Less than three months after my first trip to India, I found myself back in the country, this time on an unexpected getaway to the southern state of Kerala.
Many of my colleagues and acquaintances in Doha call Kerala home, and after hearing so much about it, I decided to visit during a few days off I had.
Often referred to as “God’s Own Country,” Kerala is known for its lush, tropical landscapes and offers a calm contrast to the energy of Northern India.
This trip was a lot different from my usual travels.
Instead of trying to see and do everything, I wanted to slow down, relax, and truly decompress. My goal was simple: to reset.
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Getting to Kerala
I flew to Kerala from Doha, Qatar, a quick 3.5-hour journey with Qatar Airways.
In the spirit of truly vacationing for once, I upgraded both legs of my flight for a total of $300, which gave me the chance to experience Qatar Airways’ business class on two different aircraft.
I departed Doha at 1:50 a.m. and arrived at Cochin International Airport (COK) at 8:35 a.m.
Kannan, My Driver
Kerala is a large state with several regions.
While I would have loved to spend more time exploring, I decided to focus on the tea region of Munnar, about 4 hours from Kochi.
From the research I did beforehand, it became clear that getting around Munnar is easiest with a driver or rental car, and I knew I wouldn’t be driving. So, I hired a driver named Kannan through a local taxi company.
You can contact him directly via WhatsApp: +91 6238 597 010
He met me at the airport holding a sign with my name and was amazing throughout the entire trip.
For my 3-day trip, I paid a total of 14,500 INR (about $154) for round-trip transportation between Cochin International Airport and Munnar, as well as rides to any places I wanted to visit while in Munnar.
I’d highly recommend hiring a driver. It made everything easier, from planning logistics to making spontaneous stops along the way, and gave me a lot more flexibility overall.
Planning Tip: There is a taxi service stand at the airport with set rates to different areas in Kerala, so you can also use it if you just need to get to a particular area. The rate I saw when I visited to get to Munnar was around 3500 INR ($37.28).
Waterfall Stops on the Way to Munnar
On the way to Scenic Munnar, I stopped at Cheeyapara Waterfalls and Valara Waterfalls.
My Stay at Scenic Munnar
I did a lot of research on where to stay in Munnar and came across some stunning properties like the Grand Cliff Resort, which I’d absolutely consider for a future trip.
However, since I was booking just a week before arrival, many places were already sold out.
Thankfully, a fellow travel creator I follow, Alana, had visited Munnar a few weeks before my trip and shared her stay at Scenic Munnar Hotel.
It was one of the few places still available, so I went ahead and booked, and I’m so glad I did.
I’ll let these photos show you why:
Welcome to Scenic
Stepping into Scenic, I was immediately greeted at the door with a necklace, then seated while the team checked me in and served cinnamon tea with plantain chips.
The Property
Premium Honeymoon Room with Plunge Pool
I stayed in Scenic Munnar’s two-floor Honeymoon Room with a plunge pool and a balcony set in a small garden.
It felt less like a room and more like a lush, private suite.
Cost: INR 8,260 ($88.73) per night (inclusive of taxes).
Total for 3 nights: INR 24,780 ($266.19)
Food
I chose to enjoy all my meals from the comfort of my room through in-room dining and loved the variety of Indian and Kerala-specific dishes available.
How I Spent My Time at Scenic
My days at Scenic Munnar were spent reading, journaling, visiting the spa daily, and indulging in Ayurvedic treatments that were heavenly. I even fell asleep during a massage for the first time. I wanted this to be a true vacation and engaged in activities around the property that I felt would support that.
Things I Did in Munnar
As I mentioned, this trip was a bit different from my usual travels.
In an effort to truly lean into relaxing and unplugging, I kept my plans intentionally minimal.
That said, as an avid tea lover, there was one thing I couldn’t skip…a visit to a tea plantation!
Munnar is one of India’s most famous tea-growing regions, and it felt like a must while I was there.
Lockhart Tea Factory
The Lockhart Tea Factory is both a working factory and a museum in Munnar, offering guided tours that walk you through the tea-making process, something I’ve seen a few times but never get tired of.
The factory was about an hour from my hotel, and the drive there was filled with stunning views of Munnar’s rolling green landscape.
On the way there, we stopped to soak in some of the views and I even got some great drone footage from these two guys who were advertising on the side of the road! These are the spontaneous moments I live for when traveling.
When I arrived, though, I found out there was nearly a two-hour wait for the next tour.
I didn’t realize the tours ran at set times, so instead of waiting, I decided to visit a nearby tea plantation.
Lockhart Tea Plantation
Sights to See in Minnar
While my itinerary wasn’t as jam-packed as usual, I still did my research and wanted to leave you with a few places and activities to consider adding to yours.
- Anakulam Elephant Pond
- Kolukkumalai Tea Estate
- Munnar Mountain Hiking
- Eravikulam National Park
- Munnar Tea Tasting and Trail Tour
- Double Deck Bus Sightseeing Tour
Closing Thoughts
I thought this would be a quick trip solely focused on me relaxing, but my time in Kerala truly blew me away.
Driving up and down the mountains, the breathtaking scenery, the calm atmospheric nature of the people really put a lot into perspective for me.
I plan to return and next time with the time the state deserves to explore its beauty.
