Kodaikanal is a town in Tamil Nadu. In Tamil it means "Gift of the forestâ€.
It is a very scenic place and has a lot of natural attractions that are enjoyed by tourists.
Kodaikanal Lake is an artificial star shaped lake which is now Kodaikanal’s popular landmark and tourist attraction. You can hire boats and go for a ride on the lake.
Bryant Park is a beautiful botanical garden with 325 species of trees, shrubs and cactuses. The park has some lovely flowers and is a sight to behold in peak season.
Coaker’s walk is a 1km paved pedestrian walk which gives a stunning panoramic view of the plains. Great place to take lovely photographs of the scenic beauty of Kodaikanal.
Bear Shola Falls is a tall waterfall in the reserve forest. Pillar Rocks is a viewpoint with 3 giant rock pillars and right next to it the Guna Caves are deep bat infested chambers between the three gigantic boulders.
The Kodaikanal Solar Observatory, the museum of natural history, Kurinji Andavar Murugan temple are some of the other attractions.
The Berijam Lake, a calm serene lake, is about 20km from Kodaikanal.
Kodaikanal was inhabited by the Palaiyar tribal people in ancient times. The modern city was established by the British in 1845.
Madurai, Coimbatore and Trichy are the nearest airports. Madurai airport which is located at a distance of 120 km from Kodaikanal, is connected by regular flights to Chennai and Coimbatore. Bus and taxi services are available from Madurai.
Palani and Kodai road are the nearest railway station. Visitors take the scenic steep and winding 3 hour drive through the ghats to reach here.
Tourist bus services are available from neoghbouring places such as Madurai, Coimbatore, Bangalore, Kochi and Chennai
Kodaikanal is one of the most beautiful hill stations in Tamil Nadu. Also known as the Princess of hill stations, the town is one of the most sought after tourist destinations in the state. Known for its natural beauty and green landscape, the hill station is home to several famous tourist attractions.
Kodaikanal Lake is the most famous attraction in the hill station. Boating facilities are available in the lake. Bryant Park, a botanical garden close to the lake, is another major attraction of the town. The garden is known for its wide varieties of roses. Berijam Lake is another well-known lake. Lying within a reserved forest area with a scenic and pristine surrounding, the lake is a popular tourist attraction.
Coaker's Walk, a paved pedestrian path is another popular spot in the town. It offers magnificent view of the plains. Green Valley View, Kodaikanal Solar Observatory, Pillar Rocks, Dolphin's Nose and the Kurinji Andavar Murugan temple are some other popular attractions.
My sisters and I were fortunate to travel through Asia and Europe at very young ages. We confronted extraordinary beauty in Athens and unspeakable poverty in India.