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Holiday in the hills
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A great get-away spot for those who want to chill out while enjoying the beauty of nature, says MANU REMAKANT
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SERENE WATERS The lake surrounded by hills is a sight to behold Photo: Manu Remakant
It was a breath-taking trip. The driver who swears by his jeep says it's one of the most beautiful places in the world. You cannot help but agree with him.
Thirteen kilometres from Munnar lies Mattupetty in Idukki district. The trip up to Mattupetty is as charming as the place. A hill station, the mercury dipped as the jeep climbed towards the destination.
`Honeybee tree'
"See that tree?" asks Velthurai, the driver-cum-guide, pointing to a huge tree with big dark fruits, the size of a jackfruit. "It's a honeybee tree." Upon closer inspection you see that those huge jackfruit like fruits are actually honeycombs. If you strain your eyes a little, you can see bees swarming round the comb. Velthurai, however, could not say why the bees chose that particular tree to build its colony. We move on.
Velthurai is the embodiment of patience, as I ask him to stop the vehicle several times.
"Don't waste you film here, sir. You can take ample snaps when we reach Mattupetty," he says with a smile. He will never understand how a city-bred traveller feels when he is surrounded by undulating hills and lovely scenery.
The District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC), Idukki, offers boating facility . Speed boats, pedal boats and big passenger boats are available for a price. It will cost Rs. 250 for a 15-minute ride on a speedboat. As they say, the best way to enjoy the charm and beauty of Mattupetty is from the heart of the lake, we decide to hire one.
"Let us join some others and split the amount," suggests Velthurai. He strikes a deal and soon we are in a speedboat heading towards the middle of the lake.
It was an exhilarating experience. Sprawling hills border the lake on all sides. Every time a boat passes by, we nervously eye the life jackets tucked under the seats.
"Elephant," the boat driver shouts excitedly and everyone is now looking at the forest on one side. Velthurai is excited. "See that sir?"
Looking towards what the boat driver and Velthurai were pointing at, I see only rocks. One of those rocks is supposedly an elephant. To calm Veluthurai, I say yes.
Other attractions
Mattupetty is also known for its highly specialised dairy farm. The Indo Livestock Project has over a 100 varieties of high yielding cattle. The sprawling tea plantations and Kundala Lake are other local attractions.
A great get away , it is a must see for those who want a break.
How to get there
Driving down the Kodaikanal road, Mattupetty is just 13 km from Munnar.
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Mangalore
Pondicherry
Tiruchirapalli
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
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