Bonacaud

Bonacaud is a hill station located in the foothills of the Agasthya hills in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala. Originally established as a British tea estate around 1850, it now serves as the base camp for trekking to Agasthyarkoodam Peak. The area features scenic waterfalls including Bona Falls, dense evergreen forests, abandoned tea plantations, and a watchtower offering views of Peppara Dam reservoir.

Visitors can expect a serene natural environment with mist-covered hills, dense Western Ghats forests, and remnants of colonial-era tea estates. The area offers viewpoints overlooking Peppara Dam reservoir and surrounding mountain ranges. Visitors can explore abandoned tea factories, visit nearby waterfalls like Bona Falls (4 km away), and observe diverse bird species. The location serves primarily as a starting point for Agasthyarkoodam treks during the permitted season.

Bonacaud was originally named Bonaccord by the British, meaning 'good agreement' in French. A tea estate was established around 1850, initially at a higher elevation near the Sooryakanthi river before being relocated due to health issues among laborers. The estate was owned by Mahavir Plantations Limited until 1995 when it closed due to financial losses following trade liberalization. The British-built structures including the GB 25 bungalow remain as historical reminders of the colonial plantation era.

The area has cultural significance as the traditional homeland of Kani tribes who worship Sage Agasthiyar at Agasthyarkoodam peak. The laborers originally brought from southern Tamil Nadu during the British era still have descendants living in the estate area, representing a unique cultural heritage of plantation workers in Kerala.