21 Best Places To Visit In Kodaikanal 🏕️ Ultimate Guide To Visiting Kodaikanal,Tamil Nadu.

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Green Mountain view kodaikanal

Kodaikanal is a small hill station, and it has become a tourist hub in recent years. Well, it deserves to be with the kind of activities available and places to explore in Kodaikanal. Kodaikanal has everything you perhaps are looking for spending an ideal holiday. Cloud-covered mountains, narrow roads filled with trees and forests on both the sides of the way, soothing climate, amazing South Indian cuisine, and what not. Well, to make things easier, I am sharing the best of the trip with you, places you should visit in Kodaikanal, and things you should do in Kodaikanal to make the most of your trip.

Life is complicated these days with so many things happening around, it often becomes messier and hard to go with things. Well, it happens to me too, and I find the much-needed peace when I go on a holiday. My idea of an ideal holiday always includes mountains and hill stations. Well, I feel more connected to nature when I am in the mountains. Hence, I visited Kodaikanal last month, and it was one of the fantastic trips I ever had.

Location

Kodaikanal falls in Dindigul District in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is a beautiful hill station that is standing at the elevation of 2100 meters from the sea level. The name Kodaikanal translates into “The Gift of the Forest,” and the place deserves every bit of it. The nearest city to Kodaikanal is Madurai, but it is easily accessible from all the major cities of Tamil Nadu.

How to reach Kodaikanal?

Reaching Kodaikanal is easier and there are mainly 3 modes of transportation you can use to reach from different states and nearby cities.

🚌Reaching Kodaikanal By Bus 

The best way to reach Kodaikanal is via bus. Almost every city of Tamil Nadu has a direct bus that runs to Kodaikanal. You can undoubtedly get one. The time span would differ depending on the distance. Coimbatore, Madhurai, Ooty and Bangalore are some major destinations having buses to Kodaikanal.

Reaching Kodaikanal by Train 🚉- Nearest Railway Station to Kodaikanal

Railway StationDistance to Kodaikanal
(KQN)KODAIKANAL ROAD46 Km
(ABI)AMBATURAI48 Km
(DG)DINDIGUL JN55 Km
(SDN)SHOLAVANDAN58 Km
(TMQ)TIRUMANGALAM72 Km
(TDN)TIRUPARANKNDRM75 Km
(KON)KUDALNAGAR75 Km

There are many cities located near Kodaikanal that have Railway stations. You can reach any of these places first and then take your bus to Kodaikanal. Some of the major cities near Kodaikanal are Madurai, Chennai, Coimbatore, Bengaluru, and Trichy.

Major Railway Stations near Kodaikanal Tamil Nadu India

Major Railway Stations near to KodaikanalDistance from Kodaikanal
(DG)DINDIGUL JN55 Km
(MDU)MADURAI JN77 Km
(VPT)VIRUDUNAGAR JN89 Km
(‎CBE) COIMBATORE JN170 Km

✈️Nearest Airports

Kodaikanal doesn’t have an airport so you may have to reach the nearest city having their airports like Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Chennai or Trichy.

How I reached Kodaikanal from Bangalore Via Bus

In my case, I reached Bengaluru first. I was travelling from Kolkata, so I travelled via air and reached Kemepgowda International airport. I spent my entire day in the city and boarded a government bus to Kodaikanal at night. To my surprise, the bus was well-maintained. I booked a bus with sleeper beds so that I can take a bit of rest before I set on exploring Kodaikanal. I booked my tickets online, and that is easier. You can book tickets online too to avoid the availability issues of seats.

Also, make sure that you wake up prior an hour from reaching Kodaikanal. The entire route to Kodaikanal offers magnificent views, and you shouldn’t miss on that. I made sure to capture the beauty of the city even before I stepped into it. You can see vast fields, mountains, small huts, forests, and the stunning sunrise.

Best time to visit Kodaikanal 

Well, if you search for the best time to visit Kodaikanal, it will be September because it doesn’t rain a lot, and the weather stays calm which is great for doing sightseeing. I visited Kodaikanal on the first of July when the rainy season is at its best. But, trust me, I didn’t curse the season, and I had the best time there. I can even say that rain added an extra flavour to my trekking trips.

Where to stay in Kodaikanal?

