Picture courtesy of - http://www.flowersofindia.net/
KODAIKANAL is a beautiful place is in Tamil Nadu, situated on Palani hills at an altitude of 210om. It is one of the most popular hill resorts in India, a charming hill station. near Madurai. The beauty of the ideal hill station lies in its woods , lovely lake and bracing air.
It is approachable from Ooty/Coonoor which takes 7 hrs via road.
From Coimbatore it takes 3 1/2 hrs via road.
Peculiar to this region is a unique shrub, named as Kurinji which is found in KodaiKanal. This shrub has light, purple-blue coloured flowers , it flowers in every 12 years. It will flower next in 2016. Hope many of us are lucky enough to witness this.
picture courtesy - http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/2006/11/photo-essay-flowers-galore-kurinjis.html
Kodaikanal is the best place to stay during the hot summers, and to avoid the heat and haze of plains. This place also provides an opportunity to hike in the quiet shola forests.
When to Visit - The main season is from April - June or September - October.Temperature - Temperature ranges from 11 deg.C to 20 deg.C in summers and 8 0C to 170C in winter.
Clothing - Light woollens in the evening during summer and heavy woollens during winter.SIGHTSEEING -
1) STAR SHAPED LAKE -
The star-shaped lake of Kodaikanal is one of the major attractions of this quaint little hill station. Situated at the heart of the main town area, it is also a favourite evening spot for the locals as well. It is the legacy of former Collector, Sir Vere Levinge, who formed it by damming the valley where three streams flowed. The entire lake area is spread over an area of about 60 acres. Here you can also try out some boating courtesy the Boat Club that is located here. Moreover, small horse rides can also make a good pastime in the early evenings.
2) SOLAR OBSERVATORY -
Situated at a distance of just 3.2 kilometres from the Kodaikanal lake, it is one of the only three solar observatories in the world that is more than 75 years old. Built at an elevation of 2343 meters, the Solar Observatory was built at the highest point of the town. You can have a look into the solar system by booking your tickets for the scheduled shows.
3) VIEW POINT -
Kodaikanal has some of the best view points from where you can have a thrilling view of the entire Kodai valley. The hill station/’s best view points are Pillar Rocks, Green Valley View point and the Dolphin/’s Nose. You must not miss a visit to these places as they are known for their natural marvel and beauty. You could also find some of the locally made products here to take along as the memorabilia of your visit.
4) ORCHIDORIUM -
Kodaikanal has a wonderful Orchidorium having 300 species of trees and flowers. You can also visit the herbarium that houses around 2500 plants and a mass garden. The Orchidorium is a living storehouse of a number of trees that are of great scientific importance. The Orchidorium is open for visitors from 10 am to 12 noon and 3 pm to 5 pm on weekdays.
5) COAKER WALK AND PRIEST’S WALK -
Kodaikanal is ideal for lazy walks and to add up to your satisfaction it has some of the picturesque walks too. The Coaker Walk and Priest/’s Walk are the two of them. Situated at a distance of about 1 km from the Kodai lake is the Coaker Walk. It has been named after St. Coaker of the Royal Engineers. The walk offers you a fantastic view of the plains and the distant hills.
6) PERUMAL PEAK -
The Perumal Peak is another important tourist point in Kodaikanal. Situated at an altitude of 2,440 metres it lies at a distance of about 11.3 kilometres from the Kodaikanal town area. The peak also offers excellent opportunity for trekking for the adventurous tourists.
7) FAIRY FALLS -
It seems as if mother Nature has bestowed all her treasures into this gifted forest area. Besides the lakes, the wonderful walks and the picturesque peaks, Kodaikanal also has two falls namely the Fairy Falls and Glen Falls that make a thrilling site. The Fairy Falls is just 4.8 kilometres from the Kodaikanal main town. Picnickers crowd this place during weekends.
For more information at http://www.kodaikanal.com/travelinformation.htm
Coaker's Walk courtesy - http://villaretreat.com
HOTELS :
Hotel Villa Retreat - http://www.villaretreat.com/
Dalethorpe Homestay - http://dalethorpe.kodaikanal.com/
Lillys Valley - http://lillysvalley.com/index.htm
Hotel Sivapriya - http://www.hotelsivapriya-kodai.com/
Kodai Abode - email: supergfx@dataone.in Phone: 09940651592
Green Acres Resort - http://www.greenacresresort.biz/
Golden Park Inn - http://www.kodaigoldanparksinn.org/
Kodai Resort Hotel - http://www.kodairesorthotel.com/aboutus.htm
For all hotels - http://www.kodaikanalhotels.net/, http://www.hotelsinkodaikanal.net/
Kodaikanal Homestay - http://www.kodaikanalhomestay.com/About_Us/Default.asp
For more information :
Information on Tamil Nadu - http://www.hotelstamilnadu.com/kodaikanal.htm
Govt. of Tamil Nadu Tourist Office - Township Rest house, Old Bus Stand Building Upstairs, Anna Salai, Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, India. Phone: + 91- 4542 -241675.
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