It’s monsoon season again and with the rains come misty windows, cold mornings and the promise of a warm drink. The only fact that would make this scene any better would be to have all of this and wake up in a picturesque tea plantation. The hills of India have been blessed with multiple such locations dedicated to tea that you can escape to and revel in nature’s beauty.
Collated below are our picks for the must-visit tea plantations across the country:
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Jorhat, Assam:
Housing almost 765 tea estates, Assam reigns supreme when it comes to tea production. So it comes as no surprise that the ‘tea capital of the world’ can be found here too. Jorhat, situated in the north-eastern region of the state, is the owner of this tag and is home to many colonial style bungalows that overlook its lush plantations. Staying here will transport you to the days of the Raj and give you just the right dose of old world charm.
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Darjeeling, West Bengal:
Brewing a fresh cup of coffee is great but if you want to enjoy the smell of the drink without having to go through all that effort, here’s a hack for you: melt two full candles with their wicks removed in a pot of water, while stirring slowly and pour it over a mould or container half filled with coffee beans (don’t forget to put the wick in after!). Once the wax cools and hardens, you’ll have a candle that meets all your coffee cravings with a single flame.
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Munnar, Kerala:
Moving from one tea-obsessed state to the next, Kerala boasts a booming tea tourism industry and nowhere is this more evident than in Munnar, the jewel of the Idukki district. A fount of peace and tranquillity, the city offers the perfect place to relax and rejuvenate your soul. It even houses India’s first ever tea museum, giving you an insight into how Munnar came to be the place it is today.
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Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu:
While most tea plantations operate within set seasons, the plantations in the Nilgiris grow tea all year round, making them the perfect place for a spontaneous vacation. With tea being grown here for more than a century, the region has had enough time to develop its own gourmet tea flavours, all of which only enhance the feeling of luxury that the Nilgiris naturally exude. Stay here to have experiences as intense in flavour as the tea of the region.