Kodaikanal - Hill Station Holiday

Location : Dindugal District, Tamil Nadu
Area : 21.45 sq.kms
Attractions : Berijam Lake, Boat Club, Bryant Park
Ideal Time to Visit : April to June and September to October

¤ A Soothing Hill Station

Kodaikanal, also known as Kodai, is a mesmerizing hill station perfect for a holiday destination. Situated on the southern tip of the upper Palani Hills, Kodai is located in Dindigul District of Tamil Nadu state. It is situated at a height of about 2,133-m and spreads over an area of 21.45-sq-km. A popular tourist holiday destination, having many natural splendors such as waterfalls, a pleasant lake, and many beautiful mountain viewpoints.The place is also known for hill-plantation of fruits and plums known for their freshness and taste. Kodaikanal is also famous for educational institutions of international repute. From Kodai, Mount Perumal, an extinct volcano, can also be viewed.


¤ Attractions At Kodaikanal

Kodaikanal, the hill-station is an attraction in itself, topped up by various important attractions. Some of the major attractions here are, the Kodaikanal Lake, a magnificent man-made lake, which spreads out in a star shape over sixty acres. It is a main attraction as it is set among the lush greenery. An added attraction is the boat club, offering several pleasure and racing holiday trips. The Berijam Lake located at a distance of 21-km from Kodaikanal is an important attraction here. Having a star like shape, it is Spread over an area of 24 hectares and is known for its pure water. There's also a park here called the Bryant Park situated on the eastern side of the lake and is famous for flowers, hybrids and rafts.

Another important attraction here is the Shenbaganur Museum , located about 5 Kms from the lake. This museum has more than 300 species of orchids and a wide collection of birds. Another exotic attraction, the Coaker's Walk, is an high-edged pathway. It derives its name from Lt. Coaker, who prepared the map of Kodai. It is situated about a kilometer from the lake, running along a steep slope on the southern side of the Kodai. A famous temple of this region, the Kurinji andavar Temple has Lord Murugan as the presiding deity. It is situated about 3.2-kms from the lake. From this temple, one can get a view of the northern plains and Palani Hills.


¤ Excursions

Excursions are supposed to energize you and this what the several excursion spots in and around Kodaikanal do. Among the most famous are the Dolphin's Nose, located about 8 kms from the Kodaikanal lake. It is a flat protruding rock, offering breathtaking views of the valley. Then, there is the Perumal Peak, situated about 11 km from Kodaikanal, which is another popular destination. It is considered trekker's delight and the trek starts from the Neutral Saddle. One of the popular picnic holiday destination, the Periyakulam town is situated around 21 km from Kodaikanal. Another important destination for excellent holiday is the Kukal Cave, situated about 40 kms from Kodaikanal. It is a favorite camping site for trekkers and it is said that the descendants of the Paliyans still live here.


¤ Adventure

Kodaikanal offers a lot of adventure options to tourists on their holiday trip in the town. One of these options is the Golf Club, located 5-km from the Kodaikanal Lake. Boating and Angling facilities are available at the Kodaikanal Lake. There are many beautiful trek routes available in and around Kodaikanal. Kodaikanal in the Palani Hills is perfect for small-time trekking. You can take short treks and hikes to tourist spots close by. Overnight treks are also possible here where one can spend a night at a local village.

There's also a Boat Club here, built in the year 1910. It was opened from May 1929 for few tourists who had permit. Later on, it was opened totally for the public in 1932. Boats like T.T.D.C, Kodai boats, Carlton boats are available for hire.


¤ Shopping At Kodaikanal

Kodaikanal is not a famous shopping destination but one can definitely look forward to buy artifacts and gift items. The famous places to shop in Kodaikanal are the Khadi Emporium, Handloom Co-operative Stores and Travancore Crafts Work, Government Sales Emporium, Kurinji Mini Supermarket, Spencer and Company.


¤ Fairs and Festivals At Kodaikanal

Summer festivals are celebrated at hill stations of Tamil Nadu including Ooty, Kodaikanal and Yercaud. These summer festival involve many Cultural programs, adventure sports, boat races, flower and fruit shows, adding charm to the festival.


¤ Reach Kodaikanal

By Air : The nearest airport from Kodaikanal is at Madurai about 120 kms away. It is well connected to other airports, especially Chennai.

By Rail : The nearest railway stations from Kodaikanal are the Kodai Road Railway Station around 80 kms away and the Palani Railway Station is situated about 64-kms from Kodaikanal.

By 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.

Local Transportation : Taxis and vans are available for local transportation. Auto-rickshaws are not available at Kodaikanal.