Vagamon happens to be a spectacular location in Kerala, and it is located in the Idduki district. This hill station is everything that you want in a location for a holiday. The scenery will take your breath away, the food is great and there are some wonderful accommodation facilities as well. It is also known by the name of Wagamon, and people from all over South India come here during the summers, to spend their days away from the dullness and boredom of city life. The hills are lush and green, and the streams and rivulets are like the cherry on the cake. Here are some of the places to see in Vagamon you must visit if you happen to be here:
Elaveezha Poonchira happens to be a small hill station near Melukavu Mottam, which is about 60 kilometres from Kottayam. This quaint hill station is recently garnering a lot of attention from the locals as well as from the other tourist from South India. The hill station is located among three beautiful hills and they are named Kudayathoor Mala, Thoripara and Mankundu. This hill town is spectacular and it is said that it has an ancient pool where Draupadi used to bathe. The beautiful valleys are spread across thousands of acres and the green hills are dotted with streams and gigantic trees. The hills rise about 3200 feet above the sea level and you get a stunning view of the surrounding landscape from here. The name of the place literally translates to where the leaves do not fall and quite expectedly the leaves are evergreen and the region retains its greenness throughout the year. This is in fact one of the best places in Kerala to view the sunset and the sunrise.
Best time to Visit: October to April
This Church happens to be a shrine dedicated to Saint Mary and is also a famous pilgrim centre. The Shrine is consecrated and has been brought from the famous Velankanni Mother Church in Velankanni in Tamilnadu. The Roman Catholic Latin Rite Church is also dedicated to Our Lady of Good Health. The name of the region Pattumala literally translates to “hill wrapped in silk” and the main building of the church is built of granite which has been designed by the renowned at detect J P Bright. The church is surrounded by tea plantations and it is located about 8 kilometres away from Peermade and about 33 kilometres from Vagamon.
Best time to Visit: Round the year
This happens to be the holiday home of the Maharaja of Travancore and the kings of his dynasty used to come here during the summer season. Because these have been built as a summer palaces, there are a number of water bodies inside the premises. The palace itself was built by the erstwhile Maharaja of Travancore Sree Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma and it was under the British Raj in India that Kuttikkanam happens to be transformed into an upmarket resort. Today, it is one of the famous spots in Idukki and is located at a height of 3500 feet above sea level. One can see lush green plantations on all side and it happens to be a very famous tourist destination.
Best time to Visit: Round the year
One of the prime Christian pilgrimage centre and monastery in this region, the word Kurisu when translated into Malayalam, means cross and Mala meaning mountains and Aashram meaning monastery. The name of the region literally means a monastery which is established on cross mountains. The Monks who live in this monastery follow a very austere lifestyle and it was Francis Mahila who who became later known as Francis Acharya who started this Ashram. The monastery has a large prayer hall which is used for daily prayers and meditation. The monastery also has a spectacular dairy farm and cattle are imported from Jersey and this is how the monks sustain themselves.
Best time to Visit: Ashram timings
These stunning falls are located about 12 kilometres away from the High Valley Resort and are a great place to relax. The waterfall lies about 40 kilometres from Thekkady and one can reach it while travelling to Cochin. The water plunges from a height of about 23 and it offers a stunning view. The best time to visit the falls is right after the monsoon when it has been recently fed by all the rainwater. The waters cascades down the steps and there are small shops that lie in this place which is great for buying souvenirs as well as locally produced tea and coffee. It is a great spot to have a picnic and the locals come here frequently. Your Vagamon sightseeing would be incomplete without a trip to these falls.
Best time to Visit: Right after the monsoons
This happens to be the first arch dam in entire Asia and is constructed across the Periyar River between the Kooruven and the Karathi Hills. The Dam is located at the height of 550 feet and from atop one can get amazing views of the waterbody and its surroundings. There is also a hydroelectric power station here which has a production capacity of 780 megawatts. This station was built with the assistance of the grants of the Government of Canada. There are also some artificial lakes like Cheruthony, Kulamavu and this span across 60 kilometres, with their respective dams. There is also a Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary which is located close by and one can get a glimpse of a large variety of wildlife here like elephants, bisons, Sambar deer, wild dogs, Jungle cats, the black Bulbul Woodpecker kingfishers and other kinds of birds and insects amongst others.
Best time to Visit: September to March
Peermade was the hub of the British tea trade during the colonial period and even today it happens to be a popular spot for tea processing. There are still vestiges of the colonial rule to be found here and the buildings retain their original European style. Those were interested in history will love going around these buildings. The hill station itself is located at the height of 3002 feet above the sea level and the lies in the middle of the Western Ghats mountain range. One can reach Peermade by travelling about 85 kilometres from Kottayam towards Tekari. The name Peerumed, literally means the Hill of the Peer and it refers to the Sufi saint Peer Muhammad. In fact, this place was also one of the famous summer retreats of the Maharaja of Travancore. The hills are filled with plantations which grow organic black pepper, white pepper, ginger, turmeric as well as plantations of tea, coffee and cardamom. Orchards of coconut trees can also be found here.