There are many small and luxurious hotels available in the city, and you literally won’t face any issues getting a room unless it’s a peak season. I already booked my tickets, and I stayed in a hotel (Fab hotel Dreamland) which was more than an average, and it didn’t cost me a lot. Also, my hotel was near to the bus stand and taxi stand, so I saved myself from walking up the streets to reach there.

What to eat in Kodaikanal?

As being a state of Tamil Nadu, you can anticipate the most common dish to try, the South Indian Cuisine. But that is not the only dish you can have. You can have North Indian and Chinese too. However, I would suggest that you must have South Indian dishes in Kodaikanal because they simply taste heavenly. In my 3 days trip, I ate only dosas and idlis because trust me I couldn’t get over the taste. Other than this, you must try the filter coffee there.  I can bet you that you would have hardly tasted any filter coffee better than the one served here.

3-day Itinerary for Kodaikanal

If you are booking cabs for the sightseeing, then travel agents will give you a list of locations and the type of sightseeing they fall under. For instance,

The first day is for sightseeing of famous places, and it covers all the areas that are just for sightseeing and not for other activities. 
The second-day trip falls under trekking tour, which includes the sightseeing of all those places where you will have to do the trekking, and
The third day consists of the forest trip that covers the tours of Berijam Forest. That takes almost 5 hours to complete as there are many places inside the forest like the famous Berijam Lake.

Tip: If you are travelling via bus and have plans to hire a cab for your city tour, then you many travel agents may approach you. They will approach you with pamphlets and their numbers for their cab services while you are on the bus.
Trust me; it is best to ignore them as they will charge you a lot. Do not be rude and take their number and pamphlets, and tell them you will give them a call after reaching your hotel. The best way to hire the cab is asking your respected hotels where you are staying. And yes, negotiation is acceptable.

Clothing tips for Kodaikanal 

It is essential that you do your packing and dresses up as per the seasons. Like, as I went in the rainy season,  I packed 2 extra pairs of clothes.
1 sports shoe for trekking tour (well, wear shoes for every tour) and an umbrella with light winter clothes.

Best Places to Visit in Kodaikanal 

Now finally, let’s check out the list of best places to visit in Kodaikanal. To be frank, there are many big and small, famous and infamous sightseeing places in the city. And I couldn’t visit all of them. But, I did visit the best of the places in Kodaikanal. And thus sharing the experience and magnificent beauty I witnessed. So, if you are planning to visit Kodaikanal in coming days, make sure to include these places in your Kodaikanal itinerary. So, let’s jump on to the places:

1. Coakers Walk

My trip started with Coakers Walk as it was the nearest sightseeing place to our hotel. Well, if you are reading this, then you may assume or try to imagine the beauty of the place, but the moment you enter the park, you will realize that no description can contain the essence of the beauty of what your eyes will see.

Coakers walk kodaikanal

When you are finally inside the gate, the beauty will hypnotize you. As you may have guessed with the name itself, Coaker’s walk is a pathway which is 1 km long and is established on a mountain. It is just half a kilometre away from the famous Kodai Lake. The place offers breathtaking views from the top.

places to visit in kodaikanal

You will be astonished on seeing the beauty of nature in this way.
As it was the rainy season, I could see clouds floating on the top of the mountain. There were sun rays in a few places and a few areas were covered with clouds.  I consider myself fortunate enough to witness the beauty of nature like this.  You can also see Dolphin’s nose which is another very famous sightseeing place, the valley of the Pambar River flowing in the South East. If you happen to visit the place on a clear day, then you might get a distant view of Madurai city.

There is another interesting thing you must check out in Coakers Walk and that is a telescope view. There are 2 telescopes, so you don’t really have to wait long in the queue. I couldn’t get the clear view due to the clouds and mist, but if you are lucky enough the visit in a bright day, you can have a clear view of the valleys, hills, and church. The best time to visit is in the morning when there is a fewer crowd and you can enjoy yourself as I did!

You should invest at least an hour at this particular sightseeing place as you would rarely get a chance to witnessing something like this. Also, try to buy something from the stalls set up there because you may not get a chance to shop the similar items. You can purchase woollen clothes at a much cheaper rate. I bought a woollen cap merely at the price of 20 and the quality was any way superior to the money I spent. I even bought a woollen shawl at the price of 120 and it was good enough for the price. Apart from these, I bought a few pairs of earring at 10 and 20 rs.

