Club Mahindra Mount Serene

“THE SECOND PHASE OF THE 13-DAY VACATION IN MUNNAR IN KERALA!!”

To explore the serene' locale of Munnar last February, 2026 we went aboard the Konkan Railway train from the Margao station in Goa. The station offers passenger facilities such as waiting halls, prepaid taxi stands, parking facility, Executive Lounge, CCTV surveillance, Bio-toilets, Escalators, var… more

To explore the serene' locale of Munnar last February, 2026 we went aboard the Konkan Railway train from the Margao station in Goa. The station offers passenger facilities such as waiting halls, prepaid taxi stands, parking facility, Executive Lounge, CCTV surveillance, Bio-toilets, Escalators, various food outlets, even AC coaches and berths. Our family is always happy to travel by train from the Konkan railways in Goa as at the station so many amenities are provided for commuters who wait for their trains. Moreover, our journey from Margao in Goa to Eranakulam station in Kerala crossed congenial hills, mountains and thick forests!! Hence, while traveling by train it was soothing to watch the greenery outside the windows. At the Eranakulam station we had access to restrooms, small eateries where we could have tea and snacks or drinking water and other basic amenities such as ticket counters, parking and auto rikshaw stands. However, auto-rikshaws were available to tourists who agreed to pay a high fare. So, we decided to book a car and waited for it to arrive at the station so that, from there we could reach the Club Mahindra 'Mount Serene' resort in Munnar in Kerala. We managed to get a car for a lesser fare and so, we enjoyed the car drive all the way towards the resort. This early morning at the resort we were greeted by friendly staff at the reception and we interacted for sometime with Ms. Alina Tomy. We needed early check-in this morning at the resort and even a room with the view of the outdoors and even greenery around from the bedroom balcony. Ms. Alina Tomy was indeed very kind to allot the room to us much before check-in time with the alluring views of the tea gardens and the woodland outdoors. She did seem to be a very genial hostess to all of us at the resort. Whenever we strolled all around the property or visited the restaurants at the resort we would speak to Ms. Alina Tomy before we would retire to our bedroom as she seemed to be courteous to us. The housekeeping staff who attended to our requests most of the time included Mr.Ismail and Mr.Abbas Ali. Both of them were very obliging to us. Most evenings we spent time at the 'Lake View' resort nearby at the restaurant to savour a variety of 'Pakodas' prepared with Potatoes, Capsicum and Onions! One night we even enjoyed 'Chicken Manchow Soup' from the 'Gourmet Express' served to us by an executive Bhanu Prasad in our room. Between the days of 9/02/2026 to 13/02/2026 we went outside the resort area on sightseeing. Outside our bedroom at the resort there were posters of Taxi facilities and fares displayed which tourists could avail to visit different locations around Munnar. Early morning at 10:15 AM we went by car to visit the 'Lockhart Tea Garden View Point'. The 'Lockhart Tea Garden' in Kerala in India is one of South India's oldest and most scenic tea estates offering tours on tea processing and breathtaking views of the Western Ghats. Being one of the earliest plantations of the region it was planted originally by 'Baron George Otto Von Rosenberg' in 1879. Visitors can witness the manufacturing of White, Green and Black Tea'. Visitors can also experience guided walks through the tea gardens, tea tasting sessions and alluring views from the estate and the scenic route in the Idukki district. Here only Tea gardens exist and no other crop is grown. I captured few photographs here. At 'Anachal' in Munnar Bypass in Kerala by car we visited the 'Munnar Chocolate Factory and Research centre (MCF) - The Soul of Munnar! The MCF - Munnar Chocolate Factory is a manufacturer of handcrafted chocolates using local ingredients. They provide over 25 varieties of signature dark chocolates and spice infused flavours. It is known for 'Real Pulp' and '100% Dark Chocolates. They also provide visitors with a Chocolate Making process showcasing the procedure from 'Cacao Beans' to finished products. The factory allowed tourists like us to taste a variety of chocolates on display and I selected - 'Hazelnut', 'Dark Almond', 'Pineapple', 'Orange', 'White Coconut' and 'Cardamom' chocolates to be packed in cardboard packets to be carried back home. The chocolate tasting process was pleasurable indeed as we got to witness so many varieties of consumable products like canned Jelly Beans, a variety of Munnar Banana Chips, Chocolate Bars and a new drink in town for Chocolate - Milk lovers known as 'Chocolate Coffee'!. The Munnar Chocolate Factory outlet appears to be a spacious one and at the entrance itself it was decorated with 'Kerala - Kathakali' and elephant masks and other wooden articles. There were different flavours of candies on sale. Besides, even items of decoration and Keychains were on sale. At the entrance guests could be seated on hand - carved and natural - edge log stumps, this quirky wooden furniture which served as a perfect conversation beginner and added a rustic charm to this space. On the top floor there was a hub where chocolate and coffee tasting procedures are implemented and visitors are not permitted to enter this area. There were also a variety of 'Chai' like 'Hibiscus Tea', 'Blue Tea' and even 'Arabica Roasted Coffee Beans' on display. We left from here being