Munnar or Idukki: which to choose for a Kerala road trip?

Hi everyone,

I’m planning a Kerala/Tamil Nadu trip and can’t decide between these two spots. We’ll be coming from Madurai by taxi. Munnar seemed perfect for some hiking and great views. But I’ve heard about Idukki, which is less touristy...

So I’d love to hear your experiences to help me choose.

Thanks!

Munnar is really nice, but now you can't stroll through the tea plantations without a guide—it's forbidden (thanks to Indian tourists who used to pick the tea leaves for fun). The town is now pretty overrun by these Indian tourists, which can be annoying, but we can't blame them for visiting their own country ;) But Munnar is still a really cool destination.

I’ve kept looking and I really think Munnar is the way to go. We’ll hire a guide—no free-roaming hikes—and we’ll be respectful 😉.