History – Coakers Walk was constructed by Lt. Coakers in the year 1872 and thus the park has its name after him.

  • Address: Coakers Walk, Kodaikanal
  • Timings: 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM
  • Entry Fees: Rs 10 for Coakers Walk and rs 20 for telescope room

2. Lake Viewpoint

Well, this was our second sightseeing place of the first day. At the first look, you may think that there is nothing about the place that will fascinate you, and you may drive overlooking the beauty of this small place. But, trust me, you should come out of your car and spend some time here.Lake point view kodaikanal

It is set 3.2 km from Coaker’s Walk and falls on the way to Green Valley View. The place offers a stunning view of Kodai Lake from the top, and from there the place has got its name “Lake View Point.” You can see the lake in a star shape. You must stop at the place to have the panoramic view of the lake and its surrounding. There are many small stalls from where you can eat and also buy small local handmade items. I would suggest you have ginger tea there or filter coffee. They make superb of both of them. We spent some 15 to 20 minutes here and no, we didn’t get bored.

  • Address: Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu 624103
  • Timings: 24 Hours
  • Entry Fees: None

3. Green Valley View

The name which was once famous as the “Suicide point,” now has been converted into “Green Valley View.”  This was our third place for sightseeing on our first-day tour. It is standing 1524 meters from the sea level and you can see deep down and the only thing you would be able to see is a cloud. The area is not significant and it has a fence covering the edge to avoid any mishap.

Green Valley view in kodaikanal

Well, do not get upset as you can see monkeys running and roaming around the area, but trust me, try to avoid feeding them. We were asked to do the same as they are so many in numbers that feeding one is not enough and you can end up getting circled by monkeys. There are many shops throughout the way from the main entrance. And you can shop for fruits, hand-made chocolates, souvenirs, earrings, tea, herbs, massaging oil, and others.

Special tip – Well, you, of course, can shop here, but if you would take my opinion then avoid shopping much there. The shops will charge you a lot and it is better to ask your driver to take you to the shop from where you can buy the handmade chocolates, coffee, tea, and other items at cheaper rates. Well, our driver did that and he took us to the shop where we bought hand-made chocolates at the cheaper rate. I bought half kg chocolates at 150 rs, all of them were of a different flavour. I also shopped for massaging oil, handmade scrub, and tea.

History – Green Valley View was earlier famous as “Suicide Point” where people jumped to their deaths to 5000 ft. Keeping the increasing number of suicides in view, the government renamed the place as “Green Valley View” and set up fences to avoid any more suicides.

  • Address: Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu
  • Timings: 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM
  • Entry Fees: None

4. Pine Forest

Our next stoppage was at Pine Forest which was one of the best places to visit in Kodaikanal. The view of pine forest looks like a scene coming straight from a romantic movie.

Pine Forest kodaikanal

The forest is located in the Southwest of the hill station and is a preserved heritage of Kodaikanal. Apart from being a unique and mesmerizing sight to eyes, it is also an ideal place to indulge in a romantic walk. Well, we couldn’t even indulge in a walk because the moment we entered the forest, it started raining. Thanks to a few stalls from where we bought two umbrellas and it also added an extra element to out photography session.

girl in forest

Well, there is, of course, not much to do apart from being a spectator to one of the finest creations of God. Also, the place is best for clicking dozen of pictures like we did. Also, monkeys are common in every tourist sites, so expect them even here. Avoid from taking any eating stuff inside to avoid unnecessary problems. The forest is really big so you can explore it a bit and also you can get many photography zones to get your pictures to get clicked alone.

Well, we didn’t try it but you can experience camping at the site after you take permission from the authorities and when the weather allows you.

pine forest view kodaikanal

History – Mr. Byrant is the person to whom the formation of this forest owes to. He started the pine plantation to grow timber in the year 1906. It turned out to be magical once the pine started growing everywhere and till date, the park is serving as one of the major tourist sites.

  • Address: Kodaikanal Ghat Rd, Shenbaganur, Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu 624101
  • Timings: 24 hours
  • Entry Fees: None

5. Golf Park

Next, we visited Kodaikanal Golf Park. It was a brief visit to the park as they didn’t allow tourists to enter and I guess it is for all good reasons. It is certainly the cleanest golf park I have ever come across. The backdrop was picturesque. Greenfield and blue sky, something that each of us wishes to witness and consider ideal scenery.

golf park kodaikanal

The forest is spread on an area of 6,426 yards and has 18 holes. It is 3 kilometers from the Green Valley View.

