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Voykit pocket guide · India
Peermade
Half a day to one night: a cool hill stop between Thekkady and Munnar, with tea estates, viewpoints and a few short walks. Not a base.
Peermade is a small hill station in Kerala's Idukki district, 1,000 m above sea level, known for its tea and spice plantations, misty hills and quiet roads. It works as a lunch-and-walk stop on the Thekkady–Munnar route or a single-night retreat. The main draws are Peeru Hills, Thrissanku Hills and the nearby Kuttikkanam village.
- Country
- India
- Best months
- Sep–Mar
- Avoid
- Jun–Aug (heavy monsoon, landslides possible)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- INR
- Money
- Indian rupees (INR, ₹) in small notes for autos, street food, tips and entry tickets.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₹1,500–2,500 excl. bed · Mid ₹2,500–5,000 excl. bed · High ₹5,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Jio, Airtel and Vi sell tourist SIMs at airport counters and their shops; passport, visa and a photo needed; activation can take a few hours.
- Emergency
- Police 112 · Fire and ambulance 112
- Plugs
- Types C, D, M · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin C plugs fit most sockets; D (three round pins) is the common wall socket; hotels often have universal sockets. UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Street food and dhabas: Nothing.; Restaurant: 5–10% if no service charge is on the bill.; Car and driver: ₹300–500 a day at the end of the trip.; Guide: ₹300–500 for a half day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₹50–100.; Auto or Uber: Round up.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Buy sealed bottles (check the cap), or use RO-filtered refill stations in hotels and cafés; avoid ice from street stalls.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and airports; squat toilets with a water jug or hose in stations and villages. Carry tissue and sanitiser; paid public toilets (Sulabh) cost ₹5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Tea at a roadside stall | ₹10–20 |
| Meal at a local restaurant | ₹100–250 |
| Taxi Peermade → Kuttikkanam (one way) | ₹300–500 |
| Auto-rickshaw within town | ₹50–100 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- COK · Cochin International
- About 120 km (75 mi), 3–4 h by taxi or busAbout 75 mi (120 km), 3–4 h by taxi or bus
- TRV · Trivandrum International
- About 170 km (106 mi), 4–5 h by taxi or busAbout 106 mi (170 km), 4–5 h by taxi or bus
Typical fares
- Taxi Thekkady → Peermade
- about ₹1,200, 45 min (check)
- Taxi Munnar → Peermade
- about ₹2,500, 2.5–3 h (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walking covers the town and nearby hills. For Kuttikkanam, Vagamon or Grampi, hire a taxi or auto-rickshaw from the main junction. Buses connect Peermade to Kuttikkanam and Kumily (Thekkady) but are infrequent.
See and do
Known for
- Tea and spice plantations
- Peeru Hills viewpoint
- Thrissanku Hills
- Kuttikkanam village
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Thekkady | Taxi or bus via Kumily, about 30 km (19 mi), 45 minTaxi or bus via Kumily, about 19 mi (30 km), 45 min | About 1 h |
| Munnar | Taxi or bus via the winding hill road, about 80 km (50 mi), 2.5–3 hTaxi or bus via the winding hill road, about 50 mi (80 km), 2.5–3 h | About 3 h |
| Vagamon | Taxi, about 25 km (16 mi), 45 minTaxi, about 16 mi (25 km), 45 min | About 1 h |
| Kuttikkanam | Taxi or walk, about 5 km (3.1 mi), 15 minTaxi or walk, about 3.1 mi (5 km), 15 min | About 20 min |
Sleep
- Peermade town
- A few budget hotels and homestays near the main road.
- Kuttikkanam
- More resort-style accommodation, 5 km (3.1 mi) away.More resort-style accommodation, 3.1 mi (5 km) away.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| How much? | എത്രയാണ്?ethrayaanu? |
| Where is the bus stop? | ബസ് സ്റ്റോപ്പ് എവിടെയാണ്?bas sthop evideyaanu? |
| I need a taxi | എനിക്ക് ഒരു ടാക്സി വേണംenikku oru taksi venam |
| Thank you | നന്ദിnandi |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Namaste (palms together) or a handshake between men; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging or kissing strangers
- Hands and feet: Give and eat with the right hand; apologise if your foot touches someone; avoid: Pointing feet at people or shrines; touching books or food with your feet
- Temples: Shoes off, walk clockwise around shrines, accept prasad (blessed food) with the right hand; avoid: Leather in Jain temples; entering sanctums that say Hindus only
- Home visit: Bring sweets or fruit; accept tea at least once; avoid: Refusing all food; wearing shoes inside
- Questions: Expect personal questions (married? job? salary?) as friendliness; avoid: Taking offence; answer vaguely if you prefer
- Saying no: A firm, polite 'nahi, dhanyavaad' (no, thank you) and keep walking; avoid: Long explanations to touts
- Dress: Loose clothes covering shoulders and knees; kurta tops are cheap and cool; avoid: Swimwear or shorts away from Goa beaches
Scams and watch-outs
- Roads can be narrow and winding; allow extra time between towns.
- Monsoon (Jun–Aug) brings landslides that may block the Thekkady–Munnar road.
- ATMs are limited; carry enough cash for meals and transport.
A quiet hill station with low crime. The main risks are narrow roads, monsoon landslides and stray dogs at night. Carry a torch if walking after dark.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Peermade yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Tea and spice plantations
- Peeru Hills viewpoint
- Thrissanku Hills
- Kuttikkanam village
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Peermade, revision 3702520 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=3702520
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Peermade
ഈ വിലാസത്തിലേക്ക്, ദയവായി
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Most foreign embassies are in New Delhi and consulates in Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. The nearest consular office for many nationalities is the British Deputy High Commission in Kochi (check).
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/peermade). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.