If you take a poll to find out the best hill station in Kerala, Munnar will surely come on top of it. For a state bordered by the Western Ghats, which is blessed with a lot of hill stations, it is quite an achievement. The popularity of Munnar is quite high even among the tourist destinations in South India. Perched at an altitude of 1600 meters above sea level, the hill station has a reputation for its enchanting beauty. The cool endearing climate is rejuvenating and energizing. The place also has great wonders in its store.
The Eravikulam National Park and Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary are exceptional places to visit in the hill station of Munnar. The smalls hills covered with tea plantations, Pothenmedu viewpoint, and Atukkad waterfalls are exquisite beauties. But there is one awe-inspiring location that is usually missed by most travelers on their Munnar tour: Mattupetty Dam.
A Man-made wonder
Mattupetty or Madupetty is a village nearby Munnar in Kerala. The spot with its lush greenery and captivating sights is quite mesmerizing. But the best of all attractions is the huge dam and the lake. Mattupetty is a concrete gravity dam— a structure that resists the water pressure by the weight of the building materials — built between two mountains. Constructed in 1953, the dam has a total capacity of 55.4 Million Cubic meters. It has a huge catchment area of 105 square kilometers and a surface area of 323.75 Hectares. The dam was built to conserve water for the hydroelectric project.
The immense pressure with which the water flows out through the shutters points to the potential power of the stored water. It is utilized by the hydroelectric project, which has a hydraulic head of 46.6 meters, to rotate the turbine and thus produce electricity. You can take a leisurely stroll through the top of the construction. The dam will make you wonderstruck with its massiveness. The dizzying hugeness is evident only when you look from the top of the dam. It hence is one of the best places to visit in Munnar.
The lake
Due to the construction of the dam, a charming lake is formed in the region. The deep blue water body that reflects the green tea garden around and the blue sky above is an attractive sight. You can go boating in the lake. The ambiance of the cruise in the water body, lodged between mountains, is beyond comparison. It will fill your heart with joy that cannot be expressed through words.
Adventure activities
There are some adventure activities centered on this tourist attraction in Munnar. The most exciting among them is speed boating. It is a thrilling experience to travel at a high speed through the placid lake. Sometimes you will feel like the boat is gliding without even touching the water beneath. The experienced drivers give you an amazing experience by taking curves in the water and showing off their drifting skills.
If you love trekking, the Shola forest is nearby. It is the best way to imbibe the serene beauty of the place. You will have the unique opportunity to see the rare birds and animals and also enjoy each and every part of the thicket.
A small shopping
There are small shops which sell souvenirs. You can take home some small and beautiful items as a reminder of your great time in Munnar. Many cute items are available here at a very low price. So you do not need to worry about your wallet much.
Find time to visit Mattupetty
Even though many tourists visit Munnar, many overlook Mattupetty because of the lack of time. Some are ignorant about the tourism possibilities of the place. As you now have an idea of the fun activities and wonders of Matuppetty, you know what they are missing out on.
So if you think these reasons are good enough, find time for a visit to Matupetty on your Munnar or Kerala tour packages. You will not regret it for sure.