Best time to Visit: December to February
This ancient temple is hidden in the dense forests at the top of a peak which is 1337 meters above sea level. The temple has a traditional Kerala style of architecture and visitors can only come in during the Chitra Pournami festival which starts at 7 in the morning and ends after 12 hours at 7:00 p.m.. At other times of the year, the visitors might only look at the temple from outside. It is said that the temple is about a thousand years old and it is dedicated to the Goddess Kanneki. It is said that it was here that the Goddess was betrayed and to she simply transformed itself into a goddess and showered the blessings on her people without thinking about her previous life. Hence she came to be known as the Mangala Devi or as the one who only thinks about the good of her people.
Best time to Visit: Round the year
Undoubtedly, this place has quite an interesting name and it is located about 10 kilometres away from the High Valley resorts. The place is no doubt beautiful but the steep rocky ledge has also been used for a couple of suicides. The best way to reach this point is by trekking through the rocky landscape and it will offer an enchanting view of the landscape around. In the distance, one can see the Makar Jyoti which is a holy light lit during the festivals and one can see is sparkling like a star in the sky when it is late ,from the point across. It is a very calm and quiet place and one can simply come here to enjoy the scenery and the cool breeze. The name Parunthumpaara is known as Eagle’s Rocks, and it happens to be a small hillock which is located between Peermade and Thekkady. It can be easily reached from Vagamon while travelling to Peermade and there is another popular spot called Tagore Head which is so named because the boulder which looks like the head of the famous Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore.
Best time to Visit: October to April
This happens to be a famous centre of Muslim pilgrimage and there in the region and there is an ancient cave, which you can be reach only by walking a few kilometres. It is exciting to discover the caves and the thrill of cave life. One can get a clear idea about how are ancestors must have lived when they lived in caves before civilizations came into existence. One has to walk for about five kilometres from the main town. A large spherical rock is situated near it which is Tomb of Sheikh Faizuddin who came from Afghanistan. It is said that he walked for miles across the Hindu Kush range to come to India and preach. Below the rock is another small Mosque and it is a popular spot for holding the Urus festival which is celebrated every year in the month of April. Not only is this place famous pilgrimage spot but others also come here simply to enjoy it’s amazing view. The hills of the region are surrounded by forests and meadows and you will get a glimpse of the local lifestyle of the people as well.
Best time to Visit: November to March
If you love nature then you must visit the pine forest of Vagamon. You will get a picture of a pristine and unspoiled the beauty of Vagamon just by visiting the pine forests. Although it was originally a man-made spot, the nature has taken its course. This happens to be a popular shooting spot with many movies being shot here. The forests were created during the British Raj and even today one can see the wonderful Maramala Falls which can be reached by cutting through this forest. Between beauty of the forest and the falls, make it a great location to be visited.
Best time to Visit: September to March
The marvelous waterfall is located along the Erattupetta route and is one of the top places to visit in Vagamon. This place is also very beautiful and unspoilt and a waterfall is itself a great beauty of nature, surrounded by dense forest and rock formations on all sides. This waterfall is officially situated inside a private estate but others are free to come here because the owners have opened their gates. These waterfalls were obscure even a few years ago. but now it has garnered a lot of attraction from the tourist and it happens to be quite a crowded spot.
Best time to Visit: Right after the monsoons
The name of the hills might seem a bit an interesting and one might feel that there is probably nothing to see here, but they could not have been more wrong. It happens to be one of the most enticing places in the entire city. This is because the appearance of the hills changes from season to season. They are fully covered with greenery after the monsoons and the leaves shed during the winter, revealing the rocky, brown landscape. If you want to visit a place in Kerala where you can experience all the seasons then this is it.
Best time to Visit: December to March
The Vagamon Lake happens to be a spectacular location for sightseeing and within the borders of this town, one can see a beautiful landscape around the lake. This happens to be quite a sleepy town and there are hills which you can see from the window of your guest house. It is not very huge but it is used for boating and drawing and other kinds of water activities. There is no commercial rush and you can have a fun day, full of pleasant activities, without exerting yourself too much. As a result, this has become a popular picnic spot for the locals as well.
Best time to Visit: Round the year
The spectacular ghat is covered with blue peaks on one side and with lush greenery on the other. This is a popular spot to see the sunrise and the sunset and although the road leading up to the ghat is quite rocky and elusive, it is also a great trekking trail. Travelling through the rocky landscape and discovering the Ghat at the end is quite an adventure and also a great way to get some exercise.
Best time to Visit: December to February
This happens to be another falls near Vagamon, and it is quite a scenic place. If you have to plan a trip a very short notice then this is ideal. You can get away from the city and have a good time without having to spend too much time. The falls are not used but the scenery around is pleasant enough. The water is milky white and that is a part of the charm of this place. If you are looking for location to go for a day trip then this could be an ideal spot.
Best time to Visit: July to September
These wonderful Vagamon tourist places will leave you enthralled and they are the best spots to spend some quality time with your friends and family. You are sure to fall in love with the delightful spots and plan your second trip soon enough.
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