and wide variety of tropical crops coupled with the close proximity of Munnar, has transformed this village into a tourist destination. The Anaimudi Sholai National Park(Formerly known as the Mannavan Chola) is the evergreen forest surrounding Kanthalloor. The major places of attraction includes Pattisseri Dam, Kulachivayal rocks, Keezhanthoor waterfalls Muiyaras, View point, Watch towers, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Anaimudi Sholai National park , and the cave temple of Sri Rama are the main places of attraction. The cave temple of Lord Rama is also a historical landmark.

BEST TIME FOR VISITING:
Eventhough, Kanthallor is best any time of the year but August to March and will be the best. Those who want to see the nearly ripe oranges, passion fruits, gauva visit between the months of October and December and to see the apples visit the month of August.
GETTING THERE: Only road transportation available. Nearest highway is NH-49 which passes through Munnar and can be accessed from Kanthalloor-Marayoor-Munnar.
it is better to travel to Munnar from there. There are two routes from here. One is Maryoor route and other one is Top Station via Kanthalloor Route. The first one is the best because the road is good and the distance is 65 km. Travel may take more time as scenic spots are all along the route. One can seen the Sandal wood forest on this way. The second one 40 kms distance. The drive from here takes just about an hour or a bit more but the road is bad. Better to drive from Marayoor route.

Air:
Nearest Airport Kochi (139km), Madurai(142km) Coimbatore(167km), Kozhikode(287km),Thiruvananthapuram(302km). Daily IA flights to Nedumbassery Airport near Ernakulam from Mumbai,Bangalore, Delhi and Goa and four flights from Chennai. Jet has daily flights from Mumbai.

Rail:

Nearest Railway Stations Kochi (13km), Kottayam (147km), Madurai(162km), Thiruvananthapuram (302km). Trains that connect Kochi with important cities and tourist destinations in the country are Kerala Express, Trivandrum-Chennai Mail, Nizamuddin-Ernakulam Express, and the Trivandrum Rajdhani Express.

Road:

The place is well connected by a well developed network of road transport. Buses run by the KSRTC start from the Central Bus Stand in Ernakulam. One can access Munnar by road from Kottayam (147 km), Thekkady (110 km), Madurai (160 km) and Thrissur (158 km).

And there is a private bus from munnar at 01.00 pm starting from aluva and it will reach kanthallor at 03.45 pm.

WHERE TO STAY:
At Kanthalloor, one can get an opportunity to live in cottages which are built near orange and apple farms and most of these cottages are big enough for families. They have full facilities like hot water, TV, Phone etc. One will get a chance to either cook your own food or there will be staff available to cook food of your preference.