Myself and my wife were on a 30 day vacation in Kerala from Canada. Besides visiting relatives and friends, we wanted to spend a few days at a quiet resort. I called up an old friend at kottayam to get some suggestions. He suggested a few places, and then he strongly recommended Briar Tea Bungalow at Valparai. We decided to give it a try and we are so glad we did. The journey from Chalakudy to Valparai and from Valparai to Kurangumudi and to the Monica Garden Bungalow was breathtaking. The entire route is scenic with very little human interference.

The Bungalow has a rustic look and feel with massive rooms, antique fireplaces and wooden floors. There is a colonial nostalgia written all over the place and a peace that cannot be described in words. The only sound is that of the constant, varied chirping of birds all around. This combined with the picturesque landscape makes this place truly heavenly.

If you are adventurous, there are multiple trails from the Bungalow through tea estates that lead into the reserve forest. If you are a nature lover, birder or wildlife enthusiast you are guaranteed to be thrilled beyond belief. You have all these simple, wonderful, exciting; but down to earth options.

This place is amazingly rich in flora and fauna; also home to many extremely rare birds.We were told by our guide at the Bungalow that there is a place where he can take us to see the Great Pied Hornbill. We decided to do that the following morning. Left at 6 am. It took us about 45 minutes to get to the spot. We stopped and took lots of pictures of the landscape. The slanting early morning sun-rays breaking through mist clad mountains is an unforgettable experience. Finally after many short stops for taking pictures, we came to the reserve forest area with gigantic trees. We were given to understand by our guide that Hornbills build their nest on very tall trees. We waited patiently. After about 15 minutes of waiting, we heard a huge sound wave coming from behind us, over our head on to a large tree in front of us. Yes! We are now in full view of this huge, magnificent bird in black and yellow sitting on the branch. Here comes 3 more. We were stunned. Almost an hour went by. We kept enjoying them.

We got back to Monica Garden Bungalow had a late breakfast and relaxed. Evening we has a camp fire and a BBQ. This Briar Tea Bungalow experience is something we are going to remember for ever. A completely different and special experience, including the quality of service and food.