Kodaikanal Tourism Has A Plethora Of Experiences To Offer

ByDilip Singh

he ‘Princess of hills’ Kodaikanal is amongst the most famous tourist and honeymoon destinations in Tamil Nadu. The word itself means the ‘gift of the forest.’ It is a beautiful hill station developed as a retreat during the mid 19th century by British missionaries as their summer capital due to its undulating hill slopes, densely wooded jungles, cascading waterfalls, meandering rivers, verdant valleys, and scenic beauty. It is situated at the height of 7000 feet above sea level along the Palani hills, with Parappar and Gundar as major valleys on both sides of Kodaikanal. There are hordes of places to visit in Kodaikanal and lots of things to do in Kodaikanal. Let us see what Kodaikanal tourism has to offer.

Best time to visit Kodaikanal

Being a popular hill station for Kodaikanal enjoys pleasant and cool weather throughout the year. Nevertheless, the best time to visit Kodaikanal is during the summer months, from March to early June, when the weather and climate are best. During monsoon, the region experiences moderate rainfall, and winters are not unbearable either. This makes Kodaikanal a popular tourist destination throughout the year.

How to reach Kodaikanal?

Kodaikanal is one of the most frequently visited hill stations. Kodaikanal tourism is a flourishing tourism industry. It has excellent connectivity with all the major cities of India by air, rail, and road. Here is how to reach Kodaikanal:

By Air

The nearest International Airport is Madurai International Airport, with a distance of 120 km from Kodaikanal. The travelers can easily avail bus or taxi services right outside the airport to reach Kodaikanal.

By Rail

Kodai Road is the nearest railway station around 95 km away from Kodaikanal and connects to the major cities of Madurai and Trichy. From here, one can avail buses and taxis to reach Kodaikanal.

By Road

Kodaikanal is linked via road with several prominent cities, including Chennai (530 km), Bangalore (460 km), Ooty (255 km), Trichy (198 km), Kumili (160 km), and Coimbatore (175 km). However, it takes less than four hours via NH 49 from Madurai (120 km) to reach Kodaikanal.

Places to visit in Kodaikanal

Kodaikanal, the Princess of hill stations, offers mesmerizing views, an enthralling environment, cool and pleasant weather, and many places to visit in Kodaikanal. Kodaikanal tourism promises lively and unique experiences leaving one in awe of the place for many days. Some of the amazing places to visit in Kodaikanal are as follows:

  • Lakes such as Berijam Lake, Kodaikanal Lake, Mannavanur Lake.
  • Gardens such as Bryant Park, Chettiar Park, Coaker’s walk
  • Waterfalls such as Vattakanal falls, Bear Shola Falls, Fairy Falls
  • Viewpoints such as the Lake View Point, Silent Valley View, Poombarai Village View, Moir Point
  • Other exciting places including Astrophysical Observatory, Subrahmanya Temple, Christ The King Church, Guna Caves, La Salethe Church, Shembaganur Museum Of Natural History, Kurinji Andavar Temple, Pillar Rocks, Pine Forest

Things to do in Kodaikanal

Kodaikanal lies on the verdant valleys of the Palani hills with a beautiful scenic view of the rolling hills and valleys. Kodaikanal tourism offers many things to do in Kodaikanal such as:

  • Shopping at Kodaikanal for authentic natural products like tea, coffee, homemade chocolates, spices, and natural oils.
  • Trekking at Devil’s Kitchen, Dolphin Nose, Perumal Peak, Thaliyar Falls
  • Camping in the forests of Kodaikanal at Kukkal caves for a view of Manjampath valley
  • Boating on Kodaikanal lake

Resorts in Kodaikanal

With the many unique places to visit and things to do in Kodaikanal, one should have an excellent place to live in to cherish the stay in such a beautiful hill station. Kodaikanal is dotted with lots of resorts such as Club Mahindra Kodaikanal resort, Club Mahindra Le Poshe resort, The Tamara Kodai Resort, The Fern Creek, Kodai Resort Hotel, Sterling Kodai Lake, and so on.

The resorts in Kodaikanal provide gorgeous views of the Palani hills with valleys and are ideally located near many places to visit in Kodaikanal. The resorts in Kodaikanal also offer signature experiences to guests by providing world-class amenities and facilities in the resort, impeccable hospitality, exquisite cuisines ranging from local flavors to international delicacies, bonfire dinners, theme nights, and much more. The resorts in Kodaikanal ensure total satisfaction on the part of the guests making their memories memorable in Kodaikanal.

Restaurants in Kodaikanal

The restaurants in Kodaikanal offer an array of cuisines, right from authentic South Indian cuisine to delightful Parsi dishes with vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. There are numerous restaurants in Kodaikanal, and some of the best are Astoria Veg Restaurant, Aby’s Café, Muncheez, Tava Vegetarian Restaurant, Ten Degrees, Aromas Of Kodai, Cloud Street, Chomp, Hilltop Inn, Silver Oak Restaurant, and so on.