Kodaikanal-a popular hill station when we think of South India is genuinely worthy of visit-will. Say looks better than Ooty at times and has better places to offer, although very rush-prone! It’s a hill station where you can chill out, relax, and spend your time relentlessly. The one-day trip seems sufficient, but a two-day trip is a better deal for enjoying this place.
8 reasons why you must visit Kodaikanal:
- Kodaikanal is known for tourist spots like Dolphin’s Nose, Coakers Walk, Byrant’s Park, Green Valley View, Bear Shola Falls, Silver Cascade falls,etc.-each, and every place is worth a watch!
- Kodai Lake is a prime attraction. It is a star-shaped 4 km in circumference. You can enjoy a relaxing boat ride with your friends and family, gazing at the greenery and hills. You can also visit the beautiful Berijam Lake, a freshwater reservoir.
- 6 km from Kodaikanal is Vattakanal which is known for tranquility and peace. There’s a little crowd, and hence, you need to have a private vehicle to get there.
- Dolphin’s Point offers a clear view of lush green valleys and hills and is a mere 15-20 min hike from the main road. It’s a must-visit place!
- During the monsoons, waterfalls like Fairy Falls, Silver Cascade, and Bear Shola Falls have water in full force enough to enjoy the vacations.
- Kodaikanal is also famous for its variety of chocolates and spices. Trust me, the taste of chocolates here are superior to that of renowned brand chocolates. They are authentic, delicious, and less sugary.
- Bryant Park is an excellent 20-acre park to visit, lying east of the lake. It’s vast and can be a great picnic spot with family and friends.
- Pine Forests are worth visiting south of Kodaikanal, where you can get yourself clicked amidst pine trees.
Location : Kodaikanal is about 500 kms south of Bengaluru, as well a Chennai.
Tourist Attraction on the spot:
Kodaikanal Lake, Coaker’s Walk, Bryant Park, Silver Cassade Falls, Pine Forest, Vattakanal Falls, Upper Lake View, chettiar Park, Silent Valley View, Dolphin Nose.
Tourist Attraction in Vicinity:
You can visit Madurai, Munnar, Thekaddy, Meghamalai, and HighWays hill stations.
Distance Charts:(Kodaikanal)
- Chennai (530 km)
- Bangalore (470 km)
- Rameswaram (290 km)
- Kanyakumari(350 km)
- Delhi (2640 km)
- Mumbai (1450 km)
- Hyderabad (1035 km)
- Ooty(250 km)
- Munnar (160 km)
- Cochin (260 km)
- Mysuru (350 km)
How to Reach Kodaikanal:
Road Routes:
Bengaluru/Chennai-Salem-Dindigul-Kodaikanal
IMPORTANT NOTE FROM MY EXPERIENCE:
1)Kodainkanal, if avoided in peak season, is better-first there’s a hotel search problem, and second it’s too crowded to enter the city-like you see 2-3 km traffic lines in summers!
2)Even in peak season, you do find hotels, but bumped-up prices are with what you lodge in!
3)For some tourist spots, you might need a private vehicle. Public transport seems to be there, but the timings must be checked. If you have 2-3 days in hand, public transport and walking can help cover many places.
4)Kodaikanal shall be avoided between June and September, when it rains and pours heavily. Hill stations are not a great place to be in the rainy season, attributed of landslides and traffic.
5)Beware of private taxi tour packages; get help from locals before you negotiate. The current prices must be known before jumping in for a private booking and sightseeing!
RAIL:Nearest railway station will be Dindigul from where there’s plenty of state transport buses.
AIR: Coimbatore/Madurai can be considered as nearest airport.
ROAD: Pretty good network of roads from all direction-say from Bengaluru or Chennai via Salem and Dindigul or from Trivandrum or Kanyakumari via Madurai. KSRTC AND TNSTC bus services will help A LOT!
Map:-
Time to Visit:
Except rains-June to August-anytime is fine.
Spend Time With:
Family, Friends, Solo, Couple, Groups
Food and Lodging:(Same situation as Ooty)
Food ain’t an issue, but is costly, especially if you ask for out of context north Indian cuisines. Grab idli dosas and you’ll do fine. Talking about hotels-in peak seasons it’s not easy to get cheap and best hotels-it’s full jammed. Better book in advance with sites like Goibibo or Makemytrip or Yatra and that will save hassle as well as bucks.
Expense:
A 2-day trip to Kodaikanal will cost:
Food:INR 150/person/day(3 times a day)X2
Transport:You can manage a few places with shared transport but a private vehicle can be better.Try for shared tours if possible.(INR 300 for public transport and INR 3000 for car booking)
Lodging:INR 800/day X2
Entry Fees includes various places (varies):Approx 200 INR with boating.
Total: 3000 INR(INR 5700 if a shared tour is taken which is better way to go)
Nearby Attractions(Kodaikanal)
- Chennai(530 km)
- Ooty(250 km)
- Munnar (160 km)
- Cochin(260 km)
- Mysuru(350 km)
- Alappuzha(290 km)
- Bangalore(470 km)
- Rameswaram(290 km)
- Bangalore(470 km)
- Kanyakumari(350 km)
- Highways(140 km)
- Ponmudi(160 km)
