Living the plantation life

With travellers pursuing meaningful experiences, plantation tourism is becoming increasingly popular

Ask vacationing millennials and Gen Z what they primarily look for, and the words “green” and “sustainable” are almost certain to top the list.

It is no wonder then that agritourism has been a key focus area for a while now. If you want to experience a slice of this, South India’s mountains are home to vast tea, coffee and spice plantations, which offer ideal weather, verdant surroundings, and far fewer visitors than conventional resorts and hotels.

At Briar Tea Bungalows, located across Valparai, Meghamalai and Munnar, guests get a glimpse of what it really takes to make their morning cuppa. If you’re lucky enough, you may spot an endangered species at their Valparai tea gardens – the lion-tailed macaque.

“Our tea gardens in Valparai are home to not only the lion-tailed macaque but also the great Indian hornbill, wild dogs and bison,” says Lakshmi Bose, Director. “Along with great accessibility to vast areas of tea plantations, there is also a thick reserve forest nurturing unique flora and fauna. Depending on your budget, you can choose from various accommodation types–tents, wooden chalets or luxurious colonial-style bungalows, some of them over 100 years old.”

The coffee plantation at Elephant Valley near Kodaikanal is certified organic by IMO Switzerland, a globally-recognised accreditation body for voluntary sustainability standards and initiatives.

The resort offers a limited-edition Arabica, locally grown, processed, roasted and packed entirely at their plantation. Guests can watch the entire crop-to-shop process, and also pick up the freshly-roasted coffee to take back with them. The 20 bungalows not only have their own private river and plantation-view gardens but are stunningly built, with locally-sourced granite, reclaimed doors, windows and pillars from Tamil Nadu and Kerala, colonial and art-deco furniture. What’s more, this is as green as it gets–solar lights and firewood-fuelled hot water showers are just the tip of the iceberg.

Dr Saakshi Gulati, Travel Blogger at @seatback_upright recommends Tranquil Resort at Wayanad, which, true to its name, is an oasis of calm in the middle of a 400-acre coffee, pepper and cardamom plantation. Her top tip is to “stay at the luxurious treehouse with a verandah offering incredible views. I also highly recommend exploring the well-marked hiking trails. Ajay and Nisha are great hosts, working with love and passion to make sure your stay is memorable.”

The food at Tranquil uses organic ingredients grown in their own garden, making up an eclectic smorgasbord of Indian and international dishes. They’ve also got exotic fruit trees on the plantation for culinary adventurers, like lychees, mangosteen, imported jackfruit, rambutan and avocado.

While staying amidst acres and acres of crops is a unique and fulfilling travel experience in itself, most plantation stays also offer activities for visitors with children, or those seeking new adventures.

Briar Tea Bungalows for instance offers trekking, bird watching, tea plucking, factory visits, tea tasting, picnic luncheons, river bathing and riverside walks, sunset teas, bonfires, cycling and a mini-amphitheatre with a fire pit for a bonfire. At Tranquil, on the other hand, you can relax at an Ayurvedic massage spa, take cooking classes, or spend time on their tree deck lounge playing board games to a spectacular view.