
Munnar was a summer resort of British government in South India. It is 1600 m (5400 ft) above sea level. It is pronounced "Moon-aar" meaning "Three rivers" in Tamil and Malayalam. There are in fact three rivers - Madupetti, Nallathanni and Periavaru which flow through this town, but join some distance away from Munnar.
The neelakurinji, a blue flower which blooms only every twelve years, is found in this region. It bloomed last in December 2006. Munnar also has the highest peak in South India, Anamudi, at 2695 m.
The tea plantations and holiday facilities make this a popular hill station in Kerala [http://www.khojbin.com/Kerala_Munnar_Guide_13
Munnar is 140 km (about 4.5 hours) from Kochi. Remember to budget a good 6 hours if you are driving up or down, since the road is blind in some places and there are a lot of trucks and buses that seem to drive as if they own the road. Although, the road is smooth (NH 49), it is narrow, twisty and curvy. Make sure you have a lite meal before you drive to Munnar on these roads, otherwise the next thing you will see on your dash board will be your last meal! Kothamangalam is on the way and is 80 km away from Munnar. Between Kothamangalam and next town "Adimali", you can experience a beautiful cool drive through a natural forest. Alongside, you can see many refreshing waterfalls.
Once you reach Adimali, Munnar is just 30 kilometers away - but, it will take almost an hour to reach. Around 22 kilometers from Adimali, you can start seeing the tea plantations on both sides of the road and a panoramic view of the western ghats. The view is extremely beautiful during the early mornings.
Munnar can also be reached from Kodai Road, Madurai, Udumalpet. The drive to Munnar involves about 3 hours on the ghat section. There are 17 hair pin bends and traversing them can make you feel nauseated. However if you eat light while travelling you can enjoy the scenery during the drive.
Munnar is about 150 km from Coimbatore. Coimbatore-Munnar route is a very scenic route and though a bit longer is generally considered worth the extra time spent.
See this : http://wikitravel.org/en/Image:DSCN0563.JPG
The best things to buy are Tea, coffee and spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and pepper.
Munnar has some amazing street food (try the Gobi noodles), so if you are after a cheap and delicious meal check the area around the bus stand in Munnar (not the KSRTC bus stand in Old Munnar).