Well, if you think that you can’t do much there, then you are wrong because I found the place amazing and picture-perfect. I sat on the cleanest road and got clicked. Spent some time there and appreciated the nature’s art displayed in the best possible way. Your driver may not stop at the place and just cross it over unless you ask them to. And if you take my words then make him stop because, not every day, you witness such wonderful sceneries.

Roads in kodaikanal

History – Kodaikanal Golf Club was established on June 17, 1895. The establishment was done by 12 British golfers and they themselves designed the course. At the initial time, the club only had members of American and British civil servants and missionaries. In the beginning, the club only has 9 holes but later it was expanded and more 9 holes were added.

  • Address: Pambarpuram Village, Golf Links Road, Observatory P.O, Kodaikanal, Dindigul, Tamil Nadu 624101
  • Timings: 24 hours
  • Entry Fees: None

6. Moir Point

Moir Point though makes an important tourist place and is also one of the best places to visit in Kodaikanal. It stands on the entrance of the Forest that leads to the way to Berijam Lake. One can witness amazing views of valleys, villages, and hills and that is why it is one of the famous tourist attractions. There is one tower established there which shows its strong relationship with history. One has to take the permission of the authorities before entering here.

History – Moir Point lies at the place where Sir Thomas Moir cut the first grass to establish the Goschen Road. Till 1929, the road was famous with the name “Fore Mile Road.”

  • Address: Ten Mile Round, Tamil Nadu 624101
  • Timings: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
  • Entry Fees: 10 Rs

7. Guna Cave

Our trip continued and we moved to our next destination which was Guna Cave or Devil’s Kitchen. Since it was raining heavily, we couldn’t explore much the way I thought, but it wasn’t bad though.

guna cave kodaikanal

Guna Cave is located on the Moir Point road and always makes into the list of best places to visit in Kodaikanal. Well, the cave was not much known until a famous Tamil movie “Guna” was shot here, but the original name was “Devil’s Kitchen.” Now you know from where the cave got its name. It is located at the elevation of 2,230 meters from sea level and it is covered in a thick jungle and in between the Pillar Rocks.

Basically, the visitors can’t enter the cave because when the place rose to its popularity, many youngsters came here to explore, and lost their lives to the narrow caves. This made the authority to close the cave forever. One can have an Ariel view to the cave.

The cave is not the only attraction here and the different species of trees which you perhaps have never seen before, unusual rock formations and the deep down view from the end of the cave make interesting spots. Also, expect to see monkeys here too. If you are lucky enough unlike us, then you can spot many birds and animals.

best places to visit in kodaikanal
what a poser 😉

For us, the trip became quite adventurous as the rain made the entire path slippery. There was one small bamboo bridge which was giving people a thrilling experience because we don’t get to walk on such bridges every day. You will find many spots ideal to click photos and we did the same.

Mystery – Apart from numerous deaths, many mysterious disappearances also have taken place.

History – The establishment of Guna Cave dates back to 1821. It was first discovered by the British Officer B.S. Ward, but it was again lost and rediscovered only in the 1990s.

  • Address: Pillar Rocks Rd, Tamil Nadu 624101
  • Timings: 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM
  • Entry fees: None

8. Wax Museum

Our next stoppage was the Wax Museum.

wax museum kodaikanal

Well, do not expect to see any celebrities’ statues and drop your expectations outside the museum. It is basically an old house that has been converted into a museum, so there isn’t much to explore.

There are two sections of the museum and for each, you will have to pay. One has the statues of famous personalities like Gandhi and Lord Krishna and a few more. Another section has famous cartoon characters which were for the kids. We chose to visit the ones having the famous personalities.

wax museum kodaikanal images

You will see the Last Supper table, Adi Shankara, Gandhiji, Lord Krishna with gopis and a few others. A private firm runs the museum so try to donate as well.

The surrounding area of the museum is really gorgeous and you can find an amazing background to click great pictures.

  • Address: Golf Links Rd Kodaikanal Tamil Nadu 624101 Republic of, 624101
  • Timings: 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM
  • Entry fees: 30 rs
kodaikanal views
The view outside the wax museum 🙂

9. 500 years Old Tree

This was the concluding visit to our first-day tour of sightseeing place. Well, you can only see the tree while heading back to your hotel. Drivers generally overlook the place and may drive over, but our driver showed the tree.

