Top Station is the high point of the road between Munnar and the Tamil Nadu border, a viewpoint at about seventeen hundred metres, where the Kerala hills fall away abruptly to the plains of Tamil Nadu far below. The name comes from the days when a ropeway carried tea down from the estates to the railhead at Kottagudi, and this was the topmost station. Today, the ropeway is long gone, but the name has stuck, and the place is a favourite stop for travellers going between Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
The view is the reason to come. From the edge of the plateau, you look out across a huge valley, with the hills of the Western Ghats on one side and the flat, hazy plains of the Theni district on the other, sometimes with a layer of cloud below you. On clear days, the villages and fields of Tamil Nadu are visible far off, and in the late afternoon, the light turns golden. The place is also known for the neelakurinji, which blooms on the slopes in great numbers every twelve years, and the vegetation here is a mix of grassland, shola forest and tea.
The ride from Munnar is a good one, climbing steadily through tea estates, past lakes and viewpoints, with open bends and a smooth surface for much of the way. Fog and rain are common, though, and visibility can drop to a few metres, so ride carefully and use lights. The road continues down the other side toward Bodinayakkanur, with a series of hairpin bends and steep drops, and the temperature rises quickly as you descend.
Munnar is the last reliable stop for fuel on the Kerala side, and Bodinayakkanur, in Tamil Nadu, is the next proper town, about seventeen kilometres away as the crow flies. Bring a jacket and rain cover, since the weather changes fast, and check the border arrangements, as local rules can change.