Munnar is a town located in Kerala state in the southern Western Ghats in South India. The name is often used to refer to the whole tourist area of Idukki District of which the town forms a part. Munnar panchayat of Devikulam block is the largest in the district with an area of 557 km2. The name of Munnar is believed to be derived from the Tamil words Munu (three) and aaru (river), referring to the town's strategic location at the confluence of the Muthirappuzha, Chandavurai and Kundaly rivers. The area is surrounded by vast jungles and remains wet and cold during most of the year. The Mattupetty Dam is nearby. The people of Munnar share the culture and traditions of Kerala and their Tamil neighbours.
The region in and around Munnar varies in height from 1,600 meters (5,249 ft) to 1,800 meters (5,906 ft) above mean sea level. Munnar enjoys a salubrious climate. The weather ranges between −5°C (23°F) and 10°C (50°F) in winter and 15°C (59°F) and 25°C (77°F) in summer. The tourist season is from August to May. However, even the monsoons are lovely with many streams and rivulets in the area.
Until the early 1990s, Munnar, despite its enchanting natural beauty and salubrious climate, was a sleepy plantation town. Its tourism potential had been realised only by the Sterling Group and Mahindra Holidays who had set up Time Share Resorts there. However, the promotion of Kerala globally as God’s Own Country and the increasing spending capacity of middle class Indians resulted in a virtual explosion of tourism activities in Munnar. Resorts, big and small, started springing up all around the town and Munnar overnight became a bustling tourist destination. Many of the developments were done by unprincipled investors who had no concern for the environment and whose only objective was to make a fast buck.