The 500 years old Jamun tree in the garden of Shola Road and has been preserved by the government itself. You can only look at the tree from the main road and click pictures. You cannot enter the garden to see the tree.

This was the end of our first-day trip and we headed back to the hotel. We were exhausted to death so slept entire night so that could wake up fresh the next morning. Our trip was ended at 6 p.m.

  • Address: Noyce Rd, Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu 624103
  • Timings: 24 hours
  • Entry Fees: None

10. La Saleth Church

Our second-day trip started with an amazing breakfast. We had idlis and the best sambhar and filter coffee. Then we moved to our first destination, La Saleth Church.

la saleth church kodaikanal

La Saleth Church is standing at 7,000 meters from the sea level and offers a panoramic view of the nearby places. You won’t only see the church, but there are more than that. The place even has a circle establishment from where you can look at the nearby places and click many pictures. The church is 150 years old and till date, it has retained its charm. The architecture is simply gorgeous and represents the British time feel. The inside of the church has Statues of La Saleth Lady and St. Joseph.

We couldn’t spend much time inside the Church as a wedding was taking place. But there are many things to do outside the main church. The ambiance was soothing and we spend nearly an hour there.

For me, the trip to the church became more wonderful as I found a female dog along with her newly born puppies. I couldn’t help myself from feeding them. When you are roaming around the area, then be careful as there is a cliff too which people often fail to see. Do not fail to visit this church if architecture, history, stunning sceneries, and soothing ambiance excite you.

History – The church is the very first church in Kodaikanal and the fund for the establishment was sponsored by a Belgian woman. The woman paid tribute to the Lady La Salette who cured the woman’s daughter. A French Missionary, Fr. Louis St. Cyr, S.J. laid a cornerstone in the year 1863.

  • Address: Near Coakers WalkKodaikanal, India
  • Timings: Sunday: 8:00 AM, 10:30 AM and Saturday: 4:00 PM
  • Entry Fees: None

11. Dolphin’s Nose

Well, this attraction was my favourite for so many reasons. If you want to witness the best creation of Nature, then you have to put an extra effort and have to trek down to Dolphin’s nose.

Dolphins’ nose is actually a flat rock that is located on the edge of the cliff and you will have to trek down somewhere 1 kilometer from Vattakannal hamlet. It is standing at an altitude of 6,600 meters from the sea level. The name “Dolphin’s nose” is because of the rock appears as of the Dolphin’s nose. The estimated timing we spent there is somewhere 3 hours because of the trekking and a few halts before we finally reached Dolphin’s nose.

We reached the main entrance around 1 in the noon. We started trekking and it was difficult as the entire trekking path was wet and slippery due to the rainfall. But, I would say that the rainfall added an extra flavour of a thrill to the entire trekking.

After 30 minutes of trekking, we reached to a church which is located in the mid-way. We had to take a stop as it was raining heavily. The church was beautiful and there was enough area where you can sit and take a peep to the valleys. You can also have nimbu pani and a few eating stuff from a small stall run by a small family. There is a washroom too in the church area.

After the rain stopped, we started our trek and reached one of the tourist spots and it wasn’t the Dolphin’s nose. You will see the most amazing view of hills, valleys, villages, river routes from the top. The area presents a birds-eye view of the places and you will enjoy there for sure.  We spent nearly 1 hour there as we were super exhausted and was trying to regain the lost energy so that we could have continued the trekking to the main spot.

Dolphins nose kodaikanal
                                isn’t it magical?

The entire pathway is full of small stalls and shops and you can have Maggi, cakes, juices, water bottle, and eating stuff. There are a few houses too and you can see pet animals roaming there. After almost 45 minutes of trekking, Dolphin’s nose was finally there and it was all worthy of the efforts and time we spent. It was a scene that seems to be a part of some other world.

Dolphin's nose kodaikanal
A perfect picture spot , Dolphin’s nose, Kodaikanal

We didn’t really go to the edge as it was risky and a flat surface is riskier in the rainy season. I would advise everyone visiting Dolphin’s nose not to go near the edge as it can be a life-threatening danger.

kodaikanal Dolphins nose edge
The edge of dolphine’s nose

There is one more attraction in the area and that is “Echo point.” It is again a beautiful spot to witness a panoramic view of the hills. Echo Point presents the view of a layer of hills and it is simply breathtaking. Be aware when you are trekking to echo point as it too has cliffs which are dangerous and avoid going to the edges to show your daring side and clicking pictures.

