Valparai

While idling around and passively observing the sublime beauty of the hill station can provide memorable experiences, Valparai nevertheless also offers attractions for those seeking adventure and action.

1. Trekking
Trekking around Valparai in order to spice up the magic of their trip a little. The trek to Topslip with its tricky pathways through the forests of Anamalai hills is especially famous.

2. Bicycling
Additionally, the wide, well-built roads snaking around the hills offer ample opportunity for those aching to peddle their bikes around. It is a great way to soak in the vast beauty of the landscape. The roads surrounding the tea and coffee estates make for popular tourist choices when it comes to bicycling.

3. Birdwatching
With thrushes and egrets and hornbills singing their songs in the forests nearby, why not take up the opportunity for some quality birdwatching? Grabbing one's camera and escaping into the forests to sneak in the bushes and carefully observe the multitude of birds makes for a perfect opportunity to connect with nature. It is soothing for both the mind and body.

1. Don't stray off the designated pathways while trekking.
2. Only the well-built roads are meant for bicycling.
3. Avoid contact with thorny shrubbery.
4. Stay close to your friends/family while trekking.

The history of the town revolves around its various coffee plantations. In fact, the region started developing only around the time its very first coffee plantation was established in 1846 by the merchant Ramaswami Mudaliyar. Initially, the dense forest cover initially proved difficult to navigate and hence cultivate crops in.

A select few plantations run by the Karnatic Coffee Company incurred major losses and eventually shut down. Reportedly, Edward VII, who was Prince of Wales at the time, once intended to hunt in Valparai's forests but ended up cancelling his plans because of the difficulties involved with navigation.

Finally, in 1890, the English merchants Wintil and Nordan acquired land from the British Raj to start their plantations and, in effect, launched the coffee industry of Valparai in full-swing. The flourishing of the coffee industry led to increased urbanisation. Forest cover was cleared for constructing better roads, thus making Valparai the popular for tourist destination that it is today.

The top places near to Valparai are Munnar which is 31 km from Valparai, Kodaikanal which is located 58 km from Valparai, Ooty which is located 120 km from Valparai, Nelliyampathy which is located 36 km from Valparai, Anaimalai hills which is located 7 km from Valparai