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Location:
120 Km From Madurai, Tamil Nadu
Popularly Known As: Kodai
Famous Festival Summer Festival
Best Time To Visit: April To June And
September To October
Kodaikanal
located amidst the folds of the verdant Pali hills is one of the most
popular serene hill stations in India, which mesmerises any visitor.
With her wooded slopes, mighty rocks, enhancing waterfalls and a
beautiful lake, Kodaikanal is a charming hill station.
Kodai is situated
at an altitude of about 2,133-m high and co.jpg) ers
an area of 21.45-sq-km. The hill town is renowned for its educational
institutions of international repute. The pride of Kodaikanal is the 'Kurinji-flower',
which blossoms once in 12 years. The hill-plantain fruits and plums are
known for their freshness and taste.
PRIME
ATTRACTIONS
Berijam Lake Berijam
Lake is one of the beautiful picnic spots in Kodai, located 21-km away
from the bus stand. This lake supplies drinking water to Periakalam
town. The scenery around here is delightful.
Boat Club In
1910, a new boathouse
was constructed,
but only from May 1929, few tourists were permitted to avail boat ride
as temporary members. Later on they were extended to the public and
tourists in 1932. Boats like T.T.D.C, Kodai boats, Carlton boats are
available for hire.
Bryant Park
Bryant Park
situated on the eastern side of the lake, is noted for flowers, hybrids
and rafts. Varieties of flowers can be seen in a glasshouse. The annual
horticultural show is held here in May.
Shenbaganur
Museum Shenbaganur Museum is located about 5-Km from the lake. The
Sacred Heart College maintains this museum. One of the best orchidoriums
in the country with more than 300 species of orchids and wide-ranging
collection of birds are found here.
Coaker's Walk Coaker's
Walk derives the name from Lt. Coaker, who prepared the map of Kodai and
it is about a kilometre from the lake, which runs along a steep slope on
the southern side of the Kodai. Some of the best views of the plains can
be seen from here.
Kodaikanal
Lake Kodaikanal Lake is a magnificent man-made lake, which spreads
out in a star shape over sixty acres is a main attraction as it is set
among the greenery. The boat club here offers several pleasure and
racing trips.
Pillar Rocks Within
the city limits one can see three boulders standing shoulder - to -
shoulder vertically measuring to a height of about 122 metres providing
a panoramic view.
Kurinji
Andavar Temple The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Murugan and
is about 3.2-km from the lake. In Tamil literature "Kurinji"
means "Hilly Region" and "Andavar" means God. From
this temple, one can get a view of the northern plains and Palani Hills.
Silver Cascade
Silver Cascade waterfall is located on the Ghat Road about 8-km from
Kodaikanal. The overflow of Kodai Lake comes down here as 180 feet high
falls.
Bear Shola
Falls An ideal picnic spot located 1.6-km from the lake, which can
be by a picturesque, rugged hill path. Bears once used to drink water
above the falls.
Telescope
Houses To enable the visitors to have a panoramic view of the valley
and the nearby towns, two telescope houses have been put up at Kodai.
CLIMATE
The climate of
Kodaikanal is pleasant throughout the year, but the best time to visit
Kodaikanal is from April to June and from September to October.
HOW TO GET
THERE
Air: The nearest
airport is at Madurai (120 km from Kodaikanal).
Rail: The nearest
railway stations are the Kodai Road Railway Station (80-km) and the
Palani Railway Station (64-km).
Road: Kodaikanal
is connected by road with Chennai (520-km), Ooty (264-km), Trichy
(197-km), Coimbatore (175-km), Kumili (160-km), and Madurai(120-km).
Regular bus services are available from Madurai, Palani, Kodaikanal
Road, Theni, Dindigul, Tiruchirapalli, Kumuli (Thekkady) and Coimbatore.
Additional buses ply during the season. Taxis and vans are available for
local transportation. There are no auto-rickshaws in Kodaikanal.
WHERE TO STAY
Kodaikanal offers
good accommodation facilities to the tourists. The TTDC run Hotel Tamil
Nadu on Fern Hill Road is one example where comfortable accommodation is
provided to tourists. Hotels
in Kodaikanal
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