Kanyam (कन्याम) is one of the most famous tourist destinations of eastern Nepal located in the Suryodaya municipality of the Ilam district. Kanyam is a scenic tourist center because of its chilling climate, lush green tea gardens, and greenery. Kanyam and Fikkal have large tea estates which have been famous for the last 140 years.
Because of its natural beauty, it is popular as the “Queen of Eastern Nepal”. The name Ilam is derived from the Limbu language. In the local language “Il” means twisted and “Lam” means road.
There is Love Danda in Kanyam. There is a national flag on the top of the Love Danda. It is a viewpoint in Kanyam, from there one can view 360 panorama view of the beautiful tea garden from the top of this hill.
Things to do in Kanyam
- Horse Riding
- Picnics
- Sightseeing
- Tea Garden hike
- Mountain views
- Views of Indian cities
- Explore Tea Gardens & Tea factories
- Rent cultural dress and click pictures
Attractions
Heavenly Tea Gardens are the main Kanyam tourist spot. This place is also popular for the sunrise view, sightseeing, mesmerizing natural beauty, horse riding, pine trees, and picnic spots. It is also a popular forest picnic spot in eastern Nepal. Horse riding is an adventurous thing to do in this place. You can also get a beautiful view of Mt. Kanchanjunga, Mt. Everest, Mt. Kumbhakarna, Pashupatinagar, Samalbung, Jhapa, Darjeeling, Mirik(India) and Siliguri from Kanyam.
Kanyam Tea Garden is a major tourist attraction for taking photos and horse riding. Domestic tourists come here to take photos in cultural costumes. In Kanyam, people take photos wearing the traditional dress of Rai, Limbu, Newar, Sherpa, Tamang, Magar, etc. For these traditional wears, costume hiring centers have also been opened where one can find various caste costumes to jewelry.
The charge for hiring the dress is 100 to 200 rupees depending on the time of taking a picture wearing a dress. If you upload a photo on social media taken in a tea garden that looks like a ‘green carpet’, you might get many likes and comments.
It also serves as a gateway for visitors to the Pathibhara temple, Taplejung, Nepal.
History and Origin of Kanyam Tea Garden
Kanyam tea estate greenery is spread approximately 240 hectares of which tea is planted on 200 hectares. In this place hills are covered with a tea garden which looks extremely beautiful as if it is heaven.
Kanyam’s first foundation was planted by the Late King Birendra and was first planted under the technical collaboration of the British government. The first tea estate in Nepal was established in 1863 as Ilam Tea Estate.
Its tea is exported to Europe, India etc. Besides tea production, it also produces cardamom, milk, cheese, churpi, ginger, potato, broom, akabare khursani, etc.
Geography and Climate
It is situated at a height of around 1828 meters (6,000 feet) above sea level. It is known for its cool breezy weather. Kanyam is covered in an external shroud of cold breeze. Although the eastern paradise looks mesmerizing in every season but monsoon is monsoon. People often do not consider monsoon as the best season to travel but every season is different and every season is beautiful. The weather in Kanyam is a bit cold so warm clothes should be worn.
Local Culture and Tradition
Kanyam is home to people from various ethnic backgrounds, each contributing to the rich tapestry of the local culture. Rai, Limbu Tamang, Magar, Brahmin, Chhetri, Newar etc are living there. The cultural practices, festivals, and rituals often reflect this diversity.
Festivals and Celebrations
Various festivals and celebrations are observed in Kanyam throughout the year. These may include traditional Hindu festivals like Dashain and Tihar, as well as cultural events specific to certain ethnic groups such as Sakela, a major festival of the Rai community.
Places to visit near Kanyam
Fikal, Pashupatinagar, Maipokhari, Sriantu (Antu danda), and Todke Falls are the other tourist spots that are closest to Kanyam. Fikkal is the main business hub here. It is a town in the Ilam District of Nepal that comes under Suryodaya Municipality in Ilam District in Province No. 1 of eastern Nepal. It is on the Mechi highway on the way to Ilam. Pashupatinagar is 11 km east of Fikkal. Maipokhari is listed as the Ramsar site and it is also a center of religious faith. Sano Pathibhara (also known as Pathibhara temple Kanyam) and Hasapokhari in Kuti Danda are also suitable destinations in this area.
Shree Antu
Antu Danda is a beautiful hill, the best spot in Ilam to view the sunrise, sunset, Ilam, Jhapa, and the Himalayas. It is located at an altitude of 2,328 meters from sea level. The sunrise view from Antu is one of the most beautiful views. It is the place where the Sun hits first in Nepal. Early morning tourists visit the view tower to view the beautiful sunrise. Antu pokhari is another tourist attraction here. The reflection of trees and hills on the pond’s water is mesmerizing.
Homestay and hotel facilities are also available in this area. It is believed that the homestay culture in Ilam began from here. One can reach Antu Danda after an hour’s drive from Pashupatinagar or a three-hour drive from Ilam Bazaar. The road condition is good and black topped till Antu Danda.
Sandakpur
Sandakpur can be reached from Ilam bazaar and one can view beautiful mountains. It is located at an altitude of 3,636 meters above sea level. The hills of Sandakpur are covered with snow during the winter season. Food and accommodation are a little bit costly at the top.
Mai pokhari
Mai pokhari, the Ramsar site is also a sacred site for Hindus, Buddhists, and Kirats. It is located at an altitude of 2,121 meters above sea level. There are nine corners in this pond. There are more than 10 species of rhododendrons in this area.
According to the Hindu sacred text “Mahabharata,” the Pandavs also visited this place. There is a Shiva temple, Bhagwati temple, Saraswati temple, Nirmal Mai ashram, Satyadhuni ashram, and Tashi choling monastery. It is 18 kilometers north of Ilam Bazaar.
Accommodation
There are no hotels in Kanyam for overnight stays, but there are some hotels very close to Kanayam in Ilam. It is approximately 5 minutes from Kanayam. There are many hotels in Fikal (which is 5 km away) or Ilam Bazar (which is about 43 km away) for evening stays.
Jungle View Resort – It is located near Harkate, on the way to Kanyam.
DOKO Resort – It is 47 km north of Birtamode, Jhapa in Ilam.
Kanyam Village Cottage – Kanyam, Ilam, Nepal.
The best time to visit Kanyam
The best time to visit the Kanyam tea garden is from March to May or September to December.
How to reach Kanyam?
You can also take a direct bus from Kathmandu to reach Kanyam, or you can reach Jhapa and change the bus from there. You can go directly to Jhapa by plane and go by car/bus from there.
Conclusion:
It is the perfect place for visitors to take beautiful pictures for their Facebook profile pics. Every year thousands of tourists visit here. It is also a popular destination for honeymoons in Nepal. It is also popular among Indian tourists as they come here in the summertime to beat the heat in India and it is approximately 70 km far from the Indian Border. It is near Darjeeling, India.