A road trip to Munnar from Bangalore in my Ford Ecosport

The final stretch to Munnar was where the real fun began. Twisty ghats, narrow roads, and hairpin bends—a true test of driving skills. The EcoSport handled it like a champ, sticking to the road while I pretended to be a rally driver

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It all started at the ungodly hour of 2:30 AM, when normal people are either snoring or questioning their life choices after a heavy dinner. But not me. I was wide awake, pumped with excitement and just a little bit of filter coffee, ready to drive from Bangalore to Munnar in my beloved Ford EcoSport—a car that Ford abandoned, but we enthusiasts still hold close to our hearts (like an ex we haven’t moved on from).

The plan was simple: Leave early, avoid traffic, and reach Munnar before lunchtime. Sounds easy, right? WRONG. The first challenge? Escaping Bangalore’s pothole-ridden roads, which looked like they had survived an asteroid shower. My EcoSport jolted and bounced, each crater threatening to swallow a tire whole.

And traffic? At 2:30 AM? You’d think the city would be asleep. But nope—Bangalore doesn’t sleep, it just changes shifts. Slow-moving trucks crawled along like they had all the time in the world, construction vehicles lurked on the roadside as if waiting to pounce, and metro work had turned entire stretches into an obstacle course. Detours led to more detours, and at one point, I was pretty sure Google Maps just gave up and sighed.So much for an "early escape."

The highways were empty, dark, and inviting. This is what car enthusiasts live for! The Route that I took was Salem-Dindigul-Theni Route to Munnar
The 1.5L engine purred smoothly, the LED headlights cut through the mist, and my playlist was blasting AR Rahman and some 2000s Bollywood bangers. Life was good.

By 5 AM, I hit Salem highway bypassing the city & the only traffic was a group of Slow-moving trucks casually hogging all lanes like they had VIP passes to the road. A few patient honks (and some not-so-patient ones) later, they finally moved, as if doing me a grand favour.

Tamil Nadu roads welcomed me with open arms... and a surprise guest—fog. Not the gentle, cinematic kind, but the thick, eerie kind that made me question if I was still on the highway or had accidentally driven into the afterlife.But hey, what’s a road trip without some adventure? In EcoSport with raging enthusiasm is just a “mild inconvenience.”

Though the best part of driving early morning is the lack of traffic. The worst part? Finding open tea stalls. After what felt like an eternity, I finally spotted a small roadside tea shop near Dindigul. The chai was so strong it could probably wake up Kumbhakarna. Energized, I hit the highway again, occasionally testing the EcoSport’s turbo for those sweet overtakes.

By 10 AM, I was officially in Kerala, which I noticed two things:
1. Scenic roads with breathtaking views
2. A sudden explosion of auto-rickshaws and government buses appearing out of nowhere

I swear, these buses have no fear. One of them overtook me on a curve so confidently, I almost applied for life insurance then and there.

The final stretch to Munnar was where the real fun began. Twisty ghats, narrow roads, and hairpin bends—a true test of driving skills. The EcoSport handled it like a champ, sticking to the road while I pretended to be a rally driver. Meanwhile, my fuel efficiency dropped faster than my motivation on a Monday morning, but who cares?
The last few kilometers were pure driving bliss. The cool breeze, the smell of fresh tea plantations, and the realization that I had successfully avoided Bangalore traffic for an entire day—what a win!

Made a few photography stops along the way—because how could I not? The valley, the views—absolutely breathtaking. One glance at the scenery, and all my driving exhaustion melted away. Stepping out of the car, I felt like nature had personally rewarded me for the long drive, wrapping me in fresh air and endless beauty.

After 11 hours of driving, multiple chai stops, and countless near-death experiences with rash driving buses & jeeps, I finally reached my hotel in Munnar named as Grand Cliff Resort. Parked my EcoSport like a proud father, stretched like an old man, and immediately ordered a big plate of Kerala parotta and curry.
The resort was brand new at the time, with a menu as limited as my patience when hungry—but what it lacked in food options, it made up for in hospitality. The real MVP? Their masala tea. We lost count of how many cups we had, and at one point, it felt like we were there more for the tea than the vacation.

Curious (and slightly addicted), we asked the chef for the recipe. Not only did he happily share it, but he even packed us a stash of the magical masala, ensuring we could recreate the experience back home—though let’s be honest, nothing tastes as good as chai with a view. And speaking of views, the resort itself was a stunner, with a balcony that opened up to postcard-perfect scenery.

Munnar is very beautiful. But let’s be honest—the drive was the real highlight. Would I do it again? Absolutely. Would I leave at 2:30 AM again? Only if I can recover from this back pain first.

To wrap it up, I’ve attached a few photos from my gallery as solid proof that this wasn’t just a beautifully scripted dream—it actually happened! Munnar was every bit as stunning as I had imagined, maybe even more. From misty mornings to endless tea gardens, it truly lives up to the title of God’s Own Place.
And while no camera can ever do justice to the real thing, consider these pictures my humble attempt to share my experience!

P.S. This is my first post on the amazing TeamBHP, and hopefully, the start of many more travel tales! If I’ve accidentally broken any forum protocols, consider it a rookie mistake—I promise to learn, adapt, and keep the stories (and miles) rolling. Looking forward to sharing more adventures with this fantastic community!

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