Once in a bloom-moon

Blossoming once in 12 years from July to October, this blue bloomer is set to attract tourists from all over the world with its flower power.Targeting over eight lakh tourist arrivals during the Neelakurinji blooming season in Munnar's Idukki district, Kerala Tourism is excited to see the boost in its tourism industry. Foundacrossthe Western Ghats, this flower is sure going to gain attentionafter almost a decade long wait for its arrival (it last bloomed in the year 2006) as it is set to spread skies on the land for three months this year

Promising to paint the hills and valleys of Munnar blue, the flush of this flower saw Mr. P. Bala Kiran, IAS, Director, Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala, state, "There is no better time to visit Munnar than the time when Neelakurinji plants bloom en masse. As many as 628,427 tourists had visited Munnar in 2017 with an increase of 34.31 percent as compared to 467,881 vacationers in 2016. The Tourism Department is expecting a growth of 79 percent in tourist arrivals to Munnar this year. This unique lifecycle of the plant makes the hills a must-visit destination for travel enthusiasts.

Munnar has much more to offer still. The Nilgiri Tahr, endangered mountain goat native to this region can also be spotted here during this time. The Tourism Board of Kerala has taken several measures to make sure that it attracts tourists withtour planners whipping upvarious adventure activities and treks which will entice you to go buy those trekking shoes and set a journey to the best trekking trails in the country. The Eravikulam National Park, where the endangered Nilgiri Thar is protected is also the main flowering area of the blue flora.

Regulated vehicles and parking spots, effective waste management, well planned travel itineraries are some of the careful steps taken by the Kerala Tourism to help travel enthusiasts get a glimpse of the beautiful blues of Munnar.

Visit Munnar to experience that bluereally is the warmest colour

For more information, visithttps://www.keralatourism.org/travelcare/

The Information

Getting there

The nearest airport to Munnar is the Cochin International Airport (110 kms away)

There are multiple flights available to Kochi from all over the world.