Meppadi
Meppadi is the most scenic village of the Wayanad District of the Malabar region in Kerala state, India. It has excellent opportunities for hiking and mountaineering. The main attraction of Meppadi are the undulating tea estates.
Understand
[edit]Meppadi is an unspoilt and undiscovered tourist spot of Kerala. Not being a tourist trap, you can walk in the tea estates not being disturbed by touts and other visitors.
Get in
[edit]Meppadi is 12 km from Kalpetta town in the Wayanad District. It is 78 km (1½ hr) from Kozhikode (Calicut), 106 km (2½ hr) from Ooty, and 281 km (5 hr 25 mim) from Bangalore.
Get around
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Map of Meppadi
- Bus - Plenty of local bus services are available for transportation between the townships.
- Autorickshaw - Autorickshaws are cheaper compared to taxis and can be used to reach the interior places from the townships.
- Taxi - Local taxis are also available at cheap rates. In Wayanad, the term taxi is mostly in reference with a Jeep style vehicle.
- Car - Driving is pleasant as traffic is thin and disciplined unlike other parts of Kerala.
- Walk - Many places of attractions are near by the towns so you could walk between them.
See
[edit]- 1 Chembra Peak (3 km). Standing tall at 2100 metres, the Chembra Peak is the highest peak in Wayanad, and a favorite trekking spot. It is part of the Western Ghats. The trek to the top can take up to 2 hours. The heart-shaped lake located on the peak forms one of the attractions for the mountain trek here. To do the trek, you need to pay an entrance fee from the entry guard house near Meppadi. Typically, start the trek in the morning as you are not allowed to start the trek after noon. If you are not game for a hectic 2-hour trek, you can still do a flat trek till a nearby viewpoint and visitors center for a nominal fee. The Chembra Peak area has a variety of orchids and other flowering plants, and plenty of bird species, making the trek an enjoyable experience. Good toilets are available near the guard house. The road leading to the entrance was in bad condition as of October 2017. ₹20 for visiting area entry. Guides are available for ₹500.
- DM-WIMS Campus (5 km), ☏ +91 4936 287000. DM Wayanad Institute of Medical Sciences is the most scenic campus of the entire Kerala state. The road to the campus is a spiritual experience if you want to replace Nature for a god. There is nothing to see inside the spectacular hospital building, but their cafeteria on the mezzanine floor is worth a visit. Visitors are allowed inside if you have some excuse like inquiring about medical college admissions. Buses are available to and from the hospital from Meppadi town. The Supreme Court of India issued a warning to the hospital for building in an environmentally sensitive area.
- 2 Kanthanpara Waterfalls, Rippon, Ooty Road (10 km). This is beautiful waterfall near the forest and a nice place for relaxing. Sept-Jan is the best time to visit.
- 3 Karapuzha Dam. Relatively small dam, but located at a very scenic site. Mostly unknown and thus unspoilt by a horde of tourists, it is a perfect way to spend a quiet evening during sunset time.
- Mariamman Kovil, Meppadi junction. A temple complex with many little temples dotted among the tea estates.
- 4 Meenmutty Waterfalls (Makkiyad Meenmutty Waterfalls) (12 km from Meppadi). Very nice and very good trekking. You need to be fit and carry something to eat. You have to pay the forest entry fee and secure a guide. This waterfall is in 3 steps. You can visit the second step (only in Dec-Apr). It involves a good trek through some difficult terrain, but the end result is breath-taking. Not only is the view of the waterfall amazing but you can get wet too. One has to trek inside the jungle for approx 1.5 km to get a view of waterfalls. It passes through coffee and tea plantation. It has an entry fee of ₹300 for a group of up to 10 people, and you get a very skilled guide to help you to hike to the waterfalls and back up.
- St. Joseph Shrine, Mooppanad (1 km). Built in 1954 this majestic church gives very good view of the hills around.
- 5 Soochipara (Sentinel Rock) Waterfalls. 8AM to 5PM. Spectacular three tiered waterfalls in Vellarimala, surrounded by dense equatorial forest vegetation. Soochipara means 'Needle-like rock'. The 15- to 20-min drive from Meppadi offers scenic views of some of the best tea estates in Wayanad. The waterfalls are 200 m (656 ft) and offer a cliff face that is ideal for rock climbing. The waterfalls are a bit crowded at times. 32 lady volunteers of the VSS control the visitors. After the entrance, a walkway leads to a beautiful viewpoint. From here, approximately 200 steps lead down to the falls. The trek takes approximately 30 minutes, and sometimes requires negotiating boulder steps. The view of the falls is worth the trek. There is generally a guard posted near the falls. The climb back can be hectic. Soochippara falls is appreciably a plastic-free zone, so the entry guards will ask you to store your plastic bags at the guardhouse and reclaim it when you return. Plenty of eating and souvenir-shopping options are available near the entrance. ₹20 . Additional for camera..