On returning back, we had pahad wali Maggi, at a small stall located near Echo point. We were completely drenched in the rain, so we had to take shelter and warm up ourselves in a bonfire.

maggie on mountain
Pahad wali maggi 😀

Dolphin’s nose falls under “trekking trip” and our second day was entirely for the trekking. Make sure to wear shoes and comfortable clothes.

After retiring from Dolphin’s nose, we had lunch and then moved to our next destination, Pambar Falls.

  • Address: Dindigul, Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu 624101
  • Timings: 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM
  • Entry Fees: None

12. Pambar Falls

Pambar Falls turned out to be the best trekking places for us in Kodaikanal. Generally, people visit Pambar falls before Dolphin’s nose but as it was raining, we didn’t stop there. It became the last spot of our second-day trip. The timing to visit the fall is from sunrise to sunset.

Pambar falls kodaikanal

Pambar Falls is a waterfall, and it is otherwise known as “Grand Cascade.” The waterfall flows to meet the Vaigai River. At first, you may think that the fall is the only attraction there until you research or your driver tells you that there is another fall deep into the forest and the Lion cave. Our driver was an extremely great guide and he guided us to the Lion cave and another fall.

We trekked down to the fall and Lion cave moving inside the forest and it was worth it. We were the only people who were trekking down to the Lion cave and the credit goes to our driver. Being a 64 years old man, he was faster in trekking than us.

We were entirely drenched in the rain. To beat the cold, we had Maggi again at a nearby stall of the fall. There is only 1 stall and you won’t find many options to eat apart from an omelette, bread toast, Maggi, and tea.

If you are visiting Pambar Falls, do ask your driver to take you to the Lion cave if you want to experience the real fun of trekking.

The second-day trip ended with the visit to the fall and it took us almost an hour to explore the forest along with the Lion cave.

  • Address: Golf Links Road, Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu 624101
  • Timings: 8:30 AM to 8:00 PM
  • Entry Fees: None

Forest Tour

Our last day of the trip has only one tour, forest tour. Well, you may think that spending an entire day exploring the forest is a waste, but let me tell you, it isn’t. The forest has many tourist spots inside and you need time to explore each of them. The opening time of the forest is till 3 p.m. so make sure to visit in the morning so that you can explore all the places inside the forest. You will have to get authorities approval and it will charge you Rs. 150 to enter if you are taking the cab inside. You cannot go alone and trek the forest. The forest has a few animals too like monkeys, bison, deer, and black monkey.

forest tour kodaikanal

Well, there are a few famous spots to explore in the forest, and we are giving you a glimpse of the places here.

13. Silent Valley

This was the first place in the forest that you will visit. You have to get down from the vehicle and trek down a little to explore the spot. There isn’t much to see but the beautiful view from the top of a tower established there. The place provides a panoramic view, but as it is standing on a high altitude, you may only get to see clouds.

Silent valley in kodaikanal

14. Green Mountain View

Another place to witness a birds-eye view of Kodaikanal. You can spend some time there looking at the beauty of the place and clicking pictures.

Green Mountain view kodaikanal

15. Fire Tower

Fire Tower is famous for giving a beautiful view of the Berijam Lake which will be your last destination of the forest tour.

16. Medicine Forest View

This place gives you a view of green trees and plants. The plants and tree make a special ingredient for the making of the Ayurvedic medicine.

Medicine plant view kodaikanal

17. Cap’s Fly Valley

This is one of the fascinating places in the forest. Yes, it does offer a panoramic view of the hills and forest, but it also has one interesting featureIf anyone throws anything in the valley, it comes back due to the air current present there.

18. Berajim Lake

Well, this was the final destination of the forest tour. And you should spend at least an hour if you wish to explore not just the lake, but all the adjacent area. The lake has an amazing surrounding. There are also small mountains where you can spot Bison grazing grass. You may not spot them as they live inside the forest. There are small forest houses and they look like a scene from Scotland.

Berijam lake kodaikanal

Tip – Don’t go deep into the forest areas as there are leeches everywhere. Most of the people exploring the hilly area there got a few on their clothes. Thank god, I was an exception!

