When its Hot over there in the low lands its time to climb the hills of Kerala where it is still cool and breezy. The mighty Western Ghats which is Just 140 kms from the coastal area has an equally opposite weather to the coast. The green forest and lush grass lands along with the Tea plantations and spices make this region abundant with herbal atmosphere.
The famous hill stations of Kerala are Munnar, Wayanadu, Ponmudi, and Vagamon & Idukki.

Munnar

The nature-lover's paradise. Snuggling in the green and serene Kannan Devan Hills lays the quite and restful resort of Munnar; Munnar is 1800 mts above sea level and also the place of South India's highest peak (Anamudi - 2695 mts). 136 km off Cochin.

Panoramic views of low-flying clouds and mist filled valleys make it a pretty little heaven with a cool bracing climate. It was opened up out of virgin forests a century ago by pioneering planters.

Eravikulam National Park, the best place to see Nilgiri Tahr (Hermitragus Hylcrious) - the mountain goat of South India. Largest tea producing are in south India you can get the best quality tea from here, kulukkumalai tea powder, the highest altitude grown tea, specially prepared for black tea.

Idukki

En route to Munnar, 121 kms. away from Kottayam lies Idukki, a small hill town surrounded by a spread of beautiful, wooden valleys and meandering streams. Famed for its arched dam built across the Periyar River, Idukki literally means a narrow gorge.

Vagamon

Vagamon 64 km. from Kottayam and 34 km. from Pala, situated at an elevation of 1100 meters above sea level is a trekker's paradise. It is a very ideal tourist spot surrounded by the greenery of tea gardens, beautiful meadows, valleys and dales. Other attractions: Thangal para, lndo-swiss project, Kurisumala Ashram. Its also an Ideal place for adventure sports.

Wayanadu

Luxuriant plantations of coffee, tea, cardamom, pepper and rubber, stretch over the hills of Wayanadu as far as the eye can see. With the fast-flowing rivers - Panamaram, Mananthavady and Kabini - cutting across the undulating panorama and lending a picture-postcard look to the whole region - the north eastern tip of Kerala.

Ponmudi

A quaint little hill station tucked away in the Western Ghats, Ponmudi is at an altitude of 1100 ft. above sea level. Lush green woods, lazily meandering streams and countless varieties of butterflies lend a strange magic to Ponmudi.

Nelliyampathi

A forêts range 75 kms. (travel time: 2 ½ hours) from Palghat, the Nelliyampathi hills comprise a chain of ridges cut off from one another by valleys of dense evergreen forests and orange plantations The height of the hills range from 467 meters to the tallest peak Padagiri looming at 1572 meters.

Accessing Nelliyampathi from Palghat is a sensation on its own, as you negotiate over a dozen hairpin curves on the ghats road passing through the fascinating jungles of the Sahya Ranges. En route, 17 kms. from Palghat, the shimmering Pothundi Reservoir and its manicured surroundings make for an ideal stop over.