- Shree Mariamman Temple, Nellimunda Junction, Chooralmala Road (3 km).
Do
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- Ambalakkunnu Walk. Start from Meppadi junction and take the middle road going to Chooralmala. Walk past Onnam Mile village and proceed through the two S-shaped curves. When you reach Nellimunda busstop, take the first right from the junction. Walk upto Ambalakkunnu Masjidh and Madhrassa. There is a Jaffer tea shop at the end of the hill. If you descend from here, you will reach a little cute Srambia masjidh. Turn right and you will reach the post office road at Meppadi junction. The entire route is very scenic and takes around 40 minutes to walk.
- Post Office Road Walk, Meppadi. Start from the Meppadi junction and select the third road from the fork. The first junction is called Nalam Number where there is a small cute mosque. Turning right takes you to Patham Number village junction or Mele Kadoor. Elemberi resort road joins here. Another two kilometer walk takes you the Cholamala bridge and finally the Cholamala estate gate. This junction with a flag can be your returning point as you have already walked five kilometers.
- Trekking to Chembra Peak. Start from the Juma Masjidh junction and go down the Chembra peak road. The entire route is very scenic and you will reach Chembra peak within three kilometres. Going by vehicle is not comfortable as the roads are not in good condition. You will need a four wheel drive jeep.
Buy
[edit]Spices and souvenirs are available in the numerous shops of Meppadi town.
Eat
[edit]There are four Indian restaurants in Meppadi town. They all serve Kerala-style food with meat and fish. Breakfast is dosa and porottas and at lunch time delicious vegetarian thali with fish is available. Chappathis and fried rice are offered for dinner.
- Coffee Creek Restaurant, Waterfall Road (5 km), ☏ +91 9496752506.
- Grace Bakery and Restaurant, near the post office junction. Upmarket Vegetarian food.
- Hotel Paris, near the post office junction. Meat and fish.
- Metro Hotel, near the bus stand. Meat and fish.
- Vanitha Hotel, inside the bus stand (only lunch). Run by a cooperative society of waitresses.
- 1 Qassim Bakery And Fast Food, SH29, ☏ +91 99474 37644. Famous for its biryanis more than anything.
Drink
[edit]There are no bars in Meppadi. You can get alcohol only in Kalpetta town.
Sleep
[edit]- City Tourist Home, Bus Stand Building (go down the basement), ☏ +91 9495456865, +91 9544234782. Clean rooms and good toilets. Dormitories are also available. Rooms with good view. ₹500.
- Coffee County Resort (60 km), ☏ +91 974 7595 0099, arun.coffeecounty@gmail.com.
- Galaxy Dormitory, KB Road, ☏ +91 9048674446, +91 9600947272, benoygodfred@gmail.com.
- Holiday Inn, Chooralmala Road (1 km).
- K.M.H.Guest House, Opp. Bus station, ☏ +91 9544100149, +91 4936283976. ₹100 onwards. Dark and cosy rooms without windows. Clean floors, dirty bed, cubicle like toilet. Monthly rent only ₹2,250
- Malabar Tourist Home, Near the Juma Masjidh, ☏ +91 9605802074. ₹500.
- Meenmutty Heights, Ooty Road, Meenmutty.
- Metro Tourist Home, Near the Bus Stand, ☏ +91 4936-28 1801, +91 9544446544. ₹1,500.
- Royal Palace, Ooty Road, ☏ +91 9656322867, +91 9645714777. ₹750.
- Welco Hotel, Meppadi, ☏ +91 9605515959.
- 1 Hotel Greenland, Chembra Peak Rd, ☏ +91 4936 282 717. Budget accommodation. Cheap but Wi-Fi is unreliable and the beds aren't particularly comfortable.
- Tearoute Homestay, Near Forest range office,Meppadi (2km) 9947147496 Budget Homestay, Car Parking and hotwater, Indipendent villa for families.
Lodges at Vaduvanchal
[edit]- C.K.Tourist Home, Meppadi Road., ☏ +91 9048470867. ₹500.
- Grand Tourist Home, Cherambady Road..
- Megha Residency, Opp. Bus station. (₹400), ☏ +91 9447544501, +91 4936217441.
- Pearl Residency, Cheambady Road..
- Wayanad Tourist Home and Dorm., Cherambady Road..
Go next
[edit]- Soochippara waterfalls. 13 km
- Sulthan Bathery, 33 km
- Ooty, 106 km
- Gudalur — a small less frequented town near Ooty that has many natural attractions
- Kalpetta — a small town close to the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary that is surrounded by dense coffee plantations and mountains