By 3 we left the forest and we had a few hours left in our hands so we headed to the Kodaikanal Lake.

19. Kodaikanal Lake

KODAIKANAL LAKE

How can someone visit Kodaikanal and not visit the most famous tourist attraction there? Kodaikanal Lake is actually a man-made lake but is very beautiful with its green surroundings. Kodaikanal Lake covers a sprawling area of 60 acres and has a star shape.
The timing to visit the lake is from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The lake receives water from the Palani Hills and Silver Cascade Waterfalls which is another very famous attraction in Kodaikanal. You can also see a variety of flora, fauna, and aquatic animals. Also, you can spot Kurinji Flower which is peculiar to the Lake.

You can also take up several activities like boating, cycling, and others. There are many stalls too from where you can shop for woollen clothes and other stuff. Cycling is a must to experience here because the area you will be cycling on is very gorgeous.

HistoryThe Kodaikanal Lake is one of the most amazing man-made wonders. And the credits for its creation goes to Sir Vere Henry levignge. The construction dates back to the year 1863. He was the collector of Madurai.

  • Address: Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu 624101
  • Timings: 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM
  • Entry fees: None

20. Byrant Park

Byrant Park is another very famous tourist attractions and stands on the east of the Kodai Lake so it is better that you try to explore both of them together. We did the same. After exploring Lake, we went to Byrant Park.

The park also serves as the Botanical Garden and there are plenty of flowers at every corner of the park. Botany students often find this place ideal and there are also glasshouses that feature a group of plants. We couldn’t spend much time there as we were running out of time. But if you are visiting Kodaikanal then make sure to include this in your list anyhow.

Our Kodaikanal trip ended with the trip to Byrant Park and made our way to the bus stand.

History – Byrant Park is the very first park to be opened as Reservoir Square in the year 1847. The park was named after the Croton Distributing Reservoir. It was then named as Byrant Park in the year 1884 to pay honour to the post editor of New York evening and abolitionist Willian Cullen Byrant.

  • Address: Lower Shola Rd, Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu 624101
  • Timings: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
  • Entry fees: 30 rs fro adult, Rs 15 for children, and 50 rs for taking a camera along.

Kodaikanal is simply a heaven for the people who are nature worshiper and find solace at hill stations.

places to visit in kodaikanal
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FAQS

How to reach Kodaikanal?

Well, the only way to reach Kodaikanal directly is via bus or car.
There are no other routes. If you are visiting from any other state apart from the states of South India, you will have to reach Bengaluru or Madurai first. Madurai is the nearest city to Kodaikanal which has a railway station.

How many days are enough to explore Kodaikanal?

Though I spent only 3 days in Kodaikanal, I would recommend everyone visiting Kodai to spend at least 4 to 5 days. These are the least number of days you need to explore all major and minor attractions. We missed some great attractions, precisely lakes because they don’t really come under the sightseeing tour offered by travel agents. So, make sure to spend 4 to 5 days for the least.

Which are some of the cities near Kodaikanal?

Ooty, Chennai, Munnar, Bengaluru, Madurai are some of the nearest cities to Kodaikanal.

What is the best time to visit Kodaikanal?

As it is a hill station, you can go and explore any time. But the best time is in March to September when the weather is soothing.

Is Kodaikanal expensive?

Well, apart from your tickets to reach the place, Kodaikanal is not at all expensive. You can easily get a good 4-star hotel at 1200 to 1600 per day stay along with the essential amenities. The food is of the normal rate. The entry fees too are nominal.

 What is the best eating item in Kodaikanal?

Everyone knows that every South Indian state and city serves the best South Indian cuisine :D. So definetly, Do not miss that. I had idlis, dosas, and sambhar almost every day. Filter coffee is a must too

What to buy from Kodaikanal?

When visiting Kodaikanal, you should buy their handmade chocolates, massaging oil, facial scrub, and tea.

Modes of transportation in Kodaikanal

If you wish, you can book tourists buses to visit sightseeing places. But if you want to have the liberty of spending as much time as you want, then book a cab. There is no other way you can explore the places.

What are the safety tips that I must follow?

Most of the sightseeing places are standing on a high altitude.
Some of them have open edges, make sure not to go near the edges.

places to visit in kodaikanal

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