Enchanting Munnar

[This trip was made before the outbreak of Covid 19. Please give first priority to your health and safety and kindly follow the restrictions and guidelines issued by the authorities]

Munnar is a scenic hill station renowned for its beautifully trimmed tea plantations. It has a vast expanse of tea plantations, hills, valleys and waterfalls. It is one of the most visited hill station in Kerala. Munnar was our first choice when my wife and I were planning where to spend our short vacation to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Our trip consisted of 3 days and 2 nights. We drove from Cochin to Munnar which was a 5 hour journey. And yes, this was our first road trip. We were not very keen on exploring Munnar as we wanted to have a laid back and a relaxing vacation. Hence we chose two different destination resorts for our trip, about which I will be describing in this write up. 

TreeHouse

On the first day, we chose to stay in a tree house. Tree house basically refers to a wooden structure constructed among the trunk of one or more trees above the ground level. Though there were several options for tree house in Munnar, some of them were merely elevated structures.  After doing our research, we narrowed down our choice to Ela Ecoland Tree House which is an authentic one constructed among the trunks of 5 trees at a height of 30 meters above ground level.

Tree House at Ela Ecoland

Tree House at a height of 30 meters

The resort is located about 18 km away from Munnar.  Finding the way to the resort was a bit tricky as no name boards were displayed. We were told that the government had banned the display of name boards on the roads. The road leading to the resort is a bit narrow. This property has tents, rock houses and a tree house. At the time of check in, we were provided a mobile phone along with a sim as BSNL was the only network which had range in the area. We were then guided to our tree house.  It requires bit of an effort to get to the top of the tree house. But once we get to the top, it is a world of our own with utmost privacy. The room was very natural and minimalistic. It even had a trunk of a tree passing through the room. There is no TV, Air conditioner or room service.  All the basic amenities were provided such as kettle, tea/coffee powder, toiletries and hot water. The tree house has a single bedroom, restroom and a large balcony. The main highlight is the view from the balcony which is surrounded by trees and a stream. There is an unbroken sound of the water gushing through the stream always. The view and sound are a sight for the sore eyes and music to the ears. It was nature at its best.  One has to be a true nature lover to appreciate this experience.

Balcony at our tree house

View of the stream from our balcony

Morning view from our balcony

After settling down, we spent time admiring the nature’s beauty from our balcony. When dinner was ready, we received a call from the restaurant. They had set up a candle light dinner for us. The dishes were Kerala cuisine. The service was excellent. After our dinner we took the long walk back to our room along the beautifully lighted paths.

Pathway to the restaurant

At night we could hear the sound of creatures running across the roof which was a bit scary initially, but we could sleep peacefully. Next day morning, waking up to the sound of the flowing stream was a delight.  After having our breakfast we went for the property plantation visit. We had to keep watch of the leeches as we walked along, but it was an adventurous experience.  After that we went back to our tree house, packed our bags and checked out from the resort.

Pool Villa

On the second day we had decided to stay in a pool villa. We chose the pool villa in Spice tree Munnar.  This property is situated about 23km away from Munnar town. Getting to this property is a hurdle as the roads leading to the resort were not in good condition. We followed the timely instruction given by the property staff. The property has 12 classic rooms, 2 honeymoon suites and 2 pool villas.  On our arrival at the resort we were given a welcome drink along with flowers. We were briefed about the facilities and activities provided by the property and were then guided to our pool villa. We stayed at the pool villa 602 located at the corner of the property which was a bit away from the lobby and restaurant, but provided more privacy.

There was a separate gate for our villa. The villa was spacious with a country side ambiance. There was a living room with a separate dining area. The bedroom had a four poster bed along with a table. The rest room was huge with a Victorian copper bath tub and a separate shower area in a glass cubicle. But the most captivating part was our balcony opening to a private infinity pool along with a private deck. The highlight of the pool was the breathtaking unobstructed panoramic view of the Mountain ranges and the valley. This view from the private infinity pool was the reason for choosing this property.

Private infinity pool in our balcony

Morning view from the private infinity pool in our balcony

Couple goals -View from the pool

Admiring the mesmerizing view

Soaking in the view from the private infinity pool in our balcony

Though the pool was temperature controlled it was not that warm as I had expected it to be.  There were well packed biscuits and sweets in our room which were tasty. After spending some time in our room, we went for the high tea tasting menu organized by the resort. It was a one hour session where we were briefed about the production of tea and were introduced to different varieties of teas which were also served to us. After this, we went for a guided trek to the Dolmens where we could see the remnants of the stone-age period. The trekking was a bit challenging, but the age old stone structures were a beautiful site. We took pictures and then headed back to the resort.

Dolmens - remnants of the stone age

When we returned, they had beautifully set up the copper bathtub with milk and wine along with candles and rose petals for a refreshing bath.

Victorian copper bath tub in our pool villa

Bath tub filled with milk and wine

When it was dinner time, we headed to the restaurant. The restaurant had a charming ambiance and the food was delicious.  

Dinner at the restaurant

After having dinner, we took the long walk back to our room. The next day morning we took a dip in the pool and then we went to the restaurant for breakfast. We sat at the table in the patio which had a lovely view. The buffet spread mainly comprised of South Indian dishes. It was a bit disappointing as we had expected more of continental dishes.  After our breakfast, we headed back to our room and spent some more time in the pool and also enjoyed the gorgeous view.  

Breakfast at the restaurant patio

Restaurant at Spice Tree

After the pool time, we packed our bags and checked out from the resort. Special thanks to Mr Sijo who welcomed us on our arrival and was there to cater to the needs during our stay. The 3 day vacation was a refreshing and a laid back one.

Conclusion
The tree house in Ela Ecoland is an ideal option for nature lovers who want a secluded place to unwind. The pool villa in Spice tree is an ideal option for those who want to relax in the lap of luxury. 

Have you been to a tree house or a pool villa? Do share your experience and comments below.