very happy about our purchase. The same afternoon we visited the 'Ayur Valley Spices and Herbal Garden' and nearby it's organic shop selling various Ayurvedic products and spices. We explored the shop and found various Ayurvedic products like different kinds of Hair Oils, Body Oils, Hair Shampoos and Skin products. Besides, we also found Ayurvedic condiments and spices some of them we purchased like 'Munnar Cardamom', 'Cinnamon Sticks', Cloves, Peppercorns, Coffee Beans and Filter coffee powder. There was also a doctor employed here who would recommend products to visitors. This Herbal garden also features guided tours of traditional herbal and spice plantations. We had even visited the 'Government Botanical Garden' in Munnar, a lush 5-acre park on the Munnar - Thekkady road. The entry fee for adults on this park is ₹100/-. We strolled all around this garden and observed many exotic and indigenous plant species including 'Italian - Style Flower Beds' and medicinal herbs. There were also huge figurines of Bisons, Grey Elephants, Giraffe, Dinosaurs and even of Kathakali dancers in traditional attires!! Everything we observed around this garden had been incredibly enlivening as we had seen multihued flowering plants and tall evergreens of different species. In the same garden there existed a small snacks and icecreams corner and an outlet selling edible oils and other eatables. Besides, there were clean restrooms as well for visitors with clean toilets. While we traversed the entire garden as we were going ahead, we captured lovely photographs and even interacted with other visitors. This afternoon during lunch timings we went to a multi-cuisine non-vegetarian restaurant just outside Munnar called the 'Prakrithi Multi-cuisine restaurant'. We enjoyed the non-vegetarian Kerala style Thali with steamed rice and King Fish Fry! In the Thali there was Fish curry, Avail, Rasam, Beetroot Bhaji, two varieties of 'Kai Huli', a sweet dish called 'Paysa', a bowl of steamed rice, King Fish Fry, Papad and Pickles. We loved the meal and I have uploaded a photo of the menu card - 'Prakrithi -The healthy food restaurant!! By 4PM in the noon we went on a boat ride in the 'Mattupetty Dam Lake ' in Idukki itself! This Lake is a perinnial source of water, hydroelectricity power and huge revenue as well for Idukki district. Watching the placid waters and the birds flying around for a piece of serenity near the lake and for about an hour seemed emotionally and consciously stimulating. After clicking some interesting photographs by the lake we next moved on to another venue where we could pleasurably watch the 'Kalaripayattu' from Kerala - a 3000 year old martial art form. This evening the stage was set, for the performers to depict this traditional martial arts using weaponry like swords, spears and others. Besides, this also included a performance projected by igniting flames and teaming it with this martial art form. Well, the performance did seem to us to be intriguing for about an hour. Before, leaving from there this evening we enjoyed some hot 'Filter coffee' at an eatery close by. Next we halted at a handloom cotton saree outlet in Munnar where traditional Kerala sarees and cotton skirts are made on traditional looms or mechanical frames used to produce woven cloth. We left from there and reached 'Mount Serene' resort to enjoy a dinner of dishes like ' Chicken Tikka Kebab', 'Chicken Manchow Soup' and 'Creme Soup with Cream of Chicken!! Wow! The dinner was delightsome indeed! Early morning after a breakfast of bread slices and Hot coffee in the kitchenette of our bedroom we spent some time watching Bollywood music on the television and even spent time in our balcony soaking in the greenery visible outside. Well, it was rejuvenating!! Ashwin from the housekeeping an affable individual came to our room, mended our beds, kept the Kitchenette, the sofa cum beds and the washroom very clean. At 10AM it was time to proceed for another day's exciting sightseeing on our vacation. By a car after 1.5 hour journey, we reached the 'Kolukkumalai' - The world 's highest tea estates perched on an altitude of approximately 7130 feet i.e, 2170 metres main sea level. 'Kolukkumalai' being an organic tea estate cultivates an orthodox , organic tea and features an historic 1900s tea factory using traditional methods. It is located on the Kerala - Tamilnadu border and 32 kms away from Munnar. It is the second highest peak in Kerala and South India. At some distance away, we next visited by the same vehicle the 'Harrison Tea Garden Estate', which is one of South India's premier tea plantations offering Tea tourism and high adrenaline ziplining experience. While we immersed in the ziplining adventure we soared over vast emerald hills and tea gardens exploring the alluring views. We even found it interesting to capture photographs in this area. This afternoon lunch was at 'Hotel Malabar Plaza'. Together we enjoyed a special Malabar cuisine which originates from the coastal region of Kerala in India. We relished 'Malabar Chicken curry', 'Kerala Paratha', 'Chicken Biryani' with 'Raita' and 'Kerala Appallam or Papad'! The following day when we left the 'Mount Serene' resort we enjoyed a heavy breakfast at 'Banyan Leaf Pure Vegetarian restaurant' in 'Anachal'. We truly relished a breakfast of 'Ghee Masala Dosa' and 'Ghee Uttapam' which was doused in Pure Ghee, a plate of 'Medu Vada', 'Tomato Uttapam' and 'Kerala Filter Coffee'! It was amazing and from there we returned to our home in Goa having enjoyed a long vacation in the rolling hills of Munnar in Kerala!!

less