The hospitality industry in India is growing by leaps and bounds and there are a great many beautiful upscale hotel properties and a myriad of budget hotels in our country. However, every now and then during my travels I come across simple places that have everything I look for in a place of accommodation, a warm heart, oodles of local culture, a good kitchen, lots of nature and a remote or offbeat location.
Some examples of such places that come to my head are Dodda Mane in Agumbe, Keremane in Sringeri, Mishing Tribal home in Assam, Honey Valley in Coorg and Malnad Homestay in Sakleshpur district. These are places that I would return to in a heart beat. Such is their charm. During my recent Neelakurinji holiday, I came across one such traditional home while looking for a place to stay in Marayoor, located about 80 kms from Munnar. This place is called Muniyara Nature Retreat Farmstay and I would totally recommend this place for an off-beat mountain holiday in Kerala that is easy on your bank.
Pristine location
Sandwiched between the Marayoor Sandalwood forest and the Kanthaloor Shola National Park, the Muniyara farm stay is set on a lush 2 acre farm that overlooks the mighty Western Ghats. During the year of the Neelakurinji such as this one (2018), one can see the blue mountains in the distance right from the terrace of the property.
It is located on a quiet road leading to Kanthaloor and hence is away from the buzz of the Udumalpet – Munnar forest highway, but at the same time, it is not too far away from it too.
The famous megalithic burial chambers are just a short walk from the property. This is one of the lesser known and explored attractions of Kerala.
Off-beat location for Munnar and Neelakurinji holiday
If you are planning for a Neelakurinji holiday or a simple holiday to Munnar and the mountains around, but wish to stay away from the chaos of Munnar town and wish to spend a lot lesser money, then this property located on the Marayoor – Kanthaloor property is your ideal bet.First, it is at a much shorter distance from Bangalore, so you reach the destination much faster. Then, it is super close to the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary in case you are interested in a wildlife holiday. The Kanthaloor Shola National Park is just 10 kms away. Marayoor, its sandalwood forest and its megalithic park are top notch off beat attractions. And then, Eravikulam National Park is just half an hour away by road. Munnar itself is just an hour away. So, if you have a vehicle with you and are looking for a budget holiday with pristine location and no chaos, then this is your off-beat location.
Lovely and super hospitable family
The place is run by Mr. Sivan and his lovely family. They have kept their roots and traditions intact and are super accommodating and hospitable. All your requests and questions are met with a smile.
Lip smacking traditional Kerala cuisine
Mr. Sivan’s wife is an amazing cook and if you wish to indulge in delicious traditional Kerala food, then this is the place you need to be. Most of the raw ingredients come from their farm itself and even the eggs come from their chicken farm. The taste of their beetroot curry and rasam still lingers in my mouth. This is the kind of place to visit if you are a foodie or if you like farm holidays.
Decent rooms at budget price
Muniyara farm stay has about 4 rooms located on an independent block of their farm, a bit away from the home of Mr. Sivan and his family. Each of these rooms are newly done up and come with a common room, bedroom and bathroom. Hot water is available 24 hours courtesy of solar heaters and free wi-fi is provided through a BSNL dongle. This free wi-fi is a great service to have especially if your service provider is not BSNL. The cost of each room during the regular season is about INR 1250 and during rush season is about INR 2,500. The cost of food is additional, though the cost is very nominal, less than INR 100 per meal per person.
For bookings, you can either look up their website, or call Mr Sivan directly at 94469 33947, 94964 20626 and 04865 – 252565.
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