MARAYOOR TOURISM | TOURIST PLACES TO VISIT & TRAVEL GUIDE TO MARAYOOR
Hill Station
About Marayoor
#20 of 23 Places to visit in Kerala
Ideal Trip Duration: Full Day
Nearest City to Marayoor: Coimbatore (116 Kms)
Best Time to Visit Marayoor: October to March
Peak Season: November to February
At a distance of 41 km from Munnar, 70 km from Palani, 90 km from Idukki, 115 km from Valparai, 116 km from Coimbatore, 131 km from Dindigul, 164 km from Kochi, 168 km from Meghamalai, 172 km from Thrissur, 175 km from Kottayam, 190 km from Madurai, and 298 km from Trivandrum, Marayoor or Marayur is a scenic place situated in Idukki district of Kerala, India. It is one of the popular places to visit near Kochi, and among the best places to visited along with Munnar packages.
Nestled in the shadows of the Western Ghats, Marayoor is a pre-historic site and also the only place in Kerala that has natural sandalwood forests. This scenic town claims to be a part of a Stone Age civilization that is as old as 10,000 BC. It is also home to a later period of large-scale dolmen-buildings, which are the must-include places in Marayoor holiday packages. As per history, the people of Tamil Nadu have migrated to this area when the Madurai king Thirumalainaicker was defeated by Tippu Sultan in the 18th century AD. They created five villages - Kanthalloor, Keezhanthur, Karayur, Marayur, and Kottakudi which were called the 'Anju Nadu', literally meaning 'five lands'.
For over ten centuries, Marayur has managed to preserve a stone-clad secret deep in its soul. The jungles and hillsides of Marayoor are dotted with remnants of Dolmens called muniyaras (burial chambers made of four stones placed on edges and covered with the capstone) belonging to the Megalithic age. Marayoor is also famous for its ancient rock paintings located in Attala, Ezhuthu Guha (near Kovilkadavu), and Manala. Attala is situated in the west part of Marayur Township and has more than 90 painted motifs. Most of the paintings at Attala are abstract designs except for a few human and animal figures. Ezhuthu Guha rock paintings are situated in the Sandalwood Reserve Forest in Koodakavu. Around 90 painted motifs can be seen here. This place is the most famous rock art site in Kerala and attracts a large number of visitors. Ten painted motifs are located on the south-western slope of the plateau overlooking the Pambar River. Also, one can see is a rock painting at Manala inside Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary near the Alampetty tribal settlement.
Besides, Marayoor has a lot of sugarcane plantations and Marayoor Sarkara (Jaggery) is famous for its unique taste and texture. Along with prehistoric dolmens, cave paintings, and sandalwood forests, Lakkam Falls, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary & Thoovanam Waterfalls, and Amaravathi Dam are some important places to visit in Marayoor. Home to lush green mountains, mild wet winters, and hot dry summers, Marayoor as a pristine, heavenly and unexplored tourist spot is comparable to Munnar. The place is an excellent trekking spot for adventure seekers.
About 123 km, Coimbatore International Airport is the nearest airport that has well flight connectivity with Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Mumbai. Palani Railway Station is the nearest railhead which is about 70 km from Marayoor. It has well-connected trains from Rameswaram, Chennai, Madurai, Palakkad, and Coimbatore. From here, one can hire a cab or bus to reach Marayoor. Marayoor Bus Station is linked by bus with Munnar, Idukki, Udumalpet, Aluva, Kochi, Palani & Coimbatore.
There are several homestays, resorts, and hotels available in Marayoor for tourists to stay and explore the nearby places. October to March is the best time to visit Marayoor to experience cool and pleasant weather which is suitable for sightseeing.
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